Perceived Risk of Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses in the Continental United States

The United States experienced local transmission of West Nile Virus (WNV) for the first time in 1999, and Zika Virus (ZIKV) in 2016. These introductions captured the public’s attention in varying degrees. The research presented here analyzes the disproportional perception of ZIKV risk compared to WNV transmission risk, by the public and vector control personnel. The risk perception of vector control was measured through purposive sampled interviews (24 interviews in 13 states; May 2020–June 2021), while the public’s perception was estimated from news publications (January 2000–December 2020), and Google searches (January 2004–December 2020). Over time, we observed a decrease in the frequency of press reporting and Google searches of both viruses with decreasing annual peaks in the summer. The highest peak of ZIKV news, and searches, surpassed that of WNV. We observed clear differences in the contents of the headlines for both viruses. We propose that the main reason in risk perception differences between the viruses were psychological. Zika infections (mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted) can result in devastating symptoms in fetuses and newborns, observations that frequently appeared in ZIKV-related headlines. Our results highlight the likely influence the news media has on risk perception and the need for public health agencies to play active roles in the conversation, helping disseminate timely and accurate information. Understanding the factors that shape risk perceptions of vector-borne diseases will hopefully lead to better use of resources by providing better guidance.

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Impacts of Social Distancing on Pedestrian Behavior and Risk Perception

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1071181321651287 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 65 (1) ◽

pp. 1302-1306

Author(s):

Kyra B. Phillips ◽

Kelly N. Byrne ◽

Branden S. Kolarik ◽

Audra K. Krake ◽

Young C. Bui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Close Contact ◽

The United States ◽

Survey Study ◽

Pedestrian Behavior ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Over Time

Since COVID-19 transmission accelerated in the United States in March 2020, guidelines have recommended that individuals wear masks and limit close contact by remaining at least six feet away from others, even while outdoors. Such behavior is important to help slow the spread of the global pandemic; however, it may require pedestrians to make critical decisions about entering a roadway in order to avoid others, potentially creating hazardous situations for both themselves and for drivers. In this survey study, we found that while overall patterns of self-reported pedestrian activity remained largely consistent over time, participants indicated increased willingness to enter active roadways when encountering unmasked pedestrians since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Participants also rated the risks of encountering unmasked pedestrians as greater than those associated with entering a street, though the perceived risk of passing an unmasked pedestrian on the sidewalk decreased over time.

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Policy liberalism and source of news predict pandemic-related health behaviors and trust in the scientific community

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0252670 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. e0252670

Author(s):

Madeleine Reinhardt ◽

Matthew B. Findley ◽

Renee A. Countryman

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

News Media ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Scientific Community ◽

The United States ◽

World Health ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Health Measures

In March of 2020, the United States was confronted with a major public health crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This study aimed to identify what factors influence adherence to recently implemented public health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing, trust of scientific organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on information pertaining to the pandemic, and level of perceived risk. Data were collected from June 30, 2020 to July 22, 2020 on 951 adult residents of the United States using an online survey through Microsoft Forms. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the strongest predictors for compliance to pandemic-related health measures, trust in the scientific community, and perceived risk. Results showed that the strongest predictor of all variables of interest was degree of policy liberalism. Additionally, participants who consumed more conservative news media conformed less to the pandemic health guidelines and had less trust in the scientific community. Degree of policy liberalism was found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between gender and conformity to pandemic-related health behaviors. These findings have concerning implications that factors like degree of policy liberalism and source of news are more influential in predicting adherence to life-saving health measures than established risk factors like pre-existing health conditions.

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COVID-19 Risk Perception Among U.S. Adults: Changes from February to May 2020

10.1101/2020.08.20.20178822 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Amyn A Malik ◽

SarahAnn M McFadden ◽

Jad A Elharake ◽

Obianuju Genevieve Aguolu ◽

Mehr Shafiq ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Alaska Native ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

The United States ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Public Health Officials ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

The U.S

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to detrimentally impact the United States. Using a survey, we collected demographic and COVID-19 risk perception, behavior, knowledge, and attitude data from 672 adults across the U.S. in May 2020. These variables were compared with the results from a survey in February 2020. Participants who were older (55+ years; M = 6.3, SD = 2.0), identified as Native American/Alaska Native (M = 6.8, SD = 1.0) or Asian (M = 6.0, SD = 2.0), and those who had contracted (M = 6.8, SD = 2.0) or knew someone who had contracted COVID-19 (M = 6.2, SD = 1.7) reported higher perceived risk. Health behaviors, such as physical distancing, have shown to impact infectious disease trajectories. As the U.S. reopens its economy, public health officials and politicians must formulate culturally appropriate and evidence-based messaging and policies, based on the public's COVID-19 risk perceptions, to encourage preventive behaviors.

