scholarly journals Willingness to Use an Approved COVID-19 Vaccine: Cross-National Evidence on Levels and Individual-Level Predictors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Fly Lindholt ◽  
Frederik Juhl Jørgensen ◽  
Alexander Bor ◽  
Michael Bang Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Total N ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Political Sources ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
High Willingness ◽  
Western Democracies ◽  
Cross National

The management of the COVID-19 pandemic critically hinges on the approval of safe and effective vaccines but, equally importantly, on high willingness among lay people to use vaccines when approved. To facilitate vaccination willingness via effective health communication, it is key to understand both levels of skepticism towards an approved COVID-19 vaccine and the demographic, psychological and political sources of this skepticism. To this end, we examine the levels and predictors of willingness to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine in large, representative surveys from eight Western democracies that differ both politically and in terms of the severity of the pandemic: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom, and United States (total N = 9,889). The data reveal large variation in vaccination willingness, both across and within countries ranging from 79 % in Denmark to 38 % in Hungary. Thus, most national levels fall below current best estimates for the required threshold for reaching herd immunity. Across national and demographic groups, the analyses demonstrate that a lack of vaccination willingness is associated with low levels of trust in authorities, conspiracy-related beliefs and a lack of concern about COVID-19. These factors also account for cross-national levels in vaccine willingness.

scholarly journals Public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines: cross-national evidence on levels and individual-level predictors using observational data

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e048172
Author(s):  
Marie Fly Lindholt ◽  
Frederik Jørgensen ◽  
Alexander Bor ◽  
Michael Bang Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Health Communication ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Total N ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Personal Consequences ◽  
Western Democracies

ObjectivesThe management of the COVID-19 pandemic hinges on the approval of safe and effective vaccines but, equally importantly, on high vaccine acceptance among people. To facilitate vaccine acceptance via effective health communication, it is key to understand levels of vaccine scepticism and the demographic, psychological and political predictors. To this end, we examine the levels and predictors of acceptance of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.Design, setting and participantsWe examine the levels and predictors of acceptance of an approved COVID-19 vaccine in large online surveys from eight Western democracies that differ in terms of the severity of the pandemic and their response: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, UK and USA (total N=18 231). Survey respondents were quota sampled to match the population margins on age, gender and geographical location for each country. The study was conducted from September 2020 to February 2021, allowing us to assess changes in acceptance and predictors as COVID-19 vaccine programmes were rolled out.Outcome measureThe outcome of the study is self-reported acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine approved and recommended by health authorities.ResultsThe data reveal large variations in vaccine acceptance that ranges from 83% in Denmark to 47% in France and Hungary. Lack of vaccine acceptance is associated with lack of trust in authorities and scientists, conspiratorial thinking and a lack of concern about COVID-19.ConclusionMost national levels of vaccine acceptance fall below estimates of the required threshold for herd immunity. The results emphasise the long-term importance of building trust in preparations for health emergencies such as the current pandemic. For health communication, the results emphasise the importance of focusing on personal consequences of infections and debunking of myths to guide communication strategies.

Roads to the Radical Right

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koen Damhuis
Keyword(s):  
Radical Right ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Unique Material ◽  
Marine Le Pen ◽  
To Come ◽  
National Perspective ◽  
Western Democracies ◽  
Do So ◽  
Cross National

Trump, Wilders, Salvini, Le Pen—during the last decades, radical right-wing leaders and their parties have become important political forces in most Western democracies. Their growing appeal raises an increasingly relevant question: who are the voters that support them and why do they do so? Numerous and variegated answers have been given to this question, inside as well as outside academia. Yet, curiously, despite their quantity and diversity, these existing explanations are often based on a similar assumption: that of homogeneous electorates. Consequently, the idea that different subgroups with different profiles and preferences might coexist within the constituencies of radical right-wing parties has thus far remained underdeveloped, both theoretically and empirically. This ground-breaking book is the first one that systematically investigates the heterogeneity of radical right-wing voters. Theoretically, it introduces the concept of electoral equifinality to come to grips with this diversity. Empirically, it relies on innovative statistical analyses and no less than 125 life-history interviews with voters in France and the Netherlands. Based on this unique material, the study identifies different roads to the radical right and compares them within a cross-national perspective. In addition, through an analysis of almost 1,400 tweets posted by Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen, the book shows how the latter are able to appeal to different groups of voters. Taken together, the book thus provides a host of ground-breaking insights into the heterogeneous phenomenon of radical right support.

