scholarly journals Social Contagion of Astrology in the Social Media amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s):  
Kristoffer Romulo B. Lopez ◽  
Natalia P. Gaticales ◽  
Alliyah Vanessa C. Provido ◽  
Samantha Mae B. Santelices ◽  
Myla M. Arcinas

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the associations of the extent of Social Contagion - Conscious Behavioral Response (CBR) towards Astrology on social media among Filipino Post-Millennial university students aged 18 to 23 years old with their demographics, Stress Level (SL), and Level of Susceptibility to Barnum effect (LSB) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 406 respondents participated in the online survey and data were analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric inferential statistics. Findings showed that respondents have high SL, moderate CBR level, and high LSB. Female respondents were found to have significantly higher CBR Factor Scores compared too males (p< 0.000). Thus, the females tended to be more consumers of Astrology in the social media. Other variables tested (religion, p=0.128; residence type, p= 0.736; age, p= 0.339) showed no statistical significant difference between the sample’s CBR Factor Scores. Also, a person’s stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic (in terms of the situation’s manageability and uncertainty) revealed a statistical significant association with their susceptibility to the Barnum effect (odds ratio 1.252686, p= 0.002). Thus, the more stressed a person is, he tend to manifest higher consumption of Astrology related information in the social media due to high uncertainty and less capacity to control the situation despite high management capacity score. Furthermore, activities involved in the consumption of Astrology through social media revealed a positive moderate significant association with their level of susceptibility to the Barnum effect (r=0.603, p<0.000). In a pandemic situation, the females consumed more Astrology related information even if the information is vague and may be to general to absorbed. Overall, the higher the SL and the higher the CBR, the higher the LSB. Thus, in this period of COVID-19 pandemic, females are more susceptible to higher level of Barnum Effect as they consumed higher level of Astrology related information triggered by higher level of stress brought by the high level of uncertainty and low level of individual’s control to thee current pandemic situation.

Author(s):  
Sreekanth Kumar Mallineni ◽  
Sivakumar Nuvvula ◽  
Jaya Chandra Bhumireddy ◽  
Ahmad Faisal Ismail ◽  
Priya Verma ◽  
...  

Aim: To assess the knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 among pediatric dentists based on their dependent source of information. Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire with 23 questions was sent via Google forms to pediatric dentists. All participants were divided into three groups [postgraduate residents (PGs), private practitioners (PP), and faculty (F)]. The comparison of knowledge and perception scores was made based on occupation, source of information, and descriptive statistics used for the analysis using SPSS 21.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: A total of 291 pediatric dentists completed the survey, and the majority of them were females (65%). Overall, good mean scores were obtained for knowledge (9.2 ± 1.07) and perceptions (5.6 ± 1.5). The majority of the participants used health authorities (45%) to obtain updates on COVID-19, while social media (35.1%) and both (19.6%) accounted for the next two. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found among different pediatric dentists groups for relying on the source of information. Conclusion: Overall good pediatric dentists showed sufficient knowledge regarding COVID-19. The pediatric dentists’ age, occupation, and source of information influenced knowledge regarding COVID-19, whereas perceptions were influenced by age and gender of the participants. Health authorities successfully educated pediatric dentists than the social media


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Akuoko ◽  
Cyril Alando

Abstract This study examined knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of COVID-19 among Ghanaians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google forms to recruit 503 participants over six weeks. We performed descriptive statistical analysis, and presented results in tables/charts. From the results, 66.4% of respondents depended on social media for COVID-19 related information, and 59.8% mostly heard/read about preventive measures in all COVID-19 information heard/read. Knowledge was adequate, but with noticeable gaps. Attitude was generally positive, with 84.1% willing to accept reintegration of treated COVID-19 patients. Perceptions were healthy, with only 3.8% perceiving insusceptibility. We conclude that these findings contribute significantly to the literature on COVID-19 in Ghana. We recommend the continuous use of social media by the Government of Ghana and relevant stakeholders for COVID-19 communications, and further research in the general population for evidence based COVID-19 prevention interventions in Ghana.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fauziah Rabbani ◽  
Hyder Ali Khan ◽  
Suneel Piryani ◽  
Areeba Raza Khan ◽  
Fahad Abid