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Clinicians, cooks, and cashiers: Examining health equity and the COVID-19 risks to essential workers

Toxicology and Industrial Health ◽

10.1177/0748233720970439 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (9) ◽

pp. 689-702

Author(s):

Jennifer D Roberts ◽

Katherine L Dickinson ◽

Elizabeth Koebele ◽

Lindsay Neuberger ◽

Natalie Banacos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Health Equity ◽

Low Income ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Inequities ◽

The United States ◽

Systemic Racism ◽

Social Distancing

In Spring/Summer 2020, most individuals living in the United States experienced several months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Clinicians, restaurant cooks, cashiers, transit operators, and other essential workers (EWs), however, continued to work outside the home during this time in order to keep others alive and maintain a functioning society. In the United States, EWs are often low-income persons of color who are more likely to face socioeconomic vulnerabilities, systemic racism, and health inequities. To assess the various impacts of COVID-19 on EWs, an online survey was distributed to a representative sample of individuals residing in six states during May/June 2020. The sample included 990 individuals who identified as EWs and 736 nonessential workers (NWs). We assessed differences between EW and NW respondents according to three categories related to health equity and social determinants of health: (1) demographics (e.g. race/ethnicity); (2) COVID-19 exposure risk pathways (e.g. ability to social distance); and (3) COVID-19 risk perceptions (e.g. perceived risk of contracting COVID-19). EWs were more likely to be Black or Hispanic than NWs and also had lower incomes and education levels on average. Unsurprisingly, EWs were substantially more likely to report working outside the home and less likely to report social distancing and wearing masks indoors as compared to NWs. EWs also perceived a slightly greater risk of contracting COVID-19. These findings, which we discuss in the context of persistent structural inequalities, systemic racism, and health inequities within the United States, highlight ways in which COVID-19 exacerbates existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities faced by EWs.

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Support for vector control strategies in the United States during the Zika outbreak in 2016: The role of risk perception, knowledge, and confidence in government

Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.12.019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 119 ◽

pp. 52-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rachael Piltch-Loeb ◽

Alexis A. Merdjanoff ◽

Aditi Bhanja ◽

David M. Abramson

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Vector Control ◽

Control Strategies ◽

The United States

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The Influence of Communication on College Students’ Self–Other Risk Perceptions of COVID-19: A Comparative Study of China and the United States

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182312491 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (23) ◽

pp. 12491

Author(s):

Yi Yang ◽

Ru-De Liu ◽

Yi Ding ◽

Jia Wang ◽

Wei Hong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

College Students ◽

New Media ◽

Interpersonal Communication ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Media Exposure ◽

The United States ◽

Traditional Media ◽

Chinese College Students

This study aimed to explore cross-country differences in the characteristics and determinations of self–other risk perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. We distinguished perceived risk to self from perceived risk to others and subdivided risk perceptions into three levels: personal, group, and societal. We focused on the differential impact of multiple communication channels (i.e., interpersonal communication, traditional media exposure, and new media exposure) on risk perceptions at the three levels. A sample of 790 college students completed self-report online questionnaires from May to June 2020, including 498 in China and 292 in the United States. The results showed an “ascending pattern,” revealing that participants perceived higher levels of risk to others than to themselves. In addition, U.S. college students perceived higher risks of COVID-19 than Chinese college students at all levels. As for the relations between communication and risk perceptions, the results revealed that interpersonal communication and traditional media exposure were more effective with Chinese participants, whereas new media exposure was more effective with U.S. participants. Specifically, interpersonal communication was positively associated with risk perceptions at three levels, and the magnitude of the effect was higher in the Chinese group than in the U.S. group. Traditional media exposure increased societal risk perception only for Chinese college students, and new media exposure increased societal risk perception only for U.S. college students. Our findings provide theoretical implications for the characteristics and forming mechanisms of risk perceptions and also provide practical implications for policymakers in the two countries to implement effective measures to foster individuals’ risk perceptions in relation to preventive behaviors.

