scholarly journals Who Is Listening? Spokesperson Effect on Communicating Social and Physical Distancing Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Abu-Akel ◽  
Andreas Spitz ◽  
Robert West
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Government Official ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Perceptions Of Risk ◽  
The Social ◽  
Current Compliance ◽  
The Government ◽  
Older Populations

Effective communication during a pandemic, such as the current COVID-19 crisis, can save lives. At the present time, social and physical distancing measures are the lead strategy in combating the spread of COVID-19. In this study, a survey was administered to 705 adults from Switzerland about their support and practice of social distancing measures to examine if their responses depended on (1) whether these measures were supported by a government official or an internationally recognized celebrity as a spokesperson, (2) whether this spokesperson was liked, and (3) the respondent’s age. We also considered several attitudinal and demographic variables that may influence the degree to which people support and comply with social distancing measures. We found that the government official was more effective in eliciting responses supportive of social distancing, particularly as manifested in the stated current compliance with social distancing measures. The effect was substantially stronger among older respondents, although these respondents expressed a lower risk perception. Although there was a general trend for greater endorsement of the social distancing measures among participants who liked the spokesperson, this was non-significant. In addition, respondents’ greater support and compliance was positively associated with (1) higher concern for the current situation, (2) higher concern for the well-being of others, and (3) greater belief that others were practicing social distancing, and negatively with (4) greater self-reported mobility. Current compliance correlated negatively with (5) household size. Since different parts of the population appear to have different perceptions of risk and crisis, our preliminary results suggest that different spokespersons may be needed for different segments of the population, and particularly for younger and older populations. The development of evidence-based knowledge is required to further identify who would be the most effective spokesperson, and in particular to groups with low risk perception and low compliance.

scholarly journals Who is listening? Spokesperson Effect on Communicating Social and Physical Distancing Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Abu-Akel ◽  
Andreas Spitz ◽  
Robert West
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Well Being ◽  
City Size ◽  
Government Official ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Perceptions Of Risk ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Current Compliance ◽  
The Government ◽  
Older Populations

Effective communication during the COVID-19 pandemic can save lives. At the present time, social and physical distancing measures are the lead strategy in combatting the spread of COVID-19. In this pilot, survey-based study, we obtained responses from 705 adults in Switzerland about their support and practice of social distancing measures to examine if these responses are: (1) influenced by whether these measures are supported by an internationally recognized celebrity or a government official, (2) dependent on whether the spokesperson is liked, and (3) age-dependent. We also considered several attitudinal and demographic variables that may influence the degree to which people support and comply with social distancing measures. We found that the government official was more effective, particularly in response to current compliance with social distancing measures, and was substantially stronger among older respondents despite having lower risk perception. Being liked seems to boost this effect. In addition, respondents’ greater support and compliance was positively associated with (1) higher concern for the current situation, (2) higher concern for the well-being of others, (3) greater belief that others are practicing social distancing, (4) feeling greater constraint in freedom of movement, and negatively with (5) city size, and (6) household size. Since different parts of the population appear to have different perceptions of risk and crisis, our preliminary results suggest that different spokespersons may be needed for the younger and the older populations, and for rural and urban populations. The development of evidence-based knowledge is required to further identify who would be the most effective spokesperson, and in particular to groups with low risk perception and low compliance.

scholarly journals ‘Getting back to normality seems as big of a step as going into lockdown’: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with early to middle stage dementia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine V Talbot ◽  
Pam Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
Middle Stage ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Social ◽  
Function Loss ◽  
The Government ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Abstract People with dementia can experience shrinkage of their social worlds, leading to a loss of independence, control and reduced well-being. We used ‘the shrinking world’ theory to examine how the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people with early to middle stage dementia and what longer-term impacts may result. Interviews were conducted with 19 people with dementia and a thematic analysis generated five themes: the forgotten person with dementia, confusion over government guidance, deterioration of cognitive function, loss of meaning and social isolation, safety of the lockdown bubble. The findings suggest that the pandemic has accelerated the ‘shrinking world’ effect and created tension in how people with dementia perceive the outside world. Participants felt safe and secure in lockdown but also missed the social interaction, cognitive stimulation and meaningful activities that took place outdoors. As time in lockdown continued, these individuals experienced a loss of confidence and were anxious about their ability to re-engage in the everyday practises that allow them to participate in society. We recommend ways in which the government, communities and organisations might counteract some of the harms posed by this shrinking world.

