Risk Perception, Perception of Collective Efficacy and Sleep Quality in Chinese Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Only few studies have studied the link between risk perception and sleep in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the effect of two distinct risk appraisals—risk perception and perception of collective coordinated defense (PCCD) on Chinese adults’ sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic, and tested COVID-19-related fear and rumination as potential mediators of the relationships. Methods: Data were collected using a self-report online questionnaire from a sample of 224 Chinese adults during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Results: COVID-19 risk perception and PCCD were related to poor sleep quality. Mediation analysis showed that both fear and rumination mediated the relationship between risk perception and sleep quality, whereas only fear mediated the relationship between PCCD and sleep quality. The model showed an excellent fit to the data and accounted for 44% of the variance in sleep quality in Chinese adults. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the distinct perceptual processes—risk appraisals in particular—contributed to poor sleep quality in Chinese adults during the COVID-19 public emergencies. These findings would be helpful for policy makers to address the sleep problems induced by psychological consequences of the pandemic.

Tailored Mobile Messaging Intervention for Waterpipe Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults: A Randomized Trial

Objectives. To test a tailored mobile health (i.e., mHealth) intervention for waterpipe tobacco cessation in young adults. Methods. From 2018 to 2020 at 2 US sites, we conducted a randomized trial with 349 waterpipe tobacco smokers aged 18 to 30 years randomized to control (no intervention), untailored, or tailored intervention arms. Intervention arms received a 6-week mHealth intervention conveying risks of waterpipe tobacco through text and images and strategies to enhance motivation and support quitting. The tailored intervention was personalized to baseline measures and intervention text message responses. Risk appraisals, motivation to quit, waterpipe smoking frequency, and cessation were assessed at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Results. At 6 months, cessation was higher in the tailored (49%) than the control arm (29%; odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.3, 4.2) and smoking frequency was lower in the tailored (mean = 3.5 days) than the control arm (mean = 4.3 days; P = .006). At interim follow-ups, significant differences in other outcomes favored the tailored intervention. Conclusions. Tailored mobile messaging can help young adult waterpipe tobacco smokers quit. This scalable intervention is poised for population implementation.

Circular Bio-economy—Paradigm for the Future: Systematic Review of Scientific Journal Publications from 2015 to 2021

While ‘renewable’ is the keyword in a bioeconomy and resource conservation is the motivation behind a circular economy, a circular bioeconomy is one in which waste streams from renewable bio-resources are looped back into the technosphere—open-loop or closed-loop recycling or conversion from matter to energy. This systematic review brings together 385 publications from 2015 to 2021, originating from 50 countries and appearing in 150 journals, into a coherent account of the status quo of published research on circular bioeconomy. The numbers bear testimony to the growing interest in this field of research. Germany is the leading contributor to the scientific literature base (10%), while the Journal of Cleaner Production (9%) tops the list of journals in the fray. The methodology adopted has been clearly explained, and the discussion has been segmented into sub-sections and sub-sub-sections to do justice to the diversity of the nature of the publications. A little flexibility in organisation of the flow of the text has been availed of, to improve readability. The circular bioeconomy can be visualised as a set of ‘many through many to many’ relationships, enabling both economies of scale and scope in the longer run. This calls for extensive collaboration and cooperation among the numerous stakeholders involved. Several barriers will have to be overcome. Technology impact assessments and sustainability risk appraisals need to be carried out in order to ensure and convince stakeholders that they are on the right path. But as one knows and will appreciate, challenges lurk where there exist opportunities to be availed of, to replace the take-make-use-dispose paradigm of a linear economy to the grow-make-use-restore alternative. Graphical abstract

Two Studies Investigating Associations Between Sexual Assault Victimization History and Bystander Appraisals of Risk

Across two studies, we examined sexual assault history and bystander appraisals of risk and the moderating roles of danger cue salience (Study 1) and alcohol intoxication (Study 2) in women. Participants (Study 1 = 148, Study 2 = 64) read vignettes ending with cues of nonconsensual sexual activity and an opportunity to intervene. Participants also completed self-report measures of vignette appraisals and history of sexual assault victimization. Across both studies, sexual assault victimization was unassociated with bystander risk appraisals. Alcohol intoxication and subtlety of nonconsent cues did not interact with sexual assault victimization history to influence appraisals of dangerousness.

Pictorial Cigarette Pack Warnings Increase Some Risk Appraisals But Not Risk Beliefs: A Meta-Analysis

Pictorial warnings on cigarette packs motivate smokers to quit, and yet the warnings’ theoretical mechanisms are not clearly understood. To clarify the role that risk appraisals play in pictorial warnings’ impacts, we conducted a meta-analysis of the experimental literature. We meta-analyzed 57 studies, conducted in 13 countries, with a cumulative N of 42,854. Pictorial warnings elicited greater cognitive elaboration (e.g., thinking about the risks of smoking; d = 1.27; p < .001) than text-only warnings. Pictorial warnings also elicited more fear and other negative affect (d = .60; p < .001). In contrast, pictorial warnings had no impact on perceived likelihood of harm (d = .03; p = .064), perceived severity (d = .16; p = .244), or experiential risk (d = .06; p = .449). Thus, while pictorial warnings increase affective and some cognitive risk appraisals, they do not increase beliefs about disease risk. We discuss the role of negative affect in warning effectiveness and the implications for image selection and warning implementation.

Results of a Single Arm Pilot Study of a Mobile Messaging Intervention for Hookah Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults

Background: Hookah tobacco use is common among young adults. Unlike cigarette smoking, there is limited evidence on mobile (ie, mHealth) interventions to promote cessation. Objectives: This pilot study tested the preliminary effects of mobile messaging for cessation in young adult hookah smokers. Methods: Young adults (N = 20) aged 18 to 30 years who smoke hookah at least monthly and have done so at least once in the past 30 days received a 6-week mHealth multimedia messaging (text and images) intervention. Message scheduling (2 days/week × 6 weeks) was based on the literature. Content was developed iteratively by the study team and focused on health harms and addictiveness of hookah. Content was individually tailored by baseline hookah use frequency, risk beliefs, and responses to interactive text messages assessing participants’ hookah tobacco use behavior and beliefs to maximize impact. Engagement was assessed during the intervention, and we examined effects on risk perceptions, risk beliefs, and risk appraisals, motivation to quit, and behavior change immediately post-intervention. Results: Participants responded to 11.5 (SD = 0.69) of 12 text message prompts on average, endorsed high message receptivity (M = 6.1, SD = 0.93, range = 1-7), and reported the messages were helpful (M = 8.5, SD = 1.5, range = 1-10). There were significant ( P < .05) increases in risk perceptions (d’s = 0.22-0.88), risk appraisals (d = 0.49), risk beliefs (d = 1.11), and motivation to quit (d = 0.97) post-intervention. Half of participants reported reducing frequency of hookah use (20%) or quitting completely (30%) by end of treatment. Conclusions: These pilot results provide preliminary support for an mHealth messaging intervention about risks of hookah tobacco for promoting cessation. Rigorously examining the efficacy of this promising intervention is warranted.