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Core Elements Affecting Sharing: Evidence from the United States

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073943 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3943

Author(s):

Aurelija Burinskienė ◽

Edita Leonavičienė ◽

Virginija Grybaitė ◽

Olga Lingaitienė ◽

Juozas Merkevičius

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Collaborative Consumption ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

Personal Consumption ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Core Elements ◽

Long Time ◽

Number Of Visits

The new phenomenon called sharing or collaborative consumption emerged a decade ago and is continuously growing. It creates new possibilities for society, and especially for business, is beneficial for the environment, makes more efficient use of resources, and presents a new competitive business model. The scientific literature lacks a more in-depth analysis of the factors influencing sharing activity growth; therefore, the paper’s authors attempt to fill this gap. The authors aim to identify the factors affecting the use of sharing platforms. To reach the goal, the authors developed a regression model and constructed a list of 71 variables. The study used monthly United States data from January 2017 to June 2020 from the publicly available Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)and Google trends databases. The comparison to other indexes proves that the proposed index, representing the number of visits to sharing platforms (SEP), is a unique one. The first index allowed us to revise the sharing activity monthly. The authors identified that variables such as wage level, social network users, import level, and personal consumption are critical in affecting the number of visits to sharing platforms. The presented framework could be helpful for practitioners and policymakers analysing the stimulation of sharing or collaborative consumption. It includes indicators representing different areas, such as society, technology, and country, and allows for monthly investigations. Such activity was evident for a long time when online platforms contributed to its wider accessibility. The results help to forecast the number of visits monthly. Sharing is still an emerging area for research; thus, the authors tried to explore the phenomenon of sharing to expand the conceptual level of knowledge.

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Evaluation of a Streamlined Oncologist-Led BRCA Mutation Testing and Counseling Model for Patients With Ovarian Cancer

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2017.76.2781 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (13) ◽

pp. 1300-1307 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Nicoletta Colombo ◽

Gloria Huang ◽

Giovanni Scambia ◽

Eva Chalas ◽

Sandro Pignata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Brca Mutation ◽

The United States ◽

Turnaround Time ◽

Genetic Counselors ◽

Stakeholder Satisfaction ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

Counseling Model ◽

Testing And Counseling

Purpose There is a growing demand for BRCA1/ 2 mutation ( BRCAm) testing in patients with ovarian cancer; however, the limited number of genetic counselors presents a potential barrier. To facilitate more widespread BRCAm testing in ovarian cancer, pretest counseling by the oncology team could shorten testing turnaround times and ease the pressure on genetic counselors. Patients and Methods The prospective, observational Evaluating a Streamlined Onco-genetic BRCA Testing and Counseling Model Among Patients With Ovarian Cancer (ENGAGE) study evaluated a streamlined, oncologist-led BRCAm testing pathway. The analysis population comprised 700 patients with ovarian cancer at 26 sites in the United States, Italy, and Spain. The primary objectives were to assess turnaround time and, using questionnaires, to evaluate stakeholder satisfaction (patients, oncologists, and geneticists or genetic counselors) with the oncologist-led BRCAm testing pathway. Results The median overall turnaround time was 9.1 weeks (range, 0.9 to 37.1 weeks), with median turnaround times in the United States, Italy, and Spain of 4.1 weeks (range, 0.9 to 37.1 weeks), 20.4 weeks (range, 2.9 to 35.4 weeks), and 12.0 weeks (range, 2.0 to 36.7 weeks), respectively. Patient satisfaction with the oncologist-led BRCAm testing pathway was high, with > 99% of patients expressing satisfaction with pre- and post- BRCAm test counseling. Oncologist satisfaction with the BRCAm testing pathway was also high, with > 80% agreeing that the process for performing BRCAm testing worked well and that counseling patients on BRCAm testing was an efficient use of their time. Oncologists expressed higher levels of satisfaction with the BRCAm testing pathway than did geneticists or genetic counselors. Conclusion The results of the ENGAGE study demonstrate that an oncologist-led BRCAm testing process is feasible in ovarian cancer. Development of local BRCAm testing guidelines similar to the one used in this study could allow faster treatment decisions and better use of resources in the management of patients with ovarian cancer.

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