Highlights • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) showed good psychometric properties. • The additive score in the HADS was supported for people with epilepsy. • Male and female people with ...epilepsy interpret the HADS in the same way. • The HADS was interpreted similarly across two people with types of epilepsy.
Abstract
Background
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become one of the biggest challenges to global health and economy. The present study aimed to explore the factors related to preventive ...health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khuzestan Province, South of Iran, using the Health Belief Model (HBM).
Methods
The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the period between July 2020 and September 2020. A total of 1090 people from Khuzestan province participated in the study. The data collection method included a multistage cluster sampling method with a random selection of provincial of health centers. The questionnaire collected socio-demographic information and HBM constructs (e.g., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and barriers, cues to action, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, hierarchical multiple linear regression, and SPSS version 22.
Results
The mean age of the participants was 35.53 ± 11.53, more than half of them were female (61.6%) and married (65.3). The results showed that 27% of the variance in the COVID-19 preventive behaviors was explained by HBM constructs. The regression analysis indicated that female gender (β = 0.11), perceived benefits (β = 0.10), perceived barriers (β = − 0.18), external cues to action (β = 0.25), and internal cues to action (β = 0.12) were significantly associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors (
p
< 0.05).
Conclusion
Designing an educational intervention on the basis of HBM might be considered as a framework for the correction of beliefs and adherence to COVID-19 behavior. Health information campaigns need to (1) emphasize the benefits of preventive behaviors including avoiding the likelihood of getting a chronic disease and complications of the disease, (2) highlight the tips and advice to overcome the barriers (3) provide cues to action by means of showing various reminders in social media (4) focusing on adoption of COVID-19-related preventive behaviors, especially among men.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background and aims. Due to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), policies based on the nature of “spatial distancing” have been implemented and have resulted in school ...suspensions and online learning among schoolchildren. In order to examine the impact of such policies on schoolchildren, the aims of the present study were to (i) assess changes in the level of engagement in three internet-related activities (smartphone use, social media use, and gaming) before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, including prolonged and problematic engagement in these activities; (ii) investigate the differences of psychological distress before and after COVID-19 outbreak; and (iii) to use structural equation modeling to investigate the mediating roles of problematic internet-related behaviors in the causal relationships of psychological distress and time spent on internet-related activities. Methods. Self-report measures were used to assess internet-related activities and psychological distress. Time spent on internet-related activities, problematic use of internet-related activities, and psychological distress were collected from primary school students (N = 535; 265 boys; M age = 10.32 years SD = 0.84). The data were first collected before the COVID-19 outbreak (i.e., early November 2019) and then collected again during the school suspension due to COVID-19 outbreak (i.e., end of March 2020) for comparisons of changes. Results. Schoolchildren spent significantly more time on the smartphone (increased 1.02 h daily; P < 0.001) and social media (increased 0.73 h daily; P < 0.001) but not gaming (increased 0.14 h daily; P = 0.07) during the school suspension compared to the baseline. Schoolchildren who increased by 15 or 30 min daily on internet-related activities showed an increased level of psychological distress. The association between problematic use of social media and psychological distress was stronger during the school suspension (β = 0.584) than at the baseline (β = 0.451; P < 0.001). Conclusion. Increased problematic use of internet-related activities among schoolchildren was associated with greater psychological distress. Parents should therefore monitor internet-related activities and psychological distress of their children to support their mental health.
Background
Current literature lacks evidence concerning how problematic social media use associates with mental health. To address the gap, the present study used mediation models to examine whether ...generalized trust and perceived social support (PSS) are potential mediators in the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health.
Methods
The sample comprised Iranian adults (n = 1073; 614 females). The participants completed a number of scales to assess problematic social media use (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale), generalized trust (Generalized Trust Scale), PSS (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, happiness (Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and mental quality of life (Short Form‐12).
