Associations Between the Perceived Severity of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Cyberchondria, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Lockdown Experience: Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Han ◽  
Yanru Zhan ◽  
Weizi Li ◽  
Yuqing Xu ◽  
Jinzhe Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused great panic among the public, with many people suffering from adverse stress reactions. To control the spread of the pandemic, governments in many countries have imposed lockdown policies. In this unique pandemic context, people could obtain information on the pandemic dynamics over time on the Internet. However, searching for health-related information from the Internet frequently will increase public’s possibility of being troubled by online information and experiencing symptoms of cyberchondria. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the relationships between people’s perceived severity of the COVID-19 pandemic (PSCP) and their depression, anxiety, and stress and to explore the role of cyberchondria, which is closely related to the Internet, in these relationship mechanisms. In addition, we also examine the moderating role of lockdown experience. METHODS In February 2020, a total of 486 participants were recruited from pandemic areas in China via an online platform. We used questionnaires to measure participants’ PSCP, the severity of cyberchondria, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, and lockdown experience. SPSS 24.0 software was used to test for common method bias and perform the descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis Moderated mediation models were examined using SPSS PROCESS Version 3.5 software. RESULTS The results showed a positive association between PSCP and depression(β = 0.36, t = 8.51, p < 0.001), anxiety(β = 0.41, t = 9.84, p < 0.001), and stress(β = 0.46, t = 11.45, p < 0.001), which were mediated by cyberchondria(β = 0.36, t = 8.59, p < 0.001). The direct effects of PSCP on anxiety(β = 0.07, t = 2.01, p = 0.045) and stress(β = 0.09, t = 2.75, p = 0.006) and the indirect effects of cyberchondria on depression(β = 0.10, t = 2.59, p = 0.009) and anxiety(β = 0.10, t = 2.50, p = 0.01) were moderated by lockdown experience. CONCLUSIONS The higher individuals’ PSCP, the more serious the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, and the associations were partially mediated by cyberchondria, Individuals with higher PSCP were more likely to develop cyberchondria, which aggravates individuals’ depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. Negative lockdown experience exacerbated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

A cross-sectional survey among physicians on Internet use for epilepsy-related information (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Brigo ◽  
Simona Lattanzi ◽  
Giorgia Giussani ◽  
Laura Tassi ◽  
Nicola Pietrafusa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Therapeutic Decisions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND The Internet has become one of the most important sources of health information, accessed daily by an ever-growing number of both patients and physicians, seeking medical advice and clinical guidance. A deeper insight into the current use of the Web as source of information on epilepsy would help in clarifying the individual attitude towards this medium by Internet users. OBJECTIVE We investigated views towards the Internet in a sample of Italian healthcare specialists involved in epilepsy field, to explore factors which explained the influence of information found on the internet. METHODS This study was a self-administered survey conducted in a group of members of the Italian Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in January 2018. RESULTS 184 questionnaires were analyzed. 97.8% of responders reported to seek online information on epilepsy. The Internet was most frequently searched to obtain new information (69.9%) or to confirm a diagnostic or therapeutic decision (37.3%). The influence of consulting the Internet on clinical practice was associated with registration to social network(s) (OR: 2.94; 95%CI: 1.28-6.76; p=0.011), higher frequency of Internet use (OR: 3.66; 95%CI: 1.56-9.21; p=0.006) and higher confidence in reliability of online information (OR: 2.61; 95%CI: 1.09-6.26; p=0.031). No association was found with age, sex, years in epilepsy practice or easiness to find online information. CONCLUSIONS Internet is frequently used among healthcare professionals involved in the epilepsy to obtain information about this disease. The attitude of being influenced by the Internet for diagnostic and/or therapeutic decisions in epilepsy is independent on age and years of experience in epilepsy, and probably reflects an individual approach towards the Web.

Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 During the First Nationwide Lockdown in Vietnam: Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽  
Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽  
Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽  
Thanh Vo Van ◽  
Toi Phung Lam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
General Population ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged &lt;18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

The Role of Helplessness in the Appraisal of Illness Uncertainty in Women With Fibromyalgia

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-352
Author(s):  
Melody D. Reibel ◽  
Marianne H. Hutti
Keyword(s):  
Survey Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illness Uncertainty ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder characterized by uncertainty in etiology, symptomatology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. The high level of illness uncertainty that results from fibromyalgia is a risk factor for maladjustment to illness. A cross-sectional survey design was used to examine the relationships among illness uncertainty, helplessness, and subjective well-being in 138 women with fibromyalgia. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine a predictive model for mediation. We found illness uncertainty is negatively associated with subjective well-being and that helplessness strongly influences the impact of illness uncertainty on subjective well-being in women with fibromyalgia.

