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COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic
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COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Communication and Informatics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (23 December 2022) | Viewed by 238334

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Interests: health communication; open innovation; tourism communication; communication and social media; influencers on social media; institutional communication; stakeholder engagement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament of Business Administration, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
Interests: communication and social media; open innovation; corporate reputation; health communication; smart tourism destination; influencers on social media
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament of Business Administration, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
Interests: entrepreneurship; startups; open Innovation; women-led companies; entrepreneurial Intention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jose Ignacio Peláez-Sánchez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Applied Social Research Center (CISA). Dpto. Languajes and Computer Sciences. Biomedical Research Institute (IBIMA). Universidad de Málaga, Malaga, Spain
Interests: Opinion Mining; Sentiment Analysis; Consistency; Aggregation operators; Medical Diagnostic

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Health communication plays an important role for citizens. Society is increasingly using the Internet to obtain health information, share experiences related to pathological processes, or meet people with similar physical or psychological conditions. As information and communication technologies are being used in the field of health, terms such as e-patient or e-health are widely used. It demonstrates that citizens are aware of health topics and actively participate in the decision-making process and discussion in health issues. Social networks play a relevant role in this sense, with a progressive increase in their use in the health field. Factors such as accessibility, immediacy, or their potential to communicate bidirectionally with different audiences allow for active communication. Public health organizations face challenges in communication through traditional media and social networks and using them to promote interaction and collaboration between patients, families, and health professionals. However, the democratization of information through social media in the field of health means that social networks, blogs, or mobile social media have developed peer communication with an increasingly participative audience but above all, it has also made it more credible. Therefore, it confers greater communicational power to citizens and professionals in the sector when their messages reach a greater number of people. An increasing number of messages disseminated by social networks and mobile social networks are false and users do not contrast them when receiving them from friends or acquaintances. In the case of COVID-19, facts, not fear, will stop it, but how should public health organizations report it? Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the public health organizations of all countries are reporting the measures to be taken against the virus, each country has its own information and communication strategies. At the same time, it is a topic of special interest for the media that open their news with the situation of the COVID-19 in the world and their own countries. In this panorama of world crisis, the over-information that citizens receive through mass media and social networks is a key factor. Millions of messages are transmitted containing inaccurate information, creating moments of uncertainty, panic, and, in many cases, even xenophobia against other citizens, such as Chinese or Italians. To fight against xenophobia, the #IamNotAVirus has been used, in different languages, to try to raise awareness so that citizens are not discriminated against because of their race or home country. This Special Issue will analyze the communicative phenomenon that is happening in the world with respect to COVID-19 with articles of communication and health exploring the different information strategies that public health organizations use and the effects of fake news on social networks.

Dr. Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa
Dr. Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado
Dr. Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez
Dr. José Ignacio Peláez-Sánchez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • health
  • health communication
  • social media
  • social networks
  • influencers on social media
  • fake news
  • over-information
  • xenophobia

Published Papers (38 papers)

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15 pages, 425 KiB  
Article
The Role of Conspiracy Theories, Perceived Risk, and Trust in Science on COVID-19 Vaccination Decisiveness: Evidence from Cyprus
by Marilena Mousoulidou, Andri Christodoulou, Michailina Siakalli and Marios Argyrides
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 2898; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20042898 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2219
Abstract
COVID-19 reminded us of the importance of vaccinating for successfully overcoming health-related crises. Yet, vaccine hesitancy is still present. This study examined the impacts of conspiracy theories, perceived risk, and trust in science on COVID-19 vaccination decisiveness. The study was conducted at the [...] Read more.
COVID-19 reminded us of the importance of vaccinating for successfully overcoming health-related crises. Yet, vaccine hesitancy is still present. This study examined the impacts of conspiracy theories, perceived risk, and trust in science on COVID-19 vaccination decisiveness. The study was conducted at the end of the third wave of the pandemic, in July 2021, in Cyprus. Data were collected via an online self-administered anonymous survey using convenience and snowball sampling methods. Participants were 363 adults who completed a set of questionnaires that examined their believability in ten vaccine-related conspiracy theories, their perceived dangerousness of COVID-19, and their level of trust in science and scientists. The results suggest that (a) participants with a high conspiracy theory belief are less likely to be vaccinated, (b) participants who perceive COVID-19 as a dangerous disease are more likely to be vaccinated, and (c) participants with high trust in science are more likely to be vaccinated. The implications of the findings are discussed and can be used by public health officials in their campaigns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
16 pages, 867 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Social Media Shared Health Content on Protective Behavior against COVID-19
by Fathey Mohammed, Nabil Hasan Al-Kumaim, Ahmed Ibrahim Alzahrani and Yousef Fazea
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1775; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20031775 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3243
Abstract
The use of social media has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are isolated and working from home. The use of social media enhances information exchange in society and may influence public protective behavior against the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this [...] Read more.
The use of social media has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are isolated and working from home. The use of social media enhances information exchange in society and may influence public protective behavior against the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting public protective behavior when relying on COVID-19 pandemic-related content shared on social media. A model based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) was proposed and validated using a quantitative survey approach. A questionnaire was distributed to random respondents, and 488 responses were received and analyzed using Smart-PLS software. The findings showed that perceived risk, e-health literacy, public awareness, and health experts’ participation influence public protective behavior when using social media to share COVID-19-relevant content. The outcomes of this study can enhance government agencies’ and public health care authorities’ understanding of how to use social media to raise awareness and reduce panic among the public. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 662 KiB  
Article
Protective and Overprotective Behaviors against COVID-19 Outbreak: Media Impact and Mediating Roles of Institutional Trust and Anxiety
by Yi Liu and Cong Liu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1368; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20021368 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1577
Abstract
This study aims to explore how pandemic-related media use relates to both protective and overprotective behaviors and to probe the underlying mechanisms. The data were collected online during the early outbreak of COVID-19 in China, and a total of 1118 valid cases, which [...] Read more.
This study aims to explore how pandemic-related media use relates to both protective and overprotective behaviors and to probe the underlying mechanisms. The data were collected online during the early outbreak of COVID-19 in China, and a total of 1118 valid cases, which covered the 30 provincial administrative divisions in mainland China, were collected. Results showed that official government media use was positively associated with protective behaviors and institutional trust was an important mediator. Commercial media use was also found to be positively associated with overprotective behavior, and anxiety mediated this relationship. Findings of this study suggested that different media sources could play completely different roles. Institutional trust in government institutions and medical care systems were equally critical in translating the media effect into public compliance with the preventive measures advocated by the relevant departments. Media outlets and practitioners should also be responsible in order to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety among the public so as to reduce irrational overprotective behaviors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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14 pages, 375 KiB  
Article
Could Belief in Fake News Predict Vaccination Behavior in the Elderly?
by Vilmantė Pakalniškienė, Antanas Kairys, Vytautas Jurkuvėnas, Vita Mikuličiūtė and Viktorija Ivleva
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14901; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192214901 - 12 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1591
Abstract
Willingness to get a vaccine was important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies suggest that vaccine hesitation during the pandemic could have been related to truth discernment, belief in information, exposure to misinformation, attitudes to vaccines, and conspiracy beliefs. Previous studies were mostly [...] Read more.