Results
Problematic social media use had negative effects on happiness and mental quality of life via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.017; effect = −0.041; 95% CI = −0.079, −0.012) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.023; effect = −0.163; 95% CI = −0.211, −0.119). Problematic social media use had positive effects on anxiety and depression via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.022; effect = 0.064; 95% CI = 0.026, 0.113) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.024; effect = 0.052; 95% CI = 0.009, 0.102).
Conclusions
Problematic social media use, generalized trust and PSS are important factors for an individual's mental health. Health‐care providers may want to assist individuals regardless of having mental health problems in reducing their problematic social media use and improving their generalized trust and social support.
Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent problem in the female population in Iran. A subjective assessment instrument that allows cross‐cultural comparison of FSD is urgently needed.
The aims ...of the study were to translate, validate, and enhance cross‐cultural comparability of an Iranian version (IV) of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)—the IV‐FSFI.
A total of 448 women (19–54 years, mean 29.7, standard deviation 7.3) from five different Iranian outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinics were eligible for this study. The IV‐FSFI was developed through forward and backward translation, revision by a research team, and a subsequent pilot study. After an interview for clinical diagnosis of FSD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, all participants completed the IV‐FSFI for the validation study. Three hundred sixty‐two women completed the IV‐FSFI again, 4 weeks after the first visit.
Test–retest reliability was determined by Pearson's product‐moment correlations. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated by principal component analysis using varimax rotation and by subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Discriminant validity was assessed with between‐groups analysis of variance.
The overall test–retest reliability coefficients were high for each domain of the IV‐FSFI (r ranging from 0.73 to 0.86) and the internal consistencies within the acceptable range (α from 0.72 to 0.90). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation revealed a best fitting five‐factor structure similar to the original FSFI (χ2 = 2.1, degree of freedom = 17, P < 0.001). CFA confirmed the underlying domain structure, supporting the factorial validity of the IV‐FSFI.
In conclusion, the newly developed IV‐FSFI has demonstrated to be a reliable and valid instrument with good psychometric properties that allows a quick and accurate preliminary screening of women with unknown sexual health status in clinics and other medical settings. Fakhri A, Pakpour AH, Burri A, Morshedi H, and Zeidi IM. The Female Sexual Function Index: Translation and validation of an Iranian version. J Sex Med 2012;9:514–523.
•Depression, anxiety, and stress mediates the association between internet gaming disorder and insomnia.•Depression, anxiety, and stress mediates the association between internet gaming disorder and ...quality of life.•Internet gaming disorder may have multiple pathways in affecting adolescents’ sleep and quality of life.
For many individuals, the COVID-19 outbreak has increased their psychological distress, changed their behaviors, and impacted their health. With more time spent indoors, many individuals have engaged in increased videogame playing. However, the associations between such behaviors during the COVID-19 outbreak period is unclear.
The present study examined the mediating role of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) in the association between internet gaming disorder (IGD) and two health outcomes (insomnia quality of life) among adolescents during this COVID-19 pandemic.
A cross-sectional study comprising adolescents (N = 1512) aged 13–18 years (mean age = 15.51 years) was utilized to assess measures on insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress, IGD, and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were small to large significant relationships between the variables. Psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) served as a strong mediator in the association between IGD and insomnia and quality of life. IGD directly influenced insomnia and quality of life among the participants.
IGD is associated with different psychosocial outcomes comprising multiple pathways. Parents need to pay special attention to how much time and how frequently their children play videogames. Parents may need to assist their children in coping with psychological distress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic period.
Given that there is a lack of instruments assessing internet-related addictions among Chinese population, this study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder ...Scales- Short Form (IGDS-SF9), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) among Hong Kong university students. Participants aged between 17 and 30 years participated in the present study (
n
= 307; 32.4% males; mean SD age = 21.64 8.11). All the participants completed the IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, SABAS, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to examine the factorial structures and the unidimensionality for IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, and SABAS. CFAs demonstrated that the three scales were all unidimensional with satisfactory fit indices: comparative fit index = 0.969 to 0.992. In addition, the IGDS-SF9 and BSMAS were slightly modified based on the modification index in CFA. The Chinese IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, and SABAS are valid instruments to assess the addiction levels of internet-related activities for Hong Kong university students.
