The association of conspiracy beliefs and the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that health denialism might be an important determinant of adherence to preventive measures during epidemic challenges. Conspiracy beliefs seem to be one of the most visible manifestations of denialism in society. Despite intensive efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, the number of citizens reluctant to get vaccinated was very large in many countries. The main aim of this study was the analysis of the association between the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination and conspiracy beliefs among adult Internet users in Poland. The analysis was based on data from a survey performed on a sample of 2008 respondents in October 2021. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association between attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and generic conspiracist, vaccine-conspiracy, and COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs. In the multivariable model, the effect of conspiracy beliefs was adjusted for the level of vaccine hesitancy, future anxiety, political sympathies, and socio-demographic variables. Univariate regression models showed that COVID-19 vaccination acceptance is significantly lower among respondents with higher levels of all three types of conspiracy beliefs. In the multivariable model, the effect of COVID-19-related and vaccine conspiracy beliefs, but not generic conspiracist beliefs, was maintained after adjusting for vaccine hesitancy. We conclude that conspiracy beliefs should be treated as a potential indicator of lower adherence to preventive measures during epidemic challenges. The respondents revealing a high level of conspirational thinking are a potential group for intensified actions which employ health educational and motivational interventions.

Emerging lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic about the decisive competencies needed for the public health workforce: A qualitative study.

The global COVID-19 crisis exposed the critical need for a highly qualified public health workforce. This qualitative research aimed to examine public health workforce competencies needed to face COVID-19 challenges and identify the gaps between training programs and the competency demands of real-world disasters and pandemics. Through a sample of thirty-one participant qualitative interviews, we examined the perspectives of diverse stakeholders from lead public health organizations in Israel. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged from the content analysis: public health workforce's low professional status and the uncertain future of the public health workforce; links between the community and Higher Education institutions; the centrality of communication competencies; need to improve health promotion; the role of leadership, management, and partnership, and innovation in public health coherence. Increasing the attractiveness of the profession, professional and financial support, and improving the working conditions to ensure a sustainable and resilient PH system were deemed necessary. This paper describes and cultivates new knowledge and leadership skills among public health professionals, and lays the groundwork for future public health leadership preparedness programs.

User satisfaction and the readiness-to-use e-health applications in the future in Polish society in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the rapid expansion of e-health services in Poland. The main aim of the study was to assess the determinants of user satisfaction and the readiness-to-use e-health applications in Polish society. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The paper presents the results of the analysis of the data obtained through a computer-assisted web interviewing survey in a representative sample of 1002 adult Internet users in Poland. The survey was based on a questionnaire consisting of 55 items. The determinants of user satisfaction and the readiness-to-use of e-health solutions were assessed with univariable and hierarchical logistic regression models. RESULTS: E-health services had been used by 60.6% of respondents from the beginning of the epidemic state in Poland to June 2020, when the survey was performed. The hierarchical model showed that user satisfaction with e-health interactions was significantly associated with HL (Health Literacy) and eHL (e-Health Literacy), COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs score, and using a televisit because of acute symptoms not suggesting COVID-19. Readiness-to-use e-health in the future showed a significant relationship with place of residence, marital status, eHL, the self-assessment of knowledge about preventing COVID-19, the use of televisits for renewing prescriptions, and the level of satisfaction with e-health services. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction with e-health services depends mainly on the HL, eHL, and conspiracy beliefs of patients. Readiness-to-use e-health in the future is associated with the level of eHL and sociodemographic characteristics, but previous experience with e-health services seems to be the main predictor.

The Assessment of the Reliability and Validity of the Polish Version of the Adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (PL-aVHS) in the Context of Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination.

Vaccine hesitancy has become a pivotal consideration in assessing society's readiness to accept recommended vaccination programs. The role of vaccination as a preventive measure during great epidemic challenges cannot be overestimated. On the other hand, the overwhelming flow of misinformation and attitudes resulting from denialism may have a profoundly harmful effect on the acceptance of preventive interventions. The adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS) is a result of efforts to develop a tool that will be relevant to the views about vaccination in the general adult population. It was derived from the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS), initially developed by researchers attempting to assess the opinions and attitudes of parents. This study's main aim was to determine the reliability and validity of the Polish version of aVHS (PL-aVHS). We have also analyzed whether the scale can feasibly predict the COVID-19 vaccination status of respondents. The analysis was performed on data originating from a computer-based web-interviewing (CAWI) survey of 2008 adult Internet users. It included the analysis of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and hypotheses testing. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed on the subsets generated by randomly splitting the initial survey data. We have found that the scale has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.935), acceptable levels of inter-item bivariate correlations, and good test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.843). The EFA revealed that the tool has a two-factor latent structure; however, similar loadings of item 10 to both factors spoke for its exclusion from the model. Two extracted factors were responsible for 68.90% of the variance after rotation based on the maximum likelihood method. The CFA showed that the best fit of the model to measurement data was obtained for the two-factor model after excluding item 10. All seven fit indexes calculated in the analysis suggested at least an acceptable fit. In conclusion, the assessment of the PL-aVHS revealed good reliability and validity of the instrument. Furthermore, we have obtained similar EFA results as reported for the English version of the tool. Finally, to our knowledge, it is one of a few tools available in Polish for the measurement of vaccine-related attitudes.

