Differentiating the associations of passive and active social media use with e-cigarette use among U.S. youth.

PURPOSE: The impacts of passive (i.e., browsing) versus active (i.e., engagement) use of social media on e-cigarette use among youth have been understudied in existing literature. This study examines how passive and active use of social media are differentially associated with e-cigarette use among youth and how risk perceptions mediate these associations. METHODS: Pooled data from the 2021 and 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (N=48,704, aged 11-19) were used. Weighted structural equation models were employed to estimate the associations between passive and active social media use and youth e-cigarette use. RESULTS: Both passive and active social media use were associated with higher odds and more days of e-cigarette use among youth. E-cigarette risk perceptions mediated the associations between active use and both the likelihood of ever using e-cigarettes and the number of days of use. Risk perceptions mediated the association between active, but not passive, use and the number of days of e-cigarette use. Compared to passive use, active use was overall associated with higher odds and more days of youth e-cigarette use. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that public health efforts should distinguish between passive and active social media use when designing and executing interventions. Attention and efforts should also be directed towards understanding the distinct indirect effects of passive and active social media use through risk perceptions. These findings advance our theoretical understanding of the role of different types of social media use and offer significant practical insights for interventions.

Perceived versus actual HIV risk among PrEP indicated persons with criminal legal involvement.

Individuals involved with community supervision experience multi-level obstacles impacting health outcomes. This is a high-risk period for HIV acquisition due to potential reengagement in unprotected sex and/or unsafe injection drug practices. This study aimed to assess the congruence between actual and perceived HIV risk and the degree to which individual, social, and behavioral factors impact risk perception among individuals on community supervision. While all participants were clinically indicated for PrEP, most participants (81.5%) did not consider themselves at risk for HIV (69.5%) or were not sure of their risk (12.0%). Among those with no or unsure perceived risk, 94% engaged in sexual behaviors that put them at-risk of HIV. Perceived HIV risk was associated with sharing injection equipment (aPR = 1.8, 95% CI [1.02, 3.3]), identifying as a sexual minority (aPR = 2.3, 95% CI [1.3, 3.9]), and having sex with a partner living with HIV (aPR = 2.4, 95% CI [1.3, 4.3]). Having sex with a partner living with HIV was the only sexual risk behavior associated with a perceived risk of HIV. These findings indicate a substantial discrepancy between actual and perceived HIV risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve risk perception accuracy and enhance risk prevention among individuals on community supervision.

Icon Arrays for Medical Risk Communication: Do Icon Type and Color Influence Cardiovascular Risk Perception and Recall?

BACKGROUND: Icon arrays have been shown to be an effective method for communicating medical risk information. However, in practice, icon arrays used to visualize personal risks often differ in the type and color of the icons. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of icon type and color on the perception and recall of cardiovascular risk, as little is known about how color affects the perception of icon arrays. METHODS: A total of 866 participants aged 40 to 90 years representative of the German population in terms of gender and age completed an online experiment. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental groups. They received their hypothetical 10-year cardiovascular risk using an icon array that varied by icon type (smiley v. person) and color (black/white v. red/yellow). We measured risk perception, emotional response, intentions of taking action to reduce the risk (e.g., increasing one's physical activity), risk recall, and graph evaluation/trustworthiness, as well as numeracy and graphical literacy. RESULTS: Icon arrays using person icons were evaluated more positively. There was no effect of icons or color on risk perception, emotional response, intentions of taking action to reduce the risk, or trustworthiness of the graph. While more numerate/graphical literate participants were more likely to correctly recall the presented risk estimate, icon type and color did not influence the probability of correct recall. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the perception of the tested icon arrays were rather small, suggesting that they may be equally suitable for communicating medical risks. Further research on the robustness of these results across other colors, icons, and risk domains could add to guidelines on the design of visual aids. HIGHLIGHTS: The use of different icons and colors did not influence the perception and the probability of recalling the 10-year cardiovascular risk, the emotional response, or the intentions to reduce the presented risk.Icon arrays with person icons were evaluated more positively.There was no evidence to suggest that the effectiveness of the studied icon arrays varied based on individuals' levels of numerical or graphical literacy, nor did it differ between people with or without a history of CVD or on medication for an increased CVD risk.

