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The various crises are having a significant impact on the entire food sector and are changing the attitudes of Europeans as well as policies on the importance of food security and sustainably produced quality and safe food for consumer health. The paper focuses on the consumer's fear of food security for the time of the first wave of COVID-19 and the associated concern for food security in the future and the changes in consumer behaviour. The online survey in Slovenia was conducted in June 2020 using a "snowball" method. The sample included 490 individuals. The results showed that both measured forms of fear (i) fear over food security during the first wave of COVID-19 crisis, and (ii) fear over food security in the future were statistically significant, moderately strong and positively associated with almost all forms of self-perceived behaviour change caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The respondents focused more on buying locally produced and processed food, food stockpiling and decreasing food waste. Only minor changes were expressed with regards to their food purchasing channels, with the elderly, the highly educated and those who classified themselves in a higher social class buying more often directly from farmers. In the future, the results of this research should be compared with other countries and the impact of an individual's economic situation and the impact of promotional campaigns on agricultural products on changing consumer behaviour should also be analysed in more detail.
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Background: "Covishield" and "Covaxin" were the two vaccines which were approved for emergency use in India. As there is uncertainty regarding these vaccines, this study aimed to estimate the proportion of acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19 in West Bengal;to identify the possible barriers of vaccine acceptance prevalent among the study population and;to find out the association of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination with the socio-demographic and other predictor variables. Methods: Oobservational study with cross sectional design was conductedon 294 participants in Muchisa, Budge Budge II and Ward No. 81 of Borough 10, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) selected by Stratified Random Sampling in 2021 using a predesigned, pretested and structured schedule. The statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 16.0. The data were explored using Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The potential acceptance of Covid-19 vaccination was 59.5% with higher adoption in urban population. The most potential barrier in acceptance of vaccine was "fear of side effects". Higher level of education and history of Covid-19 in the locality were associated with higher acceptance of the vaccination in both the urban and rural areas. Conclusion: A study emphasized on the need for mass campaigns and other behavior change communication activities for addressing the myths surrounding the disease and the newer vaccines and hence improving the currently low vaccine acceptance.
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Each month brings new fears and new reasons to worry about the future. In a world marked by permanent change, by the occurrence of the unthinkable generating a continuous feeling of insecurity, having confidence has become increasingly difficult: confidence in the future, confidence in our environments, in our organisations, confidence in our contemporaries, confidence in our collaborators and confidence in our ability to face a difficult tomorrow. Confidence and fear are inseparable and they are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Unable to look at both sides of a coin at the same time, we must constantly fight our fears with confidence. Therefore, more than ever, trust is an essential element to obtain team security and it only takes one person feeling insecure for the overall confidence of the team to be eroded. This feeling of low self-confidence is particularly true for the younger generation of veterinary surgeons and specialized veterinary assistants. This can result in difficulties that are often unexpressed and can lead professionals to abandon these vocations of "passion" since they do not feel up to the expectations of clients and managers alike. Building the self-confidence of the people concerned has become a professional priority. The origin of the feeling of lack of self-confidence is collective. Therefore, its treatment is collective. Since each member has the capacity to fight against their fears, he or she can play their part and increase security in the team.
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The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused tremendous fear and uncertainty and affected health, economy, and social life in an unprecedented form worldwide. Yet, the level of knowledge on its economic implications is very limited. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to explain the health, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19. Because the tourism is one of the most affected industries by the pandemic, this study aims to explain the effects of COVID-19 cases and deaths, global fear, and government responses on Turkey's tourism industry. Empirical findings show that the tourism industry reacts negatively to new cases, number of deaths, and global fear measures. Also, government containment and health measures and economic supports positively affect the tourism industry. Furthermore, government stringency policies drive down the tourism industry's performance. The findings of this study provide significant implications for tourism and travel firms, policy makers, and future research.
