Internet addiction is prevalent among adolescents and is associated with various negative outcomes. Relatively few studies examined the role of emotion dysregulation and social support on Internet ...addiction in this population. The present examined the association between emotion dysregulation, social support, and Internet addiction among junior secondary school students in Hong Kong. The mediating role of emotion dysregulation and Internet use on the relationship between social support and Internet addiction and the gender difference in such association were also tested.
A total of 862 junior secondary school students (grade 7 to 8) from 4 schools completed a cross-sectional survey.
10.9% scored above the cut-off for Internet addiction based on the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that social support was negatively related to emotion dysregulation and Internet usage, which in turn, were positively related to Internet addiction. Results from multi-group analysis by gender showed that the relationship between social support and emotion dysregulation, Internet usage, and Internet addiction, and those between emotion dysregulation and Internet addiction and between Internet usage and Internet addiction were stronger among female participants.
Emotion dysregulation is a potential risk factor while social support is a potential protective factor for Internet addiction. The role of social support on emotion dysregulation and Internet addiction were stronger among female students. Gender-sensitive interventions on Internet Addiction for adolescents are warranted, such interventions should increase social support and improve emotion regulation.
The prevalence of self-reported preventive behaviors in response to an anticipated local human-to-human H5N1 transmission outbreak and factors associated with such behaviors have not been examined.
A ...random, anonymous, cross-sectional telephone survey of 503 Hong Kong Chinese adults.
The public in Hong Kong is likely to adopt self-protective behaviors (e.g., wearing face mask in public venues (73.8%), increasing the frequency of handwashing (86.7%)) and behaviors that protect others (e.g., wearing face masks when experiencing influenza-like illness (ILI, 92.4%), immediately seeking medical consultation (94.2%), making declarations when crossing the border with ILI (87.1%), complying to quarantine policies (88.3%)). Multivariate analyses indicated that factors related to age, full-time employment, perceived susceptibility, perceived efficacy of preventive measures, perceived higher fatality as compared to SARS, perceived chance of a major local outbreak, and being worried about self/family members contracting the virus were significantly associated with the inclination to adopt self-protective measures. Similar analyses showed that education level, variables related to perceived efficacy, perceived major local outbreak and such were significantly associated with various behaviors directed towards protecting others.
In the event of a human-to-human H5N1 outbreak, the public in Hong Kong is likely to adopt preventive measures that may help contain the spread of the virus in the community.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background:
Socio-political circumstances, including security, poverty, national wealth, income inequality, social integration and political conflicts, determine population health. Anticipated ...socio-political developments refer to the perceived improvement/deterioration in these circumstances in the future year.
Aims:
This study tested relationships between this anticipation and population mental health (probable depression/depressive symptoms and life satisfaction) and the mediation roles of negative personal responses toward socio-political situations (frustration, emotional disturbance, self-efficacy in political involvement, perceived sense of security, and satisfaction about societal ability in fulfilling individuals’ needs) in explaining these relationships.
Method:
The telephone survey randomly interviewed 420 (59.5% female) adults in Hong Kong. Questionnaire included scales assessing the aforementioned variables.
Results:
Most participants (71.7%) had pessimistic anticipations over socio-political developments; 11.3% of the participants were classified as having probable depression. Anticipated deterioration in socio-political developments was significantly associated with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction; emotional disturbance, sense of security and need satisfaction were partial mediators of these relationships. Need satisfaction and sense of security showed the strongest mediation effects both for mediations that involved depressive symptoms and life satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Both politicians’ awareness and mental health promotion are required to alleviate the negative impact of negative socio-political perception on mental health.
