The Role of Mass Media in Influencing the Lifestyle of the Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The elderly represent one of the categories that was most affected by the pandemic period. The purpose of this research was to analyze the ways in which mass media and very often contradictory information flows influenced the lives and personal communications of the Romanian elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to conduct the research, we used a mixed-methods approach. For the quantitative research, we gave a questionnaire to the elderly population of Romania, and for the qualitative research, we conducted interviews. Our quantitative sample included 881 retired persons with an age between 55 and 94 years old; the mean age was 71.48 years old with 6.6 years standard deviation. The elderly described the pandemic period using negative words: fear, loneliness, anxiety, disaster; the channel they mostly watched and trusted was the TV; they were aware of the measures they had to take to protect themselves; they missed most of the meetings with the family and the main problems they had were represented by loneliness, the inability to be with their families or the lack of access to medical services. The elderly's mass media consumption during the pandemic was mostly represented by TV consumption; the information spread by mass media was sometimes contradictory; it influenced their behavior and may have generated feelings of anxiety among them.

Anxiety, Stress, and Resilience Strategies in Parents of Children with Typical and Late Psychosocial Development: Comparative Analysis.

The child's developmental characteristics influence the psycho-social features in the behavior of parents. This aspect is relevant in building effective strategies for psychological and socio-educational assistance to parents for an increased quality of family life. The aim of the present study is to investigate the differences in anxiety, stress, and resilience strategies in the case of parents with children with late psychosocial development and those with children with neurotypical development. The research sample consisted of 620 subjects (380 women, 240 men, divided into two equal categories: parents of children with late development and with neurotypical development). The questionnaire survey (Levenstein's Perceived Stress Questionnaire for stress and Hobfoll's Strategic Approach to Coping Scale for resilience strategies) and interview (Hamilton's Anxiety Rating Scale for anxiety) were used. The anxiety levels did not differ significantly (t = 0.45, p = 0.65), but there were differences in the perceived stress levels (t = -7.10, p = 0.03). As for resilience strategies, significant differences were found for assertive action, social communion, precautionary action, and seeking social support, which were more pronounced strategies that were used by parents of children with late psychosocial development.

The efficiency of public policies and programs for breast cancer prevention. Socio-medical perspectives within a Romania-France comparison.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one of five persons develops a cancer form during their lives. Out of the total of malignant cancer forms known up to the present, the statistics currently place breast cancer on the first rank at European level, as a type of neoplasm registered and treated with a standard protocol through the medical programs approved within public policies. The cost for the treatment of this type of oncological disease is enormous; for this reason, the state should manifest a direct interest for the prevention, early diagnose and investments in the research of mammary neoplasm. The coherence of national and European policies is achieved on a regular basis, subject to changes in Community legislation and the approval of European Commission (EC) documents that design unified approaches. This year, the emergence of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, launched in 2021, has taken on the objective of investing in research and innovation, with a focus on the development of digital technologies that will increase expertise in genomics, onco-radiology, and digital health. The article analyzes the secondary data and empirical research collected at national and European level with the aim of highlighting the significant differences between public policies in Romania and France and identifying the pillars on which a national strategy similar to a functional European model can be built.