Assessment of socio-behavioural correlates and risk perceptions regarding anthrax disease in tribal communities of Odisha, Eastern India

Background This study is a baseline survey to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices with regards to the anthrax disease among the communities before demonstrating a One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in an endemic district of Odisha. A total of 2670 respondents from 112 villages of 14 blocks were interviewed for the study using a structured questionnaire by multi-stage sampling method. Descriptive statistics were reported and logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between the variables and knowledge of anthrax. Result Out of 2670 participants in the study, 76.25% were male and about half were illiterate. Most of the respondents (54.19%) were involved in agriculture as an occupation. 71% of the respondents had livestock in their houses and farming was the main purpose for keeping the livestock. Only one-fifth of the respondents (20.26%) knew about anthrax and a majority of them have come across the disease during community outbreaks. Almost 25.9% of livestock owners had knowledge about vaccination against anthrax disease although 83.4% of the livestock owners disposed the animal carcass by burial method. Conclusion The study findings indicated that the community members had poor knowledge of cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax disease which may be improved by a One Health approach.

The impact of marginalization on entrepreneurs’ online presence and firm performance

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between marginalization, Web presence and firm performance for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach This study relies upon interviews and surveys of managers and/or owners of SMEs. Using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, the authors tested an integrated model of the relationship between marginalization, Web presence and firm performance. Findings Findings indicate that marginalization enhances the risk perceptions entrepreneurs assign to internet use. This enhanced risk perception then limits the extent to which an entrepreneur responds to online customer feedback, which has implications for the SME’s relationship and reputation management efforts with buyers, ultimately impacting the enterprise’s performance. Originality/value This study sheds light on the overlooked phenomena of marginalization and internet avoidance among entrepreneurs. The findings provide insight for entrepreneurs on the deleterious consequences associated with lacking an online presence.

COVID-19 risk perceptions and precautions among the elderly: A study of CALD adults in South Australia

Background: Coping with COVID-19 is a challenge for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older adults. In Australia, little attention has been given to understanding associations between cultural contexts, health promotion, and socio-emotional and mental health challenges of older CALD adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we have collected data from older CALD adults to examine their COVID-19 risk perceptions and its association with their health precautions, behavioural dimensions and emergency preparation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in South Australia. The CALD population aged 60 years and above were approached through 11 South Australian multicultural NGOs. Results: We provide the details of 155 older CALD South Australians’ demographics, risk perceptions, health precautions (problem-and-emotion-focused), behavioural dimensions and emergency preparation. The explanatory variables included demographic characteristics (age, gender, education and ethnicity); and risk perception (cognitive [likelihood of being affected] and affective dimension [fear and general concerns], and psychometric paradigm [severity, controllability, and personal impact]. The outcome measure variables were health precautions (problem-focused and emotion-focused), behavioral adaptions and emergency preparation. Conclusions: This dataset may help the researchers who investigate multicultural health or aged care in the pandemic and or who may have interest to link with other datasets and secondary use of this primary dataset in order to develop culturally tailored pandemic-related response plan. The data set is available from Harvard Dataverse.

Another Person’s Peril: Peanut Allergy, Risk Perceptions, and Responsible Sociality

This article examines perceptions of health risk when some individuals within a shared space are in heightened danger but anyone, including unaffected others, can be a vector of risk. Using the case of peanut allergy and drawing on qualitative content analysis of the public comments submitted in response to an unsuccessful 2010 U.S. Department of Transportation proposal to prohibit peanuts on airplanes, we analyze contention over the boundaries of responsibility for mitigating exposure to risk. We find three key dimensions of proximity to risk (material, social, and situational) characterizing ardent claims both for and against policy enactment. These proximity concerns underlay commenters’ sensemaking about fear, trust, rights, moral obligations, and liberty in the act of sharing space with others, while allowing them to stake positions on what we call “responsible sociality”—an ethic of discernible empathy for proximate others and of consideration for public benefit in social and communal settings. We conclude by discussing the insights our case affords several other areas of scholarship attentive to the intractable yet timely question of “for whom do we care?”