scholarly journals A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF DIET & LIFESTYLE IN PREVALENCE OF HYPOTHYROIDISM IN FEMALES - AN AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2971-2974
Author(s):  
Pavan Kumar K ◽  
Sudhakar P Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
Male Female Ratio ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diet And Lifestyle ◽  
Female Subjects

Background: In India, 42 million people are suffering from thyroid disorders, out of which hypothyroidism is most common with a prevalence of 5.4%. It is more prevalent among females with the male-female ratio being 1:6. Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome resulting from a deficiency of thyroid hormones, which in turn results in a generalized slowing down of metabolic processes. Impaired metabolism can be compared with vitiation of Agni causing Agnimandhya according to Ayurveda. Agnimandhya further hampers the formations of Ahara Rasa and consecutive Dhatus Nirmana, diminishing the metabolism, thereby causing features similar to hypothyroidism. The objective of the Study: To assess the impact of diet & lifestyle on the prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Females. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional survey study. A total of 150 female subjects were selected for the study. With the help of a validated pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire, the interview was conducted on female subjects diagnosed with Hypothyroidism to assess the impact of diet and lifestyle on the prevalence of Hypothy- roidism in and around Mysuru city. Result: In the survey study, the majority of the hypothyroidism diagnosed subjects followed unhealthy daily regimes and the majority percentage of them practised unwholesome diet, food habits and lifestyle. Diet and lifestyle have a direct influence on the occurrence of hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Hypothyroidism is a metabolic disorder is mainly caused by Agni Mandhya and Rasa Pradoshaja as a result of faulty diet and lifestyle. One should follow Dincharya, Rutucharya and other Ayurveda principles to protect the Agni and thereby prevent Hypothyroidism. The practice of Ahita Ahara Vidhi and Ahita Vihara in the manifestation of Agnimandhya, followed by the development of features of hypothyroidism was substantiated by the result of the survey. Keywords: Hypothyroidism; Diet; Lifestyle; Agnimandhya; Rasa Pradoshaja Vikara.

scholarly journals ISPR Productions vs. Nationalism, Inclination to Join Army and Image Building: Case of Pakistan's Military Operations

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (IV) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Rubab Musarrat ◽  
Muniba Fatima Zahra ◽  
Amna Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Military Operation ◽  
Image Building ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Purposive Sample

This study targets to investigate the impact of Inter-Services of Public Relations (ISPR) production, broadcasted during the war against terrorism, on Pakistani youth. It is hypothesized that ISPR productions have helped in inflating the motivation level of Pakistani youth, thus helping in promoting the nationalism and positive image of Pakistan. Furthermore, the role of ISPR productions in motivating youth to join Pakistan's Army is also explored. A cross-sectional survey research design was used. The sample of this study was comprised of youth aged between 18 to 24 years, selected through the non-probability purposive sample. The measures comprised of a self-constructed indigenous questionnaire assessing the impact of ISPR productions during a military operation in image building, promotion of nationalism and motivation to join the army. The data analyzed through SPSS Version 22.00 yielded insightful findings. The finding revealed that watching ISPR productions helped in instilling a fervent attitude of Pakistani youth towards nationalism and the Pakistani military. There had been a clearer inclination of youth to aspire for joining the military for upholding the nationalism beliefs, and this finding appears promising, keeping in mind the relative declining opinion that has been observed in youth from the past decade pertaining to nationalism and military operations.

scholarly journals Impact of Perceived Severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) on Mental Health of University Students of Pakistan: The Mediating Role of Muslim Religiosity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Saleem ◽  
Abou Bakar ◽  
Areeha Khan Durrani ◽  
Zubair Manzoor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Muslim Religiosity ◽  
The Impact

Background: Perceived severity of COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) is known to be associated with mental health of people in general and health professionals in particular in Western societies. However, its association with the mental health of students in Pakistan, which is predominantly a Muslim society, remains unclear so far. Moreover, the role of Muslim religiosity for such an association has not yet been investigated. We aimed to examine the association and report findings on the impact of perceived severity on mental health with a sample of students from all five provinces of Pakistan.Methods: We did a cross-sectional online survey from 1,525 Pakistani students in March 2020 using standardized measurement tools. We then determined the prevalence of perceived severity among students and its impact on their mental health. The strength of associations between these variables was estimated using generalized linear models, with appropriate distribution and link functions. Structural equation modeling through SmartPLS (3.0) software was utilized to analyze the results.Findings: The perceived severity of COVID-19 is significantly associated with mental health of Pakistani students, whereas Muslim religiosity is a strong mediator between perceived severity and mental health of Pakistani students.Conclusions: Though the perceived severity of COVID-19 is associated with mental health, this relationship can be better explained by the role of Muslim religiosity. When tested individually, the perceived severity accounted for only 18% variance in mental health that increased up to 57% by the mediating role of Muslim religiosity. This difference clearly indicates the mediating role of Muslim religiosity in the association between perceived severity and mental health for Pakistani students.

