Examining the Factors Impacting Consumer Online Purchasing Behavior During COVID-19 in Klang Valley

The initial appearance of Covid-19 has changed the lives of billions of people in the world and has disrupted consumers purchasing behavior whether online or offline shopping. The internet has given consumer empowerment where online shopping has been adopted by consumers globally. Customers can stay at home and shop with payment and get home delivery. This research aims to examine the factors impacting consumer online purchasing behavior in the retail business environment during Covid-19 in Klang Valley. This study focuses on five variables which are attitude, trustworthiness, security and safety, loyalty and marketing information and how these variables impact consumer online purchasing behavior during crisis period utilizing the Reasoned Action Approach Theory and Technology Acceptance Model Theory. The proposed research is designed based on quantitative model utilizing a questionnaire survey with a sample size of 405 online respondents. The result can provide knowledge about consumer online purchasing behavior and all five variables are supporting the research findings especially marketing information on the website topping the list of the variables. Managerial and theoretical implications are important for businesses to adopt online channels and expand globally using the available technology especially social media channels. The research presents several considerations towards consumer online purchasing behavior and future research should study other variables using different methodologies such as exploratory nature with interviews to understand the consumer behavior as consumer behave differently in different circumstances during pandemic.

Reducing Unhealthy Normative Behavior: The Case of Sports and Energy Drinks

American adolescents consume more sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) than any other age group. Sports and energy drinks consumption among adolescents is higher than other SSBs. For sports drinks, there is uncertainty about their “healthiness” and also beliefs that these drinks may provide health benefits such as hydration, enhanced athletic performance, heightened mental alertness, and rapid recovery after exercise. Confusion about relative healthiness and expectations of health benefits suggest that factors that may encourage youth to avoid drinking sports and energy drinks, such as athletic status, psychological reactance, and SSB media literacy, may necessitate different approaches to promoting avoidance of sports drinks compared with avoidance of energy drinks. Using a nationally representative U.S. probability-based web panel augmented by a volunteer nonprobability-based web panel of 500 adolescent participants aged 14 to 18 years, we used the reasoned action approach to model intention to avoid sports and to avoid energy drinks. The result show there are similarities and differences in the determinants associated with adolescents’ avoidance of sports and energy drinks: attitudes and descriptive normative pressure are both related to increased avoidance for both types of drinks and perceived control over the avoidance behavior is positively associated for with intention to avoid for energy drinks. Sport identification, psychological reactance, and SSB media literacy also play a different role in the sports and energy drink models. Based on our results, the content of prevention messages in interventions to limit sports drinks will need to be quite different from those targeted at reducing energy drink consumption.

Factors associated with eMental health adoption readiness and use by mental health counsellors in general practices (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Literature shows that mental health care counsellors generally have a high adoption readiness for eMental Health, while the actual use of eMental Health in patients is limited. Facilitating future adoption and use requires insight into the most important underlying factors, as well as the eligibility criteria the mental health care counsellors use in their decision to apply eMental Health for their (vulnerable) patients. OBJECTIVE This study examined the use and non-use of eMental Health by mental health counsellors and aimed to unfold the underlying reasons and readiness to adopt eMental Health. METHODS A theoretical model was developed, based on the Reasoned Action Approach, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Model and the Measurement Instrument Determinants of Innovations model. By means of an online survey among mental health counsellors (N = 132), this model was empirically validated. An additional study goal was to unveil the criteria mental health counsellors use to estimate patients’ eligibility for eMental health. RESULTS The most important predictors of the readiness of mental health counsellors to adopt eMental health were the perceived usefulness and benefits. eMental Health also needed to be easily accessible and making use of an eMental Health application should match the task perception of the mental health counsellor. The readiness of mental health counsellors to adopt eMental health had a direct and an indirect effect (via estimated patients’ eligibility for eMental health) on the use of eMental Health by the counsellors. In order to determine whether eMental health suited a patient, the mental health counsellors not only looked at whether the patients had access to a computer and internet and had sufficient digital and Dutch language skills, but they also considered it crucial that the patients were motivated to use eMental health. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed that there will only be a future for eMental health in general practice if the mental health counsellor is convinced of the benefits of eMental health and can transfer this enthusiasm to the patient. It is recommended to involve mental health counsellors in the development of eMental health to increase the (perceived) added value and use in general practice.

Soda Consumption Among Mexican Construction Workers in the Context of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax

This study explored the psychosocial determinants of consumption of soda and other taxed sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Mexican construction workers (CWs) and whether consumption changed as a result of the 2014 SSB tax. We conducted a qualitative case study involving in-depth interviews and focus groups (FGs) with 30 Mexican CWs; supplemented with descriptions of the food and beverages consumed during lunch breaks. We used NVivo 10 to classify information according to the analysis categories, primarily informed by the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA). CWs reported not having changed their consumption of soda and other taxed SSBs as a result of the SSB tax, despite the price increase and “knowing” the potential negative consequences of soda drinking. The most important determinants of soda consumption are a deep-seated social norm of soda drinking and use of soda drinking as part of their professional identity; their likeness for soda; a wide availability of soda in their environments; and a low perceived behavioral control (because they thought themselves as addicted to it). Participants indicated that the best way for them not to consume soda would be if it were not available. These findings lend support for the tight regulation of the availability of SSBs. To have a meaningful impact on these consumers, the SSB tax may need to be much higher. Policy-level interventions should be coupled with interventions at the individual and community levels that aim at denormalizing soda consumption, create new meanings in relation to water consumption, and develop behavioral control to decrease soda consumption.

