Age Differences in COVID-19 Preventive Behavior

Abstract. Age is a critical risk factor for severe COVID-19. This is mirrored by older people showing preventive health behaviors more frequently. However, collective action across all age groups is necessary to reduce transmission. Therefore, this study assessed whether age differences are moderated by policy changes and whether policies further moderate the relationship between psychological determinants of behavior (risk perceptions and trust), age, and preventive behaviors. Risk perceptions, trust in institutions, self-reported frequency of preventive behaviors (mask-wearing, avoiding social gatherings), and demographics (e.g., age) were collected within the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO), a German serial cross-sectional survey. A total of 19,069 participants across 20 measurement points were included (online sample, quota-representative for Age × Gender and federal state in Germany; mid-April to the end of November 2020). Regression analyses showed that age differences in avoiding social gatherings and mask-wearing remained stable under different health policies but were further moderated by psychological variables. The introduction of stricter policies alone was not related to higher adoption rates of preventive behaviors, but it mitigated the effects of age and risk perceptions. Moreover, under mandatory policies, the correlation between trust in institutions and behaviors was amplified. The present research made a strong case for quality, targeted health, and risk communication. Without mandatory policies, the importance of preventive behaviors must be well understood to achieve high adherence – especially in young people who are threatened by the disease less directly.

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The four weeks before lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: a weekly serial cross-sectional survey on risk perceptions, knowledge, public trust and behaviour, 3 to 25 March 2020

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.42.2001900 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (42) ◽

Author(s):

Cornelia Betsch ◽

Lars Korn ◽

Tanja Burgard ◽

Wolfgang Gaissmaier ◽

Lisa Felgendreff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Online Survey ◽

Adult Population ◽

Healthcare Sector ◽

Federal State ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Variables ◽

Trust In Institutions

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, public perceptions and behaviours have had to adapt rapidly to new risk scenarios and radical behavioural restrictions. Aim To identify major drivers of acceptance of protective behaviours during the 4-week transition from virtually no COVID-19 cases to the nationwide lockdown in Germany (3–25 March 2020). Methods A serial cross-sectional online survey was administered weekly to ca 1,000 unique individuals for four data collection rounds in March 2020 using non-probability quota samples, representative of the German adult population between 18 and 74 years in terms of age × sex and federal state (n = 3,910). Acceptance of restrictions was regressed on sociodemographic variables, time and psychological variables, e.g. trust, risk perceptions, self-efficacy. Extraction of homogenous clusters was based on knowledge and behaviour. Results Acceptance of restrictive policies increased with participants’ age and employment in the healthcare sector; cognitive and particularly affective risk perceptions were further significant predictors. Acceptance increased over time, as trust in institutions became more relevant and trust in media became less relevant. The cluster analysis further indicated that having a higher education increased the gap between knowledge and behaviour. Trust in institutions was related to conversion of knowledge into action. Conclusion Identifying relevant principles that increase acceptance will remain crucial to the development of strategies that help adjust behaviour to control the pandemic, possibly for years to come. Based on our findings, we provide operational recommendations for health authorities regarding data collection, health communication and outreach.

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Spatial Distance to Epicenter, Risk Perceptions, and Preventive Behaviors Against Health Risks in the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.27839 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Diyi Liu ◽

Sanmei Wen ◽

Jing Su

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Regression Models ◽

Spatial Distance ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Preventive Behaviors ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Susceptibility ◽