Quantitative stakeholder-driven assessment of radiation protection issues via a PIANOFORTE online survey.

To enhance stakeholder engagement and foster the inclusion of interests of citizens in radiation protection research, a comprehensive online survey was developed within the framework of the European Partnership PIANOFORTE. This survey was performed in 2022 and presented an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders to voice their opinions on research priorities in radiation protection for the foreseeable future. Simultaneously, it delved into pertinent issues surrounding general radiation protection. The PIANOFORTE e-survey was conducted in the English language, accommodating a diverse range of participants. Overall, 440 respondents provided their insights and feedback, representing a broad geographical reach encompassing 29 European countries, as well as Canada, China, Colombia, India, and the United States. To assess the outcomes, the Positive Matrix Factorization numerical model was applied, in addition to qualitative and quantitative assessment of individual responses, enabling the discernment of four distinct stakeholder groups with varying attitudes. While the questionnaire may not fully represent all stakeholders due to the limited respondent pool, it is noteworthy that approximately 70% of the participants were newcomers to comparable surveys, demonstrating a proactive attitude, a strong willingness to collaborate and the necessity to continuously engage with stakeholder groups. Among the individual respondents, distinct opinions emerged particularly regarding health effects of radiation exposure, medical use of radiation, radiation protection of workers and the public, as well as emergency and recovery preparedness and response. In cluster analysis, none of the identified groups had clear preferences concerning the prioritization of future radiation protection research topics.

Conformity behavior in crises: evidence from the COVID-19 epidemic in China.

Once a mass health crisis breaks out, it causes concern among whole societies. Thus, understanding the individual's behavior in response to such events is key in government crisis management. From the perspective of social influence theory, this study adopts the empirical research method to collect data information in February 2020 through online survey, with a view to comprehensively describe the individuals'conformity behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The individual's conformity behavior and new influencing factors were identified. The results revealed that affective risk perception, cognitive risk perception, and individual risk knowledge had a positive significant impact on normative influence. Affective risk perception and individual risk knowledge had a positive significant on informative influence. Cognitive risk perception did not significantly impact informative influence. Informative influence and normative influence had a positive effect on conformity behavior. These results have significant implications for the management behavior of the government.

Association of self-leadership and epidemic risk perception on quality of life in post-pandemic mainland of China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Self-leadership has proven to adjust individual psychological states and promote active behaviors to mitigate stress perception and negative lifestyle. This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-leadership, epidemic risk perception, and quality of life among the general public in post-pandemic mainland of China. Methods: Two online self-reported questionnaire surveys were carried out with 3,098 and 469 people in the Chinese mainland in February 2021 and December 2022, respectively. The univariate analysis, structural equation modeling, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis were used to analyze the data which was collected by Revised Self-Leadership Questionnaire, Perceived Risk of COVID-19 Pandemic Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Scale. Results: The Self-leadership was directly, moderately, and positively correlated with quality of life (Standardized path coefficients: 0.383 and 0.491, respectively; p < 0.05), and epidemic risk perception was negatively correlated with quality of life (Standardized path: 0.068 and 0.120, respectively; p < 0.05). The structural equation model for self-leadership, epidemic risk perception, and quality of life had a good fit (CFI = 0.957, 0.939 > 0.9; RSMEA = 0.058, 0.064 < 0.08, respectively) and was consistent across genders, educational levels, and types of occupations (Delata-CFI < 0.01). The core condition for achieving a high quality of life lies in maintaining a low level of self-punishment and a high level of self-cueing or a high level of self-punishment and a low level of self-cueing. Conclusion: In the post-epidemic era, the public can adjust their attitude toward stress by enhancing their self-leadership skills. Among various self-leadership skills, self-punishment or self-cueing may have the most significant impact on the quality of life.

Impact of epidemic prevention policies on public vaccination willingness: empirical research in China.