This study aims to examine the mediating effects of insomnia on the associations between problematic Internet use, including Internet addiction (IA) and online social networking addiction (OSNA), and ...depression among adolescents. Methods: A total of 1,015 secondary school students from Guangzhou in China participated in a cross-sectional survey. Levels of depression, insomnia, IA, and OSNA were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire, and Online Social Networking Addiction Scale, respectively. Logistic regression models were fit to test the associations between IA, OSNA, insomnia, and depression. The mediation effects of insomnia were tested using Baron and Kenny’s strategy. Results: The prevalence of depression at moderate level or above (CES-D ≥ 21), insomnia, IA, and OSNA were 23.5%, 37.2%, 8.1%, and 25.5%, respectively. IA and OSNA were significantly associated with depression (IA: AOR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.71, 4.55; OSNA: AOR = 3.27, 95% CI: 2.33, 4.59) and insomnia (IA: AOR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.72, 4.65; OSNA: AOR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.61, 2.96), after adjusting for significant background factors. Furthermore, insomnia partially mediated 60.6% of the effect of IA on depression (Sobel Z = 3.562, p < .002) and 44.8% of the effect of OSNA on depression (Sobel Z = 3.919, p < .001), respectively. Discussion: The high prevalence of IA and OSNA may be associated with increased risk of developing depression among adolescents, both through direct and indirect effects (via insomnia). Findings from this study indicated that it may be effective to develop and implement interventions that jointly consider the problematic Internet use, insomnia, and depression.
COVID-19 has caused a devastating impact on public health and made the development of the COVID-19 vaccination a top priority. Herd immunity through vaccination requires a sufficient number of the ...population to be vaccinated. Research on factors that promote intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is warranted. Based on Diffusion of Innovations Theory, this study examines the association between the perceived efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccination, use of social media for COVID-19 vaccine-related information, openness to experience and descriptive norm with the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, and the moderating role of openness to experience among 6922 university students in mainland China. The intention to receive the free and self-paid COVID-19 vaccination is 78.9% and 60.2%, respectively. Results from path analyses show that perceived efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccination, use of social media for COVID-19 vaccine-related information, and openness to experience and descriptive norm are all positively associated with the intention to receive COVID-19 free and self-paid vaccination. The association between the perceived efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccination and descriptive norm with the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is stronger among those with a lower level of openness to experience. Our findings support the usefulness of Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the moderating role of openness of experience in explaining intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
This study investigated the incidence of remission from probable depression among adolescents in Hong Kong. Remissions were defined as having Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale ...(CESD) scores changed from ≥16 at baseline to <16 over the 12-month follow-up period. The study tested the predictors of remissions, including perceived changes in family support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, positive affect, negative events, social anxiety, and loneliness.
The study surveyed 9666 secondary school students and identified 5487 (57%) students with probable depression in Hong Kong. A questionnaire assessing the levels of the aforementioned variables was completed at baseline and at the 12-month follow-up.
Among participants with probable depression at baseline, 23.2% remitted from depression at follow-up. Remissions were more common among males than females. Univariate logistic regression showed that perceived changes in all the aforementioned variables significantly predicted remission for both males and females. The same is true for most of these variables when they were entered together into multiple logistic regression models (with and without controlling for baseline CESD scores), except for family support in the female model and self-efficacy in both male and female models.
Limitations include potential self-report bias and only one follow-up observation over time. The design treats cases of probable mild to severe depression as a single group (CESD≥16).
The findings are potentially useful for designing and guiding related intervention programs. Results highlight the importance of long-term follow-up of those screened as probable depression to understand the course of changes in levels of depression.
•Among adolescents with probable depression at baseline, 23.2% remitted from depression at follow-up.•Remissions were more common among males than females.•Perceived changes in family support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, positive affect, negative events, social anxiety, and loneliness significantly predicted remission from adolescent probable depression.
Outcome expectancies involving self-directed and others-directed domains are potential determinants of completed or scheduled first-dose COVID-19 vaccination (CSFCV). This study investigated factors ...of CSFCV, including (a) self-directed motives personal positive outcome expectancies (POE) and personal negative outcome expectancy (NOE), and (b) others-directed motives (societal POE and the personality trait of prosociality). It also investigated the mediations of personal POE between societal POE and CSFCV, and moderations of prosociality between personal POE/personal NOE/societal POE and CSFCV. A cross-sectional population-based telephone survey interviewed 500 people aged 18–75 in Hong Kong in May 2021. The prevalence of CSFCV was 21.0%. Significant factors of CSFCV included personal POE (i.e., physical/practical/emotional/interpersonal benefit), personal NOE, and societal POE. The association between societal POE and CSFCV was fully mediated by the overall scale and some domains of personal POE. Furthermore, the association between physical benefit and CSFCV was stronger at lower levels of prosociality; prosociality showed a stronger effect on CSFCV at lower levels of physical benefit. The results suggest that self-directed motives might be more important than others-directed motives in affecting CSFCV. The findings require confirmations from longitudinal studies and cross-country comparisons.
