ABSTRACT
By providing health information through visual communication, public health organizations can effectively guide and persuade people to adopt healthy behaviors, which is critical in the context of public health crises. In this study, drawing upon congruity theory and the premise of visual communication, we examined how information source and emoji may shape people's preventive and self-protective behaviors through perceived fear (PF) and perceived controllability (PC). Using a convenience sample of 210 participants, we conducted a 2 (emoji: with versus without) × 2 (information source: official versus unofficial) between-subject experiment. The results indicated that, compared with nonuse, the use of emoji in information resulted in higher PF, stronger preventive behavioral intention (PBI), and lower PC. In addition, a strong interaction effect was observed between emoji and the source of information on PBI. When emoji were added to health information released by an unofficial organization, the text outperformed that from an official agency in persuading people to adopt preventive behaviors. Furthermore, we determined that PF mediated the effect of emoji on PBI, but only for unofficial information sources. These results provide a reference for enhancing the effectiveness of health information including visual cues, such as emoji.
ABSTRACT
Despite the increasing use of digital media and their powerful impact on risk management during recent outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, the question of how digital media exposure influences preventive behaviors has not been fully explained. Using the appraisal tendency framework and protection motivation theory as theoretical frameworks, we theorized the affective and cognitive mechanisms under which the differential roles of three negative emotions (fear, anger, worry) on two cognitive appraisals (perceived threat and perceived efficacy) were examined. Based on data collected from a survey of 1,500 South Koreans during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that while worry and anger increased perceived efficacy, fear reduced perceived efficacy. The results also showed that although exposure to COVID-19 information via digital formats increased preventive behavioral intention in general, digital media use for COVID-19 information had a negative influence on preventive behavioral intention through the sequential mediation of fear and perceived efficacy. © 2022, Center for Asian Public Opinion Research and Collaboration Initiative. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients receiving hemodialysis treatment are among the risk groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. They must cope with many factors simultaneously like anxiety about being ill, social isolation, inadequate information about protective precautions, and the need to attend regular treatment. OBJECTIVES: This study was performed with the aim of determining problems experienced by individuals receiving hemodialysis treatment during the pandemic. DESIGN: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional type study. PARTICIPANTS: The research included 234 patients receiving chronic hemodialysis treatment. MEASUREMENTS: For collection of data in the research, a patient descriptive information form and COVID-19 phobia scale (CP19-S) scale were used. RESULTS: Patients receiving hemodialysis treatment were determined to have high levels of compliance with individual precautions required during the pandemic. Of patients, 87.6% were determined to experience concern about bringing infection from the dialysis unit to family members. The mean total points for CP19-S were 59.80 ± 14.49. Patients who were female, had low educational level, were not employed, had heart disease in addition to kidney failure, with hemodialysis age from 6 to 8 years, who did not want to go to the dialysis center and had not received education about the pandemic (p < 0.001) were identified to have high phobia at statistically significant levels. CONCLUSIONS: Changes occurring in normal life and to hemodialysis treatment during the pandemic cause concern and anxiety in many patients. In this process, providing patients with education about the pandemic and protective methods is very important.