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This research aimed to understand the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of workers of hotel housekeeping departments in the city of Joao Pessoa/PB. A quantitative analysis was carried out, to measure the information gathered from workers of three medium-sized hotels in the capital of the state of Paraiba, using a questionnaire to gather data, and descriptive analysis for the data analysis. It was found that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused impacts on the mental health of workers in this area, mainly in terms of financial worries;fear of losing their jobs;fear of contracting the disease while at work;and fear that if infected, they might pass it on to other members of the family. Added to this were physical fatigue, obsession with cleaning, and stress.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked anxiety and worry in society. Active cases have continued to grow since the government announced the first patient of COVID-19 in Indonesia. In the midst of this spread, adolescents are one of the dominant groups in society infected with COVID-19. This condition can trigger worry and fear of being infected again. Coupled with the transition of activities that were originally carried out outside the home, they had to change from home only. This situation can affect the psychological condition of adolescents. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the history of COVID-19 and anxiety and symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya. Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Surabaya City from October to November 2022. As many as 100 youth aged 20-24 years in Surabaya were the subjects of this study. The dependent variable is anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. The independent variable is adolescents aged 20-24 years with a history of COVID-19. The instruments used were questionnaires and PCR swab evidence collection. Research data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Results: The results showed that 74 subjects (74%) had mild anxiety. Meanwhile, there were 16 subjects (16%) who had symptoms of OCD. Analysis of the chi-square correlation test between history of COVID-19 disease and anxiety showed that there was no relationship between the two variables with a p value = 0.704. Analysis of the chi-square correlation test between history of COVID-19 disease and OCD symptoms showed that there was no relationship between the two variables with a p value = 0.086. Conclusion: There is no relationship between history of COVID-19 disease and anxiety in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya and there is no relationship between history of COVID-19 disease and symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya.
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Background: Uncertainty about any kind of medication will be a potential threat. Hesitancy regarding vaccination is a danger to overall global public health. Since it's the first-time global efforts were made to develop a vaccine against the pandemic of COVID-19. So, this is unknown its acceptance in the community. Getting information regarding the key determinants that influence and potential myths about the vaccine might help full to develop strategies that can help improve the vaccination programs globally. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, its determinants, and myths about the vaccine among people in Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive web-based based study was done, using snowball sampling, bilingual, and a self-administered close-ended questionnaire was sent to participants through google forms on social media platforms and email. Results: A total of 463 participants from all over Pakistan showed the minimum level of secondary education. The occupational status of the participants showed that (45.1%) were currently employed. Vaccination and their perception can be influenced by educational/socioeconomic statuses, participants were also asked about factors they considered to be the most influential in terms of encouraging and discouraging. Fear of getting an infection was the most encouraging factor (39.1%) for people to get vaccinated, whereas adverse effects via social and digital media were the most demotivating factor (36.5%). Participants were asked the reasons for their reluctance;most were afraid of an allergic reaction to the vaccine. The various myths and misconceptions associated with the Covid vaccine showed by logistic regression analysis for factors that were potentially associated with the intake of covid vaccination. Conclusion: Addressing educational/sociodemographic factors relating to the COVID-19 vaccination might help encourage the uptake of the vaccination program globally which also tackles future pandemics.
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The focus of the present study is on the psychological and social dimensions of collective trauma resulting from the intense impact of strong emotional and stress factors connected with the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine in parents of children with oncological diseases. The process of overcoming collective trauma in its diversity is a long one and requires specific care. The challenge of recovery is to regain the sense of control over the mental, economic and social parameters of the individuals affected. For the group of parents studied this includes discovery of a way for the caregivers to be calm and focused on the accompanying care for the child with an oncological disease, even in a pandemic situation and war. The effective overcoming collective trauma of the sense of imminent danger in society is based on public support and personal responsibility. Fear, anger, depression, isolation and lack of resources that are a direct psychological and economic result of pandemic and war, aggravates the quality of life of patients. As socially determined parameters, they carry a high risk of the recurrence and mortality of children with malignant diseases.
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Background: Covid-19 has been declared a global pandemic by WHO. Health Care Workers (HCWs) being the front-line warriors have been most exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Vaccine hesitancy against Covid-19 has been seen among HCWs. The main aim of the research was to find the hesitancy rates of vaccine among HCWs and the pulling and pushing factors to get vaccinated. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on HCWs. Questionnaires on Google forms were sent to all participants through their WhatsApp number and data was analysed through SPSS version 23.0. Results: Out of 81 HCWs selected, 51.9% (n=42) were initially hesitant when the vaccine was first introduced. The main pulling factor initially to get vaccinated was to shield loved ones, 38.75% (n=31) and 46.2% (n=37) of them received a booster dose of vaccine mainly due to employment requirements. Out of the total, 19.75% (n=16) are still hesitant even after vaccination and the most common pushing factors were fear of the side effects and inadequately tested vaccines. Conclusion: Though the majority of the HCWs got vaccinated, vaccine hesitancy is still present among the HCWs and the major reason is uncertainty about the side effects it could cause in the long term.
