The digital divide: An ongoing state of emergency in adult literacy programs

COVID-19 and closures of in-person interactions with support programs, education providers, government services, and consumer offerings have raised concerns that vulnerable populations may not be able to mitigate the effects of the digital divide. Our chapter discusses the digital divide with a focus on programs for adult learners who have not completed high school. These include literacy, high school completion, and vocational programs. We look specifically at Ontario as a case sample that shares similarities with programs across Canada. These programs are operated by community-based non-profits, school boards, and community colleges. They are usually marginalized within the broader education system and have not been considered as part of comprehensive supports and initiatives when schools and post-secondary institutions were closed. The digital inequalities learners experience have parallels in the very programs they attend to mitigate their own digital learning divide. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

Problematic Internet use by children and adolescents from the parental perspective before and after the lockdown due to COVID-19

Problematic Internet use by children and adolescents has increased in recent years, causing negative consequences in the psychoemotional, physical, social, and academic development of minors. However, few studies have examined the change in problematic Internet use by minors following the pandemic. Thus, the main objective of this research was to study whether there has been an increase in problematic Internet use after the lockdown due to COVID-19, analyze if this increase is related to parental supervision and explore its link with age, gender, and non-educative online activities. This was a retrospective study including 156 parents of children (aged 5 to 16 years), who answered a set of questionnaires with good reliability to assess their children's problematic Internet use, the frequency of use of the activities that children perform on the Internet and the supervision that they give to their children. These variables were compared before and after the lockdown due to COVID-19. The results showed that there has been an increase in problematic Internet use by minors after the lockdown. On the other hand, the findings did not show a significant relationship between parental supervision and less problematic Internet use at either time point. It is noteworthy that parental supervision remained unchanged despite the increase in problematic Internet use after the lockdown. © 2023. Psy, Soc & Educ.

Differences Between Emerging Adults' and Adults' Internet Use Before and During the COV-ID-19 Emergency: The Role of Well-Being and Mood Regulation

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significance of Internet use in many contexts of human life (e.g., work/study, family, and leisure), daily activities, and developmental tasks (e.g., transition to university/work) associated with specific life stages (e.g., emerging adults, 18-29 years, and adults, over 30 years old). Based on the lifespan model of developmental challenges and focusing on emerging adulthood and adulthood, the current study analyzed functional and dysfunctional Internet use in two different Italian populations: before and during the COVID-19 emergency. The sample consisted of 375 individuals who completed an online survey before COVID-19 and 286 who completed same survey during the COVID-19 emergency. All questionnaires were related to well-being, life/work satisfaction, problematic Internet use, cyberloafing, and interaction overload. Both samples were further differentiated into three life stages, associated with specific transitions and developmental tasks: early emerging adults (18-24), older emerging adults (25-29), and adults (over 30). Results show how the transitions (and related developmental tasks) of each life stage affect, in relevant ways, the functional or dysfunctional Internet use as well as well-being and life satisfaction related to Internet use. © 2022 University of Finance and Management in Warsaw. All rights reserved.

Identification of Facebook posts on nephrology-related terms that benefit patient outreach

Objective: The impact of social media on public health has been examined in various studies. However, none have explored user engagement based on the type of Facebook posts related to renal disease. Therefore, the present study sought to determine which type of nephrology-related posts have greater user engagement. Setting(s): Facebook pages. Method(s): The posts on a specific Facebook page curated by a team of nephrologists in Malaysia were examined in this cross-sectional study. The type of post, likes, comments, shares of a post and reach of a post were used for data analysis. Analysis of variance was used to quantify the relative contribution of each independent variable to the odds of the post being highly liked or shared. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare links, photos, shared videos, status and videos for parameters such as reach, the number of times a specific piece of content has been displayed on a screen (impressions), and user engagement. Result(s): Shared videos and photos received the highest median reach of 5,862 and 5,880, respectively. People who 'liked' the page in 2019, 2020 and 2021 numbered 193, 4,196 and 2,835, respectively. Among the types of content on the Facebook page, photos and shared videos received the highest median lifetime reach of the post compared to links, status and videos in terms of 'people who liked the page'. Conclusion(s): The study findings suggest that posting a video or photo maximises the chance of engagement and meaningfully impacts public health outcomes.Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.

Perception of Internet Use in Relation to Health Decision-Making among Nursing Students.

