scholarly journals Environmental awareness of Protestant youth in Germany: Perspectives from an empirical exploration

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kroeck
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Protestant Church ◽  
Creation Care ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Perceived Importance ◽  
Christian Congregations

Climate change and environmental degradation are pressing issues in the 21st century, which have also been addressed by Christian churches. Christian congregations are expected to provide an important impetus towards a more sustainable way of life. However, in Germany, empirical data on how Christian congregations and their members relate to this issue are scarce. This article presents the first results of a quantitative study on this topic, in particular, with regard to the differences between age groups. The focus is on the perceived importance of environmental conservation, environmental awareness, and the opportunities and obstacles for the engagement of Christians in creation care. An online survey which was conducted in 2020 yielded 736 complete responses from members of the Protestant churches, 19.7% of which were from young people under 30 years. Regarding the perceived importance of environmental conservation and environmental awareness, the results were largely consistent with the data of a representative study on environmental awareness in Germany. The young generation showed slightly lower values than the older ones. Members of Protestant church seem to be more willing to behave sustainably than the general public, with the under 30 years old being in particular concerned about food consumption. Motivational and subcultural opportunities for Christian conservation efforts were identified. Obstacles were based primarily on eschatological views and the fear that other mandates of the church may be neglected. Regarding obstacles, young respondents showed a stronger approval than the older generations.Contribution: The article presents empirical evidence on the environmental awareness of Protestant Christians in Germany and identifies the opportunities and obstacles for their engagement in creation care.

Financialization and generational differences in the correlates of perceived importance of investment in Hong Kong

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-177
Author(s):  
Francis Lee ◽  
Gary Tang ◽  
Chung-Kin Tsang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Inequality ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Social Significance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Social Democratic ◽  
Perceived Importance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how people’s perceptions of the importance of financial investment relate to their value orientation, societal perceptions and policy attitudes. Tying together insights from theoretical analysis of the financialization of society and Mannheim’s (1972) theory of generation, this study hypothesizes that perceived importance of investment should be less connected to a desire for a wealthy lifestyle and more connected to a critique of social inequality among the young generation. Analysis of survey data (N = 1,020) from Hong Kong, an international financial hub, shows that perceived importance of investment relates positively to consumer materialism, perceptions of social inequality and support for social democratic policies. More importantly, the relationships between the latter variables and perceived importance of investment vary across age groups in ways largely consistent with the expectation. The findings illustrate the changing social significance of financial investment and the reluctant embracement of investment by young people. Design/methodology/approach A representative telephone survey (N = 1,020) was conducted and analyzed. Findings The analysis shows that perceived importance of investment relates positively to consumer materialism, perceptions of social inequality and support for social democratic policies. More importantly, the relationships between the latter variables and perceived importance of investment vary across age groups in ways largely consistent with the expectation. Originality/value The findings illustrate the changing social significance of financial investment and the reluctant embracement of investment by the young generation. It is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first study in Hong Kong addressing people’s attitudes toward investment in relation to the notion of financialization.

scholarly journals A Cross-sectional Online Survey on Public Attitudes towards Wearing Face Masks and Washing Hands to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (E) ◽  
pp. 1238-1243
Author(s):  
Hotma Rumahorbo ◽  
Priyanto Priyanto ◽  
Atin Karjatin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Confounding Factor ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
People’S Attitudes

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 infection spreads quickly and easily, hence people are required to obey health protocols. Attitudes play an important role in building people’s readiness to use face masks and wash hands. AIM: The study aims at analyzing several factors influencing people’s attitudes towards wearing face masks and washing hands in Indonesia. METHODS: The study employs a cross-sectional online survey involving 400 adult respondents in the Java region from July to September 2020. RESULTS: Of 400 respondents, 54.3% showed positive attitudes toward wearing face masks and 59.3% towards washing hands. The multivariate analysis showed that people’s attitudes towards wearing face masks were influenced by age and knowledge. Respondents aged 36–45 years old had positive attitudes on wearing face masks 3.9 times (p = 0.038) and aged ≥46 years old 4.1 times (p = 0.039) compared to aged 18–35 years old. Furthermore, attitudes on washing hands were influenced by gender, age groups, and knowledge. Female had positive attitudes towards washing hands 1.7 times (p = 0.029) compared to male. Respondents aged 36–45 years old had positive attitudes on washing hands 5 times (p = 0.037) and aged ≥46 years old 4.8 times (p = 0.05) compared to aged 18–35 years old. Knowledge acted as the confounding factor. CONCLUSION: The age and knowledge factors influenced positive attitude of using masks and washing hands were influenced by gender, age, and knowledge. Health education programs are recommended to increase knowledge about COVID-19, this is very helpful for the young generation of Indonesia to have a positive attitude.