Background: The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 posed an enormous threat to public health. Vaccination is currently recognized as the most cost-effective preventive and control measure against the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and is the key to constructing a line of defense against the virus, while the epidemic prevention policies adopted by governments have an important impact on the protective behavior of the public. The purpose of this study is to analyze the mechanism by which the stringency of epidemic prevention policies affects public vaccination willingness and to explore the mediating effect of public risk perception. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 387 adults from December 2022 to June 2023 in China. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore the impact of epidemic prevention policy stringency on public vaccination willingness, and a hierarchical regression model was used to test the mediating effect of public risk perception. Results: Our results showed that public vaccination willingness increased by approximately 45.5% for every one-unit increase in the stringency of the epidemic prevention policies, which shows that the stringency of epidemic prevention policies has a significant positive influence on public vaccination willingness. In addition, public risk perception increased by approximately 38.9% during the period of stringent government policies on epidemic prevention. For every one-unit increase in risk perception, public vaccination willingness increased by approximately 40.9%, and the relationship between the stringency of epidemic prevention policies and public vaccination willingness was partially mediated by risk perception. Conclusion: The stricter the epidemic prevention policies, the stronger the public vaccination willingness; risk perception plays a mediating effect between the stringency of epidemic prevention policies and public vaccination willingness. This finding is particularly important for exploring and analyzing the factors influencing public vaccination willingness and for improving public health.

Risk Communication on Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance-How Do Exotic Pet Owners Perceive the Communication of Their Veterinarians?

Exotic animals traded and kept as pets can transmit a variety of diseases to humans and other animals, and vice versa. Therefore, it is essential for pet owners, particularly vulnerable groups, to be informed about associated risks. Veterinarians play a crucial role in informing pet owners about health risks associated with zoonotic pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and should, therefore, have good communication skills to effectively transfer information to pet owners. Thus, exotic pet owners in Germany were surveyed on animal husbandry, veterinary consultation and risk communication. To evaluate the perception of communication, a self-developed questionnaire was used to derive a communication score. The perception of veterinarian communication received a high average score showing a high level of satisfaction. The duration of the veterinarian-client relationship was associated with better communication perception, and the frequency of communication on zoonoses and AMR was associated with the presence of a permanent veterinarian. However, the results indicated that the frequency of disseminated information on zoonoses and/or AMR from veterinarians was lower than desired by the pet owners. Therefore, more educational material on zoonoses and AMR should be made available, and the awareness concerning risk communication should be increased by further education and training at universities.

Risk Perception, Risk Preference, and Timing of Food Sales: New Insights into Farmers' Negativity in China.

Chinese farmers, especially small ones, always sell their food at low prices during harvest season rather than storing it for a better price. Based on a theoretical framework of expected utility, this paper examines the mechanism by which risk perception affects farmers' timing choices of food sales and the role played by risk preference, utilizing data from the 2019 China Family Database and the China Household Finance Survey of farmers in six provinces of the main wheat-producing regions. This study shows that farmers with a high risk perception are more likely to choose current sales compared with intertemporal sales. The channel and mechanism analysis finds that increased risk perception leads to risky returns from intertemporal sales lower than certain returns from current sales in utility comparisons. It is further found that risk preference has a substitution effect on risk perception in farmers' intertemporal food sales.

The Working Environment in Primary Healthcare Outpatient Facilities: Assessment of Physical Factors and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Working Environment Conditions.