Internet use has increased worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the point where it has inadvertently integrated into our lives. University students use the Internet daily for different purposes: seeking information, entertaining, as a teaching and learning tool, they consider social networks as a means of connection and social interaction, and to seek information to make health decisions. Because of this, the Internet and social networks have gained popularity among this group, to the point of developing an abusive use that is not perceived as an addictive risk. A descriptive analysis was performed through the adaptation of a survey about Internet use, social networks and health perception; this survey was given to nursing students of the Gimbernat School during the academic year 2021-2022. Students completed the ad hoc questionnaire (N = 486; 83.5% female, 16.3% male; only 1 declared to be non-binary gender). Our hypothesis had to do with whether the population of nursing students at Gimbernat School had increased, after the pandemic, its use of the Internet and social networks to make decisions about health problems. The objective of the study was to analyse differences in students' habits of use of the Internet and social networks as they look for health information, their decision-making when they find the information and their perception of health as nursing students from a gender perspective. The results showed a clear positive relationship between the variables studied. Of nursing students, 60.4% spend between 20 and more than 40 h a week using the Internet, and 43.6% of these hours are spent on social networks. Of students, 31.1% make health decisions by searching for information on the Internet and consider it useful and relevant. The use of the Internet and social media in relation to health decisions is clearly affected. To try to reduce the incidence of the problem, interventions are needed regarding the prevention and/or consequences of Internet abuse and health education of student nurses as future health assets.

Internet Use and Well-Being of Older Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from European Social Survey.

The present study examined older adults' use of digital technology and its relation to perceived well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Three cross-sectional survey data from the European Social Survey (ESS) were employed including ESS8-2016 (n = 10,618, Mean age = 73.59 ± 6.76 years; 54.4% female), ESS9-2018 (n = 13,532, Mean age = 73.85 ± 6.58 years; 55.9% female), and ESS10-2020 (n = 4,894, Mean age = 73.49 ± 6.40 years; 59.0% female). Results showed that there was a tendency to increase Internet use on a daily basis across different European countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Old age, low education, being widowed, and living in a household with more than five household members were salient factors that are correlated with lower levels of Internet use. Internet use was positively associated with happiness and life satisfaction, and negatively associated with poor general health.

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and its relationship with public interest in mental health: a study between 2020-2022 in Spain.

The possible relationship between vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and mental health has been largely unexplored. We investigated variations in public interest in mental health issues between the different periods of the vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 in Spain and before the initiation of the campaign. Using Google Trends, we explored the relative search volume (RSV) for the terms 'anxiety', 'depression', 'stress', 'insomnia', and 'suicide' between 03/01/2020 and 01/15/2022. The RSV was compared for these terms with respect to four periods: the pre-vaccination pandemic period; the period running from initiation of vaccination until 50% of the population was fully vaccinated (FV); the period running from 50% FV to 70% FV; and the period after 70% FV. Differences in the RSV indices were observed between the studied periods for 'anxiety'(F = 6.07; p = 0.001; ƞ2 = 0.16), 'stress' (F = 7.77; p < 0.001; ƞ2 = 0.19), and 'insomnia' (F = 3.80; p = 0.013; ƞ2 = 0.11). A lower RSV was found for 'anxiety', 'stress', and 'insomnia' after 70% FV compared to the two previous vaccination periods. A lower RSV was also found for 'stress' after achieving the milestone of 70% FV in relation to the period prior to initiation of the campaign. In conclusion, there is less need for information on specific mental health topics in the period after 70% FV. In Spain, reaching this vaccination milestone may have had a positive impact on anxiety, stress, and insomnia levels in the population, as reflected in fewer web searches for information on these psychopathological processes. The promotion of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign could take into account the changes observed in this preliminary study with respect to public interest in stress, anxiety, and insomnia once a large percentage of the population has been vaccinated.