scholarly journals Polarized nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: associations with population age structure and behaviours

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junko Okumura
Keyword(s):  
Age Structure ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cumulative Number ◽  
Population Age Structure ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Drinking Places

Abstract Background Although the scale of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was relatively small in Japan compared with the rest of the world, the polarisation of areas into high- and low-COVID-19-incidence areas was observed among the 47 prefectures. The aims of this study were not only identifying the factors associated with the polarised COVID-19 pandemic in Japan but also discussing effective preventive measures. Methods This was an ecological study using online survey data which was cross-sectionally conducted by the author. A total of 6000 respondents who resided in 10 low- and 10 high-COVID-19 incidence prefectures, with a wide gap in terms of COVID-19 incidence, in Japan were recruited. Data on COVID-19 cases and geodemographic information were obtained from official government sites. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare variables between the two areas and age groups. Results This study revealed that that age influenced people’s behaviours and perceptions, except one behaviour of ‘wearing facemasks’. The major factors significantly associated with the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people were ‘commuting by private automobile’ (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.444; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.394–0.501), ‘commuting by public transportation’ (AOR, 6.813; 95% CI, 5.567–8.336), ‘washing hands’ (AOR, 1.233; 95% CI, 1.005–1.511), ‘opening windows regularly’ (AOR, 1.248; 95% CI, 1.104–1.412), ‘avoiding crowded places (AOR, 0.757; 95% CI, 0.641–0.893), ‘non-scheduled visits to drinking places’ (AOR, 1.212; 95% CI, 1.054–1.392) and ‘perceived risk of contracting COVID-19’ (AOR, 1.380; 95% CI, 1.180–1.612). These factors were strongly associated with age groups. Conclusions Effective preventive measures for COVID-19 transmission can be developed by understanding the characteristics of populated areas, such as public transportation infrastructure and younger people’s movements and behaviours in relation to the population age structure to contain the current epidemic and protect the most vulnerable elderly people.

scholarly journals Exploring the Frequency of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in a Brazilian Sample during the COVID-19 Outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4847
Author(s):  
Fabiana Silva Ribeiro ◽  
Flávia H. Santos ◽  
Luis Anunciação ◽  
Lucas Barrozo ◽  
Jesus Landeira-Fernandez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Brazilian Sample

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern, and the main measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19 were social distancing, quarantine, and self-isolation. Although these policies are effective in containing the spread of the virus, they might represent a challenge to psychological well-being, increasing levels of depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Aims: We explored the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19 restrictions and associations with sociodemographic factors in a Brazilian sample. Method: Data of a total of 936 Brazilian adults (68.2% women) aged 18 to 77 years old (M = 38.95, SD = 13.91) were collected through an online survey. Results: In general, we observed a frequency of 17.36% for severe anxiety and 66.13% for severe depression symptoms, in which younger participants (18–39 years old) and women showed higher scores in anxiety and depression scales compared to older age groups. Logistic regressions showed that women were more likely to present severe symptoms of anxiety (20.4%) compared to men (10.9%), as well as respondents in the educational sector (24.3%) compared to those in the health sector (10%). Conclusions: We highlight the importance of mental health professionals in developing strategies to help younger adults to mitigate the effects of social restriction.

scholarly journals Analysing the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on everyday travel behaviour in Germany and potential implications for future travel patterns

