Factors Affecting Public Adoption of COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment Information During an Infodemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study

Exploring the relationship between self-management behaviour, family function and health information adoption behaviour in Chinese diabetic foot patients: a mixed-methods study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic foot is a major burden and threat to individuals, families and society, making it imperative to promote good self-management behaviour. However, although nurses have provided these patients with excellent health knowledge, their self-management remains unsatisfactory. Although researches have shown that self-management requires family involvement, no research has been conducted in China on family function, specifically in the diabetic foot. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between self-management, family functioning, and health information adoption behaviour and explain the formation's reason.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

We will conduct a mixed-methods study using an exploratory sequential study design in Zhejiang, China. In the first phase, cross-section research will be conducted using a convenient sampling strategy on 225 diabetic foot patients. SPSS V.26 was used for correlation and multiple stepwise regression analyses. Structural equation modelling will be performed by using AMOS V.24. The researchers will conduct a semistructured interview to collect qualitative data and use NVivo to analyse. Ultimately, we will 'triangulate' to integrate quantitative and qualitative data.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study received ethical clearance from the Ethics Review Committee, the affiliated Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Medicine School, Zhejiang University (approval no: 2023-0145). All data collection processes will abide by health and safety measures required by the national government. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The study will produce one paper that will be disseminated, to local stakeholders and participants, via local and international conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The moderating influence of perceived government information transparency on COVID-19 pandemic information adoption on social media systems

Introduction

Social media systems are instrumental in the dissemination of timely COVID-19 pandemic information to the general population and contribute to the fight against the pandemic and waves of disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses the information adoption model (IAM) as the theoretical framework to examine the moderating influence of perceived government information transparency on the adoption of COVID-19 pandemic information on social media systems from the Ghanaian perspective. Government information transparency regarding the pandemic is crucial since any lack of transparency can negatively affect the global response to the pandemic by destroying trust (in government and public health authorities/institutions), intensifying fears, and causing destructive behaviors.

Methods

It applies a convenient sampling technique to collect the responses from 516 participants by using self-administrated questionnaires. The data analysis was computed and analyzed with SPSS-22. The following statistical tests were conducted to test the hypotheses: descriptive statistics, scale reliability test, Pearson bivariate correlation, multiple linear regressions, hierarchical regression, and slope analysis.

Results

The results indicate that information quality, information credibility, and information usefulness are significant drivers of COVID-19 pandemic information adoption on social media systems. Furthermore, the perceived government information transparency positively moderates the influence of information quality, information credibility, and information usefulness on the adoption of COVID-19 pandemic information on social media systems.

Conclusion

The theoretical and managerial implications of these findings suggest the utilization of social media systems as an effective tool to support the continued fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic and its future role in national and global public health emergencies.

Randomized controlled trial: Quantifying the impact of disclosing uncertainty on adherence to hypothetical health recommendations

We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess whether disclosing elements of uncertainty in an initial public health statement will change the likelihood that participants will accept new, different advice that arises as more evidence is uncovered. Proportional odds models were fit, stratified by the baseline likelihood to agree with the final advice. 298 participants were randomized to the treatment arm and 298 in the control arm. Among participants who were more likely to agree with the final recommendation at baseline, those who were initially shown uncertainty had a 46% lower odds of being more likely to agree with the final recommendation compared to those who were not (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.27-1.03). Among participants who were less likely to agree with the final recommendation at baseline, those who were initially shown uncertainty have 1.61 times the odds of being more likely to agree with the final recommendation compared to those who were not (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.15-2.25). This has implications for public health leaders when assessing how to communicate a recommendation, suggesting communicating uncertainty influences whether someone will adhere to a future recommendation.

Continuance Usage Intention toward E-Payment during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Financial Sustainable Development Perspective Using Perceived Usefulness and Electronic Word of Mouth as Mediators

Digital transformation is essential to financial sustainable development. Since the beginning of 2020, the whole world has been under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the pace of financial digitization. According to the perceived usefulness of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the perceived seriousness of the health belief model (HBM), this study developed and explored the theoretical framework of consumers’ continuance usage intention toward e-payment. A questionnaire survey was conducted to explore this continuance usage intention among consumers who have used e-payment in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a total of 387 valid samples. The overall model was analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM). The empirical results showed that the security, perceived seriousness, and perceived usefulness of e-payment significantly affect electronic word of mouth (eWOM), while the security and perceived seriousness of e-payment have a significant effect on continuance usage intention through perceived usefulness and eWOM. During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-payment providers should encourage consumers to use e-payment via eWOM, perceived usefulness, and consumers’ perceived health seriousness and should improve the use efficiency of e-payment through e-payment financial services, thus encouraging consumers’ continuance usage intention toward e-payment.