Perceived Severity

BACKGROUND The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has become a monumental public health emergency. Gauging people’s psychological and behavioral reactions in an initial alerting stage is crucial for helping public health authorities to manage the epidemic. OBJECTIVE To investigate how spatial distance from the epicenter of Wuhan influenced people’s risk perceptions regarding COVID-19. Additionally, how risk perceptions, in concert with demographic variables, influenced the adoption of different preventive behaviors in the early stages of the outbreak. METHODS We conducted a national cross-sectional survey from January 21, 2020 to January 23, 2020. We assessed the association between spatial distance from the epicenter and participants’ risk perceptions using linear regression models. We used binomial logistic regression models to calculate the determinants of the adoption of six preventive behaviors against COVID-19. RESULTS Our data contain 1988 valid responses from 31 provinces in mainland China; 28.2% of respondants resided in Hubei province (n=560). Participant locations were roughly coded into five categories based on their geographical distance from the epicenter. We found that the closer people were to the initial epicenter in Wuhan, the higher susceptibility they felt (β=-.24, t=-11.12, P<.001), while their perceived severity displayed no significant variation based on location (β=-.02, t=-.93, P=.35). Compared with those in the peripheral provinces, people in Hubei and the forth-category provinces reported higher odds of wearing facemasks when going out (odds ratio [OR] 2.635 95%CI 1.33-4.17, P<.001; OR 3.19, 95%CI 1.78-5.72, P<.001, respectively). Participants with higher perceived susceptibility had a higher likelihood of wearing masks (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.01-1.31, P=.04), however, lower odds of avoiding social gatherings (OR 0.87, 95%CI 0.77-0.99, P=.03) and avoiding visiting Wuhan (OR 0.69, 95%CI 0.61-0.77, P<.001). Participants’ perceived severity was positively associated with their engagement in washing hands and frequent ventilation (OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.00-1.24, P=.05), wearing masks in public (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.25-1.55, P<.001), avoiding social gathering (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.12-1.38, P<.001) and avoiding traveling to Wuhan (OR 1.13, 95%CI 1.02-1.25, P=.02). Participants’ sex was also associated with their perceived severity and the engagement of precautionary behaviors. CONCLUSIONS These results characterize an “epicenter effect” early in the pandemic. Our findings expand the understanding of perceived susceptibility and severity, which acted as two distinct dimensions of risk perception, and led to different behavioral outcomes.

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A Cross-Sectional Survey of Age and Sense of Authenticity among Japanese

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.105.2.575-581 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 105 (2) ◽

pp. 575-581 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Masaya Ito ◽

Masaru Horikoshi ◽

Masahiro Kodama

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Age Differences ◽

General Health ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Age Groups ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age Cohorts

This study examined age differences on the sense of authenticity and its relation with mental health measured on the General Health Questionnaire. Participants were 963 Japanese ( M age = 51.5 yr., SD = 19.5). Scores on the Sense of Authenticity Scale increased across age cohorts. Correlations of –.45 to –.75 were observed between the sense of authenticity and mental health in all age groups.

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A Cross Sectional Survey of Chicken Astroviruses Antibody in Broiler and Sonali (Cross-Bred) Chickens in Selected Areas in Bangladesh

Macedonian Veterinary Review ◽

10.2478/macvetrev-2020-0016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 75-80

Author(s):

Md Zulfekar Ali ◽

Mohammad Moktader Moula ◽

Zafar Ahmed Bhuiyan ◽

Muhammad Tariq Javed

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Winter Season ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Elisa Kit ◽

Published Report ◽

Poultry Birds ◽

Wide Range ◽

Group B

AbstractChicken astroviruses (CAstV) are enteric viruses of poultry causing gastroenteritis, malabsorption, gout and white chick disease commonly known as runting-stunting syndrome (RSS). It can affect the wide range of poultry birds, especially chicken, turkey and duck worldwide. To our best knowledge there is no published report on presence of antibodies against CAstV in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study aimed to detect the presence of CAstV antibodies in broilers and sonali chickens (a cross-bread) in Bangladesh through a cross-sectional survey. A total of 454 blood samples from 66 flocks of broiler (n=343) and sonali chickens (n=111) of different ages were obtained during 2017 from four districts. The birds were healthy but were not vaccinated against CAstV. The samples were tested for specific antibodies against CAstV Group B by using commercially available ELISA kit. Overall, 16.74% (76/454) samples and 34.84% (23/66) flocks were positive for CAstV antibodies. The seroprevalence of CAstV was significantly (p=0.001) higher in sonali chickens (36.96%) than broiler (10.20%), while it was significantly higher (p=0.001) in birds of Bogura district (36.94%) than the other three districts. Regarding the age groups, seroprevalence was insignificantly (p=0.192) higher in sonali chicken before laying age (45%) than during laying age (27.45%). Regarding the seasons, CAstV infection was prevalent significantly (p=0.001) higher in winter season. Thus, the present study indicated the presence of CAstV in poultry in Bangladesh, so further studies are required to find out the magnitude of the problem in the country.

