A Conditional Process Analysis of Emerging Adults' Motivated Information Management with Parents, Family Conversation Orientation, and Intentions to Vaccinate for COVID-19.

Using the theory of motivated information management (TMIM), this study tested the effect of emerging adults' uncertainty discrepancy about COVID-19 vaccines on their intentions to vaccinate. In March and April of 2021, 424 emerging adult children reported on the likelihood of seeking or avoiding information from a parent about COVID-19 vaccines in response to their uncertainty discrepancy and negative emotions related to the vaccines. Results supported the direct and indirect effects specified by the TMIM. Moreover, the indirect effects of uncertainty discrepancy on intentions to vaccinate via the TMIM's explanatory mechanisms were conditioned by family conversation orientation. Consequently, the family communication environment may alter motivated information management in parent-child relationships.

The Moderating Effect of COVID-19 Risk Perception on the Relationship Between Empathy and COVID-19 Volunteer Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jiangsu, China.

The health system has encountered great challenges since the COVID-19 outbreak, volunteers are urgently needed in every situation during this crisis. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between empathy and COVID-19 volunteer behavior, along with the moderating role of COVID-19 risk perception in the above relationship. The cross-sectional survey was conducted online using Wenjuanxing from February 12th to March 16th, 2021, in Jiangsu, China. A total of 1,486 participants completed the Toronto Empathy COVID-19 volunteer behavior and COVID-19 risk perception questionnaires. The SPSS PROCESS macro was yielded to examine the moderating effect. Simple slopes analysis was conducted to detect the associations between empathy and COVID-19 volunteer behavior at three levels of the COVID-19 risk perception. The Johnson-Neyman (J-N) technique was used to calculate where the moderating effect is significance. Results showed that empathy was positively related with COVID-19 volunteer behavior (ß= 0.080, p < 0.001). COVID-19 risk perception played a moderation effect on association between empathy and COVID-19 volunteer behavior (ß = -0.005, p < 0.001), the greater the levels of COVID-19 risk perception, the weaker the associations between empathy and COVID-19 volunteer behavior. The J-N test showed the association between empathy and COVID-19 volunteer behavior was no longer significant when values of COVID-19 risk perception was >10.71. Current findings could enlighten researchers and policy makers, that fostering volunteerism among public during crisis situation through arousing more empathy and reducing unnecessary risk perception of the public.

COVID-19 Vaccine-related Information Seeking and Scanning: A Test of Mediators between Information Acquisition and Vaccination Intention among Unvaccinated Black Americans.

Health information seeking and scanning are two important information acquisition strategies that can influence subsequent health behaviors. This research was contextualized in COVID-19 vaccinations and examined the effects of information seeking and scanning on vaccination intention among unvaccinated Black Americans (N = 1,278). Moreover, this research conceptualized perceived risk and efficacy as the intervening factors for the relationship between information acquisition and behavioral intention. The results indicated that information seeking had a significant effect on vaccination intention, whereas information scanning had no effect. Perceived susceptibility and response efficacy mediated the relationship between information seeking and vaccination intention. The proposed mediators did not mediate the relationship between information scanning and vaccination intention. Theoretical and practical implications are offered.

Whose Norms to Follow? Effects of Social Norm Specificity on Black Americans' Intention to Receive COVID-19 Vaccines.

COVID-19 has caused tremendous disruptions to public health and social stability. While the record-breaking speed of vaccine development brings a beam of light to put this global pandemic under control, public health professionals struggle to motivate certain population segments to be vaccinated. This research examined how social norms varying in reference group specificity influenced the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 among unvaccinated Black Americans. This report documented findings yielded from the first wave of data collection of a longitudinal study conducted in June 2021, with a total of 1,278 Black Americans who had not received COVID-19 vaccines. The results showed that participants' perceived norms among important others, Black Americans, and all Americans differed in their effects on vaccination intention. Moreover, perceived norms among Black Americans strengthened the effect of perceived norms in important others on vaccination intention, whereas perceived norms among all Americans attenuated the relationship between perceived norms among Black Americans and vaccination intention. The findings suggest the importance of considering norm specificity in future theoretical advancements and practical applications of social norms.

Navigating Uncertain Times: Information Management about Pregnancy and Breastfeeding during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 while the short- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on maternal and infant health is only partially understood. We assessed the amount of uncertainty and anxiety pregnant women experienced about COVID-19 and whether, and the extent to which, they engaged in information seeking about COVID-19. In total, 320 pregnant women from 38 states took part in this research. The results showed that pregnant women experienced uncertainty and anxiety about pregnancy and breastfeeding and engaged in information seeking from their healthcare providers. Pregnant women's uncertainty influenced information seeking via anxiety, but the effect varied depending on participants' assessments of coping, communication, and target efficacy. While healthcare providers need to discuss ways to avoid COVID-19 infection, participants were assured that their providers had a plan to help them if they became infected with COVID-19.