The Impact of Government Social Media Information Quality on Public Panic During the Infodemic

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the first global “Infodemic” in the era of social media. Understanding how governments deal with the negative impacts of the infodemic (e.g., public panic) has become a priority. This paper uses the theoretical framework of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) to explore mechanisms for alleviating panic associated with the infodemic. It considers, in particular, the quality of information circulated on Government Social Media (GSM) as the central route and local government trust as the peripheral route. An empirical study was conducted using data from a focus group interview and a questionnaire survey collected within the first three weeks following the citywide lockdown of Wuhan, China. The results show that as: (1) Quality of GSM information does not significantly reduce public panic, but local government trust significantly increases people’s pandemic prevention knowledge; (2) Pandemic prevention knowledge is a critical mediator between information quality of GSM and public panic, as well as local government trust and public panic; and (3) Information quality of GSM significantly increases people’s trust in local governments. This paper contributes to the literature on infodemic and government social media and provides implications for practice.

Impact of Educational Leaflet Dissemination on University Students’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice toward COVID-19 in Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a public health problem at the global level. University students are expected to have positive knowledge, attitudes, and practice towards COVID-19, not only for themselves but also for their community. A pre-post study was conducted on undergraduate students at Universitas Andalas, Indonesia, in 2020 to explore the impact of an educational poster on university students’ knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19. An amount of 407 students participated in this study. Most of the participants were female (N=308; 75.68%), aged 20 years and above (N=251; 61.67%), and were non-health professional students (N=337; 82.80%). Female students had significantly better knowledge, while female and health sciences students had better preventive practice related to COVID-19. After the intervention, only attitude scores significantly differ from the pre-intervention score (p=0.004). However, the proportion of participants who had poorer practice was higher than the pre-intervention, although the number of participants who had practice improvement also increased. The educational leaflet significantly improves students’ attitudes, but not their knowledge and practice. Careful design of the educational method is needed to improve university students’ knowledge, attitude, and practice.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Sustainable Adoption of Digital Signature: An Integrated Factors Analysis Model

Digital signatures have been widely and primarily used for document approval activities during the Coronavirus pandemic in Indonesia. This is the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature or stamped seal, although it provides more inherent security, such as validating the authenticity and integrity of a message, software, or virtual document. Therefore, this study aims to determine factors affecting consumer intention in using digital signatures based on (i) the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2, (ii) the theory of planned behavior, and (iii) the information acceptance model. A total of 358 respondents answered the online questionnaire containing 69 question items, with the data analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique to examine the hypotheses. The results showed that the relationship between consumers’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and information adoption had the highest and lowest effects on consumers’ behavioral intention. Moreover, the consumers’ attitudes had the most significant effect on their attitudinal intention to use digital signatures. The significant positive impact of these consumers’ attitudes had relevant implications for the sustainable adoption of the signature system. This indicated that an integrating model with the potential of extending to consumers’ intention analysis was established for digital signature adoption in other countries after the post-Coronavirus period.

Role of Infodemics on Social Media in the Development of People’s Readiness to Follow COVID-19 Preventive Measures

Unparalleled levels of misinformation have contributed to widespread misunderstandings about the nature of the coronavirus, its cure and preventative measures. Misinformation crosses borders rapidly with the help of social media, and this phenomenon is constantly increasing. Thus, the current study proposes a research framework to explore how citizens’ trust in government and social media influences their readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures. Additionally, the role of a health infodemic was explored in perceptions and relationships among factors influencing an individual’s readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures with data collected from 396 participants in Taiwan. The findings indicate citizens’ trust in social media (TRSM), attitude (ATT), perceived benefit (PBT), personal innovativeness, and how peer referents positively influence their readiness. However, the relationship between citizens’ trust in the government (TRGT) and their readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures (INT) is not statistically significant. The current study also explores the negative moderating effect of health infodemics on the relationship between TRSM and INT, TRGT and INT, ATT and INT, PBT and INT. Thus, the Taiwanese government must consider the current study’s findings to develop attractively, informed, and evidence-based content, which helps its citizens improve their health literacy and counter the spread of misinformation.

Design of a Virtual Reality Interactive Training System for Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Major Emerging Infectious Diseases: Theory and Framework

Background

Sufficient public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) is the key factor in effectively responding to and recovering from major emerging infectious diseases (MEIDs). However, in the face of MEIDs, PHEP is insufficient, so it is necessary to improve PHEP. The rapid development of virtual reality and human-computer interaction provides unprecedented opportunities for innovative educational methods.