Cross-National Focus Group Response to Autonomous Vehicles

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812199236
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Norton ◽  
Melissa Ruhl ◽  
Tim Armitage ◽  
Brian Matthews ◽  
John Miles
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Total N ◽  
The Public ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Willingness To Use

The development of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is advancing quickly in some enclaves around the world. Consequently, AVs exist in the public consciousness, featuring regularly in mainstream media. As the form and function of AVs emerge, the attitudes of potential users become more important. The extent to which the public trusts AV technology and anticipates benefits, will drive consumer willingness to use AVs. Broadly, public attitudes will determine whether AVs can attract public investment in infrastructure and become a feature of the future transport mix or fail to realize the potential their developers assert. As part of UK Autodrive, a program trialing the introduction of AVs in the United Kingdom, researchers conducted focus groups in five UK cities, and a comparison focus group in San Francisco (December 2017 to September 2018) using representative samples (total n = 137). Focus group facilitators guided discussions in three areas considered central to usage decisions: trust in the technology, ownership models, and community benefit. This paper describes findings from a quasi-quantitative study supported with qualitative insights. This research provides three key takeaways centering on trust in the technology and in delivering benefit. First, some participants gain trust through experience and others through evidence. Second, participants had difficulty discriminating between AV developers, indicating a need for industry cooperation. Third, partnerships were found to demonstrate trust, highlighting the need for more and deeper partnerships moving forward. Generally, participants had positive attitudes toward AVs and expect AVs to provide benefits. However, these attitudes and expectations could change as AV development progresses.

Environmental Behavior in Cross-National Perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Pisano ◽  
Mark Lubell
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Behavior ◽  
National Level ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Education Development ◽  
Proenvironmental Behavior ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Country Level ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross National

This article seeks to explain cross-national differences on environmental behavior. After controlling for a series of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, it was predicted that national levels of wealth, postmaterialism, education development, and environmental problems are positively related to environmental behavior. The national-level variance is to a substantial degree explained by individual-level variables, capturing compositional effects. The remaining variance is explained by the contextual-level variables. All of the country-level variables are predictors in the expected direction, with the exception of environmental degradation, which is negatively related to behavior, and education development, which has no impact on private environmental behavior. More importantly, cross-level interactions show that in more developed countries, there are stronger relationships between proecological attitudes and reported proenvironmental behavior. These findings contribute to the growing cross-cultural research on environmental behavior pointing out the necessity of simultaneously assessing the effects of both individual and contextual-level forces affecting behavior across nations.

Serum Phospholipid Fatty Acid Composition in Cystic Fibrosis Patients with and without Liver Cirrhosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 71 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sławomira Drzymała-Czyż ◽  
Mariusz Szczepanik ◽  
Patrycja Krzyżanowska ◽  
Monika Duś-Żuchowska ◽  
Andrzej Pogorzelski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Liver Cirrhosis ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Phospholipid Fatty Acid ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Phospholipid Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Total N ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Low Levels

Background/Aims: Cystic fibrosis (CF) liver disease is the third most frequent cause of death in CF patients. Although it alters fatty acid (FA) metabolism, data concerning the profile of FA in CF patients with liver cirrhosis is lacking. This study aimed to assess the FA composition of serum phospholipids in CF patients with and without liver cirrhosis. Methods: The study comprised 25 CF patients with liver cirrhosis and 25 without it. We assessed Z-scores for body height and weight, lung function, exocrine pancreatic sufficiency and colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FAs' profile of serum glycerophospholipids was quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Results: In CF patients with liver cirrhosis, the levels of C16:0 were higher and the amounts of C20:2n-6, C20:3n-6, C20:4n-6, and all the n-3 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) (C18:3n-3, C20:5n-3, C22:5n-3, C22:6n-3) were lower than those in CF subjects without liver cirrhosis. The n-6/n-3, C20:4n-6/C18:2n-6, total n-6/C18:2n-6, C20:5n-3/C18:3n-3 and total n-3/C18:3n-3 ratios did not differ between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Liver cirrhosis may associate with profound abnormalities in the composition of serum glycerophospholipids FAs in CF patients. None of the analyzed clinical factors could explain the greater prevalence of low levels of PUFAs in this CF subgroup.

Abstract WP164: An Assessment of Stroke Knowledge in the Coulee Region Community

Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mouhammed Kabbani ◽  
Katherine Riley ◽  
Angela L Smith ◽  
Andrew Borgert ◽  
John Gabbert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Delayed Presentation ◽  
Gis Technology ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Stroke Education ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Stroke Knowledge ◽  
Targeted Approach

Introduction: Delayed presentation to the hospital persists as a significant barrier to early intervention of stroke with tPA treatment. Community knowledge about stroke symptoms is moderate at best and not parallel with behavior. Objective: To assess our community’s level of knowledge about stroke to direct the development of targeted educational efforts. Methods: Members of communities in our regional stroke alert locations were asked to complete a 15-item survey that included questions about basic demographics, stroke symptoms, behavior actions and interest in and barriers to attending stroke education. Surveys were collected from local businesses, online and in public venues. Overall scores were calculated by summing the number of correct responses and, with the exception of questions pertaining to the BEFAST mnemonic, subtracting the number of incorrect or unmarked responses. Reported metrics include overall survey scores and demographics of survey respondents. Total scores were compared between demographic groups via the Wilcoxon Rank Sum, while question level comparisons utilized the χ2 or Fisher’s exact test. GIS technology was applied to identify geographic clusters of different knowledge levels. Results: Among 1118 participants, 86% had low levels of stroke knowledge as defined by a survey score of ≤ 70% accuracy (medium = 71-89%; high ≥ 90-100%). Knowledge was low throughout most of our community with isolated pockets of higher knowledge in outlying areas. Awareness was highest (though still low) among females, middle-aged adults (36-55 yo), those with post-high school degrees, and those with previous formal stroke education. In case of stroke, older adults (55+ yo) were least likely to call 9-1-1. Only 21.6% of participants were likely or highly likely to attend stroke education. Conclusions: The level of stroke knowledge in our community is low. People tend to not be interested in attending formal stroke education outside of their regular day. Efforts must be made to raise awareness about stroke symptoms and treatment in order to increase more positive outcomes following stroke. Incorporating stroke education into work and school curriculums will be our targeted approach.