Public and health professional epidemic risk perceptions in countries that are highly vulnerable to epidemics: a systematic review

Background Risk communication interventions during epidemics aim to modify risk perceptions to achieve rapid shifts in population health behaviours. Exposure to frequent and often concurrent epidemics may influence how the public and health professionals perceive and respond to epidemic risks. This review aimed to systematically examine the evidence on risk perceptions of epidemic-prone diseases in countries highly vulnerable to epidemics. Methods We conducted a systematic review using PRISMA standards. We included peer-reviewed studies describing or measuring risk perceptions of epidemic-prone diseases among the general adult population or health professionals in 62 countries considered highly vulnerable to epidemics. We searched seven bibliographic databases and applied a four-stage screening and selection process, followed by quality appraisal. We conducted a narrative meta-synthesis and descriptive summary of the evidence, guided by the Social Amplification of Risk Framework. Results Fifty-six studies were eligible for the final review. They were conducted in eighteen countries and addressed thirteen epidemic-prone diseases. Forty-five studies were quantitative, six qualitative and five used mixed methods. Forty-one studies described epidemic risk perceptions in the general public and nineteen among health professionals. Perceived severity of epidemic-prone diseases appeared high across public and health professional populations. However, perceived likelihood of acquiring disease varied from low to moderate to high among the general public, and appeared consistently high amongst health professionals. Other occupational groups with high exposure to specific diseases, such as bushmeat handlers, reported even lower perceived likelihood than the general population. Among health professionals, the safety and effectiveness of the work environment and of the broader health system response influenced perceptions. Among the general population, disease severity, familiarity and controllability of diseases were influential factors. However, the evidence on how epidemic risk perceptions are formed or modified in these populations is limited. Conclusions The evidence affords some insights into patterns of epidemic risk perception and influencing factors, but inadequately explores what underlies perceptions and their variability, particularly among diseases, populations and over time. Approaches to defining and measuring epidemic risk perceptions are relatively underdeveloped. Graphical Abstract

Trends of Substance Use among Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease in the United States, 2015–2019

Despite the adverse effects of substance use on health among individuals with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), little is known about trends and correlates for substance use among individuals with CVD. We examined trends of use in tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis among US adults with heart disease. Using nationally representative data from the 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 7339), we conducted survey-adjusted logistic regression analyses to test the significance of trends in substance use while controlling for sociodemographic factors and related correlates. Results showed that the prevalence of cannabis use among adults with a heart condition significantly increased. Notably, the prevalence of cannabis use increased by 91% among non-Hispanic Whites, while the increasing trends were not present among other racial/ethnic groups. Our results also showed that increase in cannabis use was associated with easier access, lower disapproval, and risk perceptions of cannabis. Special attention is needed to raise awareness of the risk associated with cannabis use among individuals with CVD and the implementation of an early screening and treatment strategy among those with CVD.

The impact of COVID-19 on destination visit intention and local food consumption

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the relationships between motivation and intention to consume local food and between intention to consume local food and intention to visit the destination of that food's origin while examining the moderating effect of risk perception associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from two samples of potential Chinese tourists in the contexts of Italian and Thai food. Data obtained from 264 Chinese respondents for Italian food and 277 Chinese respondents for Thai food were analyzed. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was utilized to test the research model.FindingsThe results indicate that, while motivational factors such as cultural experience, novelty and sensory appeal influence potential Chinese tourists' intention to consume Italian food, motivational factors such as cultural experience, health concern, novelty and sensory appeal influence tourists' intention to consume Thai food. The authors found that intention to consume local food positively influences tourists' intention to visit both destinations (Italy and Thailand). Moreover, tourists' risk perceptions of COVID-19 negatively moderate the effect of cultural experience and novelty on the intention to consume Italian food. Regarding the intention to consume Thai food, the authors found that tourists' risk perceptions have a diminishing effect on all motivational factors.Originality/valueThis pioneering study examines the role of COVID-19-related risk perception on the relationships among motivation of local food consumption, intention of local food consumption and destination visit intention in the context of two destination countries. It reveals cross-country differences of the negative effect pertaining to the risk perceptions of COVID-19, which has important implications for international destination marketing.