Willingness to get a vaccine was important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies suggest that vaccine hesitation during the pandemic could have been related to truth discernment, belief in information, exposure to misinformation, attitudes to vaccines, and conspiracy beliefs. Previous studies were mostly with younger adults, and studies with older adults are lacking. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the trust or belief in fake online news (print news was not included), truth discernment, attitudes, and willingness to be vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic while controlling for some significant factors/variables that could affect vaccination in a sample of older adults. There were 504 pre-retirees and retirees participating in this study. Participants from Lithuania age ranged from 50 to 90 years old (M = 64.37, SD = 9.10), 58.3 percent were females. Results from several path models predicting the participants willingness to get a vaccine suggested that stronger conspiracy beliefs and skeptical attitudes toward vaccination would be related to lower willingness to get vaccinated. Participants who disbelieved in the headlines were already vaccinated. Therefore, it seems that discernment (the ability to distinguish which information is true and which is not) is not related to the willingness to vaccinate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
13 pages, 2451 KiB  
Article
Infodemic, Institutional Trust, and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Cross-National Survey
by Xi Chen, Woohyung Lee and Fen Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 8033; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19138033 - 30 Jun 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 2583
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by a massive infodemic. Yet limited studies have quantified the impact of the COVID-19 infodemic on vaccine hesitancy. This study examined the effect of perceived information overload (IO) and misinformation on vaccine willingness and uptake within a [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by a massive infodemic. Yet limited studies have quantified the impact of the COVID-19 infodemic on vaccine hesitancy. This study examined the effect of perceived information overload (IO) and misinformation on vaccine willingness and uptake within a cross-national context. It also investigated how trust in multiple institutions affected vaccine outcomes and moderated the relationship between the infodemic and vaccine attitude and behavior. A cross-national online survey of residents, representative of the general population aged ≥18 in six Asian and Western jurisdictions, was conducted in June 2021. The results showed that perceived IO was positively associated with COVID-19 vaccine willingness and uptake. Belief in misinformation was negatively associated with vaccine willingness and uptake. Institutional trust may increase vaccine willingness and uptake. Moreover, trust in the government and civil societies tended to strengthen the positive effect of IO and reduce the negative impact of misinformation on vaccine willingness and uptake. The relationship between belief in misinformation and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 was unexpectedly stronger among those with a higher level of trust in healthcare professionals. This study contributes to a better understanding of the main and interactive effect of the infodemic and institutional trust on vaccine outcomes during a pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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16 pages, 1244 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Receiving and Expressing Health Information on Social Media during the COVID-19 Infodemic: An Online Survey among Malaysians
by Hongjie (Thomas) Zhang, Jen Sern Tham and Moniza Waheed
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7991; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19137991 - 29 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2305
Abstract
Social media is used by the masses not only to seek health information but also to express feelings on an array of issues, including those related to health. However, there has been little investigation on the influence of expressing and receiving information in [...] Read more.
Social media is used by the masses not only to seek health information but also to express feelings on an array of issues, including those related to health. However, there has been little investigation on the influence of expressing and receiving information in terms of health-related engagement on social media. Moreover, little is known of the cognitive mechanisms underlying the expression and reception of health information on information overload (IO) during an infectious disease outbreak. Guided by the Cognitive Mediation Model (CMM), this study proposes a conceptual model to understand the effects of receiving and expressing COVID-19 information on social media on IO. Using an online survey conducted in Malaysia, our results indicated that risk perception positively predicted the reception and expression of information which, in turn, was positively associated with perceived stress and IO. Additionally, perceived stress triggered IO, indicating that the greater the perceived stress from health information engagement, the higher the likelihood of one experiencing IO during the pandemic. We conclude that the CMM can be extended to study IO as an outcome variable. More studies in diverse health contexts need to be conducted to enhance the conceptualization and operationalization of IO in health information processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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29 pages, 46998 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Study on Scientific Articles in Health Communication: A Science Mapping Analysis in Web of Science
by Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa, Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado, Dolores Rando-Cueto and Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1705; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19031705 - 02 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3586
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause a collapse in the health systems and econo-mies of many countries around the world, after 2 years of struggle and with the number of cases still growing exponentially. Health communication has become as essential and necessary for [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause a collapse in the health systems and econo-mies of many countries around the world, after 2 years of struggle and with the number of cases still growing exponentially. Health communication has become as essential and necessary for control of the pandemic as epidemiology. This bibliometric analysis identifies existing contributions, jointly studying health communication and the pandemic in scientific journals indexed. A systematic search of the Web of Science was performed, using keywords related to COVID-19 and health communication. Data extracted included the type of study, journal, number of citations, number of authors, country of publication, and study content. As the number of scientific investigations has grown, it is necessary to delve into the areas in which the most impactful publications have been generated. The results show that the scientific community has been quick to react by generating an extraordinary volume of publications. This review provides a comprehensive mapping of contributions to date, showing how research approaches have evolved in parallel with the pandemic. In 2020, concepts related to mental health, mass communication, misinformation and communication risk were more used. In 2021, vaccination, infodemic, risk perception, social distancing and telemedicine were the most prevalent keywords. By highlighting the main topics, authors, manuscripts and journals since the origin of COVID-19, the authors hope to disseminate information that can help researchers to identify subsisting knowledge gaps and a number of future research opportunities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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22 pages, 3010 KiB  
Article
Role of Infodemics on Social Media in the Development of People’s Readiness to Follow COVID-19 Preventive Measures
by Bireswar Dutta, Mei-Hui Peng, Chien-Chih Chen and Shu-Lung Sun
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1347; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19031347 - 25 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3242
Abstract
Unparalleled levels of misinformation have contributed to widespread misunderstandings about the nature of the coronavirus, its cure and preventative measures. Misinformation crosses borders rapidly with the help of social media, and this phenomenon is constantly increasing. Thus, the current study proposes a research [...] Read more.
Unparalleled levels of misinformation have contributed to widespread misunderstandings about the nature of the coronavirus, its cure and preventative measures. Misinformation crosses borders rapidly with the help of social media, and this phenomenon is constantly increasing. Thus, the current study proposes a research framework to explore how citizens’ trust in government and social media influences their readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures. Additionally, the role of a health infodemic was explored in perceptions and relationships among factors influencing an individual’s readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures with data collected from 396 participants in Taiwan. The findings indicate citizens’ trust in social media (TRSM), attitude (ATT), perceived benefit (PBT), personal innovativeness, and how peer referents positively influence their readiness. However, the relationship between citizens’ trust in the government (TRGT) and their readiness to follow COVID-19 preventive measures (INT) is not statistically significant. The current study also explores the negative moderating effect of health infodemics on the relationship between TRSM and INT, TRGT and INT, ATT and INT, PBT and INT. Thus, the Taiwanese government must consider the current study’s findings to develop attractively, informed, and evidence-based content, which helps its citizens improve their health literacy and counter the spread of misinformation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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25 pages, 3524 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Spanish Health System during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Accountability and Wellbeing Results
by José Antonio Peña-Ramos, Fátima Recuero-López, Antonio Sánchez-Bayón and Francisco Javier Sastre
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 12907; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182412907 - 07 Dec 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3046
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge for health systems. For this reason, it is essential to evaluate the management of health systems in the face of the pandemic, identifying the factors that may contribute to its failure or success. This management is more [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge for health systems. For this reason, it is essential to evaluate the management of health systems in the face of the pandemic, identifying the factors that may contribute to its failure or success. This management is more difficult in decentralized countries, since in them, health competencies are distributed among different levels of government. This is the case in Spain, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. Therefore, the aim of this article is to evaluate how the Spanish health system has managed the COVID-19 pandemic. Four factors related to health management are analyzed: transparency, communication, reputation and well-being generated. For this purpose, a quantitative analysis is used with the contrast of secondary sources, such as the Merco rankings or survey data from the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (Sociological Research Center). The results show that although the flow of communication about the health system increases considerably, such information comes mainly from the media, with a deficit in the transparency of health management. Likewise, although the reputation of the health system increases at the beginning of the pandemic, as it progresses, there is a deterioration in citizen satisfaction with the healthcare management and the services provided, as well as in the well-being generated by them. This study may have implications for decision making by public authorities regarding the different factors of health management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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27 pages, 1786 KiB  
Article
The Paradox of Conspiracy Theory: The Positive Impact of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories on Preventive Actions and Vaccination Intentions during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Jaesun Wang and Seoyong Kim
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11825; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182211825 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5038
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the direct and indirect impact of beliefs in conspiracy theories on COVID-19-related preventive actions and vaccination intentions. The dominant theory in the literature is that beliefs in conspiracy theories have negative consequences. In particular, strong beliefs in conspiracy [...] Read more.