Bridging the urban-rural gap: A qualitative examination of perceived access, barriers, risks and opportunities of children's digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously reshaped the landscape of education worldwide, shifting digital learning from a substitute to a possible necessity in a time of uncertainty. This study explored the digital learning experience for children in China during and after the lockdown periods from February 2020 to January 2022, with a particular focus on the urban-rural divide. Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifth- and sixth-grade students, parents and teachers to obtain multiple perspectives regarding children's digital learning in YY County in southwestern China. This study revealed that the urban-rural digital divide is not rooted in differences in minimal access to digital devices per se but rather in meaningful access to make full use of those devices for extended learning purposes. The major barriers that give rise to the digital divide include teachers' technology challenges, internet addiction among children and a lack of parental supervision of children's digital use. However, digital learning also offers an opportunity to address educational inequality. This study calls for empowering rural teachers and parents to better support children's digital needs and boost their digital learning experience. Well-designed virtual interventions, school- and community-based programmes and policy interventions are potential solutions to address the needs of rural teachers, parents and children.

Investigating Autistic Traits, Social Phobia, Fear of COVID-19, and Internet Use Disorder variables in the context of Videoconference Fatigue

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many individuals turned to synchronous online video communication technologies as a substitute for real-world face-to-face interactions. Evidence indicates that some users of such technologies show symptoms of exhaustion and fatigue during and after videoconferences – this phenomenon is referred to as Videoconference Fatigue (VC fatigue). Research characterizing the possible vulnerability factors for VC fatigue is still scarce and considered to be in its early stage. Contributing to closing this gap in the existing literature is the motivation for the present study. Survey data was collected from 311 German-speaking participants to explore the relationships of VC fatigue with several psychological factors including autistic traits, social phobia, Fear of COVID-19, tendencies towards Internet Use Disorders (IUD tendencies), and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO, trait and state variables). Results showed that VC fatigue was significantly positively correlated with all of these psychological factors, and mediation analyses provided further evidence for the positive association between autistic traits and VC fatigue. Specifically, the relationship between autistic traits and VC fatigue was mediated by Fear of COVID-19 and IUD tendencies rather than social phobia, with the latter being a preregistered hypothesis. This study adds to the literature by revealing several possible vulnerability factors associated with VC fatigue. In essence, the present work sheds light on the complex association between autistic traits and VC fatigue. We discuss the implications of our study as well as its limitations and potential avenues for future research.

Psychological Impact of E-Learning among Students: A Survey

Aim: This study is conducted to know the psychological impact of e learning among the students. Background(s): From the time of very first beginning of civilization to modern days before corona pandemic situation, most of the students of India are very much used to with the offline mode of learning. But now the situation is changed totally. They are getting themselves adapted to the online mode of learning as per need of time. In this changed scenario they are totally disconnected from their usual life with frames schools teachers and society. This situation wreaks havoc to their psychology. Methodology: This study is conducted with primary data in form of online survey. It was conducted with a pre formed questionnaire. 428 responses were collected for the present study. With advanced Excel software statistical analysis done. Outcome(s): Results show that students have shown negative impression on online learning and still they are not ready totally psychologically. Still positive answers show neck to neck result, which signifies increasing interest towards e learning. More practices and awareness required before further implementation.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Swedish adults aged 77 years and older: Age differences in lifestyle changes.

AIMS: This study aimed to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle and social activities among older adults in Sweden, with a special focus on differences between the 'younger old' (aged 77-84) and 'older old' (aged 85-109). METHODS: This study is based on a nationally representative sample of older adults (aged ⩾77 years) in Sweden (SWEOLD). Data were collected between May 2021 and April 2022, when many recommendations were removed but the virus was still classified as a public health disease. We studied occurrences and differences between the two age groups in several lifestyle factors and social activities. RESULTS: The younger old displayed larger changes in lifestyles because of the pandemic than the older old. Most changes were found in social interactions with family. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the large heterogeneity within the Swedish population aged ⩾77 years, and that the younger old experienced a bigger lifestyle change than the older old. Previous activity levels might be important to consider in order to understand how regulations may affect the older population. Finally, our findings indicate large age differences in Internet use, which require attention to prevent digital exclusion of an already vulnerable group.

Social Class, Digital Capital and Practices for Staying Connected of Older People During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Older adults are among the ones most exposed to social isolation because they've stayed at home for much longer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research aims through multiple correspondence analysis being made along the axis of questions about what media use practice older adults have for coping with feelings of isolation, how they stay in touch with their social environment, and what kind of relationship their practices for coping with the feeling of isolation and for staying connected to their social environment have to their social status. The research focuses on the decisive roles of digital capital and social status. Television is seen to help older adults the most in overcoming the feeling of isolation, followed by telephone and smartphone calls, respectively. Older adults with higher social status tend to have higher digital capital and accordingly also use more diverse means of communicating to access quality information. The multiple correspondence analysis has revealed digital inequality to be an extension of social, economic, and cultural inequalities.