Emerging lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic about the decisive competencies needed for the public health workforce: A qualitative study

The global COVID-19 crisis exposed the critical need for a highly qualified public health workforce. This qualitative research aimed to examine public health workforce competencies needed to face COVID-19 challenges and identify the gaps between training programs and the competency demands of real-world disasters and pandemics. Through a sample of thirty-one participant qualitative interviews, we examined the perspectives of diverse stakeholders from lead public health organizations in Israel. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged from the content analysis: public health workforce's low professional status and the uncertain future of the public health workforce;links between the community and Higher Education institutions;the centrality of communication competencies;need to improve health promotion;the role of leadership, management, and partnership, and innovation in public health coherence. Increasing the attractiveness of the profession, professional and financial support, and improving the working conditions to ensure a sustainable and resilient PH system were deemed necessary. This paper describes and cultivates new knowledge and leadership skills among public health professionals, and lays the groundwork for future public health leadership preparedness programs.

The Roles of Health and e-Health Literacy, Conspiracy Beliefs and Political Sympathy in the Adherence to Preventive Measures Recommended during the Pandemic.

Adherence to preventive measures is of the utmost importance for limiting the spreading of the coronavirus. Many predictors of adopting preventive behaviors have been analyzed in different countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: The study's main aim was to assess the roles of health (HL) and e-health literacy (eHL), conspiracy beliefs, political sympathy, and religious practices in the adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. The analysis was based on the data obtained from a survey conducted among 2410 adult Internet users in Poland in October 2020. The survey was performed with a computer-assisted web-based interviewing technique. Survey data were analyzed through uni- and multivariable linear regression models. The multivariable regression model revealed that after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the preventive measures score (PMS) was significantly associated with HL (B = 0.04, p < 0.001), eHL (B = 0.03, p < 0.001) and the COVID-19-related conspiracy beliefs score (C19CBS) (B = -0.24, p < 0.001). There was also a significant statistical relationship between PMS and political sympathies and religious practices. HL and eHL are key factors eligible for modification through appropriate interventions and showing positive effects in compliance with preventive measures. Conspiracy beliefs, political sympathy and religious beliefs are independently associated with the adherence.

A Nationwide Natural Experiment of e-Health Implementation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland: User Satisfaction and the Ease-of-Use of Remote Physician's Visits.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a considerable increase in the use of e-health applications. Shortly after confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 in Poland, the Ministry of Health allowed for the general use of remote physician's visits (RPVs) as a substitute for traditional visits to the physician's office. It was estimated that during the first year of the pandemic, as many as 80% of primary care visits were provided remotely, mainly by phone. This study's main aim was to assess the use of e-health services in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the factors related to user satisfaction and positive assessment of the ease-of-use of RPVs were analyzed. The analysis was based on data obtained from a computer-assisted web-based interviewing (CAWI) survey among 2410 adult Internet users in Poland. The questionnaire consisted of 55 items, including a 16-item European Health Literacy Questionnaire, an 8-item e-Health Literacy scale, a set of questions about the use of and experience with e-health services during the pandemic, and items exploring the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. Univariate logistic regression models were developed for variables reflecting user satisfaction and the assessment of the ease-of-use of RPVs. The use of RPVs increased during the pandemic by about 200%. Higher health literacy and e-health literacy, older age, higher income, a greater number of e-health services used before the pandemic, and telephone-based remote visits were significantly associated with higher user satisfaction and ease-of-use of RPVs. Respondents using RPVs for renewal of prescriptions were more favorable in assessing satisfaction and ease-of-use. A less positive assessment of satisfaction and ease-of-use was provided by students and vocationally passive persons in comparison to the employed. Finally, the perception of the threat of COVID-19 was associated with higher satisfaction and better assessment of ease-of-use. Persons declaring the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were more likely to be satisfied with remote visits. User satisfaction and the feeling of ease-of-use in the case of remote advice provided by a physician depend on many factors. Significant predictors include selected sociodemographic and economic variables, determinants associated with the perception of the threat of COVID-19, the aims and tools used for the RPVs, and earlier experience with e-health services.

The Future Public Health Workforce in a Changing World: A Conceptual Framework for a European-Israeli Knowledge Transfer Project.