The objectives of this study were to assess the adequacy of physical parameters/factors (temperature, relative humidity, noise, and illuminance levels) of the work environment in PHC facilities, to evaluate the association between the adequacy of these measured physical parameters and the physical characteristics of the PHC facilities and their surroundings and to assess the association between health professionals' perceptions about exposure to physical risks in the PHC work environment and the adequacy of physical parameters measured in the same facilities. The study monitored 23 PHC facilities in southern Brazil and interviewed 210 health professionals. Data analysis involved Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Spearman's correlation, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used to control for confounding factors. The significance level was set at 5% (p ≤ 0.05). The combination of temperature and relative humidity presented thermal comfort levels outside the adopted criteria for adequacy in consultation (outdoor relative humidity, p = 0.013) and procedure rooms (front door open, p = 0.034). Inadequate sound comfort (noise) levels in the morning shift were found in the vaccination (front door open, p = 0.021) and consultation rooms (movement of people, p = 0.016). In PHC facilities where reception rooms had insufficient lighting, internal curtains were opened less frequently (p = 0.047). The analysis of health professionals' perceptions of physical factors demonstrated that physicians more frequently perceive the physical risk of temperature and humidity (p = 0.044). The higher the number of nurses (p = 0.004) and oral health technicians in the PHC facilities (p = 0.031), the greater the general percentage of adequacy of monitored physical parameters. It was also confirmed that the higher the perception of moderate or severe physical risk among health professionals, the lower the general percentage of the adequacy of the physical parameters of the work environment of the PHC facilities evaluated (rs = -0.450, p = 0.031). This study's evidence contributes to a better understanding of physical conditions and future occupational interventions to ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of PHC workers.

The impact of safety attitude on hazard identification and risk analysis: evidence from event-related potentials.

A questionnaire survey and an event-related potential (ERP) experiment were used to reveal the impact of safety attitudes on risk perception. The results revealed that during hazard identification, the N130 amplitude of subjects with negative safety attitude was significantly higher, which implied that subjects with negative safety attitude were more likely to feel confused. During risk analysis, subjects with positive safety attitude were more inclined to overestimate the probability and damage degree of risks; subjects with positive safety attitudes displayed higher P150 and late positive potential amplitudes, which indicated that subjects with positive safety attitudes devoted more attention to risks in the early stage of risk analysis and had a more intense affective response in the later period. The risk judgment ability of subjects with positive safety attitude was affected by time pressure, and they exhibited higher risk judgment accuracy only under no time pressure.

Interdependency or submission to authority? The impacts of horizontal and vertical collectivist orientation on vaccine attitudes in mainland China.

Culture has a profound impact on preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has revealed that collectivism is associated with more effective responses to COVID-19 on the national or regional level. However, the impact of different components of collectivist orientation on vaccine attitudes remains insufficiently explored on the individual level. Two survey studies conducted in August 2021 in mainland China consistently found that individual-level horizontal collectivist orientation, rather than vertical collectivist orientation, was linked with more favourable vaccine attitudes. Specifically, Study 1 (N = 731) indicated that horizontal collectivist orientation was positive associated with vaccination intention indirectly via risk perception, and horizontal collectivist orientation was also positively associated with vaccination persuasion both directly and indirectly via risk perception. Study 2 (N = 1481), employing multilevel modelling, demonstrated that the link between horizontal collectivist orientation and confidence in vaccines remained robust regardless of provincial-level variations in socioeconomic development and cultural tightness. These findings convergently suggest that the positive vaccine attitudes among mainland Chinese are primarily driven by an amplified risk perception due to concern for others, rather than submission to authority.

Outdoor worker knowledge of ticks and Lyme disease in Québec.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lyme disease is a well-known occupational risk across North America caused by exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi via blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis). As the geographic range of B. burgdorferi advances with the increasing distribution of blacklegged ticks, more outdoor workers are at risk of contracting Lyme disease. In this study, we examined the demography and personal perceptions of outdoor workers within one framework to better determine the overall risk for those working outdoors. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed outdoor worker knowledge of ticks and of behaviours that can prevent tick bites and Lyme disease. We then compared these risk perceptions of individuals across age, sex, education, and industry, as well as time spent outdoors. We tested the hypothesis that the risk perception of an individual and their knowledge of Lyme disease transmission was dependent on their demographics, experience in their job, and the region in which they spend time outdoors. We estimated a knowledge-based risk score based on individuals' answers to a questionnaire on risk perception given to voluntary participants who work outdoors. Those who had higher risk scores were more at risk. We found that knowledge-based risk scores were correlated with geographic risk levels and with the number of hours per day spent outdoors. Those who work longer hours and who work in areas with mid-level risk had higher risk scores. Those who spend more time outdoors recreationally had lower risk scores. CONCLUSIONS: Further examination and acknowledgment of the reasoning behind why these factors are affecting workers' risks must be considered to recognize that it is not necessarily demographics or geographically high-risk areas that affect an individual's risk. Workers' knowledge of these risks is affected by several variables that should be taken into consideration when implementing safety measures and awareness programs.

