ABSTRACT
There is growing support for viewing communities as a multilevel construct in which the interdependence between individuals and community systems contributes to the promotion of individual responsibilities in thinking and enacting changes to respond to people's and community's needs. However, there is currently scant evidence regarding the influence of psychological sense of community and the role of community assets on prosocial behavior during the COVID-19 national lockdown. The main aim of the current study was to test a conceptual model of community assets as predictors of prosocial behavior during Italy's COVID-19 national lockdown. A sample of 3,964 Italian adults was involved in the current study. We collected data using an online questionnaire, between April 12 and May 21, 2020, during the nationwide lockdown restrictions. To collect data, we employed convenience and virtual snowball sampling strategies (i.e., email, social networks, and online channels). Using structural equation modeling, we found that prosocial behavior was predicted by sense of community responsibility but not by sense of community. Moreover, sense of community and sense of community responsibility were predicted by community members' perception of its assets, in particular collective resilience and adequate information. Finally, trust in the institutional response to the pandemic predicted community members' perception of collective resilience and receiving adequate information through the community. The present study suggests that community qualities, positively perceived by community members, are crucial in promoting prosocial behaviors and producing collective goods during a pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Background: The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 on hosts of Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) has been dramatic at global scale as aging and comorbitities pose individuals at increased risk of severe disease and death. Methods: Aim of this study was to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 S-IgG antibodies titers in 478 residents and 649 health care workers of the largest Italian nurse facility two months after the complete vaccination with BNT162B2. Associations among host-related factors and predictors of humoral response were investigated. Results: By stratifying levels of humoral responses, we found that 62.1%, 21.6%, 12.1% and 4.2% of hosts has high (>1,000 BAU/ml), medium (101-1,000), low (1-100) and null (<1 BAU/mL) S-IgG titers, respectively. Hosts with previous COVID-19 and those with SARS-CoV-2 N-IgG positive serology showed higher level of serological response (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively), while the administration of corticosteroid or cancer diminished all levels of specific antibodies (p=0.019 and p=0.004). Significant associations were observed for these parameters in those with suboptimal response (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.028 and p=0.005) and with a null one (p=0.005, p<0.001 and p=0.039). Predictors of an increased risk of null response were advanced age, corticosteroid therapy and diabetes mellitus (p=0.025, p=0.017 and p=0.037). In contrast, previous diagnosis of COVID-19 resulted strongly associated with a reduced risk of null response to vaccination (p<0.001). Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in elderly individuals need to be measured to consider a third dose of vaccine after mass vaccination for prevention of reinfections in LTCFs despite the maintenance of barrier measures.