scholarly journals Vaccine refusal/hesitancy—the ethical point of view

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
João Gentil
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Moral Conflicts ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Vaccine Refusal

Abstract Background In 2019, WHO classified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health. Vaccination is an area of excellence in nursing that has gained a new focus and has become a challenge in the provision of care and in the management field. Vaccine hesitation raises questions about mandatory vaccination, individual versus collective freedom that are highlighted in the current context due to the emergence of new vaccines. In this paper, we want to analyze and update knowledge about vaccines hesitancy from an ethical and bioethical perspective. Methods A combination of literature reviews on vaccine refusal/hesitancy, ethics and COVID-19 vaccine confidence, accessed on SciELO and PubMed databases and analysis of documents from General Directorate of Health and Ordem dos Enfermeiros (National Nurses Association). Results Vaccination programs aim is a collective protection. The desirable effects at individual level do not have the same ethical value at collective level, leading to cost-benefit imbalances. Moral conflicts between the individual and the collective, cost-benefit imbalances and the insufficiency of bioethics principles, lead us to the use of other moral values and principles, such as responsibility, solidarity and social justice, as a tool for ethical reflection problems related to COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions There are no perfect solutions to ethical dilemmas and some optimal solutions could depend the context. In a pandemic situation, one of the most relevant ethical issues is the herd immunity since it leaves public health at risk. Equity and the principle of justice in vaccination campaign are shown daily in the nursing profession.

Medicare and Medicaid Services Online

2015 ◽  
pp. 696-710
Author(s):  
Mary Schmeida ◽  
Ramona McNeal
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Government Programs ◽  
Life Project ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Access To Health

Government initiatives in the United States have been passed in an effort to increase citizen usage of e-government programs. One such service is the availability of online health insurance information. However, not all demographic groups have been equally able to access these services, primarily the poor and rural American. As more legislation is passed, including the advancement of broadband services to remote areas, infrastructure barriers are being removed, opening access to Medicare and Medicaid websites for these vulnerable groups. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze factors predicting the impact of recent government actions on citizen access to health insurance information online. This topic is explored using multivariate regression analysis and individual level data from the Internet and American Life Project. The findings suggest that healthcare needs and quality of Internet access may be playing a more important role in health insurance information services than other factors.

scholarly journals The measurement of populist attitudes: Testing cross-national scales using item response theory

Politics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M Van Hauwaert ◽  
Christian H Schimpf ◽  
Flavio Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
National Measurement ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Cross National

Recent research in the populism literature has devoted considerable efforts to the conceptualisation and examination of populism on the individual level, that is, populist attitudes. Despite rapid progress in the field, questions of adequate measurement and empirical evaluation of measures of populist attitudes remain scarce. Seeking to remedy these shortcomings, we apply a cross-national measurement model, using item response theory, to six established and two new populist indicators. Drawing on a cross-national survey (nine European countries, n = 18,368), we engage in a four-folded analysis. First, we examine the commonly used 6-item populism scale. Second, we expand the measurement with two novel items. Third, we use the improved 8-item populism scale to further refine equally comprehensive but more concise and parsimonious populist measurements. Finally, we externally validate these sub-scales and find that some of the proposed sub-scales outperform the initial 6- and 8-item scales. We conclude that existing measures of populism capture moderate populist attitudes, but face difficulties measuring more extreme levels, while the individual information of some of the populist items remains limited. Altogether, this provides several interesting routes for future research, both within and between countries.

Combining labour market and unemployment policies with environmental sustainability? A cross-national study on ecosocial innovations

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Stamm ◽  
Aila-Leena Matthies ◽  
Tuuli Hirvilammi ◽  
Kati Närhi
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
National Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Environmental Goals ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
Cross National

AbstractLabour market and unemployment policies in particular are rarely connected to issues of environmental sustainability. In the present article, the link is examined by focusing on ecosocial innovations in four European countries – Finland, Germany, Belgium and Italy. These innovations are small-scale associations, cooperatives or organizations that create new integrative practices combining both social and environmental goals. By asking how their social practices are linked with labour market and unemployment policies, we explore the scope for new ecosocial policies. The results of this cross-national case study lead to three lessons to be learnt for a future ecosocial welfare state: at the sectoral level, organizational level and individual level. In summary, many valuable ideas, instruments and programmes towards sustainability already exist in the field, but they are not yet integrated in the current labour market and unemployment policies.

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