Health services quality and sustainability rely mainly on a qualified workforce. Adequately trained public health personnel protect and promote health, avert health disparities, and allow rapid response to health emergencies. Evaluations of the healthcare workforce typically focus on physicians and nurses in curative medical venues. Few have evaluated public health workforce capacity building or sought to identify gaps between the academic training of public health employees and the needs of the healthcare organizations in which they are employed. This project report describes the conceptual framework of "Sharing European Educational Experience in Public Health for Israel (SEEEPHI): harmonization, employability, leadership, and outreach"-a multinational Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education funded project. By sharing European educational experience and knowledge, the project aims to enhance professionalism and strengthen leadership aspects of the public health workforce in Israel to meet the needs of employers and the country. The project's work packages, each jointly led by an Israeli and European institution, include field qualification analysis, mapping public health academic training programs, workforce adaptation, and building leadership capacity. In the era of global health changes, it is crucial to assess the capacity building of a well-qualified and competent workforce that enables providing good health services, reaching out to minorities, preventing health inequalities, and confronting emerging health challenges. We anticipate that the methods developed and the lessons learned within the Israeli context will be adaptable and adoptable by other countries through local and cultural adjustments.

The Association between Future Anxiety, Health Literacy and the Perception of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Increased anxiety related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in society and specific professional groups has been reported by many authors. Most have applied tools enabling assessing the general traits of anxiety. Tools specifically designed for an assessment of anxiety or fear related to COVID-19 have also been developed. However, no study has assessed the future anxiety in relation to the pandemic. This concept was defined by Zaleski in the end of the 20th century as the state of apprehension, fear, worry, and concern regarding unfavourable changes in the more remote personal future. The aim of this study was an analysis to establish the level and the determinants of future anxiety in Polish society related to the COVID-19 pandemic three months after the introduction of the state of epidemic. The analysis reported in the paper is based on the data obtained through a web-based survey carried out on a representative sample of 1002 Polish adults aged 18-74 years. The hierarchical linear regression model was developed for the analysis of the determinants of future anxiety from the responses to a questionnaire consisting of five items. The independent variables selected for inclusion in the model, apart from sociodemographic characteristics, encompassed health literacy (HL) and ehealth literacy (eHL), perceived health threat related to COVID-19 (PHTC19), and a COVID-19-related conspiracy belief score (CCBS) derived from three items asking about the most popular conspiracy theories. The regression model developed in the final step showed that the future anxiety scale score (FASS) was significantly associated with gender, vocational status, HL, PHTC19, and CCBS. The FASS was lower among men than women (regression coefficient (B) (standard error, SE) = -1.28 (0.39), p = 0.001), among entrepreneurs or farmers rather than among employees of the public or private sector (B(SE) = -1.55, p = 0.010), in persons with a higher HL (B(SE) = -0.43 (0.06), p < 0.001). A higher FASS was observed in respondents with higher rather than lower PHTC19 (B(SE) = 1.49 (0.17), p < 0.001) and in those with a higher CCBS (B(SE) = 0.33 (0.07), p < 0.001). The model accounted for 15.2% of the variance of the FASS. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic is not only a cause of increased mental symptoms, but also of increased future anxiety. Health-related measures are significantly associated with the FASS.

The Determinants of Conspiracy Beliefs Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Nationally Representative Sample of Internet Users.

An overwhelming flood of misinformation is accompanying the pandemic of COVID-19. Fake news and conspiracy theories are so prevalent that the World Health Organization started as early as February 2020 to use the term "infodemic". This paper is focused on the assessment of the prevalence of beliefs in conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 in Polish society. The association of support for conspiracy theories with sociodemographic variables, health literacy (HL) and eHealth literacy (eHL) was studied. The analysis reported here was based on the data from an online survey of a representative sample (n = 1002) of the adult population of Polish Internet users. The multivariate linear regression for the COVID-19-related conspiracy belief score (CCBS) and logistic regression models for the support of individual conspiracy theories was developed. The percentage of supporters of particular conspiracy theories in the study sample ranged from 43% to 56%. The CCBS was significantly associated with age, education level, vocational status and both HL and eHL. However, it was lower for persons with higher HL (regression coefficient (B) = -0.04, p < 0.001) but higher for those with higher eHL (B = 0.04, p = 0.038). The most influential predictors of CCBS were age (standardised regression coefficient (ß) = -0.21) and education level (ß from 0.08 to 0.16 for respondents with lower education levels and those with master's degrees). In conclusion, younger persons rather than older, those with a lower rather than with a higher level of education, employees rather than students and persons with lower rather than higher HL were more likely to believe the conspiracy theories. Surprisingly, contrary to expectations, higher eHL was significantly associated with greater belief in such theories.