This study aims to analyze the direct and indirect impact of beliefs in conspiracy theories on COVID-19-related preventive actions and vaccination intentions. The dominant theory in the literature is that beliefs in conspiracy theories have negative consequences. In particular, strong beliefs in conspiracy theories lower people’s intentions to engage in preventive actions and get vaccinated. Previous studies indicated that this dominant theory applies in Korea as well. However, we find that this dominant theory does not apply in Korea. Based on an analysis of survey data, we find that beliefs in conspiracy theories have positive impact on preventive actions and vaccination intentions. In addition, beliefs in conspiracy theories play indirect roles in these two responses to COVID-19. Specifically, when perceived benefits and trust in the government or science enhance preventive actions or increase vaccination intentions, strong beliefs in conspiracy theories promote this effect. This positive role of conspiracy theories is paradoxical because they are generally viewed as negative. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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19 pages, 5856 KiB  
Article
Social Connectivity, Sentiment and Participation on Twitter during COVID-19
by Andrea Castro-Martinez, Paula Méndez-Domínguez, Aimiris Sosa Valcarcel and Joaquín Castillo de Mesa
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8390; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18168390 - 08 Aug 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3329
Abstract
In a transnational context defined by the irruption of COVID-19 and the social isolation it has generated around the world, social networking sites are essential channels for communicating and developing new forms of social coexistence based on connectivity and interaction. This study analyzes [...] Read more.
In a transnational context defined by the irruption of COVID-19 and the social isolation it has generated around the world, social networking sites are essential channels for communicating and developing new forms of social coexistence based on connectivity and interaction. This study analyzes the feelings expressed on Twitter through the hashtags #YoMeQuedoEnCasa, #stayhome, #jeresteàlamaison, #restealamaison, #stoacasa, #restaacasa, #ficaemcasa, #euficoemcasa, #ichbleibezuHause and #Bleibzuhause, and the communicative and social processes articulated from network participation, during the lockdown in 2020. Through Gephi software, the aspects underlying the communicative interaction and the distribution of the network at a global level are studied, with the identification of leaderships, communities and connectivity nodes. As a result of this interaction, the emergence of social and organizational links derived from community participation and motivated by the common interest of preserving health and general wellbeing through collective action is detected. The study notes the presence of feelings of solidarity, a sense of community and social support among connected crowds who, despite being in geographically dispersed settings, share similar concerns about the virus effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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14 pages, 652 KiB  
Article
Factors That Shape People’s Attitudes towards the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany—The Influence of MEDIA, Politics and Personal Characteristics
by Aida El-Far Cardo, Thomas Kraus and Andrea Kaifie
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18157772 - 22 Jul 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4375
Abstract
Misinformation that accompanied the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to an impaired risk perception, resulting in the refusal of personal protection measures, as well as a reduced willingness to receive a vaccination. In order to identify factors that might influence people’s attitudes towards COVID-19 [...] Read more.
Misinformation that accompanied the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to an impaired risk perception, resulting in the refusal of personal protection measures, as well as a reduced willingness to receive a vaccination. In order to identify factors that might influence people’s attitudes towards COVID-19 policies and engagement in mitigation measures, we carried out a cross-sectional study in Germany. Altogether, n = 808 participants completed our questionnaire concerning items on demographics, media consumption, risk perception, and trust in health authorities, as well as willingness to receive a vaccination. An overwhelming majority of our participants perceived SARS-CoV-2 as a health threat (85.7%), and almost two thirds (63.5%) mentioned they would get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 when a vaccination was available. A greater likelihood of vaccination intention was associated with being male (71.5% male vs. 60% female, p < 0.05), left-wing voting, trusting health authorities, using public media as an information source about COVID-19, and, in particular, perceiving COVID-19 as a health threat. A better understanding of factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy is indispensable in order to eliminate doubts, increase vaccination rates, and create herd immunity, to stop further virus transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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12 pages, 1193 KiB  
Article
Knowledge and Anxiety about COVID-19 in the State of Qatar, and the Middle East and North Africa Region—A Cross Sectional Study
by Sathyanarayanan Doraiswamy, Sohaila Cheema, Patrick Maisonneuve, Amit Abraham, Ingmar Weber, Jisun An, Albert B. Lowenfels and Ravinder Mamtani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6439; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18126439 - 14 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3038
Abstract
While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe, we have witnessed substantial mis- and disinformation regarding various aspects of the disease. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire for the general public (recruited via social media) and [...] Read more.
While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe, we have witnessed substantial mis- and disinformation regarding various aspects of the disease. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire for the general public (recruited via social media) and healthcare workers (recruited via email) from the State of Qatar, and the Middle East and North Africa region to understand the knowledge of and anxiety levels around COVID-19 (April–June 2020) during the early stage of the pandemic. The final dataset used for the analysis comprised of 1658 questionnaires (53.0% of 3129 received questionnaires; 1337 [80.6%] from the general public survey and 321 [19.4%] from the healthcare survey). Knowledge about COVID-19 was significantly different across the two survey populations, with a much higher proportion of healthcare workers possessing better COVID-19 knowledge than the general public (62.9% vs. 30.0%, p < 0.0001). A reverse effect was observed for anxiety, with a higher proportion of very anxious (or really frightened) respondents among the general public compared to healthcare workers (27.5% vs. 11.5%, p < 0.0001). A higher proportion of the general public tended to overestimate their chance of dying if they become ill with COVID-19, with 251 (18.7%) reporting the chance of dying (once COVID-19 positive) to be ≥25% versus 19 (5.9%) of healthcare workers (p < 0.0001). Good knowledge about COVID-19 was associated with low levels of anxiety. Panic and unfounded anxiety, as well as casual and carefree attitudes, can propel risk taking and mistake-making, thereby increasing vulnerability. It is important that governments, public health agencies, healthcare workers, and civil society organizations keep themselves updated regarding scientific developments and that they relay messages to the community in an honest, transparent, unbiased, and timely manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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14 pages, 2794 KiB  
Article
Analyzing Twitter Data to Evaluate People’s Attitudes towards Public Health Policies and Events in the Era of COVID-19
by Meng Hsiu Tsai and Yingfeng Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6272; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18126272 - 10 Jun 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3474
Abstract
Policymakers and relevant public health authorities can analyze people’s attitudes towards public health policies and events using sentiment analysis. Sentiment analysis focuses on classifying and analyzing text sentiments. A Twitter sentiment analysis has the potential to monitor people’s attitudes towards public health policies [...] Read more.