Factors Influencing the Intention of Actors in Hospitals to Use Indoor Positioning Systems: Reasoned Action Approach

Background Indoor positioning systems (IPS) have become increasingly important for several branches of the economy (eg, in shopping malls) but are relatively new to hospitals and underinvestigated in that context. This research analyzes the intention of actors within a hospital to use an IPS to address this gap. Objective To investigate the intentions of hospital visitors and employees (as the main actors in a hospital) to use an IPS in a hospital. Methods The reasoned action approach was used, according to which the behavior of an individual is caused by behavioral intentions that are affected by (1) a persuasion that represents the individual’s attitude toward the behavior, (2) perceived norms that describe the influence of other individuals, and (3) perceived norms that reflect the possibility of the individual influencing the behavior. Results The survey responses of 323 hospital visitors and 304 hospital employees were examined separately using SmartPLS 3.3.3. Bootstrapping procedures with 5000 subsamples were used to test the models (one-tailed test with a significance level of .05). The results show that attitude (β=.536; P<.001; f²=.381) and perceived norms (β=.236; P<.001; f²=.087) are predictors of hospital visitors’ intention to use an IPS. In addition, attitude (β=.283; P<.001; f²=.114), perceived norms (β=.301; P<.001; f²=.126), and perceived behavioral control (β=.178; P=.005; f²=.062) are predictors of hospital employees’ intention to use an IPS. Conclusions This study has two major implications: (1) our extended reasoned action approach model, which takes into account spatial abilities and personal innovativeness, is appropriate for determining hospital visitors’ and employees’ intention to use an IPS; and (2) hospitals should invest in implementing IPS with a focus on (a) navigational services for hospital visitors and (b) asset tracking for hospital employees.

Online respondent-driven detection for enhanced contact tracing of COVID-19

Background Contact tracing (CT) is a core intervention in the global COVID-19 response, but it is a laborious task for the public health professionals (PHPs) who execute CT. In many countries, the workload associated with CT of COVID-19 exceeded available resources for CT. Online respondent-driven detection (RDD) is an innovative method for case finding that can enhance CT efficiency, through active involvement of index cases and contacts in the execution of CT. This can accelerate CT and decrease PHPs' workload. However, it is unclear if and why (not) PHPs want to apply RDD for CT of COVID-19 and what they need to this purpose. Methods This mixed methods study is undertaken in the Netherlands and Germany. We developed an interview guide based on the ‘reasoned action approach' to elicit factors that influence PHPs' intention to apply RDD for CT of COVID-19 and their needs. We conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with Dutch PHPs - and will conduct 6-10 interviews with German PHPs involved in CT of COVID-19. Based on the interviews, an online questionnaire is developed to validate the qualitative findings in a larger population of PHPs. Preliminary results Dutch PHPs believe that RDD facilitates autonomous participation of index cases and contacts and, conversely, less control of PHPs in CT. PHPs anticipated that this could impact the quality and efficiency of CT, and the delivery of - and compliance with - control measures. Several factors, e.g. the available CT-capacity and the anticipated skills and willingness of index cases and contacts to participate in RDD, influenced PHPs' intention to apply RDD for CT of COVID-19. PHPs expressed a need to retain opportunities to support and guide index cases and contacts in CT and to maintain oversight over the CT-process. Conclusions RDD can support PHPs and enhance CT during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future large scale outbreaks of infectious diseases. In order to be properly applied, PHPs' needs should be addressed.

Adolescent's Willingness to Adopt a More Plant-Based Diet: A Theory-Based Interview Study

A plant-based diet is more sustainable, and research suggests that adolescents obtain health benefits from adopting a more plant-based diet (e.g., improved weight control, increased cardiovascular health). However, it is still unclear what factors promote/hinder their intention to attain such a dietary habit. The aim of the present study was to examine factors affecting adolescents' willingness to consume more plant-based foods. In a theory-based interview study, using the Reasoned Action Approach as framework, adolescents were interviewed concerning their reasons for their (un)willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet. A total of 11 adolescents (15/16 years old; 7 girls, 4 boys) were recruited and interviewed at two secondary schools in the Dutch Province of Limburg, the Netherlands. None of the interviewees reported being vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian. The interviewed adolescents overall expressed little interest in adopting a more plant-based diet. They appeared to have little knowledge of what would comprise a more plant-based diet and showed a lack of awareness of the benefits for personal and planet health. Further, most participants indicated lacking skills to prepare plant-based meals. Despite that, they felt confident they would be able to consume a much more plant-based diet for a definite period. Most importantly, the low intention to consume more plant-based food options was explained by the perceived (or expected) poor taste of these foods. We conclude that education on the plant-based diet (i.e., increasing awareness of the benefits, and skills to procure or prepare a plant-based meal) might increase both knowledge and plant-based food familiarity. The latter being important as food familiarity is key in promoting its acceptance.