scholarly journals COVID-19 risk perceptions and precautions among the elderly: A study of CALD adults in South Australia

F1000Research ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hamiduzzaman ◽  
Noore Siddiquee ◽  
Helen McLaren

Background: Coping with COVID-19 is a challenge for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older adults. In Australia, little attention has been given to understanding associations between cultural contexts, health promotion, and socio-emotional and mental health challenges of older CALD adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we have collected data from older CALD adults to examine their COVID-19 risk perceptions and its association with their health precautions, behavioural dimensions and emergency preparation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in South Australia. The CALD population aged 60 years and above were approached through 11 South Australian multicultural NGOs. Results: We provide the details of 155 older CALD South Australians’ demographics, risk perceptions, health precautions (problem-and-emotion-focused), behavioural dimensions and emergency preparation.  The explanatory variables included demographic characteristics (age, gender, education and ethnicity); and risk perception (cognitive [likelihood of being affected] and affective dimension [fear and general concerns], and psychometric paradigm [severity, controllability, and personal impact]. The outcome measure variables were health precautions (problem-focused and emotion-focused), behavioral adaptions and emergency preparation. Conclusions: This dataset may help the researchers who investigate multicultural health or aged care in the pandemic and or who may have interest to link with other datasets and secondary use of this primary dataset in order to develop culturally tailored pandemic-related response plan. The data set is available from Harvard Dataverse.

Author(s):  
Shinya Ito ◽  
Mie Sasaki ◽  
Satoko Okabe ◽  
Nobuhiro Konno ◽  
Aya Goto

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.


1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rou-Yee Chen Hsu ◽  
Min-Shung Lin ◽  
Mei-Huei Chou ◽  
Ming-Fang Lin

Objective To compare prescribing patterns between the elderly and nonelderly in 1994, to disclose prescribing trends in the elderly between 1992 and 1994, to explore whether drug utilization is in agreement with disease prevalence, and to identify suboptimal prescribing by drug category for ambulatory elderly patients. Design Cross-sectional survey at two separate time intervals. Setting All public group practice centers (GPCs) in Taiwan. Patients Ambulatory adults who visited GPCs during 1 random week. Those 65 years or over were classified as the elderly group, and those 20-64 years were the nonelderly group. Main Outcome Measures Mean diagnosis, drug use, and expenditure; frequency of diagnosis; and prescribing by therapeutic category. Results Data on 30 777 elderly and 38 184 nonelderly patients were collected in 1994. There was widespread use of antacids. Compared with nonelderly adults, the elderly were diagnosed with more diseases (1.3 vs. 1.2, respectively; p < 0.01), received more medications (4.7 vs. 4.1, respectively; p < 0.01), and had higher drug expenditures (5.4 vs. 4.6, respectively; p < 0.01). Chronic illness was more prevalent in the elderly, which accounted for the extensive use of cardiovascular drugs (32.1%), nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (25.9%), and anxiolytics (15.9%). The upward trend in the elderly from 1992 to 1994 with hypertension (18.6% vs. 20.0%) or diabetes (9.2% vs. 10.9%) did not result in more cases of cerebrovascular disease (7.1% vs. 4.9%). There was a substantial increase in use of antispasmodic and gastroprokinetic agents (4.5% to 10.7%); the use of antacids decreased (73.6% to 63.4%) in the elderly. Conclusions Compared with the prevalence of disease, there was extensive nonspecific use of anxiolytics and antacids. However, lessened use of antidepressants and postmenopausal hormone replacement may have an impact on morbidity and mortality and deserves particular attention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (42) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Betsch ◽  
Lars Korn ◽  
Tanja Burgard ◽  
Wolfgang Gaissmaier ◽  
Lisa Felgendreff ◽  
...  

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.