Background COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world. Women may be especially vulnerable to depression and anxiety as a result of the pandemic. Aims This study attempted to assess how gender affects risk perceptions, anxiety levels and behavioural responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, to recommend gender-responsive health policies. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted. Participants were asked to complete a sociodemographic data form, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and questions on their risk perceptions, preventive behaviour and information exposure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effects of factors such as age, gender and household income on anxiety levels. Results Of the 1391 respondents, 478 were women and 913 were men. Women considered their chances of survival to be relatively lower than men (59% v. 73%). They were also more anxious (62% v. 50%) and more likely to adopt precautionary behaviour, such as avoiding going to the hospital (78% v. 71%), not going to work (72% v. 57%) and using disinfectants (93% v. 86%). Men were more likely to trust friends, family and social media as reliable sources of COVID-19 information, whereas women were more likely to trust doctors. Conclusions Women experience a disproportionate burden of the psychological and social impact of the pandemic compared with men. Involving doctors in healthcare communication targeting women might prove effective. Social media and radio programmes may be effective in disseminating COVID-19-related information to men.


Author(s):  
Raja Hirams Chebrolu ◽  
Jayashree Janagam ◽  
K. C. Muraleedharan ◽  
Resmy R.

Background: Covid-19 outbreak has forced the governments of several countries to enforce lockdown to control the spread of the virus. Staying at their homes, people are subjected to use Social media (SM)/Over the top media (OTTM) for communication, information, and entertainment. The objective is to know the usage of SM/OTTM and the frequently used applications during the lockdown. Also, its association with health, information usage and education.Methods: An online survey was conducted for a month with a specially framed questionnaire which includes the aspects of SM/OTTM usage, health issues due to SM/OTTM usage, education, and information during Covid-19 lockdown.Results: Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test showed a significant difference between time spent on SM/OTTM before and after the lockdown and the median time used was shifted from 2-4 hours to 4-6 hours. Pearson Chi-Square test was done comparing the usage of SM/OTTM to other variables which showed significance in the aspects of interpersonal problems, usage out of boredom, staying connected to friends/family, online workouts/diet plans, false information, awareness on Covid-19, and cyberbullying. Sleeplessness, headache, eye complaints were predominant among the physical ailments whereas Stress, irritability, restlessness, anxiety were predominant among psychological affections due to SM/OTTM usage.Conclusions: SM/OTTM was frequently used and played a key role during the Covid-19 lockdown. SM has helped people to stay connected, acquire information, and stay updated on the pandemic. SM is also responsible for physical and mental health affections due to prolonged usage and exposure to false information during the lockdown. 


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Akuoko ◽  
Cyril Alando

Abstract This study examined knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of COVID-19 among Ghanaians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google forms to recruit 503 participants over six weeks. We performed descriptive statistical analysis, and presented results in tables/charts. From the results, 66.4% of respondents depended on social media for COVID-19 related information, and 59.8% mostly heard/read about preventive measures in all COVID-19 information heard/read. Knowledge was adequate, but with noticeable gaps. Attitude was generally positive, with 84.1% willing to accept reintegration of treated COVID-19 patients. Perceptions were healthy, with only 3.8% perceiving insusceptibility. We conclude that these findings contribute significantly to the literature on COVID-19 in Ghana. We recommend the continuous use of social media by the Government of Ghana and relevant stakeholders for COVID-19 communications, and further research in the general population for evidence based COVID-19 prevention interventions in Ghana.


Author(s):  
SUJATA WALODE ◽  
KARAN MORJE ◽  
MOHAMMAD AKHLAQUE AHMAD ◽  
MANNA DEBNATH ◽  
SANTOSH OJHA

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to assess the knowledge and awareness of all the anesthesia technologists and trainees regarding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection control protocols. The health and safety of anesthesia technologists are of great importance which can ultimately aid in minimizing the risk of infection among them and facilitate them to offer exceptional care to the patients. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted on COVID-19 protocols using an online questionnaire that assesses the basic knowledge and awareness about infection control protocols. A total of 231 participant’s responses were recorded using Google form and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: The present study showed that participant’s overall knowledge was good but they were not well trained on infection control protocol. Only 19.04% of participants were well trained about the protocol. The majority of the participants are well aware of the Personal Protective Equipment’s-related information. Conclusions: To deal with this current situation, educational intervention on infection control protocol is urgently required to train Anesthesia technologists and trainees to defend against coronavirus.