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Introduction: Sri Lanka adopted various control measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 including early detection by widespread testing, contact tracing and isolation. However, some people were not willing to accept testing due to several reasons. This is the first study from Sri Lanka conducted to determine people's level of willingness to undergo a COVID-19 swab test. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 427 non-COVID-19 patients who visited the outpatient department at a Teaching hospital in northern Sri Lanka. Data collection was done over a one month period in July 2021. The data collected was entered and analysed using SPSS version 28. Results: The mean age of the participants was 43.4, and a majority of the participants were female (62.8%). A significant proportion of the participants (37.9% CI: 34.3-43.6) were not willing to accept the test to screen for COVID-19. Among the 162 patients who were not willing to accept the test, 56.2% reported fear regarding testing, and 37.6% reported fear of getting a positive result. A significant association was observed between people's willingness to accept the test and their gender (P-0.022) and knowledge of the test (P-0.001). Conclusion: As a considerable proportion of participants were not willing to accept COVID-19 screen testing, and people's knowledge regarding testing significantly influenced their acceptance of such testing, this study concludes that the public can be educated further about the COVID-19 infection, identifying the symptoms of disease by themselves, available testing methods, the importance of testing early and how they will be treated if they get positive test results.
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Introduction: COVID-19 brought with it multiple effects, especially in the field of health. These manifest progressively in those who suffer from it in relation to the symptoms presented, which become visible in the short and long term at a physical and mental level. Background: to identify the physical and psychological effects caused by COVID-19 in physically active people before the disease, during the period from January to May 2021. Method: was used a descriptive-interpretative qualitative methodology. A sample of 5 adults from 27 to 66 years of age from Juchitan, Oaxaca, Mexico was used on the study;who were selected based on the following criteria: having been COVID-19 carriers, level of severity (mild/moderate) and have performed constant physical activity before the infection. The techniques applied for collecting information were: the interview and the questionnaire. Results: a drastic decrease was evidenced in relation to the components of physical activity (type, frequency, intensity and duration), as well as the prevalence of psychological affectations: stress, depression, anxiety and fear. Regarding the effects at the physical level, weight loss and fatigue (100%) stood out, followed by hair loss (80%) in those studied. Conclusions: the decrease in physical activity is a consequence of the disease itself, while the psychological effects are the result of the uncertainty generated by the disease.
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Objective: To investigate the psychological characteristics of college students during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), so as to provide a basis for psychological intervention. Methods: From May 17, 2020 to Jun. 17, 2020, the adjusted psychological questionnaires for emergent events of public health (PQEEPH) was surveyed among the college students of Beijing Union University. The questionnaire included 5 dimensions:depression, neurasthenia, fear, obsessive-compulsive anxiety, and hypochondriasis. Four grades were scored according to the degree and frequency of emotional responses:0 means no symptoms, 1 means mild symptoms, 2 means moderate symptoms, and 3 means severe symptoms. Results: A total of 3 019 valid questionnaires were collected. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the emotional responses of college students, from the most serious to the least, were fear, neurasthenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive anxiety, and hypochondriasis, with the incidences being 87.7% (2 648/3 019), 44.8% (1 353/3 019), 37.4% (1 129/3 019), 17.3% (522/3 019), and 11.6% (350/3 019), respectively. The fear scores of female students were higher than those of male students (P < 0.001), the fear scores of college students from towns/suburbs were higher than those from rural and urban areas (both P < 0.017), the scores of depression, neurasthenia and obsessivecompulsive anxiety of college students with confirmed COVID-19 cases around them or their relatives participated in the epidemic prevention and control as medical staff or logistics support personnel were higher than those without such conditions (all P < 0.017), and the scores of depression, obsessive-compulsive anxiety and hypochondriasis of college students with suspected COVID-19 cases around them were higher than those without such condition (all P < 0.017). Females were more likely to have moderate to severe fear than males (odds ratio[OR]=1.53, 95% confidence interval[CI] 1.25-1.88, P < 0.001), those with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases around them were more likely to have moderate to severe fear than those without such conditions (OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.29-3.20, P=0.002), and those living in towns/suburbs were more likely to have moderate to severe fear than those living in rural and urban areas (OR=0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.94, P=0.015;OR=0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.97, P=0.025). Conclusion: COVID-19 epidemic has impact on the psychology of college students. It is necessary to pay attention to the mental health of college students and provide targeted psychological counseling for them.
