A cross-sectional population survey of physicians in Alberta, Canada about a novel provincial contact tracing smartphone app

Abstract Background The Canadian province of Alberta released the ABTraceTogether smartphone app in May 2020 to assist in contact tracing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Public engagement with this public health tool has been low, limiting the effectiveness of the intervention. This study examines physician knowledge of the app and practice patterns in relation to the app. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional self-administered online English language survey of physicians and medical students in Alberta, Canada. The survey link was sent to all registered members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and was distributed by other provincial physician organizations and health zone leaders. Results The survey received 317 responses. 96% of participants were aware of the app but only 27% had recommended the app to patients. The most common reason provided for not downloading or recommending the app was that participants had security concerns about the app. 23% of participants indicated they did not believe they had a responsibility to recommend the app to others. Conclusions Our study provides insights into participants’ knowledge and beliefs about the ABTraceTogether app. This information may be valuable to public health officials who wish to engage physicians in future public health campaigns.

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Culture and COVID-19 Casualties: Public Health Through the Lens of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25986 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jiali Wang ◽

Cesar Bandera ◽

Zhipeng Yan

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Cultural Dimensions ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Social Scientists ◽

Culture Dimensions ◽

Public Health Officials ◽

Public Health Campaigns ◽

Vaccination Campaigns ◽

The Relationship

BACKGROUND Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions (HCD) are the most prevalent metrics with which social scientists distinguish cultural differences between countries. In this study, we examine the relationships between HCD and the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we investigate how differences in COVID-19 infection, death and recovery between countries correlate with differences in individualism (IDV), indulgence (IVR) and power distance index (PDI). OBJECTIVE The paper explores the relationship between certain Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions and COVID-19 statistics. METHODS We used multiple linear regressions to interpret statistical and economic significances. RESULTS IDV is found to be significantly associated with death rate and recovery rate globally, while IVR and PDI do not seem to be significantly relevant. None of the three dimensions are significantly related to the global infection rate. CONCLUSIONS These results have implications for the design of public health campaigns on preventing COVID-19 infection and compliance with vaccination campaigns. Some practical strategies have been proposed for public health officials to help mitigate COVID 19 spread. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

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Sexual networks and the chlamydia epidemic - Meeting report

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/esm.12.10.00742-en ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 15-16

Author(s):

Collective Editorial team

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Network Analysis ◽

Point Of View ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Meeting Report ◽

Sexual Networks ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Public Health Campaigns

Network analysis, tying together sociology and epidemiology, provides a means of looking at the epidemic from a sociogeographic point of view. By highlighting the links between people in sexual networks, it can be useful when designing public health campaigns and carrying out contact tracing.

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Are Need for Affect and Cognition Culture-Dependent? Implications for Global Public health Campaigns: A Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-76618/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Min Zhang ◽

Bei Zhu ◽

Chunlan Yuan ◽

Chao Chao ◽

Jiaofeng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Intrinsic Motivation ◽

Cultural Differences ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Intrinsic Motivations ◽

Need For Affect ◽

Public Health Campaigns

Abstract Background: Cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivations could introduce challenges to global public health campaigns, which use cognitive or affective goals to evoke desired attitudes and proactive health-promoting actions. This study aimed to demonstrate cross-cultural differences in affective and cognitive intrinsic motivations, and discuss the potential value of this information in public health promotion.Methods: A cross-sectional survey, using cross-culturally validated need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) scales, was carried out among 1166 Chinese participants and compared to published data from 980 American participants. Additionally, we assessed a highly prevalent symbolic geriatric health condition, hearing loss, in 500 community-dwelling seniors. MANOVA test and Hedge’s g statistic were employed to compare the NFA and NFC levels between individuals from different countries and between seniors with and without hearing loss. The relation of early healthcare seeking intention to NFA and NFC was also explored.Results: The primary Chinese sample demonstrated decreased NFA and NFC in contrast to their American peers. This difference was preserved in the senior sample. Moreover, seniors with hearing loss had even lower NFA and NFC than those without hearing loss. Intention for early healthcare seeking was low but was associated with intrinsic motivation.Conclusions: There was a general lack of affective and cognitive intrinsic motivation in Chinese individuals, particularly in seniors with hearing loss, compared with their American peers. These differences, point to a potential challenge in framing effective messages for some cultures in the geriatric public health domain. Ideally, recognizing and understanding this challenge will inspire consideration of novel persuasive strategies for these audiences.

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Barriers and Facilitators of Adherence to Social Distancing Recommendations among a Large International Sample of Adults Recruited in April 2020

10.31219/osf.io/62g7z ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Adina Coroiu ◽

Chelsea Moran ◽

Tavis Campbell ◽

Alan Geller

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Responsibility To Protect ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Work Study ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Individual Level ◽

Public Health Campaigns

This cross-sectional study collected data from 2013 participants recruited via social media. The study was conducted during a period of well-enforced regulations about social distancing. Adherence to social distancing recommendations was relatively high for most behaviours, but not nearly close to 100%. The study identified key modifiable barriers and facilitators of adherence to social distancing: strongest facilitators included wanting to protect the self, feeling a responsibility to protect the community, and being able to work/study remotely; strongest barriers included having friends or family who needed help with running errands, socializing in order to avoid feeling lonely, and seeing many people in the streets. Future interventions to improve adherence to social distancing measures should couple individual-level strategies targeting key barriers to social distancing identified herein, with effective institutional measures and public health interventions. Public health campaigns should continue to highlight compassionate attitudes towards social distancing.