Female ophthalmologists' perception of occupational hazards during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: Woman ophthalmologists of childbearing age are exposed to different types of occupational risks which can be harmful to pregnancy and to the development of the fetus. The objective of this paper is to analyze the perception of these risks during pregnancy. METHODS: We designed a survey which was answered by 42 ophthalmologists who had been working during pregnancy. We report the perception of global and specific risk according to the type of agent. RESULTS: 38.1% of the ophthalmologists perceive that the overall risk of working during pregnancy is high, and 35.7% consider it moderate. Regarding specific risk, the most relevant agents are the ergonomic and psychosocial ones. Physical agents are considered the least important. CONCLUSIONS: Although most of the surveyed ophthalmologists perceived the occupational risk as high or moderate, only 19% of them took time off work due to this reason. The most important agents were ergonomic and psychosocial.

Is an accurate self-perceived health risk beneficial for patients to minimize prehospital delay time at onset of a ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI)?

High risk perception (HRP) is fundamental for adequate health behavior. However, its impact on rapid access to cardiac care after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not known. Conflicting evidence exists about sources that promote HRP. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 588 AMI patients who participated in the Munich Examination of Delay in Patients Experiencing Acute Myocardial Infarction (MEDEA) study were collected at the bedside. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression models identified factors associated with HRP. Only 13.4% (n = 79) of patients had a favorable HRP level. The HRP patients did not differ from those with low risk perception (LRP) in terms of sex, age, other sociodemographic features, and somatic risk factors. Among the univariate contributors to HRP were prodromal chest pain (p = 0.0004), symptom mismatch during AMI (p < 0.0001), depression (p = 0.01), and anxiety (p = 0.005). However, family history of AMI, a previous AMI, and knowledge of AMI remained significant in the multivariate regression model. Median delay time to reach a hospital-based emergency facility after the onset of AMI was 127 min (interquartile range [IQR]: 83-43, p = 0.02) in HRP patients and 216 min (IQR: 106-721) in LRP patients. An increasing risk perception score was associated with a corresponding stepwise decline in median delay time (p > 0.004). Self-perceived AMI risk is associated in a dose-response relationship with the time needed to reach coronary care emergency facilities. Recurrent AMI, family history of AMI, and sufficient knowledge of MI contribute to risk perception, whereas somatic risk factors do not.

Information avoidance: An interchangeable strategy of self-protection.

Across two studies, using five samples (N = 1,850), we examined whether health information avoidance-the deliberate decision to remain ignorant of available but unwanted personal health information-serves a defensive purpose and is interchangeable with other defensive strategies. We tested this idea by examining the relationship between health information avoidance-both as a dispositional tendency and deliberate decision-and feedback derogation. In Study 1, we experimentally demonstrated that a situation known to reduce defensiveness-self-uncertainty-decreased both proactive avoidance and reactive defensiveness relative to a control group. Study 2 demonstrated, across four samples, that people with a greater defensive orientation toward personal health information were more likely to derogate health information. These results are consistent with the idea that feedback derogation replaced the decision to avoid feedback. Together, results suggest that health information avoidance is likely part of a broader self-protective system and is replaceable with other motivated self-protection strategies.

"I Heard of PrEP-I Didn't Think I Needed it." Understanding the Formation of HIV Risk Perception Among People Who Inject Drugs.

Uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis medication (PrEP) to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains extremely low in the United States. West Virginia's rising HIV incidence and highest drug overdose rate in the nation makes it an important locus for opioid use and HIV risk interaction. In this pilot study we pioneered the use of Cultural Theory among PWID to understand HIV-related risk perception arising from four contrasting modes of social organization. Carried out during an HIV outbreak, we explored PrEP uptake qualitatively as a window onto risk perception. Of the 26 interviewees, 18 were HIV- and despite the medication's free availability from the health center where recruitment took place, none had taken PrEP, half considering they were not at risk. Intimate couples who showed characteristics of 'enclaves' considered the boundary around themselves protective against HIV, creating a safe space or 'invisible risk group'. Higher HIV risk was perceived among those who were housed compared to those living homeless. Beliefs about the causation of the local HIV outbreak and the validity of scientific research corresponded with characteristics of the contrasting modes of social organization and the approach is promising for informing public health interventions among PWID.

The impact of corporate climate risk perception on green outward foreign direct investment.

How to address climate risks and achieve green transformation has become a critical issue that businesses urgently need to consider. We apply growth option theory and prospect theory to examine the impact of corporate climate risk perceptions on green outward foreign direct investment (GFDI) using a research sample of heavily polluting listed companies in China from 2009 to 2022. Our findings reveal that companies with higher perceived climate risks tend to increase their inclination towards GFDI, and the informal hierarchy of boards reinforces the positive effect of both. Supplementary analyses indicate that through GFDI, corporations can exert positive effects on their own environmental performance and future green innovations. The positive impact is notably more visible in nonstate-owned companies and sample units from provinces along the Belt and Road. These findings extend the economic consequences of climate risk at the firm level from the perspective of international business research and provide empirical references for firms to promote their own green transformation from a practical perspective.

Putting ChatGPT vision (GPT-4V) to the test: risk perception in traffic images.

Vision-language models are of interest in various domains, including automated driving, where computer vision techniques can accurately detect road users, but where the vehicle sometimes fails to understand context. This study examined the effectiveness of GPT-4V in predicting the level of 'risk' in traffic images as assessed by humans. We used 210 static images taken from a moving vehicle, each previously rated by approximately 650 people. Based on psychometric construct theory and using insights from the self-consistency prompting method, we formulated three hypotheses: (i) repeating the prompt under effectively identical conditions increases validity, (ii) varying the prompt text and extracting a total score increases validity compared to using a single prompt, and (iii) in a multiple regression analysis, the incorporation of object detection features, alongside the GPT-4V-based risk rating, significantly contributes to improving the model's validity. Validity was quantified by the correlation coefficient with human risk scores, across the 210 images. The results confirmed the three hypotheses. The eventual validity coefficient was r = 0.83, indicating that population-level human risk can be predicted using AI with a high degree of accuracy. The findings suggest that GPT-4V must be prompted in a way equivalent to how humans fill out a multi-item questionnaire.

Awareness of the potential consequences of alcohol consumption in the context of chronic pain and prescription opioid use.

Background: Alcohol and prescription opioid use are highly prevalent among chronic pain populations. One-fifth of individuals prescribed opioids report same-day use of alcohol and opioids. Alcohol use and alcohol/opioid co-use can have deleterious pain management and health outcomes. The extent to which individuals with chronic pain are aware of these deleterious outcomes is considerably understudied.Objectives: To explore individuals' understanding of seven health- and pain-related risks of alcohol/alcohol-opioid use. An exploratory aim was to examine whether greater risk awareness was associated with alcohol/opioid use patterns.Methods: Participants included 261 adults age ≥21(36.4% women) endorsing current alcohol use, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and opioid prescription who completed an online survey via Amazon Mechanical Turk.Results: Distribution of the total number of items for which a participant endorsed awareness was as follows: zero (10.7%), one (5.0%), two (13.0%), three (13.8%), four (13.8%), five (11.5%), six (10.0%), and seven items (22.2%). Awareness of the health consequences of alcohol/alcohol-opioid use was positively associated with opioid misuse behaviors (ß = .525, ΔR2 = .251, p < .001), and higher-risk alcohol consumption (ß = .152, ΔR2 = .021, p = .011).Conclusion: Many adults with chronic pain are unaware of the health consequences of alcohol/alcohol-opioid use. Findings of positive covariation between risk awareness and higher-risk alcohol/opioid use suggest that future interventions among this population should go beyond simple risk education and utilize motivational enhancement to help change decisional balance.