scholarly journals Perception and Preference for Home-Based Telework in the COVID-19 Era: A Gender-Based Analysis in Hanoi, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3179
Author(s):  
Minh Hieu Nguyen ◽  
Jimmy Armoogum
Keyword(s):  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Sustainable Development Goal ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Home Based ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Using Data

The rapid and widespread of COVID-19 has caused severe multifaceted effects on society but differently in women and men, thereby preventing the achievement of gender equality (the 5th sustainable development goal of the United Nations). This study, using data of 355 teleworkers collected in Hanoi (Vietnam) during the first social distancing period, aims at exploring how (dis)similar factors associated with the perception and the preference for more home-based telework (HBT) for male teleworkers versus female peers are. The findings show that 56% of female teleworkers compared to 45% of male counterparts had a positive perception of HBT within the social distancing period and 63% of women desired to telework more in comparison with 39% of men post-COVID-19. Work-related factors were associated with the male perception while family-related factors influenced the female perception. There is a difference in the effects of the same variables (age and children in the household) on the perception and the preference for HBT for females. For women, HBT would be considered a solution post-COVID-19 to solve the burden existing pre-COVID-19 and increasing in COVID-19. Considering gender inequality is necessary for the government and authorities to lessen the adverse effects of COVID-19 on the lives of citizens, especially female ones, in developing countries.

Disparity and Dynamics of Social Distancing Behaviors in Japan: An Investigation of mobile phone mobility data (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeyu Lyu ◽  
Hiroki Takikawa
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
Over Time

BACKGROUND The availability of large-scale and fine-grained aggregated mobility data has allowed researchers to observe the dynamic of social distancing behaviors at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Despite the increasing attentions paid to this research agenda, limited studies have focused on the demographic factors related to mobility and the dynamics of social distancing behaviors has not been fully investigated. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assist in the design and implementation of public health policies by exploring the social distancing behaviors among various demographic groups over time. METHODS We combined several data sources, including mobile tracking data and geographical statistics, to estimate visiting population of entertainment venues across demographic groups, which can be considered as the proxy of social distancing behaviors. Then, we employed time series analyze methods to investigate how voluntary and policy-induced social distancing behaviors shift over time across demographic groups. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate distinct patterns of social distancing behaviors and their dynamics across age groups. The population in the entertainment venues comprised mainly of individuals aged 20–40 years, while according to the dynamics of the mobility index and the policy-induced behavior, among the age groups, the extent of reduction of the frequency of visiting entertainment venues during the pandemic was generally the highest among younger individuals. Also, our results indicate the importance of implementing the social distancing policy promptly to limit the spread of the COVID-19 infection. However, it should be noticed that although the policy intervention during the second wave in Japan appeared to increase the awareness of the severity of the pandemic and concerns regarding COVID-19, its direct impact has been largely decreased could only last for a short time. CONCLUSIONS At the time we wrote this paper, in Japan, the number of daily confirmed cases was continuously increasing. Thus, this study provides a timely reference for decision makers about the current situation of policy-induced compliance behaviors. On the one hand, age-dependent disparity requires target mitigation strategies to increase the intention of elderly individuals to adopt mobility restriction behaviors. On the other hand, considering the decreasing impact of self-restriction recommendations, the government should employ policy interventions that limit the resurgence of cases, especially by imposing stronger, stricter social distancing interventions, as they are necessary to promote social distancing behaviors and mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. CLINICALTRIAL None

scholarly journals To Associate Between Social Adaptive Behavior and Socio Demographic Variables among Children with Chronic Illness