Author(s):  
Jacob Njideka Nwafor ◽  
Kehinde Kazeem Kanmodi ◽  
Babatunde Abiodun Amoo

Abstract Introduction On social media, several pieces of cancer-related information are being shared among people. This study aims to survey the Nigerian public, exploring their opinions on the influence (as per enlightenment) of cancer-related information on social media on them, and explore their opinions on the reliability of cancer-related posts they see on social media platforms. Methods This study was a descriptive cross-sectional online survey of 236 Nigerians, using an e-questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software (IBM Corp, New York, NY, United States). Results The majority (56.4%) of the respondents were females, 66.5% were within the age range of 20 to 29 years, and 92.4% had tertiary level of education. Virtually all (98.7%) of them had an Internet-enabled phone, and 99.6% were users of social media. The most used social media platform among them was WhatsApp while the most educative social media platform, according to them, was Facebook. Also, 96.6% (227/235) of those respondents who were social media users were of the opinion that social media is very useful for cancer education. However, only 68.5% (161/235) of them had learnt something new about cancer on social media platforms, of which 23.0% (37/161) rated the cancer information they have accessed on social media to be somewhat reliable. Conclusion Social media is highly influential in educating Nigerians on issues pertaining to cancer. However, not all cancer-related information posted on various social media platforms is reliable; hence, social media users should always take extra caution while consuming cancer-related posts on social media platforms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000942
Author(s):  
Oliver G P Lawton ◽  
Sarah A Lawton ◽  
Lisa Dikomitis ◽  
Joanne Protheroe ◽  
Joanne Smith ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.


Author(s):  
Adrianos Golemis ◽  
Panteleimon Voitsidis ◽  
Eleni Parlapani ◽  
Vasiliki A Nikopoulou ◽  
Virginia Tsipropoulou ◽  
...  

Summary COVID-19 and the related quarantine disrupted young adults’ academic and professional life, daily routine and socio-emotional well-being. This cross-sectional study focused on the emotional and behavioural responses of a young adult population during the COVID-19-related quarantine in April 2020, in Greece. The study was conducted through an online survey. A total of 1559 young adults, aged 18−30 years, completed Steele’s Social Responsibility Motivation Scale and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and answered questions about compliance with instructions, quarantine-related behaviours and coping strategies. According to the results, participants displayed a relatively high sense of social responsibility (M = 16.09, SD = 2.13) and a trend towards moderate feeling of loneliness (M = 2.65, SD = 1.62); young women reported significantly higher levels of loneliness than men. The majority complied with instructions often (46.4%) or always (44.8%). Significantly more women created a new social media account and used the social media longer than 5 h/day, compared with men. Resorting to religion, practicing sports and sharing thoughts and feelings about COVID-19 with others predicted higher levels of social responsibility; humour, practicing sports and sharing thoughts and feelings about COVID-19 with others predicted lower levels of loneliness. Conclusively, COVID-19 is expected to have a significant psychological impact on young adults. Currently, Greece is going through the second quarantine period. This study raises awareness about loneliness in young adults during the COVID-19-related quarantine and highlights the importance of developing online programmes, attractive to younger people, to nurture adaptive coping strategies against loneliness.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 735
Author(s):  
Schoultz Mariyana ◽  
Leung Janni ◽  
Bonsaksen Tore ◽  
Ruffolo Mary ◽  
Thygesen Hilde ◽  
...  

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict national policies regarding social distancing behavior in Europe, America and Australia, people became reliant on social media as a means for gathering information and as a tool for staying connected to family, friends and work. This is the first trans-national study exploring the qualitative experiences and challenges of using social media while in lockdown or shelter-in-place during the current pandemic. Methods: This study was part of a wider cross-sectional online survey conducted in Norway, the UK, USA and Australia during April/May 2020. The manuscript reports on the qualitative free-text component of the study asking about the challenges of social media users during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, USA and Australia. A total of 1991 responses were included in the analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. Results: Three overarching themes identified were: Emotional/Mental Health, Information and Being Connected. Participants experienced that using social media during the pandemic amplified anxiety, depression, fear, panic, anger, frustration and loneliness. They felt that there was information overload and social media was full of misleading or polarized opinions which were difficult to switch off. Nonetheless, participants also thought that there was an urge for connection and learning, which was positive and stressful at the same time. Conclusion: Using social media while in a shelter-in-place or lockdown could have a negative impact on the emotional and mental health of some of the population. To support policy and practice in strengthening mental health care in the community, social media could be used to deliver practical advice on coping and stress management. Communication with the public should be strengthened by unambiguous and clear messages and clear communication pathways. We should be looking at alternative ways of staying connected.


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