Policymakers and relevant public health authorities can analyze people’s attitudes towards public health policies and events using sentiment analysis. Sentiment analysis focuses on classifying and analyzing text sentiments. A Twitter sentiment analysis has the potential to monitor people’s attitudes towards public health policies and events. Here, we explore the feasibility of using Twitter data to build a surveillance system for monitoring people’s attitudes towards public health policies and events since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we conducted a sentiment analysis of Twitter data. We analyzed the relationship between the sentiment changes in COVID-19-related tweets and public health policies and events. Furthermore, to improve the performance of the early trained model, we developed a data preprocessing approach by using the pre-trained model and early Twitter data, which were available at the beginning of the pandemic. Our study identified a strong correlation between the sentiment changes in COVID-19-related Twitter data and public health policies and events. Additionally, the experimental results suggested that the data preprocessing approach improved the performance of the early trained model. This study verified the feasibility of developing a fast and low-human-effort surveillance system for monitoring people’s attitudes towards public health policies and events during a pandemic by analyzing Twitter data. Based on the pre-trained model and early Twitter data, we can quickly build a model for the surveillance system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 931 KiB  
Article
Lack of Informations about COVID-19 Vaccine: From Implications to Intervention for Supporting Public Health Communications in COVID-19 Pandemic
by Silva Guljaš, Zvonimir Bosnić, Tamer Salha, Monika Berecki, Zdravka Krivdić Dupan, Stjepan Rudan and Ljiljana Majnarić Trtica
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 6141; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18116141 - 07 Jun 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5288
Abstract
Lack of knowledge and mistrust towards vaccines represent a challenge in achieving the vaccination coverage required for population immunity. The aim of this study is to examine the opinion that specific demographic groups have about COVID-19 vaccination, in order to detect potential fears [...] Read more.
Lack of knowledge and mistrust towards vaccines represent a challenge in achieving the vaccination coverage required for population immunity. The aim of this study is to examine the opinion that specific demographic groups have about COVID-19 vaccination, in order to detect potential fears and reasons for negative attitudes towards vaccination, and to gain knowledge on how to prepare strategies to eliminate possible misinformation that could affect vaccine hesitancy. The data collection approach was based on online questionnaire surveys, divided into three groups of questions that followed the main postulates of the health belief theory—a theory that helps understanding a behaviour of the public in some concrete surrounding in receiving preventive measures. Ordinary least squares regression analyses were used to examine the influence of individual factors on refusing the vaccine, and to provide information on the perception of participants on the danger of COVID-19 infection, and on potential barriers that could retard the vaccine utility. There was an equal proportion of participants (total number 276) who planned on receiving the COVID-19 vaccine (37%), and of those who did not (36.3%). The rest (26.7%) of participants were still indecisive. Our results indicated that attitudes on whether to receive the vaccine, on how serious consequences might be if getting the infection, as well as a suspicious towards the vaccine efficacy and the fear of the vaccine potential side effects, may depend on participants’ age (<40 vs. >40 years) and on whether they are healthcare workers or not. The barriers that make participants‘ unsure about of receiving the vaccine, such as a distrust in the vaccine efficacy and safety, may vary in different socio-demographic groups and depending on which is the point of time in the course of the pandemic development, as well as on the vaccine availability and experience in using certain vaccine formulas. There is a pressing need for health services to continuously provide information to the general population, and to address the root causes of mistrust through improved communication, using a wide range of policies, interventions and technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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10 pages, 1957 KiB  
Article
Continent-Wide Analysis of COVID 19: Total Cases, Deaths, Tests, Socio-Economic, and Morbidity Factors Associated to the Mortality Rate, and Forecasting Analysis in 2020–2021
by Muhammad Nauman Zahid and Simone Perna
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5350; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18105350 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3943
Abstract
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in China in December 2019 and has become a pandemic that resulted in more than one million deaths and infected over 35 million people worldwide. In this study, a continent-wide analysis [...] Read more.
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in China in December 2019 and has become a pandemic that resulted in more than one million deaths and infected over 35 million people worldwide. In this study, a continent-wide analysis of COVID-19 cases from 31st December 2019 to 14th June 2020 was performed along with socio-economic factors associated with mortality rates as well as a predicted future scenario of COVID-19 cases until the end of 2020. Methods: Epidemiological and statistical tools such as linear regression, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and the Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model were used in this study. Results: This study shows that the highest number of cases per million population was recorded in Europe, while the trend of new cases is lowest in Africa. The mortality rates in different continents were as follows: North America 4.57%, Europe 3.74%, South America 3.87%, Africa 3.49%, Oceania and Asia less than 2%. Linear regression analysis showed that hospital beds, GDP, diabetes, and higher average age were the significant risk factors for mortality in different continents. The forecasting analysis since the first case of COVID-19 until 1st January 2021 showed that the worst scenario at the end of 2020 predicts a range from 0 to 300,000 daily new cases and a range from 0 to 16,000 daily new deaths. Conclusion: Epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 should be better defined, since they can play an import role in future strategies to control this pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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13 pages, 2008 KiB  
Article
Infodemic and Fake News in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by María Jesús Fernández-Torres, Ana Almansa-Martínez and Rocío Chamizo-Sánchez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1781; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18041781 - 12 Feb 2021
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 11271
Abstract
Internet, new technologies and social networks have changed the consumption and dissemination of information. The world is witnessing the proliferation of so-called false news, especially since the beginning of 2020, when COVID-19 became the main issue on the global agenda. Alleged government actions, [...] Read more.
Internet, new technologies and social networks have changed the consumption and dissemination of information. The world is witnessing the proliferation of so-called false news, especially since the beginning of 2020, when COVID-19 became the main issue on the global agenda. Alleged government actions, remedies, advice, etc., are the cause of a multitude of messages that are often false. Through surveys (1115 responses were obtained) and a review of the literature, we explore how the proliferation of COVID-19’s false news affects and impacts public opinion in Spain. We also examine how citizens are being informed about the pandemic, identify the main channels of communication used and discover the impact of misinformation. The main conclusions are that, in Spain, citizens are interested in information related to the coronavirus, but there is a lack of media credibility and reliability; the social networks and instant messaging are considered the channels that transmit the greatest amount of false news. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 8952 KiB  
Article
The Role of Societal Aspects in the Formation of Official COVID-19 Reports: A Data-Driven Analysis
by Marcell Tamás Kurbucz, Attila Imre Katona, Zoltán Lantos and Zsolt Tibor Kosztyán
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1505; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18041505 - 05 Feb 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2682
Abstract
This paper investigates the role of socioeconomic considerations in the formation of official COVID-19 reports. To this end, we employ a dataset that contains 1159 pre-processed indicators from the World Bank Group GovData360 and TCdata360 platforms and an additional 8 COVID-19 variables generated [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the role of socioeconomic considerations in the formation of official COVID-19 reports. To this end, we employ a dataset that contains 1159 pre-processed indicators from the World Bank Group GovData360 and TCdata360 platforms and an additional 8 COVID-19 variables generated based on reports from 138 countries. During the analysis, a rank-correlation-based complex method is used to identify the time- and space-varying relations between pandemic variables and the main topics of World Bank Group platforms. The results not only draw attention to the importance of factors such as air traffic, tourism, and corruption in report formation but also support further discipline-specific research by mapping and monitoring a wide range of such relationships. To this end, a source code written in R language is attached that allows for the customization of the analysis and provides up-to-date results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 1033 KiB  
Article
Journalistic Fact-Checking of Information in Pandemic: Stakeholders, Hoaxes, and Strategies to Fight Disinformation during the COVID-19 Crisis in Spain
by Xosé López-García, Carmen Costa-Sánchez and Ángel Vizoso
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(3), 1227; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18031227 - 29 Jan 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5590
Abstract
The public health crisis created by COVID-19 represents a challenge for journalists and the media. Specialised information in healthcare and science has turned into a need to deal with the current situation as well as the demand for information by society. In this [...] Read more.