For some individuals, there appears to be some level of unwillingness in getting a COVID-19 vaccine which may be due to trust issues. The present study used a mediation model to investigate how trust ...is associated with an individual's willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination among Iranians. A total of 10,843 Iranian adults were recruited in Qazvin province using a multistage stratified cluster sampling method. The survey was completed between February 19 and April 9, 2021. The findings showed that generalized trust was positively associated with trust in the healthcare system, trust in the healthcare system was positively associated with willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination, and generalized trust was positively associated with willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination. Also, trust in the healthcare system mediated the association between generalized trust and willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination. There were some significant demographic differences in COVID-19 vaccination willingness. The findings suggest that generalized trust plays a significant role in directly or indirectly influencing individuals' willingness to get COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, government bodies and health officials may utilize these findings to appeal in a more transparent and professional manner in encouraging individuals to get a COVID-19 vaccine. However, for those with lower trust levels (in general and in the healthcare system), the focus may be to re-build and/or regain the individuals' trust through carefully planned transparent communication, information dissemination, and ethical education to help increase the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination.
Internet gaming and social media use are prevalent and integral to many people's lives. However, excessive engagement in either could lead to negative health impacts. This study aimed to investigate ...relationships between severities of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and problematic social media use (operationalized as social media addiction; SMA) with sleep quality and psychological distress among young adults. A cross-sectional study with snowball sampling was conducted among Hong Kong university students in 2019. All participants (
= 300; mean (SD) age = 20.89 (1.48); 122 males (40.67%)) responded to an online survey that included Chinese versions of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Multiple linear regressions demonstrated that IGDS-SF9 scores demonstrated associations with psychological distress measures (standardized coefficient (β) = 0.295 for depression, 0.325 for anxiety, 0.339 for stress, all
< 0.001). BSMAS scores showed similar albeit numerically less robust associations (β = 0.235 for depression,
< 0.001; 0.219 for anxiety,
= 0.001; 0.262 for stress,
< 0.001). BSMAS scores demonstrated associations with poorer sleep quality (β = 0.292;
< 0.001) and IGDS9-SF scores (β = 0.157;
= 0.024) showed a significantly less robust association (
= 0.01 for comparing the two βs). These findings suggest that both severities of IGD and SMA associate with more psychological distress and poorer sleep quality, although the strengths of associations may differ.
Research examining problematic mobile phone use has increased markedly over the past 5 years and has been related to “no mobile phone phobia” (so-called nomophobia). The 20-item Nomophobia ...Questionnaire (NMP-Q) is the only instrument that assesses nomophobia with an underlying theoretical structure and robust psychometric testing. This study aimed to confirm the construct validity of the Persian NMP-Q using Rasch and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models. Methods: After ensuring the linguistic validity, Rasch models were used to examine the unidimensionality of each Persian NMP-Q factor among 3,216 Iranian adolescents and CFAs were used to confirm its four-factor structure. Differential item functioning (DIF) and multigroup CFA were used to examine whether males and females interpreted the NMP-Q similarly, including item content and NMP-Q structure. Results: Each factor was unidimensional according to the Rach findings, and the four-factor structure was supported by CFA. Two items did not quite fit the Rasch models (Item 14: “I would be nervous because I could not know if someone had tried to get a hold of me;” Item 9: “If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it ”). No DIF items were found across gender and measurement invariance was supported in multigroup CFA across gender. Conclusions: Due to the satisfactory psychometric properties, it is concluded that the Persian NMP-Q can be used to assess nomophobia among adolescents. Moreover, NMP-Q users may compare its scores between genders in the knowledge that there are no score differences contributed by different understandings of NMP-Q items.
PDF