Screen Addiction among nursing students during confinement in Morocco

Aim: The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychological experience during confinement by psychological scales of student nurses and health technicians. Material and Methods: To explore this topic, we used an anonymous questionnaire based on, in addition to status and individual conditions, scales assessing depression (Beck) and internet addiction (IAT). Results: We were able to collect after a rigorous sorting 98 answers, of which 87.8% are women with an average age of 20 years. Beck, 18.36% according to the IAT scale are problematic Internet users with possible life consequences. The function of the mother, the place of residence and the domain of internet use such as social networks, TV and electronic entertainment are the variables that show a statistically significant difference with a P <0.05, and the use of social networks is a risk factor for problematic internet use (OR=2.21e+10, and p <0.001). Discussion: The exploration of depression and the problematic use of the Internet has concluded that there is an undeniable impact of confinement on young students.

Why Do We Swipe on Tinder? Psychological Correlates of Tinder Use

Using apps like Tinder is becoming increasingly popular, especially among youth. Although there is an increase in Tinder use, only a few studies have addressed the motives for using Tinder and the problematic use of Tinder. This study aims to examine the frequency of use and motives for the use of Tinder among young people and to examine the predictors of problematic use of Tinder. The research was conducted online, and the following measuring instruments were used: Tinder Use Motivation Scale, Problematic Tinder Use Scale and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. Participants (N = 191;F = 75.3%;M-age = 23.14, SDage = 2.779) stated that their most common reason for using Tinder is boredom, looking for an intimate partner, looking for a sexual partner, and finally improving self-esteem. The results on this sample show that women spend more time on Tinder than men, and men are more likely to look for a sexual partner than women. Participants who express a higher level of need for relatedness frustration, use Tinder to find an intimate partner or raise self-confidence, access it more frequently and spend more time on Tinder, show a higher level of problematic use of Tinder.

Internet Use Disorders Among German Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Internet Use Disorders Among German Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Theoretical background: Several studies indicate that the level of adolescents' time spent online increased sharply during the lockdown measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial studies also link this to an increase in Internet use disorders. Objective: Using an ipsative comparison, the present study examined whether Internet use disorders and symptoms of problematic Internet use increased among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this is related to quality of life. Method: For this purpose, we examined 743 (unselected) adolescents from eight secondary schools (26 classes) in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region in two waves using the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS). The first wave (t1, n = 507;M-Age= 15.7, SDAge = 1.8, female = 49 %) was collected between July 2015 and October 2016. The second wave (t2, n = 236, M-Age = 15.3, SDAge = 2.3, female = 54 %) was studied in the same schools and grade levels (also 26 classes) from July to December 2021. Results: There was a significant increase in symptom severity of Internet use disorders. The CIUS mean score increased from M = 15.8 to M = 19.3 points (M-diff = -3.5 points, 95 % KI [-4.9, -2.1], p < .001, partial eta(2) = .03. The prevalence of addictive Internet use doubled from 7.1 % before to 14.8 % during the pandemic (p = .002). Hazardous Internet use did not increase significantly (13.8 % at t1 vs. 15.7 % at t2, p = .749). In contrast, normal Internet use decreased by 10 % from 79.1 % to 69.5 % (p = .006). Symptom severity was also moderately negatively correlated with quality of life, which is below the normal range in individuals with addictive Internet use. Discussion and Conclusion: The extent to which the increase in Internet use disorders is attributable to exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic is debatable. Nevertheless, the results do indicate an increased need for care among adolescents. Situational prevention interventions should therefore be expanded and implemented. The subsequent implementation of evidence-based behavioral prevention and early intervention programs should be promoted as well as facilitation of access to therapeutic services.

A short-term manual for webcam-based telemedicine treatment of Internet use disorders.