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoriya Kolarova ◽  
Christine Eisenmann ◽  
Claudia Nobis ◽  
Christian Winkler ◽  
Barbara Lenz
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Travel Behaviour ◽  
German Population ◽  
Travel Patterns ◽  
Home Office ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a great impact on all areas of the everyday life, including travel behaviour. Various measures that focus on restricting social contacts have been implemented in order to reduce the spread of the virus. Understanding how daily activities and travel behaviour change during such global crisis and the reasons behind is crucial for developing suitable strategies for similar future events and analysing potential mid- and long-term impacts. Methods In order to provide empirical insights into changes in travel behaviour during the first Coronavirus-related lockdown in 2020 for Germany, an online survey with a relative representative sample for the German population was conducted a week after the start of the nationwide contact ban. The data was analysed performing descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results and Discussion The results suggest in general an increase in car use and decrease in public transport use as well as more negative perception of public transport as a transport alternative during the pandemic. Regarding activity-related travel patterns, the findings show firstly, that the majority of people go less frequent shopping; simultaneously, an increase in online shopping can be seen and characteristics of this group were analysed. Secondly, half of the adult population still left their home for leisure or to run errands; young adults were more active than all other age groups. Thirdly, the majority of the working population still went to work; one out of four people worked in home-office. Lastly, potential implications for travel behaviour and activity patterns as well as policy measures are discussed.

scholarly journals Photograph Based Evaluation of Consumer Expectation on Healthiness, Fullness, and Acceptance of Sandwiches as Convenience Food

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1102
Author(s):  
Purificación García-Segovia ◽  
Mª Jesús Pagán-Moreno ◽  
Amparo Tárrega ◽  
Javier Martínez-Monzó
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Nominal Group Technique ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Visual Appearance ◽  
Consumer Expectation ◽  
Preference Mapping ◽  
Consumer Experiences ◽  
And Cluster Analysis

Sandwiches are the most common “casual-food” consumed by all age groups in Spain. Due to the importance of visual appearance to promote unplanned or impulse buying, foodservice and hospitality companies focus on improving the visual impression of their food menus to create an expectation that satisfies both sensory and hedonic consumer experiences. To provide a list of attributes about the visual appearance of sandwiches, 25 students were recruited from a university and were invited to participate in two nominal group technique (NGT) sessions. To understand whether a sandwiches’ appearance can influence the expectation of consumers, 259 participants completed an online survey specially designed from the results of the NGT sessions. Data were analyzed using conjoint, internal preference mapping and cluster analysis; the interaction effect by gender was also studied. The conjoint results indicate that visual perception about the filling (vegetal or pork based) plays the most key role overall in consumer expectation. When consumers choose vegetables as the filling, the consumers’ perceived sandwiches as healthier, but the pork filling was perceived as more attractive and satiating. Interaction effect by gender was observed in filling when females perceived pork filling as less healthy than vegetable. By acceptance, consumers were segmented into three groups. The first cluster (n = 80) selected the pork filling. The smaller group (cluster 3, n = 36) prioritized the vegetal filling, and the most numerous cluster 2 (n = 140) liked sandwiches with multigrain bread. These results may help companies to build tailor-made marketing strategies to satisfy consumer segments.

scholarly journals Chinese views on nuclear weapons: Evidence from an online survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 205316802110328
Author(s):  
Naomi Egel ◽  
R. Lincoln Hines
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Weapons ◽  
Text Analysis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
The Public ◽  
Self Defense ◽  
Public Views ◽  
Chinese Public

What are Chinese public attitudes regarding nuclear weapons? Although scholars have studied Chinese elites’ views on nuclear weapons, surprisingly little is known about the views of China’s public. To understand Chinese public views on nuclear weapons, we conduct an online survey ( N = 1066) of Chinese respondents. This is, to our knowledge, the first survey of Chinese public attitudes towards nuclear weapons. We find that although Chinese citizens view the possession of nuclear weapons as important for their country’s security, they strongly oppose the use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances. We also provide respondents an opportunity to describe their views on nuclear weapons in their own words. Using computer-assisted text analysis, we assess patterns in these open-ended responses and compare across age groups. We find that younger respondents emphasize non-material factors such as having a greater voice internationally, whereas older respondents emphasize self-defense. Overall, this analysis sheds light on the public attitudes that may shape China’s evolving approach to nuclear weapons.

scholarly journals The Contribution of Foods and Beverages of Low Nutritional Value to the Diets of Swedish Adolescents, by Food Group, Time and Place. A Nationally Representative Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2450
Author(s):  
Anna Karin Lindroos ◽  
Lotta Moraeus ◽  
Jessica Petrelius Sipinen ◽  
Eva Warensjö Lemming ◽  
Emma Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Food Group ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Dietary Survey ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Nationally Representative