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mridula. C. Jobson ◽  
Dr. R. Subhashini
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

Back Ground: Chronic Illness is disorders or diseases that compromise well-being, either temporarily or chronically. These conditions are risk factors for Social behavior problem. Analyzing the prevalence of Social behavior problems of children with chronic illness and identifying related risk factors is of theoretical and practical relevance. It helps to understand psychosocial consequences of chronic diseases and provides valuable information for clinicians regarding who should be screened for what kind of problems. There are various factors that influence the social adaptive behavior of the child with chronic illness. Identification of association of demographic variable shall provide the underlying associated causes for such behavioral problem. Aim and Objective: This study analyses the association of socio-demographic factors and social adaptive behavior problems of pediatrics with chronic illness. Samples and Methods: The study was carried out in 90 pediatric patients in MMM hospital between age group 1 to 6 years. The samples were selected through convenient sampling technique. The Tool used for data collection and assessment of social maturity level is Semi structured questionnaire which include. Section A: Socio demographic profile and Section B: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) A parent-report questionnaire. Result: The association between the social adaptive behavior problems and demographic variables using chi square test reveals that socio demographic variables such as economic factors and medical condition have significant association with the behavior of the child. Conclusion: The preliminary study concludes the association between the socio demographic factors and behavior. This particularly emphasizes on multidimensional   assessment and treatment.

scholarly journals Smartphone: an asset in medical education and health care in the era of COVID-19 pandemic-our perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4144
Author(s):  
Manisha Jhirwal ◽  
Charu Sharma ◽  
Shashank Shekhar ◽  
Satya Prakash Meena
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Education And Health ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
Conventional Classroom ◽  
Good Hygiene

The COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly and the government across the world has imposed the social distancing along with maintaining good hygiene. The infection with corona virus ranges from mild common cold to acute respiratory illness leading to morbidity and mortality.1 There is no specific treatment for COVID-19 infection except the preventive measures like social distancing, lockdown etc.2 To maintain social distancing so as to curb the spread of disease, schools and colleges were closed long back since March 2020. Online classes took over the conventional classroom teaching.

scholarly journals Social Work and Facing Child Poverty in Iraq: A Comparative Study between Governmental Social Work Institutions and Non-Governmental Institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-128
Author(s):  
Maysam Yaseen Obaid
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Child Poverty ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
The Social ◽  
Effective Role ◽  
The Government ◽  
Governmental Institutions

Social work is a profession to help individuals, families, and communities to promote the well-being of the human and society, and this goal is achieved through social and economic justice while enhancing the quality of life of human and community. The study illustrates the importance of promoting integration with governmental and civil social work institutions to achieve the reduction of multidimensional child poverty. The descriptive and comparative approach as well as the social survey was used in this study. Collected data from 50 governmental and non-governmental institutions, where the study reached several conclusions, the most important of which is that social work institutions have an important and effective role in confronting the poverty of children in Iraq despite the existence of economic and social obstacles to their work. It also showed the contribution of non-governmental institutions to alleviating the burden on the government by providing assistance that enables poor families to cope with the poor standard of living and to enable them to get out of poverty.

scholarly journals Efforts to Protect Violence in the Households during Covid-19 in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 548-553
Author(s):  
Nelvitia Purba ◽  
◽  
Reynaldi Putra Rosihan ◽  
Ali Mukti Tanjung ◽  
Rudy Pramono ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Social ◽  
Psychological Pressure ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
The Government ◽  
Consequences Of Violence ◽  
At Home