The early attainment of high COVID-19 vaccination rates can minimize avoidable hospitalizations/deaths. The fifth wave COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong caused >9000 deaths, and most of them were ...unvaccinated older people. This study hence investigated determinants of taking the first dose vaccination at a later phase (Phase 3: during the fifth wave outbreak, i.e., February-July 2022) versus two earlier phases (Phase 1: first six months since vaccine rollout, i.e., February-July 2021; Phase 2: six months prior to the outbreak, i.e., August 2021-January 2022) via a random telephone survey among 386 ever-vaccinated Hong Kong older people aged ≥60 (June/July 2022). A total of 27.7%, 51.1%, and 21.3% took the first dose at Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3, respectively. Unfavorable perceptions related to COVID-19/vaccination, exposure to conflicting/counter-information about the suitability of older people's vaccination from various sources, unsupportive family influences prior to the outbreak, and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with taking the first dose at Phase 3 instead of Phase 1 and Phase 2. To speed up COVID-19 vaccination and avoid unnecessary deaths, the government and health professionals should rectify misinformation, provide clear/consistent information for older people and their family members, and focus on those having depressive symptoms at an earlier stage of the pandemic.
During August 2009-July 2010, we conducted 7 longitudinal telephone surveys among 503 adults in Hong Kong, China, to explore changes in their behavioral and psychological responses to the influenza ...A(H1N1)pdm09 virus epidemic. Trends were examined using generalized estimating equations models. Findings showed that responses varied with the course of the pandemic.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Students are vulnerable to Internet addiction (IA). Influences of cognitions based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and perceived number of peers with IA (PNPIA) affecting students' IA, and mediating ...effects involved, have not been investigated.
This cross-sectional study surveyed 9518 Hong Kong Chinese secondary school students in the school setting.
In this self-reported study, the majority (82.6%) reported that they had peers with IA. Based on the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (cut-off =63/64), the prevalence of IA was 16.0% (males: 17.6%; females: 14.0%). Among the non-IA cases, 7.6% (males: 8.7%; females: 6.3%) perceived a chance of developing IA in the next 12 months. Concurring with the HBM, adjusted logistic analysis showed that the Perceived Social Benefits of Internet Use Scale (males: Adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.19; females: ORa = 1.23), Perceived Barriers for Reducing Internet Use Scale (males: ORa = 1.26; females: ORa = 1.36), and Perceived Self-efficacy for Reducing Internet Use Scale (males: ORa = 0.66; females: ORa = 0.56) were significantly associated with IA. Similarly, PNPIA was significantly associated with IA ('quite a number': males: ORa = 2.85; females: ORa = 4.35; 'a large number': males: ORa = 3.90; females: ORa = 9.09). Controlling for these three constructs, PNPIA remained significant but the strength of association diminished ('quite a number': males: multivariate odds ratio (ORm) = 2.07; females: ORm = 2.44; 'a large number': males: ORm = 2.39; females: ORm = 3.56). Hence, the association between PNPIA and IA was partially mediated (explained) by the three HBM constructs. Interventions preventing IA should change these constructs.
In sum, prevalence of IA was relatively high and was associated with some HBM constructs and PNPIA, and PNPIA also partially mediated associations between HBM constructs and IA. Huge challenges are expected, as social relationships and an imbalance of cost-benefit for reducing Internet use are involved. Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of IA were relatively low and the direction of their associations with IA did not concur with the HBM. Group cognitive-behavioral interventions involving peers with IA or peers recovered from IA are potentially useful to modify the HBM constructs and should be tested for efficacy.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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