Prevalence of Health-Risk Behaviors and Mental Well-Being of ASEAN University Students in COVID-19 Pandemic.

The prevalence of epidemiological health-risk behaviors and mental well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by sociodemographic factors in Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) university students, were examined in the research. Data were collected in March-June 2021 via an online survey from 15,366 university students from 17 universities in seven ASEAN countries. Analyzed data comprised results on physical activity, health-related behaviors, mental well-being, and sociodemographic information. A large proportion of university students consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (82.0%; 95%CI: 81.4, 82.6) and snacks/fast food daily (65.2%; 95%CI: 64.4, 66.0). About half (52.2%; 95%CI: 51.4, 53.0) consumed less than the recommended daily amounts of fruit/vegetable and had high salt intake (54%; 95%CI: 53.3, 54.8). Physical inactivity was estimated at 39.7% (95%CI: 38.9, 40.5). A minority (16.7%; 95%CI: 16.1, 17.3) had low mental well-being, smoked (8.9%; 95%CI: 8.4, 9.3), and drank alcohol (13.4%; 95%CI: 12.8, 13.9). Country and body mass index had a significant correlation with many health-risk behaviors and mental well-being. The research provided important baseline data for guidance and for the monitoring of health outcomes among ASEAN university students and concludes that healthy diet, physical activity, and mental well-being should be key priority health areas for promotion among university students.

Work-family balance self-efficacy and work-family balance during the pandemic: A longitudinal study of working informal caregivers of older adults.

The measures against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, such as lockdown, pose a major challenge to those who manage work and caregiving demands. Drawing on social cognitive theory, which emphasizes the critical role of self-referent thought and human agency in overcoming obstacles and striving toward goals, the present longitudinal study (prepandemic, during lockdown, and postlockdown) investigated work-family balance self-efficacy (WFBSE) and work-family balance (WFB) among working informal caregivers of older adults (i.e., those who manage paid work and informal eldercare) during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 132). As hypothesized, prepandemic WFBSE was positively associated with the level of WFB during lockdown. Prepandemic WFBSE also mitigated the relationship between perceived work demands and WFB as well as the relationship between perceived difficulty to use technology for caregiving and WFB during lockdown. Prepandemic WFBSE, however, did not buffer the relationship between perceived caregiving demands and WFB and the relationship between perceived difficulty to use technology for work and WFB. We also observed that WFB during lockdown was associated with increased postlockdown WFBSE. Collectively, our research reiterates the relevance and utility of self-efficacy in the crisis context and provides empirical evidence for the proposition that positive changes may occur in the face of adversity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).