The social distancing appeal that the government encourages is not matched by the state's efforts to provide economic security to the community. PSBB will directly or indirectly limit the movement of the community. The teaching and learning process at schools and residents who work will be limited to working or studying at home. This limitation of activities in public spaces will have an impact on people's income, especially those in the middle to lower economy. The implementation of social distancing during the Covid-19 outbreak has increased the risk of violence against women, complicates women's economic conditions, and affirms women's social status as subordinate, or women are in a lower position than men. The formulation of the problem in this research is what is the cause of domestic violence during the covid-19 period in Indonesia, what are the prevention efforts against domestic violence during the covid-19 period. Causes of Domestic Violence During the Covid-19 Period, namely the government's appeal to the community 'at home alone', causing a separate polemic for women and children, especially those who experience economic and psychological pressure at home from extraordinary isolation measures, has prompted increasing instances of reports of domestic violence, especially women who are forced to live for months in abusive relationships. causes and consequences of violence and to prevent the occurrence of violence through primary prevention programs, policy intervention and advocacy as well as information programs and supporting initiatives through all mass media TV, social networks, cell phones.

scholarly journals Women Face to Fear and Safety Devices During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Impact of Physical Distancing on Individual Responsibility, Intimate, and Social Relationship

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Parisi ◽  
Francesca Lagomarsino ◽  
Nadia Rania ◽  
Ilaria Coppola
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Social Closeness ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
Contextual Framework ◽  
The Government

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 in Italy had its first epidemic manifestations on January 31, 2020. The socio-sanitary rules imposed by the government concerned the social distance and management of intimate relationships, the sense of individual responsibility toward public health. Physical distancing and housing isolation have produced new representations of intrafamily, generational, neighborhood, community responsibility, bringing out a new “medicalized dimension” of society. In light of this contextual framework, the research aims are to analyze how: the perception of individual responsibility for public and familial health and physical distancing has redrawn the relation between subjects-family-community; the State's technical-health intervention has reformulated the idea of social closeness, but also how the pandemic fear and social confinement has re-evaluated a desire for community, neighborhood, proximity; during the lockdown families, friends, neighbors have reconstructed feelings of closeness and forms of belonging. The methodology used is quanti-qualitative and involved 300 women through an online questionnaire. The data collected highlight how the house during the lockdown is perceived as a safe place and how women implement both the recommendations and the behaviors aimed at preventing contagion, but also ways that allow coping with the situation from a perspective of well-being. Furthermore, the data show how the dimension of distancing has loosened the relational dimension outside the family unit, with a greater distancing compared to pre-pandemic data. However, the majority of women report that they have joined solidarity initiatives, demonstrating that they want to maintain ties and participate actively in community life.

scholarly journals Theoretical and methodological aspects of the eco-industrial space development

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Wegner-Kozlova ◽  
Olga Guman
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Industrial Space ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government

Contemporary society is challenged by the issue of meeting seemingly contradictory needs: achieving economic well-being and ensuring environmental security. On the one hand, rising levels of environmental pollution increasingly threaten systems of life support. On the other hand, economic difficulties cause the growing financial instability. Accordingly, there is a need to move towards a more sustainable environmental and economic system, which requires additional research in this field. The paper focuses on the circular economy as a tool for creating the eco-industrial space to attain sustainable development goals based on the principles of market organisation and long-standing social and economic relations. Methodologically, the research relies on the theory of circular economy and the theory of social space. Research methods include deduction and induction, analysis and synthesis, statistical, comparative, causal, and factor analysis, historical method, which allows taking in account historical, social and cultural peculiarities of the economy, as well as other general theoretical methods. As a result of the research, the authors (1) identify eco-industrial subspace within the social space, which enables clarifying the specifics of the interaction between actors of the social space interested in meeting the needs of both economic development and ecosystem sustainability; (2) develop a system for assessing the circular economy from the viewpoint of eco-industrial interaction. The scientific value of the research findings consists in elaborating on the ecological aspect of industrial regions’ functioning. The circular economy can potentially contribute to the energy efficiency, reduce environmental pollution, and create efficient ways of producing and consuming. The suggested system for assessing the circular economy allows detecting the dynamics of the negative pressure on the ecosystem, which enables the government authorities to purposefully green the industrial development.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document