The public health crisis created by COVID-19 represents a challenge for journalists and the media. Specialised information in healthcare and science has turned into a need to deal with the current situation as well as the demand for information by society. In this context of increased uncertainty, the circulation of fake news on social networks and messaging applications has proliferated, producing what has been known as ‘infodemic’. This paper is focused on the fact-checking of journalistic content using a combined methodology: content analysis of information denied by the main Spanish fact-checking platforms (Maldita and Newtral) and an in-depth questionnaire to these stakeholders. The results confirm the quantitative and qualitative evolution of disinformation. Quantitatively, more fact-checking is performed during the state of alarm. Qualitatively, hoaxes increase in complexity as the pandemic evolves, in such a way that disinformation engineering takes place, and it is expected to continue until the development of a vaccine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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11 pages, 662 KiB  
Article
COVID-19, Fake News, and Vaccines: Should Regulation Be Implemented?
by Julio Emilio Marco-Franco, Pedro Pita-Barros, David Vivas-Orts, Silvia González-de-Julián and David Vivas-Consuelo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 744; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18020744 - 16 Jan 2021
Cited by 63 | Viewed by 18255
Abstract
We analysed issues concerning the establishment of compulsory vaccination against COVID-19, as well as the role of misinformation as a disincentive—especially when published by health professionals—and citizen acceptance of measures in this regard. Data from different surveys revealed a high degree of hesitation [...] Read more.
We analysed issues concerning the establishment of compulsory vaccination against COVID-19, as well as the role of misinformation as a disincentive—especially when published by health professionals—and citizen acceptance of measures in this regard. Data from different surveys revealed a high degree of hesitation rather than outright opposition to vaccines. The most frequent complaint related to the COVID-19 vaccination was the fear of side effects. Within the Spanish and European legislative framework, both compulsory vaccination and government regulation of FN (Fake News) appear to be feasible options, counting on sufficient legal support, which could be reinforced by additional amendment. However, following current trends of good governance, policymakers must have public legitimation. Rather than compulsory COVID-19 vaccination, an approach based on education and truthful information, persuading the population of the benefits of a vaccine on a voluntary basis, is recommended. Disagreements between health professionals are positive, but they should be resolved following good practice and the procedures of the code of ethics. Furthermore, citizens do not support the involvement of government authorities in the direct control of news. Collaboration with the media and other organizations should be used instead. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 1035 KiB  
Article
Antecedents and Consequences of Information Overload in the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Hyehyun Hong and Hyo Jung Kim
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9305; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17249305 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 7041
Abstract
The global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2020 has significantly affected the information environment as well as the daily life of individuals across the world, with information about COVID-19 dominating all media channels. The information provided at the time of a health [...] Read more.
The global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2020 has significantly affected the information environment as well as the daily life of individuals across the world, with information about COVID-19 dominating all media channels. The information provided at the time of a health crisis like COVID-19 is critical in helping people learn about the disease and the recommendations to prevent infection. However, studies have shown that when people are overwhelmed by too much information (referred to as ‘information overload’), this leads to adverse effects. This study examined the antecedents and consequences of information overload in the context of COVID-19. A survey was conducted among 627 residents in Seoul, South Korea, one of the earliest affected countries in the global outbreak. The results showed that cognitive capacity and the frequency of online news use and interpersonal communication were significant predictors of information overload. Information overload influenced how information is processed; it was associated with the tendency toward greater heuristic processing and less systematic processing. In addition, people were more likely to enact prevention behaviors when the information was processed systematically, as opposed to heuristically. The results are discussed considering both the theoretical and practical implications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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23 pages, 4090 KiB  
Article
Resilience and Anti-Stress during COVID-19 Isolation in Spain: An Analysis through Audiovisual Spots
by Fernando Olivares-Delgado, Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez, María Teresa Benlloch-Osuna, Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa and Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 8876; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17238876 - 29 Nov 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5123
Abstract
This study analyses broadcasted advertising spots during the COVID-19 isolation period in Spain. It aims to identify the narrative communicative resources and messages spread by companies/brands under the background of a global pandemic, where a common pattern highlighting the social function of brands [...] Read more.
This study analyses broadcasted advertising spots during the COVID-19 isolation period in Spain. It aims to identify the narrative communicative resources and messages spread by companies/brands under the background of a global pandemic, where a common pattern highlighting the social function of brands is supposed, specifically regarding stress and resilience. We propose a mixed method based on the combination of qualitative analysis of the content of a compendium of 71 commercials and statistical analysis to group and test the correlations between some key variables, thus incorporating multivariate analysis with a quantitative method. Our main finding is the collective trend and communicative behaviour in the advertising of companies/brands during isolation, in which a change in the traditional role of advertising communication has occurred, where advertisers have become a key support in combatting the disease and a key support for health and psychological management in the Spanish population. In fact, they act as guardians of resilience and promoters for alleviating stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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18 pages, 5187 KiB  
Article
National Disaster Management System: COVID-19 Case in Korea
by Junic Kim and Kelly Ashihara
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6691; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17186691 - 14 Sep 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5553
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for governments and societies around the world and represents a global crisis of hitherto unexperienced proportions. Our research seeks to analyse disaster management systems from a national perspective by examining the Korean management of the COVID-19 crisis [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for governments and societies around the world and represents a global crisis of hitherto unexperienced proportions. Our research seeks to analyse disaster management systems from a national perspective by examining the Korean management of the COVID-19 crisis according to a four-phase epidemiological disaster management system. Utilising a meta-study, official documents, reports and interviews, we explore the role of the control tower mechanism related to the life-cycle of disaster management, and Korea’s sustainable containment strategy. This study begins with a discussion of the crisis and disaster management literature and provides specific information related to the Korean government’s response to COVID-19. It continues by detailing specific strategies such as wide-spread testing, tracking, treatment and quarantine that have enabled Korea to prevent wide-spread community transmission. The study concludes emphasising the relevance of systematic national disaster management, providing insight into methods for containment in Korea – a system commended by the WHO. Implications include the extension and the efficient application of disaster management theory by empirical application and integration of concepts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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10 pages, 1133 KiB  
Article
The Contagion of Sentiments during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: The Case of Isolation in Spain
by Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez, Gustavo Fabián Vaccaro Witt, Francisco E. Cabrera and Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5918; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17165918 - 14 Aug 2020
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 4565
Abstract
This study examines how confinement measures established during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis affected the emotions of the population. For this purpose, public sentiment on social media and digital ecosystems in Spain is analyzed. We identified affective tones towards media and citizens published on [...] Read more.