Author(s):  
Bikash Chandra Ghorai ◽  
Samayita Kundu ◽  
Sunil Santra

The aim of the present study is to determine the level of emotional intelligence of school going adolescents; and to compare the emotional intelligence and its four dimensions/sub-factors i.e., understanding emotions, understanding motivation, empathy and handling relation of school going adolescents with respect to their gender, grade and board pattern of education. The present study was carried out on 288 higher secondary school students selected as sample from six schools of three different boards of education (viz. two WBCHSE, two CBSE and two ICSE) of Kolkata district in West Bengal using convenient sampling technique. This research is cross-sectional survey type study. The measuring tool in this research originally was of two-point emotional intelligence scale entitled as ‘Emotional Intelligence Scale (ESI – SANS) of Dr. A. K. Singh and Dr. S. Narain [1] which was translated in Bengali version by B. C. Ghorai and L. L. Mohakud [2]. After the initial exploratory analysis of the data, different statistical (descriptive and inferential) techniques are used to analyze the data set via SPSS 20. Results of the study revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in emotional intelligence and it’s sub-factors of school going adolescent with respect to their gender grade and board pattern of education. The findings provide a further need on how to more improve upon the emotional intelligence of school going adolescent. Implications and recommendations for developing emotional intelligence school going adolescent are discussed.


Author(s):  
Jason P. Rose ◽  
Keith A. Edmonds

Abstract. Background: During uncertain threatening situations, people make social comparisons that influence self-evaluations, inform decisions, and guide behavior. In 2019, an emerging infectious disease (COVID-19) became a pandemic and resulted in unparalleled public health recommendations (e.g., social distancing, wear masks in public). Aims: The current research examined people’s beliefs about how their own compliance to recommendations compared to others and explored the unique associations between social comparisons, worry, risk perceptions, and intentions for health-protective action. Method: An adult sample of US residents ( N = 452) completed an online, cross-sectional survey about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: First, participants reported better-than-average compliance beliefs. Second, comparative beliefs were positively (and uniquely) associated with intentions for future compliance-related behaviors and general risk-reduction behaviors (e.g., information seeking) – particularly for participants who viewed COVID-19 as threatening. Finally, the relation between comparative beliefs and intentions was indirect through worry (but not risk), though alternative models also achieved support. Limitations: Our findings are limited by our use of a cross-sectional design, methodological choices, and our lack of behavioral measures. Conclusions: Overall, results demonstrate that people are attentive to their comparative levels of compliance behaviors during an infectious disease pandemic. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical implications and the relevance of social comparisons for self-protective action during a pandemic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Li ◽  
Le Cai ◽  
Wen-long Cui ◽  
Xu-ming Wang ◽  
Hui-fang Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study estimates the prevalence of five chronic non-communicable disease (NCDs) (hypertension, diabetes, CHD, COPD and stroke) and its multimorbidity, and examines the relationship between SES and lifestyle factors and multimorbidity among older adults in rural southwest China. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 4833 consenting adults aged ≥60 years was conducted in 2017. Data on the demographics, smoking, drinking, height, weight, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose were collected. Results Among the participants, the overall prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, COPD and CHD was 50.6, 10.2, 6.4, 5.4 and 5.5%, respectively, and of multimorbidity was 16.1%. Females had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and multimorbidity of chronic NCDs, but a lower prevalence of COPD than males (P &lt; 0.05). Older adults with good household assets and access to medical services were less likely to experience multimorbidity, whereas obese and centrally obese participants, current smokers, current drinkers and those with a family history of chronic NCDs had a greater probability of multimorbidity. Conclusions The findings suggest that effective strategies for prevention and control of chronic NCDs and its multimorbidity are urgently needed, especially for low-income, elderly, ethnic minority adults with poor access to medical services.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e038887
Author(s):  
Maximilian Siebert ◽  
Jeanne Fabiola Gaba ◽  
Laura Caquelin ◽  
Henri Gouraud ◽  
Alain Dupuy ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo explore the implementation of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) data-sharing policy which came into force on 1 July 2018 by ICMJE-member journals and by ICMJE-affiliated journals declaring they follow the ICMJE recommendations.DesignA cross-sectional survey of data-sharing policies in 2018 on journal websites and in data-sharing statements in randomised controlled trials (RCTs).SettingICMJE website; PubMed/Medline.Eligibility criteriaICMJE-member journals and 489 ICMJE-affiliated journals that published an RCT in 2018, had an accessible online website and were not considered as predatory journals according to Beall’s list. One hundred RCTs for member journals and 100 RCTs for affiliated journals with a data-sharing policy, submitted after 1 July 2018.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome for the policies was the existence of a data-sharing policy (explicit data-sharing policy, no data-sharing policy, policy merely referring to ICMJE recommendations) as reported on the journal website, especially in the instructions for authors. For RCTs, our primary outcome was the intention to share individual participant data set out in the data-sharing statement.ResultsEight (out of 14; 57%) member journals had an explicit data-sharing policy on their website (three were more stringent than the ICMJE requirements, one was less demanding and four were compliant), five (35%) additional journals stated that they followed the ICMJE requirements, and one (8%) had no policy online. In RCTs published in these journals, there were data-sharing statements in 98 out of 100, with expressed intention to share individual patient data reaching 77 out of 100 (77%; 95% CI 67% to 85%). One hundred and forty-five (out of 489) ICMJE-affiliated journals (30%; 26% to 34%) had an explicit data-sharing policy on their website (11 were more stringent than the ICMJE requirements, 85 were less demanding and 49 were compliant) and 276 (56%; 52% to 61%) merely referred to the ICMJE requirements. In RCTs published in affiliated journals with an explicit data-sharing policy, data-sharing statements were rare (25%), and expressed intentions to share data were found in 22% (15% to 32%).ConclusionThe implementation of ICMJE data-sharing requirements in online journal policies was suboptimal for ICMJE-member journals and poor for ICMJE-affiliated journals. The implementation of the policy was good in member journals and of concern for affiliated journals. We suggest the conduct of continuous audits of medical journal data-sharing policies in the future.RegistrationThe protocol was registered before the start of the research on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/n6whd/).