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Association between Social Media Use for Health Purpose and Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25007 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hee Yun Lee ◽

Yan Luo ◽

Cho Rong Won ◽

Jiyoung Lee ◽

Jeongwon Baik

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Social Networking Sites ◽

Inverse Relationship ◽

Age Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

The Relationship ◽

Health Purpose

BACKGROUND The use of social media or social networking sites (SNS) is increasing across all age groups, and one of the primary motives of using SNS is to seek health-related information. Although previous research examining the effect of SNS use on depression exist, studies regarding the effect of SNS use for health purpose on depression is limited. OBJECTIVE Our study aims to explore the relationship between SNS use for health purpose and depression across the four age groups (18-34 years old, 35-49 years old, 50-64 years old, and above 65 years old). METHODS A sample of 6,789 adults aged 18 and older was extracted from a 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Univariate and bivariate analyses to examine the association between each variable and four age groups were conducted. Multiple linear regression analyses to predict depression level among participants with use of SNS for health purpose were conducted. RESULTS SNS use for health purpose and depression were positively associated for three age groups but not for those 65 years or older (=0.13, P<0.05; =0.08, P<0.05; =0.09, P<0.05). Income and self-reported health status indicated an inverse relationship for all age groups. The relationship with marital status differed based on age group with 18 and 34 years old showing an inverse relationship (=-0.13, P<0.01) while 65 years or older showing a positive relationship (=0.06, P<0.05). Gender was positively associated among those in the 35-49 years old (=0.09, P<0.05) and 65 years or older (=0.07, P<0.05). Being Non-Hispanic White was positively associated with depression among 50-64 years old (=0.07, P<0.001) and 65 years or older (=0.08, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Age-tailored education on determining accurate and reliable information shared via SNS is needed to reduce depressive symptoms.

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Prevalence and risk factors of worry among teachers during the COVID-19 epidemic in Henan, China: a cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045386 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. e045386

Author(s):

Yanqing Wang ◽

Quanman Li ◽

Clifford Silver Tarimo ◽

Cuiping Wu ◽

Yudong Miao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influencing Factors ◽

Age Groups ◽

Educational Status ◽

Henan Province ◽

Anxiety Level ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Location ◽

Fear Level ◽

Attention Level

ObjectiveTo evaluate the level of worry and its influencing factors during the COVID-19 epidemic among teachers in Henan Province in China.Study designA cross-sectional study was conducted.MethodsWe designed a cross-sectional survey that included 88 611 teachers from three cities in Henan Province, China between 4 February 2020 and 12 February 2020. Level of worry was measured using a five-item Likert scale, with 1 being ‘not worried’ and 5 being ‘very worried’. The OR and 95% CI of potential influencing factors for level of worry among study participants were estimated using ordinal logistic regression models.ResultsAbout 59% of teachers reported being ‘very worried’ about the COVID-19 epidemic. The proportion of female teachers was higher than of male teachers (60.33% vs 52.89%). In all age groups considered in this study, a ‘very worried’ condition accounted for the highest proportion. The age group 40–49 years had the lowest proportion of participants who were very worried, 52.34% of whom were men and 58.62% were women. After controlling for potential confounding factors, age, education level, type of teacher, school location, attention level, fear level, anxiety level and behaviour status were all related to level of worry (all p<0.05).ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 epidemic, there was a high proportion of teachers who were ‘very worried’ about the situation in Henan Province, China. Our study may remind policymakers to consider factors including age, educational status, type of teacher, school location, source of information on COVID-19, attention level, anxiety level, fear level and behaviour status to alleviate worry.

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Analyzing Predictors of Control Measures and Psychosocial Problems Associated with COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Eight Countries

Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.3390/bs11080106 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 106

Author(s):

Sheikh Saifur Rahman Jony ◽

Ubydul Haque ◽

Nathaniel J. Webb ◽

Emily Spence ◽

Md. Siddikur Rahman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Health ◽

Age Groups ◽

Psychosocial Problems ◽

Relevant Information ◽

The United States ◽

Control Measures ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Primary Determinant

COVID-19 has harshly impacted communities globally. This study provides relevant information for creating equitable policy interventions to combat the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to predict the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of the COVID-19 pandemic at a global level to determine control measures and psychosocial problems. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to October 2020 using an online questionnaire. Questionnaires were initially distributed to academicians worldwide. These participants distributed the survey among their social, professional, and personal groups. Responses were collected and analyzed from 67 countries, with a sample size of 3031. Finally, based on the number of respondents, eight countries, including Bangladesh, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the United States, and Zambia were rigorously analyzed. Specifically, questionnaire responses related to COVID-19 accessibility, behavior, knowledge, opinion, psychological health, and susceptibility were collected and analyzed. As per our analysis, age groups were found to be a primary determinant of behavior, knowledge, opinion, psychological health, and susceptibility scores. Gender was the second most influential determinant for all metrics except information about COVID-19 accessibility, for which education was the second most important determinant. Respondent profession was the third most important metric for all scores. Our findings suggest that greater encouragement from government health authorities and the promotion of health education and policies are essential in the dissemination of COVID-19-awareness and increased control of the spread of COVID-19.