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Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic put the health system in Mexico to the test. The rapid conversion to "COVID hospitals" and the difficulties already faced by public health institutions, such as the saturation of health services, lack of hospital structure and person-al protective equipment, had a negative impact on the working conditions and health of primary care physicians in COVID areas. Background: To identify the factors that affected the working conditions and health of physicians who worked in COVID areas in public health institutions in Mexico. Methods: A bibliographic review was carried out, six different databases were consulted, readings on the discussion of occupational health of physicians in COVID areas were included, and nine articles were selected. Results: The working conditions were described as precarious: lack of personal protective equipment, working hours of more than ten hours, and absence of a contract. In terms of health, this group of professionals was found to suffer from stress, anxiety, fear and anguish. Conclusions: The participation and cooperation of physicians, health authorities, governmental sectors, involved institutions and associations, the involvement of public policies, the health system and the society can join efforts to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections, as well as the rate of contagion and comorbidities. All these actions will make it possible to re-duce the stress levels and work overload of health professionals.
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Background and Objectives: It is predicted that the negative effects of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will continue. These negative effects are not limited to psychological problems. Serious physiological and economic problems have also been observed. It is important to develop and standardize appropriate tools to assess its different effects. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) in Iranian samples. Methods: In this study, participants were people aged 18-60 years in Iran from March to May 2022, who were selected by a convenience sampling method. In order to evaluate the convergent and discriminant validity, the second version of the acceptance and action questionnaire, the brief version of the difficulty in emotion regulation scale, and the fear of COVID-19 scale were used. The factor structure of the questionnaire was examined by confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was examined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the test-retest method. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 25 and LISREL version 8.8. Results: The results of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the four-factor structure the Persian C19P-S. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale was 0.90;for the subscales of psychological, psychological, economic and social factors, it was 0.87, 0.88, 0.89, and 0.91, respectively. In addition, the test-retest reliability with a four-week interval for the whole scale was 0.86;for the subscales of psychological, psychological, economic and social factors, it was 0.83, 0.79, 0.82, and 0.88, respectively. The correlation coefficients indicated the favorable convergent and discriminant validity of the Persian C19P-S (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The Persian C19P-S is a reliable and valid scale for measuring coronaphobia in Iranian samples.
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Objectives: The study investigated the relationship between fear of COVID-19, quality of sexual life, and sexual satisfaction of women in Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 26, 2020, and January 26, 2021. The sample consisted of 811 women. Data were collected using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Sexual Quality of Life-Female Scale, and the Pre-Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction and During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction scores. Results: There was a negative correlation between the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Sexual Quality of Life-Female Scale and the During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction scores. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores accounted for 86% of the total variance in the Sexual Quality of Life scores and 5% of the total variance in the During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction Scores. Conclusion: Sexual problems due to the fear of COVID-19 adversely affect women's sexual quality of life. Healthcare professionals should address the fear of COVID-19 and related sexual issues during the pandemic.
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Background: While vaccines are acknowledged as one of the most successful public health measures, an increasing number of people doubt the safety or necessity of vaccines. We aimed to assess and identify the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination acceptance worldwide. Materials and Methods: In this review, a systemic search of online databases (Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CIVILICA, and Google Scholar search engine) was conducted for related studies with no time limit up to December 2021. Results: The percentage of individuals willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine across worldwide studies ranged from 23.1% to 92%. Willingness to vaccinate was dependent on factors such as male gender, older age groups (aged 65 or older), race (Asian race), higher income, ethnicity (Hispanic ethnicity), specialists' recommendations, access barriers (location of vaccine delivery, relative cost, time and distance to access vaccine), and a higher level of education. Hesitancy was mostly driven by vaccine safety concerns, perceived effectiveness, distrust in health officials or public health experts to ensure vaccine safety, lack of vaccine offer or lack of communication from trusted providers and community, vaccine characteristics (i.e., ways the vaccine will be administered and where the vaccine is made), and speed of vaccine development and was associated with fear of known or unknown long-term side effects. Conclusion: The top three reasons people agree to vaccinate were "to protect themselves and others", "belief in vaccination and science", and "to help stop the virus spread". Willingness to vaccinate differed by age, gender, race, income status, ethnicity, specialists' recommendations, access barriers (including the location of vaccine delivery, relative cost, time, and distance to access a vaccine), and education.