In recent decades, the number of people who experience their Internet use behavior as problematic has risen dramatically. In Germany, a representative study from 2013 estimated the prevalence of Internet use disorder (IUD) to be about 1.0%, with higher rates among younger people. A 2020 meta-analysis shows a global weighted average prevalence of 7.02%. This indicates that developing effective IUD treatment programs is more critical than ever. Studies show that motivational interviewing (MI) techniques are widely used and effective in treating substance abuse and IUDs. In addition, an increasing number of online-based health interventions are being developed to provide a low-threshold treatment option. This article presents a short-term online-based treatment manual for IUDs that combines MI techniques with therapy tools from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The manual includes 12 webcam-based therapy sessions, each lasting 50 min. Each session is framed by a standardized beginning, conclusion, outlook, and flexible session content. In addition, the manual contains example sessions to illustrate the therapeutic intervention. Finally, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online-based therapy compared to analog treatment settings and provide recommendations for dealing with these challenges. By combining established therapeutic approaches with an online-based therapeutic setting based on flexibility and motivation, we aim to provide a low-threshold solution for treating IUDs.

e-ADDICTION - A THREAT TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD AMONG POLISH YOUTH

The text concerns the issue of e-addictions among youth. The description of the phenomenon in the Polish perspective was made on the basis of the results of national and international research. The considerations are based on the theory of social constructionism and are related to whether the problem of differently treated e-addictions is a real problem in Poland or is it just a phenomenon created by researchers and specialists dealing behavioral disorders. The results leave no illusions - the scale of the phenomenon in the Polish reality is similar to that presented in other European countries, which draws attention to the need to take preventive measures and monitor the situation, especially as a consequence of changes in the patterns of Internet use by young people in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023,Journal of Community Positive Practices. All Rights Reserved.

Spatial and Socioeconomic Analysis of Purposeful Mobile Internet Use in US States

The digital divide in the United States has received renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. As achievement of digital equity remains a high priority, this study examines spatial patterns and socioeconomic determinants of the purposeful use of mobile internet for personal and business needs in US states. Agglomerations of mobile internet use are identified using K-means clustering and the extent of agglomeration is measured using spatial autocorrelation analysis. Regression analysis reveals that mobile internet use is associated with employment in management, business, science, and arts occupations, affordability, age structure, and the extent of freedom in US states. Spatial randomness of regression residuals shows the effectiveness of the conceptual model to account for spatial bias. Implications of these findings are discussed. © 2023 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

Who Believes in Fake News: A Study on the Relationship between Affective Temperament, Cyberchondria and Problematic Use of the Internet during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has been associated with various psychological problems, such as Cyberchondria, constant research for information online, to obtain health-related information. This was associated with problematic social media use and various psychological problems. This study aimed to measure the characteristics of fear and anxiety of COVID-19, the generalized approach to online searching and the use of the Internet about the perception of health, during a pandemic. The online survey was disseminated from April to June 2021 on available social media channels. We found that the pandemic was associated with depression, anxiety, cyberchondria, and cognitive preoccupation. We reported an increase in cyberchondria, depression, stress, low mood, and anxiety during the Covid outbreak. The Internet plays a vital role in everyday life in this period, because it has become a popular source of accessing health-related information. © 2023 by the author.

Examining Online Behaviors of Young Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic Social Isolation Period with Regard to Life Satisfaction, Loneliness, and Hostility.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed individuals to intense restrictions and social isolation, as well as the possibility of deterioration of physical health. In the pandemic period, the Internet has become the principal avenue for social interaction, leisure related activities, and school-work pursuits for most people and consequently problematic Internet use (PIU) has increased dramatically in this period. Modeling of PIU among university students - considered one of the most negatively affected groups at this time - along with PIU subconstructs as well as indicators of psychological well-being - life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility - will be valuable in directing future studies. This study examined the effects of the psychological well-being indicators of life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility on PIU constructs; the preference for online social interaction, Internet use for mood regulation, and deficient self-regulation of Internet use during the Covid-19 pandemic social isolation period. Participants were 418 undergraduate students from a public university (130 male and 288 female). Results revealed that young adults with low life satisfaction have been more likely to problematically use the Internet to regulate their mood during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hostility and loneliness between which there is a moderately strong direct relationship, were similarly related to deficiently self-regulated Internet use. Moreover, individuals experiencing feelings of loneliness are more likely to use the Internet problematically for online social interaction purposes, while those experiencing feelings of hostility are more likely to use it problematically for mood regulation purposes. Given the significant relationships between indicators of psychological well-being and PIU, higher education institutions should take measures to prevent PIU behaviors in their students in case they face potential periods of social isolation.