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Social Media Platforms for Health Communication and Research in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross Sectional Survey in Uganda

10.1101/2020.04.30.20086553 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ronald Olum ◽

Felix Bongomin

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Response Rate ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Public Health Campaigns

ABSTRACTObjectives(1) To examine the usage of social media and other forms of media among medical students (MS) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Uganda. (2) To assess the perceived usefulness of social media and other forms of media for COVID-19 public health campaigns.DesignA descriptive WhatsApp messenger-based cross-sectional survey in April 2020.SettingMakerere University Teaching Hospitals (MUTH) and 9 of the 10 medical schools in Uganda.ParticipantsHCPs at MUTH and MS in the 9 medical schools in Uganda.Main outcome measuresWe collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, sources of information on COVID-19, preferences of social media platform and perceived usefulness of the different media platforms for acquisition of knowledge on COVID-19.ResultOverall, response rate was 21.5% for both MS and HCPs. In total, 877 (HCPS [136, 15.5%], MS [741, 85.5%]) were studied. Majority (n=555, 63.3%) were male with a median age of 24 (range: 18-66) years. Social media was a source of information for 665 (75.8%) participants. Usage was similar among MS and HCPs (565/741 (76.2%) vs. 100/136 (73.5%), p=0.5). Among the MS, commonly used social media were: WhatsApp (n=705, 95.1%) Facebook (n=405, 54.8%), Twitter (n=290, 39.1%), Instagram (n=178, 24.0) and Telegram (n=80, 10.8%). Except for WhatsApp, male MS we more likely to use the other social media platforms (p= <0.001 − 0.01). Mass media (television and radio) and social media were preferred the most useful tools for dissemination of COVID-19 related information.ConclusionMore than two-thirds of MS and HCPs are routinely using social media in Uganda. Social media platforms may be used for dissemination of information as well as a research tool among MS and HCPs. Social media alongside other media platforms can also be used as sources of reliable information on COVID-19 as well as for dissemination of research findings and guidelines.Strengths and limitationsThis is the first study in sub Saharan Africa on the use of social media for research during the COVID-19 pandemic.The study also explores perceived usefulness of different media for COVID-19 public health campaigns.Diversity of the participants consisting both healthcare professionals and medical students.A relatively large sample size was enrolled in the survey despite a low response rate.

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Smoking Cessation after a Cancer Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the Setting of a Developing Country

Clinics and Practice ◽

10.3390/clinpract11030067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 509-519

Author(s):

Marin Golčić ◽

Ilijan Tomaš ◽

Aleksandra Stevanović ◽

Goran Golčić ◽

Renata Dobrila-Dintinjana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Smoking Prevalence ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Public Health Campaigns ◽

After Cancer

Since smoking accounts for around 30% of all cancer deaths, public health campaigns often focus on smoking cessation as a means of primary prevention. However, smoking after cancer diagnosis is also associated with a higher symptom burden and lower survival rate. As data regarding smoking cessation vary dramatically between different populations, we aimed to analyze smoking prevalence in cancer patients, smoking cessation after ancer diagnosis, and the factors associated with smoking cessation in the setting of a developing country. We performed a cross-sectional survey on 695 patients in two clinical hospital centers. After cancer diagnosis, 15.6% of cancer patients stopped smoking. Male gender, younger age, and smoking-related cancer were the main factors associated with greater smoking cessation (p < 0.05). A total of 96% of breast cancer pa-tients continued to smoke after cancer diagnosis and, compared to lung and colorectal cancer pa-tients, exhibited a lower reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked (p = 0.023). An alarming rate of smoking prevalence was recorded in younger patients (45.6% at the time of cancer diagno-sis) suggesting a future rise in smoking-related cancers and complications. These results should guide anti-smoking public health campaigns in transitional countries with a critical focus on younger and breast cancer patients.

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Culture and Coronavirus Disease Statistics Public Health Through the Lens of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, A Multiple Regression Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-239030/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jiali Wang ◽

Cesar Bandera ◽

Zhipeng Yan

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Cultural Dimensions ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Social Scientists ◽

Culture Dimensions ◽

Public Health Officials ◽

Public Health Campaigns ◽

Vaccination Campaigns ◽

Linear Regressions

Abstract Background Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions (HCD) are the most prevalent metrics with which social scientists distinguish cultural differences between countries. In this study, we examine the relationships between HCD and the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we investigate how differences in COVID-19 infection, death and recovery between countries correlate with differences in individualism (IDV), indulgence (IVR) and power distance index (PDI).Method We use multiple linear regressions to interpret statistical and economic significances. Results IDV is found to be significantly associated with death rate and recovery rate globally, while IVR and PDI do not seem to be significantly relevant. None of the three dimensions are significantly related to the global infection rate. Conclusions These results have implications for the design of public health campaigns on preventing COVID-19 infection and compliance with vaccination campaigns. Some practical strategies have been proposed for public health officials to help mitigate COVID 19 spread.