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Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Female Students in Fukushima Four Years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15112411 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (11) ◽

pp. 2411 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shinya Ito ◽

Mie Sasaki ◽

Satoko Okabe ◽

Nobuhiro Konno ◽

Aya Goto

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Radiation Risk ◽

Well Being ◽

Female Students ◽

World Health ◽

Nuclear Radiation ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional

Young women in their late teens and early 20s are at the highest risk for depression onset. The present study aimed to assess depressive symptoms among female college students in Fukushima. More specifically, it aimed to clarify factors predicting possible symptom profiles, with an emphasis on determining how nuclear radiation risks affect the reporting of depression symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 310 female students at a college in the Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in December 2015, and 288 participants submitted valid questionnaires. In total, 222 (77.1%) participants lived in Fukushima at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The measures included the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, the Fukushima Future Parents Attitude Measure, and risk perception of radiation health effects. A total of 46.5% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Path analysis revealed that higher radiation risk perceptions and reduced efficacy with reproduction related to a decline in self-esteem and self-efficacy, which was subsequently associated with increased depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of radiation education among children and young adults, both after a nuclear accident and during disaster preparation, particularly in the context of reproductive and mental health.

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Prevalence of eczema among older persons: A population-based cross-sectional study

Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology ◽

10.25259/ijdvl_990_19 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Vijayan Neena ◽

Neelakandhan Asokan ◽

Rajany Jose ◽

A. Sarin

Keyword(s):

Older Persons ◽

Health Workers ◽

Age Groups ◽

Medical Knowledge ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Community Based Interventions ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lichen Simplex Chronicus

Background: There are very few population-based studies on the prevalence of eczema among older persons Aims: To estimate the prevalence and types of eczema in those aged 65 years or more in the community and to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions for case finding. Methods: In the first stage of this cross-sectional survey, trained health workers of a non-governmental organization surveyed the eligible population and identified persons likely to have eczema. In the second stage, dermatologists examined such persons to ascertain the diagnosis. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info software version 7. Prevalence of eczema was expressed in percentages. Chi-square test was used for comparing the difference in prevalence of eczema in various age groups and sex. Results: Health workers identified 98 persons as possible cases of eczema after interviewing 385 older persons in the community. Among them 95 persons were examined by dermatologists and 44 were confirmed to have eczema (diagnostic accuracy of health workers = 46.3%).Point prevalence of eczema was 11.4% (44/385). Prevalence was similar in males and females. It was greater (18.2 %) among persons aged 81 years or more. Asteatotic eczema, gravitational eczema and lichen simplex chronicus were the more common types of eczema. Limitations: Possible underestimation of the prevalence rates due to limited medical knowledge of health workers; limited facilities for examination and investigations at the medical camps and home visits. Conclusion: There appears to be a considerable burden of eczema among older persons in the community. A community-based approach involving non-governmental organizations has the potential to identify cases and offer care close to their homes.

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FREQUENCY OF FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS IN SUB-ACUTE STROKE PATIENTS

Pakistan Journal of Rehabilitation ◽

10.36283/pjr.zu.10.2/013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 69-74

Author(s):

Aisha Sarfaraz ◽

Dr Abdul Azeem ◽

Mehwish Butt ◽

Muhammad Umar

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Age Groups ◽

Female Gender ◽

Primary Objective ◽

P Value ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Stroke is a very common neurological condition affects various aspects of health. The primary objective of this study was to find out the frequency of functional disability and cognitive impairments in Sub-acute Stroke patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 112 Sub-acute Stroke patients in Karachi, Pakistan. Using Barthel Index (BI) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test was used to find out the frequency of functional disability and cognitive impairments of Sub-acute Stroke patients. RESULTS The correlation of BI scores with MMSE scores for the Male gender was 0.576 whilst the correlation of BI scores with MMSE scores for the Female gender was 0.440. The severity of functional disability concerning age groups assessed P-value was 0.026 using Chi-Square Test. The severity of functional disability (BI severity) concerning gender, P-value was found 0.097 using the same test. CONCLUSION Functional Disability is directly linked with age. However, there was no linkage established between Cognitive Impairment and age as well as gender. On close inspection, there was a trend between Functional disability and gender but not statistically significant.

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