Psych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghose Bishwajit ◽  
Komlan Kota ◽  
Amos Buh ◽  
Sanni Yaya

South Africa represents one of the most rapidly aging countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a rising burden of age-related psychological morbidities. Despite having one of the highest human development scores in the region, the country faces serious poverty and food insecurity related challenges. Previous studies have shown a positive association between food insecurity and poor mental health among the adult population, however there is no systematic evidence on this association among the elderly population in an African setting. In the present study, we aimed to address this research gap by analyzing cross-sectional data (n = 931) on the over-50 population (>50 years) from the SAGE (Study on global AGEing and adult health) Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS) of the World Health Organization, conducted between 2010 and 2013. The outcome variable was perceived depression and the explanatory variables included several sociodemographic factors including self-reported food insecurity. The independent associations between the outcome and explanatory variables were measured using multivariable regression analysis. Results showed that close to a quarter of the population (22.6%, 95% CI = 21.4, 24.7) reported having depression in the last 12 months, with the percentage being markedly higher among women (71.4%). In the multivariable regression analysis, self-reported food insecurity was found to be the strongest predictor of depression among both sexes. For instance, severe food insecurity increased the odds of depression by 4.805 [3.325, 7.911] times among men and by 4.115 [2.030, 8.341] times among women. Based on the present findings, it is suggested that national food security programs focus on promoting food security among the elderly population in an effort to improve their mental health status. Nonetheless, the data were cross-sectional and the associations can’t imply causality.


Author(s):  
Muhamad Aljeaidi ◽  
Claire Keen ◽  
J. Simon Bell ◽  
Tina Cooper ◽  
Leonie Robson ◽  
...  

Ocular issues are common, burdensome, and under-researched among residents of aged care services. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of dry eyes or use of ocular lubricants among residents, and the possible association with systemic medications known or suspected to cause dry eyes. A cross-sectional study of 383 residents of six aged care services in South Australia was conducted. Data were extracted from participants’ medical histories, medication charts, and validated assessments. The main exposure was systemic medications known to cause, contribute to, or aggravate dry eyes. The primary outcome was documented dry eyes or regular administration of ocular lubricants. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between systemic medications and dry eyes/use of ocular lubricants. Dry eyes were documented for 53 (13.8%) residents and 98 (25.6%) residents were administered ocular lubricants. Overall, 116 (30.3%) residents had documented dry eyes/used ocular lubricants. Of these, half (n = 58) were taking a medication known to cause, contribute to, or aggravate dry eyes. Taking one or more medications listed as known to cause dry eyes was associated with having dry eyes/use of ocular lubricants (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.15–2.94). In sub-analyses, no individual medication was associated with dry eyes/use of ocular lubricants. Dry eyes and use of ocular lubricants are common in residential aged care. Our hypothesis generating findings suggest the need for further research into the clinical significance of systemic medications as a possible cause of dry eyes.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document