This study examines how confinement measures established during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis affected the emotions of the population. For this purpose, public sentiment on social media and digital ecosystems in Spain is analyzed. We identified affective tones towards media and citizens published on social media focusing on six basic emotions: anger, fear, joy, sadness, disgust and uncertainty. The main contribution of this work is the evidence of contagious sentiments and, consequently, the possibility of using this new dimension of social media as a form of a “collective therapy”. This paper contributes to understanding the impact of confinement measures in a pandemic from the point of view of emotional health. This analysis provides a set of practical implications that can guide conceptual and empirical work in health crisis management with an alternative approach, especially useful for decision-making processes facing emergency responses and health crises, even in an unprecedented global health crisis such as the traumatic events caused by the COVID-19 disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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11 pages, 8834 KiB  
Article
Big Data Analysis of Media Reports Related to COVID-19
by Ji-Hee Jung and Jae-Ik Shin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5688; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17165688 - 06 Aug 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4205
Abstract
COVID-19 is lasting longer than expected, which has a huge impact on the economy and on personal life. Each country has a different response method, and the damage scale is also distinct. This study aims to find out how COVID-19-related news was handled [...] Read more.
COVID-19 is lasting longer than expected, which has a huge impact on the economy and on personal life. Each country has a different response method, and the damage scale is also distinct. This study aims to find out how COVID-19-related news was handled in the domestic media to seek ways to minimize the pandemic. The paper focuses on the number of news features by period and by disaster and analyzes related words based on big data. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, in the initial response phase, keywords to identify accurate sources of actual broadcast contents, fake news, social networking service (SNS), etc. were also ranked in the top 20. Second, in the active response phase, when the number of confirmed persons and the government’s countermeasures were announced, more than 100 COVID-19-related articles were issued, and the related words increased rapidly from the initial response stage. Therefore, the fact that COVID-19 has been expressed as a keyword indicates that our society is watching with great interest in the government’s response to the disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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17 pages, 3717 KiB  
Article
Exploring WHO Communication during the COVID 19 Pandemic through the WHO Website Based on W3C Guidelines: Accessible for All?
by Elena Fernández-Díaz, Patricia P. Iglesias-Sánchez and Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5663; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17165663 - 05 Aug 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 7184
Abstract
Health crisis situations generate greater attention and dependence on reliable and truthful information from citizens, especially from those organisations that represent authority on the subject, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). In times of global pandemics such as COVID-19, the WHO message [...] Read more.
Health crisis situations generate greater attention and dependence on reliable and truthful information from citizens, especially from those organisations that represent authority on the subject, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). In times of global pandemics such as COVID-19, the WHO message “health for all” takes on great communicative importance, especially from the point of view of the prevention of the disease and recommendations for action. Therefore, any communication must be understandable and accessible by all types of people, regardless of their technology, language, culture or disability (physical or mental), according to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), taking on special relevance for public health content. This study analysed whether the WHO is accessible in its digital version for all groups of citizens according to the widely accepted standards in the field of the Internet. The conclusion reached was that not all the information is accessible in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, which implies that there are groups that are, to some extent, left out, especially affecting the elderly. This study can contribute to the development of proposals and suggest ways in which to improve the accessibility of health content to groups especially vulnerable in this pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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16 pages, 2572 KiB  
Article
Living in a Multi-Risk Chaotic Condition: Pandemic, Natural Hazards and Complex Emergencies
by Mohammad Amin Hariri-Ardebili
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5635; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17165635 - 05 Aug 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5827
Abstract
Humans are living in an uncertain world, with daily risks confronting them from various low to high hazard events, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created its own set of unique risks. Not only has it caused a significant number of fatalities, but in [...] Read more.
Humans are living in an uncertain world, with daily risks confronting them from various low to high hazard events, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created its own set of unique risks. Not only has it caused a significant number of fatalities, but in combination with other hazard sources, it may pose a considerably higher multi-risk. In this paper, three hazardous events are studied through the lens of a concurring pandemic. Several low-probability high-risk scenarios are developed by the combination of a pandemic situation with a natural hazard (e.g., earthquakes or floods) or a complex emergency situation (e.g., mass protests or military movements). The hybrid impacts of these multi-hazard situations are then qualitatively studied on the healthcare systems, and their functionality loss. The paper also discusses the impact of pandemic’s (long-term) temporal effects on the type and recovery duration from these adverse events. Finally, the concept of escape from a hazard, evacuation, sheltering and their potential conflict during a pandemic and a natural hazard is briefly reviewed. The findings show the cascading effects of these multi-hazard scenarios, which are unseen nearly in all risk legislation. This paper is an attempt to urge funding agencies to provide additional grants for multi-hazard risk research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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22 pages, 3826 KiB  
Article
Sentiment Analysis and Emotion Understanding during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain and Its Impact on Digital Ecosystems
by Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa, Pablo Sánchez-Núñez and José Ignacio Peláez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(15), 5542; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17155542 - 31 Jul 2020
Cited by 92 | Viewed by 9955
Abstract
COVID-19 has changed our lives forever. The world we knew until now has been transformed and nowadays we live in a completely new scenario in a perpetual restructuring transition, in which the way we live, relate, and communicate with others has been altered [...] Read more.
COVID-19 has changed our lives forever. The world we knew until now has been transformed and nowadays we live in a completely new scenario in a perpetual restructuring transition, in which the way we live, relate, and communicate with others has been altered permanently. Within this context, risk communication is playing a decisive role when informing, transmitting, and channeling the flow of information in society. COVID-19 has posed a real pandemic risk management challenge in terms of impact, preparedness, response, and mitigation by governments, health organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), mass media, and stakeholders. In this study, we monitored the digital ecosystems during March and April 2020, and we obtained a sample of 106,261 communications through the analysis of APIs and Web Scraping techniques. This study examines how social media has affected risk communication in uncertain contexts and its impact on the emotions and sentiments derived from the semantic analysis in Spanish society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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21 pages, 11006 KiB  
Article
Effects of Health Information Dissemination on User Follows and Likes during COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Data and Content Analysis
by Rongyang Ma, Zhaohua Deng and Manli Wu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(14), 5081; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17145081 - 14 Jul 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5141
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 has greatly attacked China, spreading in the whole world. Articles were posted on many official WeChat accounts to transmit health information about this pandemic. The public also sought related information via social media more frequently. However, little is known about [...] Read more.
Background: COVID-19 has greatly attacked China, spreading in the whole world. Articles were posted on many official WeChat accounts to transmit health information about this pandemic. The public also sought related information via social media more frequently. However, little is known about what kinds of information satisfy them better. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of health information dissemination that affected users’ information behavior on WeChat. Methods: Two-wave data were collected from the top 200 WeChat official accounts on the Xigua website. The data included the change in the number of followers and the total number of likes on each account in a 7-day period, as well as the number of each type of article and headlines about coronavirus. It was used to developed regression models and conduct content analysis to figure out information characteristics in quantity and content. Results: For nonmedical institution accounts in the model, report and story types of articles had positive effects on users’ following behaviors. The number of headlines on coronavirus positively impacts liking behaviors. For medical institution accounts, report and science types had a positive effect, too. In the content analysis, several common characteristics were identified. Conclusions: Characteristics in terms of the quantity and content in health information dissemination contribute to users’ information behavior. In terms of the content in the headlines, via coding and word frequency analysis, organizational structure, multimedia applications, and instructions—the common dimension in different articles—composed the common features in information that impacted users’ liking behaviors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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15 pages, 1970 KiB  
Article
Media Exposure and Anxiety during COVID-19: The Mediation Effect of Media Vicarious Traumatization
by Cong Liu and Yi Liu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4720; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17134720 - 30 Jun 2020
Cited by 103 | Viewed by 15128
Abstract
The rapid spread and high death rates of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in massive panic and anxiety all over the world. People rely heavily on media for information-seeking during the period of social isolation. This study aimed to explore the relationship between media [...] Read more.