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This study aimed to evaluate the perception of family caregivers in the care process of patients with COVID-19. This study was conducted on 19 family caregivers, who were selected using purposive sampling from 2021 to 2022. Unstructured interviews were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using the Kyngas conventional content analysis approach. The analysis of data led to three main themes, including unremitting efforts in physical care in the light of traditional medicine, accuracy, and intelligence in psychological attention and trying to maintain environmental health. According to the results, family caregivers provide high levels of self-sacrificing, continuous, and comprehensive, combined with fear and loneliness care in different dimensions with little or no support from the family, community, and health team.
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In an attempt to improve access to food distribution systems during the Covid-19 pandemic, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued temporary flexibility in food labeling requirements. This requirement affects the Top 8 allergens and could lead to accidental allergen ingestion. The purpose of this study was to utilize a qualitative method to collect and analyze comments to FDA that were available via Allergic Living's website from May 22, 2020, to June 18, 2020, following the release of the food labeling change. In total, 3,033 comments were analyzed using the thematic analysis six-phase framework approach. Various themes were extracted relating to the emotional responses of the new labeling including fear, safety concerns, and trust of certain food product brands among the food allergy community. This research has implications for a broad spectrum of the U.S. food industry including restaurants, grocery stores, specialty food associations, and consumers. Stakeholders and experts in the food allergy community should be consulted when a policy change is occurring, especially during a pandemic affecting access to safe food.
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Background and Objectives: A significant increase in mental problems among students have been reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of COVID-19 and the relationships between them among college students, approximately two years after the onset of the pandemic in Iran. Methods: In this descriptive study, 148 students were recruited from the University of Bojnord using a convenience sampling method. The depression, anxiety stress scale (DASS) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and Pearson correlation test were used to analyze the data. Results: The results show that 15.5% of students had depression, 12.8% had anxiety, and 14.2% had stress and fear of COVID-19 symptoms. The mean score of DASS in this study was not significantly different from the scores reported in the beginning of pandemic. The fear of COVID-19 had no significant relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusion: The levels of depression, anxiety and stress two years after the COVID-19 pandemic do not differ from their levels at the beginning of the pandemic among college students, but the fear of COVID-19 level is significantly lower. Acceleration of the vaccination and the increase of awareness about the disease might be reasons for improvement in the psychological status of students.
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Background: The present study aims to understand the perceptions, apprehensions, and fears of peripartum COVID-positive women in low-resource settings. Study design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methodology: All COVID-positive postpartum women who delivered in the institution (vaginal delivery and cesarean section) were included in the study. Exclusion criteria included ICU admission and known mental illness. Results: A total of 61 COVID-positive women delivered in the facility during the study period. About 33 out of 61 women were nulliparous, while 28 were multigravida. Two babies tested positive for COVID-19 within 24 hours of birth. Majority of the patients were anxious prior to coming to hospital (51/61, i.e., 83.6%). The most common perceived fear reported by patients was fear of not receiving support from partner and provider (80%). Due to restrictions imposed on birth companion, 80% (49/61) women feared loneliness during labor. Apprehension of not receiving respectful maternity care was experienced by 75.4% (46/61) of women. Only 16 (26.2%) patients feared progression of disease, and 32 women (52%) were afraid of infection being transmitted to baby. However, 85% of the women reported a positive birthing experience. Good support from the family was observed in 76% of women. Despite regular visits by the doctors, eight patients (13%) felt a lack of connect due to the prevailing situation. Inability to celebrate joyful moments with family, neonatal separation, and delay in discharge were the major causes of discontent among the postpartum women. Conclusion: The study shows that the excitement and joy of pregnancy and delivery in pre-COVID times has been replaced by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty in this COVID era. Strategies, like good communication and provision of adequate support, may be particularly useful to help these women have a positive birthing experience.