Adolescence is a time in life when lifestyle behaviours are acquired. One indicator of poor diet quality is the intake of foods and beverages with a relatively low nutritional value. Using the Australian classification of such foods, termed “discretionary”, we classified the intakes of Swedish adolescents who participated in the Riksmaten Adolescent 2016–17 national dietary survey. From selected schools, 3099 adolescents in age groups 11–12, 14–15 and 17–18 years provided two 24-h recalls. Intakes and healthy dietary scores were calculated. Plasma ferritin, folate and 25(OH)D were available for a third. Almost 40% of total energy came from discretionary foods/beverages. Adolescents with higher intakes were more likely to be female, older, from a low socioeconomic position-household and born in Sweden. Most discretionary foods/beverages were consumed on weekend days and during in-between meals, outside of the home and at school. Percent energy from discretionary intake was associated with healthy dietary scores but not nutritional status. A substantial amount of energy was obtained from discretionary foods/beverages, and we found that consumption is pervasive across sociodemographic factors, time and place. Addressing this pattern will require a comprehensive approach to food environments and behaviours to reach all adolescents in an equitable manner.

scholarly journals The UPTAKE study: implications for the future of COVID-19 vaccination trial recruitment in UK and beyond

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonika Sethi ◽  
Aditi Kumar ◽  
Anandadeep Mandal ◽  
Mohammed Shaikh ◽  
Claire A. Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Small Towns ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Trial Recruitment ◽  
Trial Management ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Future

Abstract Background Developing a safe and effective vaccine will be the principal way of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. However, current COVID-19 vaccination trials are not adequately representing a diverse participant population in terms of age, ethnicity and comorbidities. Achieving the representative recruitment targets that are adequately powered to the study remains one of the greatest challenges in clinical trial management. To ensure accuracy and generalisability of the safety and efficacy conclusions generated by clinical trials, it is crucial to recruit patient cohorts as representative as possible of the future target population. Missing these targets can lead to reduced validity of the study results and can often slow down drug development leading to costly delays. Objective This study explores the key factors related to perceptions and participation in vaccination trials. Methods This study involved an anonymous cross-sectional online survey circulated across the UK. Statistical analysis was done in six phases. Multi-nominal logistic models examined demographic and geographic factors that may impact vaccine uptake. Results The survey had 4884 participants of which 9.44% were Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME). Overall, 2020 (41.4%) respondents were interested in participating in vaccine trials; 27.6% of the respondents were not interested and 31.1% were unsure. The most interested groups were male (OR = 1.29), graduates (OR = 1.28), the 40–49 and 50–59 age groups (OR = 1.88 and OR = 1.46 respectively) and those with no health issues (OR = 1.06). The least interested groups were BAME (OR = 0.43), those from villages and small towns (OR = 0.66 and 0.54 respectively) and those aged 70 and above (OR = 1.11). Conclusions In order to have a vaccination that is generalisable to the entire population, greater work needs to be done in engaging a diverse cohort of participants. Public health campaigns need to be targeted in improving trial recruitment rates for the elderly, BAME community and the less educated rural population.

scholarly journals Loneliness and Its Association With Social Media Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 205630512110338
Author(s):  
Tore Bonsaksen ◽  
Mary Ruffolo ◽  
Janni Leung ◽  
Daicia Price ◽  
Hilde Thygesen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Emotional Loneliness ◽  
Social Loneliness

Social distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic changed social interaction for many and increased the risk of loneliness in the general population. Social media use has been ambiguously related to loneliness, and associations may differ by age. The study aimed to examine loneliness and its association with social media use within different age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia during April/May 2020, and 3,810 participants aged 18 years or above were recruited. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between social media use and social and emotional loneliness within separate age groups. Emotional loneliness was higher among young adults and among those who used social media several times daily. Adjusting by sociodemographic variables, using more types of social media was associated with lower social loneliness among the oldest participants, and with higher emotional loneliness among the youngest participants. Among middle-aged participants, using social media more frequently was associated with lower social loneliness. We found that the associations between social media use and loneliness varied by age. Older people’s engagement on social media may be a resource to reduce loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed higher levels of loneliness among high-frequent social media users of younger age.

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