The rapid spread and high death rates of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in massive panic and anxiety all over the world. People rely heavily on media for information-seeking during the period of social isolation. This study aimed to explore the relationship between media exposure and anxiety, and highlighted the underlying mechanisms mediated by the media vicarious traumatization effect. A total of 1118 Chinese citizens participated in the online survey, who were from 30 provinces in mainland China. Results showed that all four types of media (official media, commercial media, social media, and overseas media) cause vicarious traumatization to their audiences to different degrees. It was also found that the impact of media exposure on anxiety was mediated by media vicarious traumatization: there were full mediation effects for commercial media exposure and overseas media exposure, while there were indirect-only mediation effects for official media exposure and social media exposure. Audiences staying in cities with a relatively severe pandemic were more susceptible to the vicarious traumatization caused by commercial media compared to those staying in Hubei. This study expanded the concept and application of vicarious traumatization to the mediated context, and the findings provided insightful advice to media practitioners in the face of major crisis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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12 pages, 1196 KiB  
Article
Is Lockdown Bad for Social Anxiety in COVID-19 Regions?: A National Study in The SOR Perspective
by Lei Zheng, Miao Miao, JiYoon Lim, Maorui Li, Shu Nie and Xiaojun Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(12), 4561; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17124561 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 90 | Viewed by 22972
Abstract
Lockdown measures have been widely used to control and prevent virus transmission in pandemic regions. However, the psychological effects of lockdown measures have been neglected, and the related theoretical research lags behind the practice. The present study aimed to better understand the mechanism [...] Read more.
Lockdown measures have been widely used to control and prevent virus transmission in pandemic regions. However, the psychological effects of lockdown measures have been neglected, and the related theoretical research lags behind the practice. The present study aimed to better understand the mechanism of social anxiety in pandemic regions where the lockdown measures were imposed, based on the conceptual framework of the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR). For that, this research investigated how lockdown measures and psychological distance influenced social anxiety in the pandemic region. The Chinese national data was analyzed for the outcome. The results showed that (1) psychological distance mediated the relationship between pandemic COVID-19 severity and social anxiety, (2) lockdown measures buffered the detrimental effect of the COVID-19 pandemic severity on social anxiety, (3) lockdown measures moderated the mediation effect of psychological distancing on social anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, under the SOR framework, the lockdown measures had a buffer effect on social anxiety in pandemic regions, with the mediating role of psychological distancing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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12 pages, 335 KiB  
Article
Demand for Health Information on COVID-19 among Vietnamese
by Huong Thi Le, Diep Ngoc Nguyen, Ahmed Sam Beydoun, Xuan Thi Thanh Le, Thao Thanh Nguyen, Quan Thi Pham, Nhung Thi Kim Ta, Quynh Thi Nguyen, Anh Ngoc Nguyen, Men Thi Hoang, Linh Gia Vu, Bach Xuan Tran, Carl A. Latkin, Cyrus S.H. Ho and Roger C.M. Ho
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(12), 4377; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17124377 - 18 Jun 2020
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 6658
Abstract
Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, Vietnam introduced its first national partial lockdown on April 1st, 2020. The public relied on online sources, whether through official websites or phone-based applications, to acquire up-to-date health information, provide accurate instructions, and limit misinformation. This [...] Read more.
Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, Vietnam introduced its first national partial lockdown on April 1st, 2020. The public relied on online sources, whether through official websites or phone-based applications, to acquire up-to-date health information, provide accurate instructions, and limit misinformation. This study aims to provide insight regarding the current level of awareness of the pandemic, and to identify associated factors in Vietnamese participants to recommend necessary interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey during the first week of the lockdown period. There were 341 observations collected using a snowball sampling technique. A Tobit multivariable regression model was used to identify factors associated with the demand for each category of health information. The most requested information was the latest updated news on the epidemic, followed by information about disease symptoms and updated news on the outbreak. The prevalence of diverse socioeconomic, demographic, and ethnic factors in Vietnam requires consideration of the specific health information needs of unique groups. Identifying group-specific demands would be helpful to provide proper information to fulfill each population group’s needs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
11 pages, 884 KiB  
Article
A Multidimensional Model of Public Health Approaches Against COVID-19
by Mehrab Nazir, Iftikhar Hussain, Jian Tian, Sabahat Akram, Sidney Mangenda Tshiaba, Shahrukh Mushtaq and Muhammad Afzal Shad
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 3780; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17113780 - 26 May 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4781
Abstract
COVID-19 is appearing as one of the most fetal disease of the world’s history and has caused a global health emergency. Therefore, this study was designed with the aim to address the issue of public response against COVID-19. The literature lacks studies on [...] Read more.
COVID-19 is appearing as one of the most fetal disease of the world’s history and has caused a global health emergency. Therefore, this study was designed with the aim to address the issue of public response against COVID-19. The literature lacks studies on social aspects of COVID-19. Therefore, the current study is an attempt to investigate its social aspects and suggest a theoretical structural equation model to examine the associations between social media exposure, awareness, and information exchange and preventive behavior and to determine the indirect as well as direct impact of social media exposure on preventive behavior from the viewpoints of awareness and information exchange. The current empirical investigation was held in Pakistan, and the collected survey data from 500 respondents through social media tools were utilized to examine the associations between studied variables as stated in the anticipated study model. The findings of the study indicate that social media exposure has no significant and direct effect on preventive behavior. Social media exposure influences preventive behavior indirectly through awareness and information exchange. In addition, awareness and information exchange have significant and direct effects on preventive behavior. Findings are valuable for health administrators, governments, policymakers, and social scientists, specifically for individuals whose situations are like those in Pakistan. This research validates how social media exposure indirectly effects preventive behavior concerning COVID-19 and explains the paths of effect through awareness or information exchange. To the best of our knowledge, there is no work at present that covers this gap, for this reason the authors propose a new model. The conceptual model offers valuable information for policymakers and practitioners to enhance preventive behavior through the adoption of appropriate awareness strategies and information exchange and social media strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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12 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Coverage of Health Information by Different Sources in Communities: Implication for COVID-19 Epidemic Response
by Bach Xuan Tran, Anh Kim Dang, Phong Khanh Thai, Huong Thi Le, Xuan Thanh Thi Le, Toan Thanh Thi Do, Tu Huu Nguyen, Hai Quang Pham, Hai Thanh Phan, Giang Thu Vu, Dung Tri Phung, Son Hong Nghiem, Thu Ha Nguyen, Trung Dinh Tran, Khanh Nam Do, Dat Van Truong, Giap Van Vu, Carl A. Latkin, Roger C.M. Ho and Cyrus S.H. Ho
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(10), 3577; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17103577 - 20 May 2020
Cited by 110 | Viewed by 9269
Abstract
Health personnel and community workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 emergency response and need to be equipped with adequate knowledge related to epidemics for an effective response. This study aimed to identify the coverage of COVID-19 health information via different [...] Read more.
