ABSTRACT
Background: The association between social capital and preventive behaviors against COVID-19 remains controversial. We examined the association between social capital and preventive behaviors against COVID-19 at country level. Methods: The data on country-level social capital (i.e., social trust, group affiliations, civic responsibility, and confidence in state institutions) was obtained from a previous literature based on World Value Survey. Preventive behaviors were calculated as the percentage of people in a country who took COVID-19 preventive behaviors (i.e., physical distancing, hand hygiene, and the use of face mask) from an international survey of Facebook users, from July to October 2020 (207 data points for 9 waves of 23 countries). The scores on social capital were standardized. The association was investigated with multilevel linear regression analysis. Results: High civic responsibility (per 1 standard deviation, SD) was associated with low percentage points of physical distancing (ß = -4.66, 95% confidence interval, CI: 7.23, -2.09), hand hygiene (ß = -2.88, 95% CI: 3.98, -1.78) and the use of face mask (ß = -3.95, 95% CI: 5.29, -2.62). Group affiliations were associated with high percentage points of physical distancing (ß = 2.96, 95% CI: 0.35, 5.58) and the use of face mask (ß = 1.80, 95% CI: 0.45, 3.16). Social trust had significant positive association with performing hand hygiene (ß = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.09, 2.35). Conclusions: These results suggested that in countries with higher levels of civic responsibility, preventive behaviors should be more intensified during a pandemic.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine the association of the duration of visual display terminal (VDT) usage for work and non-work activities with self-rated health (SRH) and psychological distress among office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A cross-sectional data of 7088 office workers from a web-based, self-administered survey conducted from 25 August 2020, to 30 September 2020, was used. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied. Compared to those who used a VDT for 4-9 h for work, office workers who used a VDT for ≥10 h for work had poor SRH (odds ratio (OR): 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 2.41) and severe psychological distress (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.52, 3.28). VDT usage for less than 1 h (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.67) and 1-3 h (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.80) for work were also associated with severe psychological distress. Stratification analysis by age showed a significant association of VDT usage for work with poor SRH among 30-64-year-olds, while a U-shape association was found between VDT usage for work and psychological distress with the younger age group (15-29 years old). During the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, the prolonged usage of VDT for work can deteriorate both general and psychological health, while moderate usage of VDT for work can reduce psychological distress.