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Evaluation of community pharmacists’ readiness to implement the Falsified Medicines Directive (Directive 2011/62/EC): an English cross-sectional survey with geospatial analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033405 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. e033405 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ravina Barrett

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Falsified Medicines ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Public Health Campaigns

ObjectivesTo evaluate the readiness to implement the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) by community pharmacies in England. Eight secondary objectives were assessed.SettingCommunity/retail pharmacies.ParticipantsWe invited pharmacists from 501 pharmacies to complete a survey. Non-contractors, non-pharmacists or pharmacists practising abroad were excluded. We randomly selected addresses, ensuring that they were nationally representative.InterventionsWe mailed the survey in October 2018 with a single follow-up in January 2019. Respondents were invited to provide self-reported answers. A prepaid self-addressed envelope was provided. We received favourable ethical approval.Results102 responses (20.44% response rate) were received. Readiness to implement was poor: 4 (3.9%) said very much, while 40 (39.2%) said not at all and 29 (28.4%) said not really. Increased workload and reduced profitability were anticipated, accompanied with improved patient safety. Prevalence of ‘substandard and falsified (SF) medical products’ was estimated at 1%–5%, with erectile dysfunction at greatest risk of falsification. Different packaging would raise suspicions. Five (4.9%) had identified SFs (p<0.001 one-sample binomial test). Of these, three (2.9%) informed the medicines agency. None had been involved in any public health campaigns. Confidence and self-efficacy was low. Strategies to reduce SFs reaching the public are described. Pharmacist’s role in combating SFs was elucidated. SFs were identified in deprived areas 4 (9%) more often than in affluent areas 1 (2%).ConclusionsMany pharmacies are not ready to implement FMD, potentially not capturing anticipated benefits of the directive, with greatest risk of harm in deprived area. We further validated a confidence scale. Limited public health campaigns may result in a lack of awareness among pharmacy professionals and patients. Limited awareness of technologies to identify falsified medicines exist, though further training is welcome. A worrying trend of under-reporting maybe prevalent. A larger sample study using this survey would be valuable.

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Conditionality of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in European countries

10.1101/2021.06.24.21259453 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Leonardo w Heyerdahl ◽

Muriel Vray ◽

Benedetta Lana ◽

Nastassia Tvardik ◽

Nina Gobat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Herd Immunity ◽

Preventive Measure ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

Public Health Campaigns

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in recent months offers a powerful preventive measure that may help control SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Nevertheless, long-standing public hesitation around vaccines has heightened public health concerns that vaccine coverage may not achieve desired public health impacts.This cross-sectional survey was conducted online in December 2020 among 7000 respondents (aged 18 to 65) in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine. The survey included open text boxes for fuller explanation of responses. Projected COVID-19 vaccine coverage varied and may not be sufficiently high among certain populations to achieve herd immunity. Overall, 56.9% would accept a COVID-19 vaccine, 19.0% would not, and 24.1% did not know or preferred not to say. By country, between 44% (France) and 66% (Italy) of respondents would accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Respondents expressed conditionality in open responses, voicing concerns about vaccine safety and mistrust of authorities. Public health campaigns must tackle these safety concerns.

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Children forgotten in hot cars: a mental models approach for improving public health messaging

Injury Prevention ◽

10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042261 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 279-287 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Castle A Williams ◽

Andrew J Grundstein

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Models ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

News Reports ◽

Knowledge And Beliefs ◽

The Usa ◽

Public Health Campaigns ◽

Building Rapport ◽

Health Messaging

IntroductionOn average, in the USA, 37 young children die every year due to vehicular heatstroke. Additionally, over half of these incidents occur when a parent/caregiver forgets a child in a vehicle. While various governmental and child safety advocacy groups have worked to raise awareness about these tragedies, rigorous studies have yet to be conducted that examine the current understanding and effectiveness of this public health messaging.MethodsThis study will employ a mental models approach in order to identify differences that exist between experts’ and parents’/caregivers’ knowledge and beliefs surrounding the topic of children forgotten in hot cars. We interviewed a diverse set of 25 parents/caregivers and seven experts in order to construct and explore these mental models.ResultsA comparative analysis was conducted, and three key differences were observed between these mental models. Unlike the experts, the parents/caregivers in the study emphasised perceived lifestyle factors (eg, low-income parent) as important elements in increasing an individual’s likelihood of forgetting a child in a car. Importantly, the parents/caregivers primarily obtained information from news reports, while experts believed public health campaigns would reach more parents/caregivers. Lastly, while experts stressed that this tragedy could happen to anyone, most parents/caregivers failed to acknowledge that they could forget their own child in a car.ConclusionsTo confront this denial, future public health messaging must strive to engage and reach all parents/caregivers. This can be accomplished using a multifaceted messaging strategy that includes personalising core messaging, providing additional resources to media outlets and building rapport between key partners.

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