Objective

This study designed a virtual reality interactive training system (VRITS) to provide an effective path for improving PHEP in the context of MEIDs so that the public can effectively respond to and recover from MEIDs.

Methods

This study used interactive narrative, situated learning and human-computer interaction theories as a theoretical framework to guide the design of the system. We used the literature research method and the Delphi method; consulted multidisciplinary experts, such as infectious diseases, disease control, psychology, and public health personnel, to determine the educational content framework; and set up an interdisciplinary team to construct an operating system framework for the VRITS.

Results

We named the VRITS “People’s War Against Pandemic.” The educational content framework includes 20 knowledge, emotion, and behavior skills in 5 aspects (cooperating with prevention and control work, improving emergency response ability, guaranteeing supplies and equipment, preparing economic resources, and maintaining physical and mental health). The operating system framework includes virtual interactive training, knowledge corner, intelligent evaluation, and community forum modules, and the core module is the virtual interactive training module. In this module, users control virtual characters to move in various scenes, and then identify and analyze the controllability and harmfulness of the evolving pandemic and select the correct prevention and control strategy to avoid infecting themselves and others.

Conclusions

The development and sharing of the multidisciplinary theoretical framework adopted by People’s War Against Pandemic can help us clarify the design ideas and assumptions of the VRITS; predict training results; understand the ability of training to change emergency knowledge, emergency emotion, and behavioral responses to MEIDs; and promote the development of more effective training systems based on virtual reality.

Assessment of practice of Covid-19 preventive measures and associated factors among residents in Southern, Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a respiratory disease mostly affecting old aged and those with comorbidities. Due to resource constraints in developing countries, control of Covid-19 was based on preventive measures. However, there is variation in adherence to these precautionary measures from place to place among communities. Therefore, this study assessed the practice of Covid-19 preventive measures and associated factors among residents of Southern, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was employed on residents of Southern, Ethiopia. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from households through systematic random sampling methods. Data was entered, coded, and analyzed using STATA version 16. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between outcome variables and predictor variables. Finally, the interpretation of Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value was done for statistically significant factors of Covid-19 preventive measures practice.

RESULTS

The proportion of residents who had good practice of Covid-19 preventive measures was 31.3% (95% CI: 26.5, 36.1). Out of 364 residents, 264 (72.5%) used facemasks, 218 (59.9%) washed their hands frequently, 167 (45.9%) practiced social distancing, 135 (37.1%) stayed at home, 75 (18.1%) avoided handshaking and 228 (62.6%) used hand sanitizer. Following government directions (AOR = 225; 95% CI: 68.6, 738), good knowledge about Covid-19 (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.12, 10.73), having access to water supply (AOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.05, 8.18), belief towards protectiveness of preventive measure (AOR = 3.53; 95% CI: 1.08, 11.61) and chronic illness (AOR = 5.09; 95% CI: 1.44, 17.96) were significantly associated with practice of Covid-19 preventive measures.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the proportion of residents practicing Covid-19 preventive measures was low. Having comorbidity, following government directions, knowledge about Covid-19 and access to water supply were significantly associated with Covid-19 preventive measures practice. Therefore, government and all concerned stakeholders should increase the accessibility of infrastructure and provide continuous awareness creation campaigns regarding Covid-19 mode of transmission, sign and symptom, and protectiveness of Covid-19 preventive measures. Moreover, dissemination of teaching aids using local languages and close monitoring of community compliance to Covid-19 preventive measures is crucial.

Why Do Users of Online Mental Health Communities Get Likes and Reposts: A Combination of Text Mining and Empirical Analysis

An online community is one of the important ways for people with mental disorders to receive assistance and obtain support. This study aims to help users with mental disorders to obtain more support and communication through online communities, and to provide community managers with the possible influence mechanisms based on the information adoption model. We obtained a total of 49,047 posts of an online mental health communities in China, over a 40-day period. Then we used a combination of text mining and empirical analysis. Topic and sentiment analysis were used to derive the key variables—the topic of posts that the users care about most, and the emotion scores contained in posts. We then constructed a theoretical model based on the information adoption model. As core independent variables of information quality, on online mental health communities, the topic of social experience in posts (0.368 ***), the topic of emotional expression (0.353 ***), and the sentiment contained in the text (0.002 *) all had significant positive relationships with the number of likes and reposts. This study found that the users of online mental health communities are more attentive to the topics of social experience and emotional expressions, while they also care about the non-linguistic information. This study highlights the importance of helping community users to post on community-related topics, and gives administrators possible ways to help users gain the communication and support they need.