Reporting of recombinant adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine adverse events in online versions of three highly circulated US newspapers.

Newspapers' reporting of adverse vaccine events may influence their readers vaccination behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and extent of coverage of Johnson and Johnson (J & J) vaccine's adverse events reported in the online versions of the three most widely circulated US daily newspapers from April 13-25, 2021. Articles were identified in published online versions of the three most widely cited newspapers in the United States, using several databases. Dedoose software was used to apply a mixed methods approach to the 110 articles identified. The seven overarching themes were as follows: (1) J & J vaccine characteristics (n = 78); (2) Description of the adverse events (n = 183); (3) Emphasis that it is a rare event and vaccine is still safe (n = 89); (4) Health authorities' investigation (n = 55); (5) Pause in administering J & J vaccine (n = 83); (6) Vaccine fear and anxiety and increased hesitancy (n = 58); (7) J & J role and impact (n = 108). Each theme included a series of subthemes. Overall, the newspaper coverage was aligned with handling of the pause from authoritative health agencies in the US. The findings of this study help to better understand how the US media covered adverse events related to the J & J vaccine, and provides insight for public health professionals regarding acceptance COVID-19 vaccines. Monitoring media coverage related to vaccine adverse events may help public health officials to develop new approaches to adequately inform the public, prevent misinformation, and maintain the optimal vaccination uptake.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Intention to Vaccinate Among a Sample of College Students in New Jersey.

Vaccines are critical for curtailing the COVID-19 pandemic and may represent an important tool for return to "normalcy" on college campuses in the Fall of 2021. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of vaccination coverage and intention to vaccinate among college students. College students (N = 457) enrolled in the Spring 2021 semester at a university in New Jersey completed a cross-sectional survey. The survey collected information on demographics, COVID-19 and vaccination history, knowledge levels and sources of COVID-19 vaccine information, and vaccine attitudes. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with vaccination, and the intention to vaccinate among non-vaccinated students. Results indicate that 23% (n = 105) of participants reported being vaccinated already. Among non-vaccinated students, 52.8% indicated their intention to receive the vaccine when it is made available to college students. Students who were health care workers (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 4.17, p < 0.001), had a family member who had received a COVID-19 vaccine (aOR = 5.03, p < 0.001), exhibited greater positive attitudes regarding vaccination (aOR = 1.12, p < 0.001), and received a seasonal flu vaccine (aOR = 1.97, p < 0.05) were more likely to have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Among non-vaccinated students, those who discussed COVID-19 vaccine information with others (aOR = 5.38, p < 0.001), and exhibited more overall positive attitudes regarding vaccination (aOR = 2.69, p < 0.001), were more likely to indicate their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Findings of this study highlight the need for additional education and vaccine outreach aimed at promoting uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among college students.

Information About COVID-19 Testing on College Websites in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

The continuing COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the Fall reopening plans among institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States (U.S.). While recommendations were made to conduct COVID-19 testing of students and staff, it is unclear as to what extent IHEs were able to engage in testing. IHEs also play a critical role in provision of accurate information related to COVID-19 to students and staff. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess available information on COVID-19 testing on IHEs' websites in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area. IHEs' websites were screened for the presence of content related to COVID-19 testing. Larger institutions (> 10,000 students) were more likely than smaller institutions (≤ 5000 students) to provide information on how to make an appointment for COVID-19 testing (χ2(2) = 8.1, P < 0.05), and information on free testing (χ2(2) = 7.0, P < 0.05). Of 150 IHEs included, 124 (82.7%) IHE's reported testing data to the campus community, with the majority providing this data biweekly (62.9%). A total of 116 IHEs recorded at least one positive COVID-19 case among their students or staff during the Fall semester. Smaller-sized institutions reported a significantly lower number of cases than medium- (P < 0.001) and large-sized (P = 0.003) institutions. Additional differences related to testing modalities and provision of information were observed according to schools' state jurisdictions. Although geographically close, IHEs in the NYC metropolitan area did not provide information on COVID-19 testing in a uniform and comprehensive fashion, which may further contribute to public confusion.

The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on mental health of undergraduate students in New Jersey, cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a period of upheaval for college students. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with the increased levels of mental health burden among a sample of undergraduate college students in Northern New Jersey, the region of the U.S. severely impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: College students (N = 162) enrolled in an introductory core curriculum course completed a cross-sectional survey. The survey collected information on demographics, knowledge levels and sources of COVID-19 information, behavior changes, academic and everyday difficulties, and mental health measurements (depression, anxiety, somatization, and stress). Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with mental health outcomes. RESULTS: Descriptive findings indicate that students have a fundamental knowledge of COVID-19 transmission and common symptoms. Students tend to use and trust the official sources and have changed their behaviors in accordance with public health recommendations (i.e., increased hand washing, wearing mask). However, students reported a number of academic and everyday difficulties and high levels of mental health distress. High levels of depression were associated with difficulties in focusing on academic work and with employment losses, while higher levels of anxiety were more likely to be reported by students other than freshmen and those who spend more than one hour per day looking for information on COVID-19. Inability to focus on academic work and an elevated concern with COVID-19 were more likely to be associated with higher levels of somatization, while trusting news sources was associated with lower levels of somatization. Those with higher levels of perceived stress were more likely to be females, unable to focus on academic work, and report difficulties in obtaining medications and cleaning supplies. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic is making a significant negative impact on mental health of college students. Proactive efforts to support the mental health and well-being of students are needed.

Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Online Versions of Highly Circulated U.S. Daily Newspapers.

With the proliferation of news and the abundance of unknowns, COVID-19 information became rife with rumors and infiltrated consumers with confusion and information overload. In situations like this, it is important to provide consumers with credible and reliable information about the pandemic which is affecting their lives and livelihoods. Articles about coronavirus published in online versions of USA Today online, Wall Street Journal online and NYTimes.com between January and March 2020 were identified. Only articles where the search terms appeared in the headline were included as it was considered a more effective approach to understanding the health communication trends for this outbreak. These criteria resulted in 5,285 articles published on this topic during this time. All articles were imported into Dedoose mixed-methods software for thematic analysis. The frequency of each identified theme appearing in reviewed articles was counted, together with excerpts illustrating the specific theme. Overall, the five most common themes appearing in reviewed articles were "financial impact of COVID-19" (11.6%), "stories of affected individuals" (7.0%), "death and death rates" (6.8%), "precaution recommendations for public" (6.2%), and "quarantine" (5.9%). The newspapers did not just report the numbers (number of infections, ventilators, deaths, economic losses) but they also reported the context of the pandemic, such as, impact on economy, efforts to slow the spread of infection, switch to working from home, presence of health disparities, scientific search for reliable COVID-19 tests, and effect on supply chains. News media play a vital role in enhancing understanding of pandemic, but also in shaping public response to public health messages.