Health personnel and community workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 emergency response and need to be equipped with adequate knowledge related to epidemics for an effective response. This study aimed to identify the coverage of COVID-19 health information via different sources accessed by health workers and community workers in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study using a web-based survey was carried out from January to February 2020 in Vietnam. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used for recruiting participants. We utilized the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine the construct validity of the questionnaire. A higher percentage of participants knew about “Clinical and pathogen characteristics of COVID-19”, compared to “Regulations and policies related to COVID-19”. The percentage of participants accessing the information on “Guidelines and policies on prevention and control of COVID-19” was the lowest, especially among medical students. “Mass media and peer-educators” channels had a higher score of accessing COVID-19 information, compared to “Organizations/ agencies/ associations” sources. Participants consumed most of their COVID-19 information via “Internet, online newspapers, social networks”. Our findings indicate an urgency to re-design training programs and communication activities for a more effective dissemination of information related to the COVID-19 epidemic or epidemics in general. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
20 pages, 5814 KiB  
Article
A Preliminary Evaluation of the Public Risk Perception Related to the COVID-19 Health Emergency in Italy
by Giulia Motta Zanin, Eleonora Gentile, Alessandro Parisi and Danilo Spasiano
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3024; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17093024 - 27 Apr 2020
Cited by 139 | Viewed by 15016
Abstract
Governments faced with the spread of COVID-19 pandemic are adopting strict and severe mitigation measures to influence people’s behaviors. Public perception of health risk plays a key role in the adoption of these actions, in people’s feelings, and in their daily habits. To [...] Read more.
Governments faced with the spread of COVID-19 pandemic are adopting strict and severe mitigation measures to influence people’s behaviors. Public perception of health risk plays a key role in the adoption of these actions, in people’s feelings, and in their daily habits. To support decision makers from international to local levels to face with future sanitary emergencies, this study aims at investigating Italian public perceptions of health risk. To this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and administered within the period of Italian COVID-19 lockdown and quarantine to almost 9000 citizens in Italy and abroad. The obtained results highlight a significative influence that mass media play on both the level of knowledge and the feelings of the respondents. The findings also point out future variations of some perceived behaviors consequent to the COVID-19 outbreak. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

24 pages, 507 KiB  
Review
Mis–Dis Information in COVID-19 Health Crisis: A Narrative Review
by Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez, Eduardo Navarro-Jiménez, Juan Antonio Simón-Sanjurjo, Ana Isabel Beltran-Velasco, Carmen Cecilia Laborde-Cárdenas, Juan Camilo Benitez-Agudelo, Álvaro Bustamante-Sánchez and José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095321 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3916
Abstract
Background: In this narrative review, we address the COVID-19 pandemic mis–dis information crisis in which healthcare systems have been pushed to their limits, with collapses occurring worldwide. The context of uncertainty has resulted in skepticism, confusion, and general malaise among the population. Informing [...] Read more.
Background: In this narrative review, we address the COVID-19 pandemic mis–dis information crisis in which healthcare systems have been pushed to their limits, with collapses occurring worldwide. The context of uncertainty has resulted in skepticism, confusion, and general malaise among the population. Informing the public has been one of the major challenges during this pandemic. Misinformation is defined as false information shared by people who have no intention of misleading others. Disinformation is defined as false information deliberately created and disseminated with malicious intentions. Objective: To reach a consensus and critical review about mis–dis information in COVID-19 crisis. Methods: A database search was conducted in PsychINFO, MedLine (Pubmed), Cochrane (Wiley), Embase and CinAhl. Databases used the MeSH-compliant keywords of COVID-19, 2019-nCoV, Coronavirus 2019, SARS-CoV-2, misinformation, disinformation, information, vaccines, vaccination, origin, target, spread, communication. Results: Both misinformation and disinformation can affect the population’s confidence in vaccines (development, safety, and efficacy of vaccines, as well as denial of the severity of SARS-CoV infection). Institutions should take into account that a great part of the success of the intervention to combat a pandemic has a relationship with the power to stop the misinformation and disinformation processes. The response should be well-structured and addressed from different key points: central level and community level, with official and centralized communication channels. The approach should be multifactorial and enhanced by the collaboration of social media companies to stop misleading information, and trustworthy people both working or not working in the health care systems to boost the power of the message. Conclusions: The response should be well-structured and addressed from different key points: central level and community level, with official and clearly centralized communication channels. The approach should be multifactorial and enhanced from the collaboration of social media companies to stop misleading information, and trustworthy people both working and not working in the health care systems to boost the power of a message based on scientific evidence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

23 pages, 2082 KiB  
Case Report
How to Defend COVID-19 in Taiwan? Talk about People’s Disease Awareness, Attitudes, Behaviors and the Impact of Physical and Mental Health
by Chin-Hsien Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien Lin, Chun-Chih Wang and Shangwun Jhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4694; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17134694 - 30 Jun 2020
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 6628
Abstract
This study explored awareness, attitudes, and behavior in relation to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention among Taiwanese citizens and their physical and mental health statuses. Through collection of 2132 questionnaire responses in field research, the present researchers analyzed the data using descriptive statistics [...] Read more.
This study explored awareness, attitudes, and behavior in relation to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention among Taiwanese citizens and their physical and mental health statuses. Through collection of 2132 questionnaire responses in field research, the present researchers analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and various approaches. In conclusion, the public’s high level of willingness to share information, sufficient knowledge of and consensus on epidemic prevention between individuals and families, strict compliance with relevant regulations, effective preventive measures, and adequate public facilities have contributed to control of COVID-19. However, vigilance and awareness of the pandemic in some individuals, epidemic-prevention campaigns, and community-based preventive measures were insufficient. Some citizens subsequently suffered from headaches, anxiety, and mood instability. Furthermore, demographic variables (place of residence, sex, age, and occupation) and physical and mental health status produced various effects on citizens’ awareness, attitude, and behavior regarding epidemic prevention as well as the perceived effect of COVID-19 on physical and mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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Graphical abstract

10 pages, 328 KiB  
Brief Report
Characteristics of YouTube Videos in Spanish on How to Prevent COVID-19
by Ignacio Hernández-García and Teresa Giménez-Júlvez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4671; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17134671 - 29 Jun 2020
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4560
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the characteristics of YouTube videos in Spanish on the basic measures to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: On 18 March 2020, a search was conducted on YouTube using the terms “Prevencion Coronavirus” and “Prevencion COVID-19”. We studied the associations [...] Read more.
Objective: To analyze the characteristics of YouTube videos in Spanish on the basic measures to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: On 18 March 2020, a search was conducted on YouTube using the terms “Prevencion Coronavirus” and “Prevencion COVID-19”. We studied the associations between the type of authorship and the country of publication with other variables (such as the number of likes and basic measures to prevent COVID-19 according to the World Health Organization, among others) with univariate analysis and a multiple logistic regression model. Results: A total of 129 videos were evaluated; 37.2% were produced in Mexico (25.6%) and Spain (11.6%), and 56.6% were produced by mass media, including television and newspapers. The most frequently reported basic preventive measure was hand washing (71.3%), and the least frequent was not touching the eyes, nose, and mouth (24.0%). Hoaxes (such as eating garlic or citrus to prevent COVID-19) were detected in 15 videos (10.9%). In terms of authorship, papers produced by health professionals had a higher probability of reporting hand hygiene (OR (95% CI) = 4.20 (1.17–15.09)) and respiratory hygiene (OR (95% CI) = 3.05 (1.22–7.62)) as preventive measures. Conclusion: Information from YouTube in Spanish on basic measures to prevent COVID-19 is usually not very complete and differs according to the type of authorship. Our findings make it possible to guide Spanish-speaking users on the characteristics of the videos to be viewed in order to obtain reliable information. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Global Threat: Information or Panic)
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