Anti-establishment sentiments: realistic and symbolic threat appraisals predict populist attitudes and conspiracy mentality.

Previous research has found that populist attitudes and conspiracy mentality - here summarised as anti-establishment attitudes - increase when people feel threatened. Two types of intergroup threat have been distinguished, namely realistic threats (pertaining to socio-economic resources, climate, or health), and symbolic threats (pertaining to cultural values). However, there is no agreement on which types of threat and corresponding appraisals would be most important in predicting anti-establishment attitudes. We hypothesise that it is the threat itself, irrespective of its cause, that predicts anti-establishment attitudes. In the current paper, we conducted new (multilevel) regression analyses on previously collected data from four high-powered studies with multiple time points (Study 1) or collected in multiple nations (Studies 2-4). All studies included a populist attitudes scale, a conspiracy mentality scale, and different types of threat and emotion measures, reflecting both realistic and symbolic threats. Across studies, both realistic and symbolic threats positively predicted anti-establishment attitudes. The results support an emotional appraisal approach to anti-establishment attitudes, which highlights the importance of anxiety and feeling threatened regardless of what type of event elicits the threat.

Anxious and Angry: Emotional Responses to the COVID-19 Threat.

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic elicits a vast amount of anxiety. In the current study, we investigated how anxiety related to COVID-19 is associated with support for and compliance with governmental hygiene measures, and how these are influenced by populist attitudes, anger at the government, and conspiracy mentalities. We conducted an online survey in April 2020 in four different countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK; N = 2,031) using a cross-sectional design. Results showed that (1) anxiety related to COVID-19 is associated with conspiracy beliefs, anger at the government, and populist attitudes, and (2) support for and compliance with hygiene measures are both positively predicted by anxiety related to COVID-19; however, (3) support for hygiene measures is also predicted by populist attitudes and negatively by conspiracy mentalities, whereas compliance with hygiene measures is more strongly predicted by anger at transgressors (anger at people transgressing the hygiene measures). Consequently, although anxiety related to COVID-19 concerns the health of individual people, it also has political and social implications: anxiety is associated with an increase in anger, either at transgressors or the government.

[Do the emergency medical services need more paramedics? An examination of supply and demand].

BACKGROUND: Paramedics are a critical national resource. The paramedic workforce is dynamic and has never been studied, thereby limiting the possibility of appropriate planning. OBJECTIVES: To examine the present and projected supply and demand for paramedics, the balance between supply and demand, and how this affects the planning of the paramedic workforce. METHODS: Supply was assessed by the annual number of graduates of paramedic training programs, the duration of stay in the profession and the likelihood of staying in the profession, using data obtained by structured telephone interviews with a sample of graduates of paramedic courses. Demand was assessed by interviewing key figures in the emergency medical services (EMS). RESULTS: There are about 1000 certified paramedics in Israel. Of them, 64% are active in the civilian labor market. If the demand does not change beyond the natural annual increase of two advanced life support (ALS) ambulances (which are staffed by paramedics), there may be a surplus of 180 paramedics by 2010. Increased demand outside the EMS may temporarily absorb this surplus, but it will reappear by 2015 or 2020. Conversely, upgrading all ambulances to ALS vehicles will result in a shortage of 400-900 paramedics by 2010 (depending on the number of paramedics per vehicle) if the number of paramedics trained annually is not increased. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may provide a better basis for long-term planning for training, recruitment, and employment of paramedics and may serve as an example for workforce planning for other health professions.

Stress, work overload, burnout, and satisfaction among paramedics in Israel.

INTRODUCTION: The number of paramedics in Israel is increasing. Despite this growth and important role, the emergency medical organizations lack information about the characteristics of their work. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of the paramedics' work, the quality of their working lives, the factors that keep them in the profession, or conversely, draw them away from it. METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted through telephone interviews of a random sample of 50% of the graduates of paramedic courses in Israel (excluding conscripted soldiers). RESULTS: The factors that attract paramedics to the profession have much to do with the essence of the job-rescuing and saving-and a love of what it involves, as well as interest and variety. Pressures at work result from having to cope with a lack of administrative support, paperwork, long hours, imbalance between work and family life, and salary. They do not come from having to cope with responsibility, the pressure of working under uncertain conditions, and the sudden transition from calm situations to emergencies. Dissatisfaction at work is caused by burnout, work overload, and poor health. Physical and mental health that impedes their ability to work is related to a sense of burnout and the intention to change professions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings about the relationships between health, job satisfaction, and burnout, coupled with the fact that within a decade, half of the currently employed paramedics will reach an age at which it is hard for them to perform their job, lead to the conclusion that there is a need to reconsider the optimum length of service in the profession. There also is a need to form organizational arrangements to change the work procedures of aging paramedics.