scholarly journals Effects of Message Framing, Sender Authority and Recipients’ Self-Reported Trait Autonomy on Endorsement of Health and Safety Measures during the Early COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7740
Author(s):  
Elli Zey ◽  
Sabine Windmann
Keyword(s):  
Health Communication ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Message Framing ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Societal Challenge ◽  
Prosocial Message

In the COVID-19 pandemic, human solidarity plays a crucial role in meeting this maybe greatest modern societal challenge. Public health communication targets enhancing collective compliance with protective health and safety regulations. Here, we asked whether authoritarian/controlling message framing as compared to a neutral message framing may be more effective than moralizing/prosocial message framing and whether recipients’ self-rated trait autonomy might lessen these effects. In a German sample (n = 708), we measured approval of seven regulations (e.g., reducing contact, wearing a mask) before and after presenting one of three Twitter messages (authoritarian, moralizing, neutral/control) presented by either a high-authority sender (state secretary) or a low-authority sender (social worker). We found that overall, the messages successfully increased participants’ endorsement of the regulations, but only weakly so because of ceiling effects. Highly autonomous participants showed more consistent responses across the two measurements, i.e., lower response shifting, in line with the concept of reactive autonomy. Specifically, when the sender was a social worker, response shifting correlated negatively with trait autonomy. We suggest that a trusted sender encourages more variable responses to imposed societal regulations in individuals low in autonomy, and we discuss several aspects that may improve health communication.

scholarly journals Occupational Health and Safety Measures in German Outpatient Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2987
Author(s):  
Mara Shirin Hetzmann ◽  
Natascha Mojtahedzadeh ◽  
Albert Nienhaus ◽  
Volker Harth ◽  
Stefanie Mache
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Outpatient Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health Threats ◽  
Company Doctor

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, outpatient caregivers are exposed to new serious health threats at work. To protect their health, effective occupational health and safety measures (OHSM) are necessary. Outpatient caregivers (n = 15) participated in semi-structured telephone interviews in May/June 2020 (1) to examine the pandemic-related OHSM that have been implemented in their outpatient care services, as well as (2) to identify their corresponding unmet needs. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed by using qualitative content analysis in accordance with Mayring. Available OHSM in outpatient care services described by outpatient caregivers mainly included personal protective equipment (PPE) and surface disinfection means after an initial shortage in the first peak of the pandemic. Further OHSM implied social distancing, increased hygiene regulations and the provision of pandemic-related information by the employer, as well as the possibility to consult a company doctor. Our study revealed that OHSM were largely adapted to the health threats posed by COVID-19, however an optimum has not yet been achieved. There is still a need for improvement in the qualitative and quantitative supply of PPE, as well as on the organisational level, e.g., with regard to the development of pandemic plans or in work organisation.

scholarly journals Safe and Effective Use of Ozone as Air and Surface Disinfectant in the Conjuncture of Covid-19

Gases ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
Elena Grignani ◽  
Antonella Mansi ◽  
Renato Cabella ◽  
Paola Castellano ◽  
Angelo Tirabasso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Toxic Substance ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Public Places ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Effective Use

The present paper extrapolates quantitative data for ozone virucidal activity on the basis of the available scientific literature data for a safe and effective use of ozone in the appropriate cases and to explore the safety measures developed under the stimulus of the current emergency situation. Ozone is a powerful oxidant reacting with organic molecules, and therefore has bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal actions. At the same time, it is a toxic substance, having adverse effects on health and safety. Its use is being proposed for the disinfection of workplaces’ and public places’ atmosphere, and for disposable masks and personal protective equipment disinfection for reuse, with particular reference to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Ozone can be generated in situ by means of small, compact ozone generators, using dried ambient air as a precursor. It should be injected into the room that is to be disinfected until the desired ozone concentration is reached; after the time needed for the disinfection, its concentrations must be reduced to the levels required for the workers’ safety. The optimal use of ozone is for air and surface disinfection without human presence, using a concentration that is effective for the destruction of viruses, but not high enough to deteriorate materials.

scholarly journals Chasing the ghost of infection past: identifying thresholds of change during the COVID-19 infection in Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Santamaría ◽  
Joaquín Hortal
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Exponential Growth Rate ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Key Events

Abstract One of the largest nationwide bursts of the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Spain, where infection expanded in densely populated areas through March 2020. We analyse the cumulative growth curves of reported cases and deaths in all Spain and two highly populated regions, Madrid and Catalonia, identifying changes and sudden shifts in their exponential growth rate through segmented Poisson regressions. We associate these breakpoints with a timeline of key events and containment measures, and data on policy stringency and citizen mobility. Results were largely consistent for infections and deaths in all territories, showing four major shifts involving 19–71% reductions in growth rates originating from infections before 3 March and on 5–8, 10–12 and 14–18 March, but no identifiable effect of the strengthened lockdown of 29–30 March. Changes in stringency and mobility were only associated to the latter two shifts, evidencing an early deceleration in COVID-19 spread associated to personal hygiene and social distancing recommendations, followed by a stronger decrease when lockdown was enforced, leading to the contention of the outbreak by mid-April. This highlights the importance of combining public health communication strategies and hard confinement measures to contain epidemics.

Pressure Gauge Safety

1980 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 283-283 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Gauge ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Product Liability ◽  
British Standard ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Safety Regulations

The British Pressure Gauge Manufacturers Association has always emphasised the need for strict observance of recognised safety requirements when using pressure gauges. Unfortunately, gauges are both available and used that do not meet the rigid safety regulations laid down in British Standard 1780 and this could lead to serious accidents. The provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act coupled with the strengthened proposals for Product Liability will place a greater statutory responsibility upon the manufacturer and user alike. The Association has therefore prepared the following statement:

Handeczema and occupational health and safety measures

2021 ◽  
Vol 128 (6) ◽  
pp. 323-330
Author(s):  
D. Romijn-Bucarciuc ◽  
G.C. Maessen ◽  
M.B. Visch
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Safety Measures

Model Child Care Health Policies

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Child Care ◽  
Early Education ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
After School ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Care Health ◽  
Child Care Facilities

Significantly revised and updated, the new Model Child Care Health Policies, 5th Edition is a must-have tool to foster adoption and implemenation of best practices for health and safety in group care settings for young children. These settings include early care and education as well as before and after school child care programs. These model policies are intended to ease the burden of writing site-specific health and safety policies from scratch. They cover a wide range of aspects of operation of early education and child care programs. Child care programs of any type can use Model Child Care Health Policies by selecting relevant issues for their operation and modifying the wording to make selected policies appropriate to the specific settings. These settings include early education and child care centers, small and large family child care homes, part day-programs for ill children, facilities that serve children with special needs, school-age child care facilities, and drop-in facilities. The model policies can be adapted for public, private, Head Start, and tuition-funded facilities. All of the most commonly covered health and safety topics the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies found in state regulations are included in this guide.

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