scholarly journals Examining Serendipitous Encounters and Self-Determination in Twitter-Enabled Innovation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Henri Pirkkalainen ◽  
Ekaterina Olshannikova ◽  
Thomas Olsson ◽  
Jukka Huhtamäki
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Needs Satisfaction ◽  
New Information ◽  
Twitter Users ◽  
Empirical Context

Serendipity refers to unexpected encounters with ideas or insights and their intentional application to achieve favorable outcomes. Despite extensive prior studies, the concept lacks theoretical logic and empirical validation regarding the role of an intentional act in the relationship between serendipitous encounters and their favorable outcomes. Drawing from self-determination theory, we develop a model that highlights the role of needs satisfaction in explaining this relationship. Positioning the empirical context to fortunate discoveries of information and social connections in professional use of Twitter, we validate the model by a cross-sectional survey study of 473 users. The model builds on the observation that individuals’ serendipitous encounters are associated with Twitter-enabled innovation, that is, a contextualized form of task innovation. The study findings support the research model revealing that serendipitous encounters are positively associated with needs satisfaction and that needs satisfaction is positively associated with Twitter-enabled innovation. In other words, fortunate discoveries of new information and contacts increase Twitter users’ intent to utilize the platform in new ways to accomplish work when the three key psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are satisfied.

scholarly journals Factors Related to the Behavior of People Who Have Never Used the Internet for Voluntary Reasons: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/20453 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. e20453
Author(s):  
Keeho Park
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Predicting Factors ◽  
Social Capitals

Background If there are people who do not want to use the internet despite having the circumstances and conditions for using it, another policy consideration will be needed. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to the behavior of people who do not voluntarily use the internet. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2018. It used a proportional quota random sampling design to select a representative sample of Koreans. Accordingly, 6150 participants were included in the study. Multiple logistic regression methods were used to explore the predicting factors of the act of voluntarily not using the internet. Results Age, education level, bonding and bridging social capitals, and daily life satisfaction for health status were found to be factors related to the behavior of not voluntarily using the internet. However, gender, household income, occupation, family size, and community type were not related to voluntary nonuse of the internet. Conclusions It was found that sociodemographic factors, such as age and education level, which are difficult to modify, along with psychosocial factors located deeper than the visible living conditions, such as social capital and life satisfaction, are involved in voluntary internet nonuse. These results also suggest that it is not desirable to proceed with policies related to information and communications technology on a separate track, but rather that they should be comprehensively approached with other social policies that design various social interventions in order to enhance equity within the society.

scholarly journals The impact of gender and academic achievement on the violation of academic integrity for medical faculty students, a descriptive cross-sectional survey study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Müesser Özcan ◽  
Neşe Yeniçeri ◽  
Edip Güvenç Çekiç
Keyword(s):  
Academic Dishonesty ◽  
Academic Integrity ◽  
Medical Faculty ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Data Collection Tool ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Slight Tendency ◽  
Ethics Code ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of medical faculty students about violations of academic integrity. Method From the whole population of the 572 students of the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Medicine, 271 students participated voluntarily in a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Descriptive data were recorded in the survey and a five-point Likert-type instrument, namely the Tendency towards Academic Dishonesty Scale, was used as the data collection tool in the study. The scale included 22 items’ means that are considered to evaluate “Tendency towards academic dishonesty” (TTAD) score. In addition, four subscales, namely “Tendency towards cheating”, “Dishonesty in works such as assignments and projects”, “Tendency towards dishonesty in research and reporting processes” and “Tendency towards citation dishonesty” scores were evaluated separately. Results Of the participants, 138 (53.3%) were male. TTAD scores were 2.15 ± 0.61, showing a slight tendency towards academic dishonesty, according to the scale. TTAD scores and standard deviations (SD) were 2.26 ± 0.65 and 2.04 ± 0.55 for men and women, respectively (P = 0.005). There was no difference in the TTAD scores for students whether they had read the ethics code. Significant differences were observed in the TTAD scores for students with gender, different academic achievements and in different academic years. However, when multivariate analysis was performed, the significance shown in the results disappeared. Conclusion In our study, a slight tendency to academic dishonesty was found for medical faculty students and there were no differences between all of the recorded individual factors of students.

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