Search

Health Impact Assessment is a key approach used internationally to identify positive or negative impacts of policies, plans and proposals on health and well-being. In 2020, HIAs were undertaken in Scotland and Wales to identify the potential health and well-being impacts of the 'stay at home' and physical distancing measures implemented at the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. There is sparse evidence evaluating whether the impacts predicted in HIAs occur following policy implementation. This paper evaluates the impacts anticipated in the COVID-19 HIAs against actual observed trends. The processes undertaken were compared and predicted impacts were tabulated by population groups and main determinants of health. Routine data and literature evidence were collated to compare predicted and observed impacts. Nearly all health impacts anticipated in both HIAs have occurred in the direction predicted. There have been significant adverse impacts through multiple direct and indirect pathways including loss of income, social isolation, disruption to education and services, and psychosocial effects. This research demonstrates the value of prediction in impact assessment and fills a gap in the literature by comparing the predicted impacts identified within the HIAs with observed trends. Post-COVID-19 recovery should centre health and well-being within future policies and decisions. Processes like HIA can support this as part of a 'health in all policies' approach to improve the health and well-being of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the varying effectiveness of government intervention policies to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential positive relationship between ethnolinguistic diversity and social distance, this paper aims to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between ethnolinguistic diversity and the spread of COVID-19. In particular, using global data from 113 developed and developing countries during the early stages of the pandemic (from 31 December 2019 to 8 July 2020), we have found a significant negative effect of ethnolinguistic diversity on the spread of the virus. The result is robust to alternative measures of ethnolinguistic diversity and estimator that addresses endogeneity. Moreover, we also show that the impact of ethnolinguistic diversity on the spread of COVID-19 differs in economies characterized by different levels of democracy, policy stringency on addressing COVID-19 and health expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current COVID-19 pandemic confines people to their homes, disrupting the fragile social fabric of deprived neighbourhoods and citizen's participation options. In deprived neighbourhoods, community engagement is central in building community resilience, an important resource for health and a prerequisite for effective health promotion programmes. It provides access to vulnerable groups and helps understand experiences, assets, needs and problems of citizens. Most importantly, community activities, including social support, primary care or improving urban space, enhance health through empowerment, strengthened social networks, mutual respect and providing a sense of purpose and meaning. In the context of inequalities associated with COVID-19, these aspects are crucial for citizens of deprived neighbourhoods who often feel their needs and priorities are ignored. In this perspectives paper, illustrated by a varied overview of community actions in the UK and The Netherlands, we demonstrate how citizens, communities and organizations may build resilience and community power. Based on in-depth discussion among the authors we distilled six features of community actions: increase in mutual aid and neighbourhood ties, the central role of community-based organizations (CBOs), changing patterns of volunteering, use of digital media and health promotion opportunities. We argue that in order to enable and sustain resilient and confident, 'disaster-proof', communities, areas which merit investment include supporting active citizens, new (digital) ways of community engagement, transforming formal organizations, alignment with the (local) context and applying knowledge in the field of health promotion in new ways, focussing on learning and co-creation with citizen initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the role of WhatsApp in spreading misinformation during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. The aim of this study is to analyze the message content, format, authorship, time trends and social media distribution channels of misinformation in WhatsApp messages in Mexico. From March 18 to June 30, 2020 the authors collected all WhatsApp messages received via their personal contacts and their social networks that contained information about COVID-19. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the scientifically inaccurate messages and the relationship between variables, respectively. Google image and video searches were carried out to identify sharing on other social media. Out of a total of 106 messages, the most frequently mentioned COVID-19 related message topics were prevention (20.0%), conspiracy (18.5%), therapy (15.4%) and origin of the virus (10.3%), changing throughout the pandemic according to users' concerns. Half of all WhatsApp messages were either images or videos. WhatsApp images were also shared on Facebook (80%) and YouTube (~50%). Our findings indicate that the design of information and health promotion campaigns requires to be proactive in adapting to the changes in message content and format of misinformation shared through encrypted social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) is recognized as essential for positive physical and mental well-being in young people. However, participation in PA is known to decline as adolescents emerge into adulthood under the influence of complex social and structural factors. Globally, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in changes to PA and PA participation levels in youth populations, providing a unique opportunity for gaining insight into PA barriers and enablers in circumstances of challenge, limitation and change. This article details young people's self-reported PA behaviours during the 4-week 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand. Taking a strengths-based view and drawing on the COM-B (capabilities, opportunity and motivation behaviour) model for behaviour change, the study explores factors enabling young people to sustain or increase PA during lockdown. Findings are drawn from qualitative-dominant mixed-methods analyses of responses to an online questionnaire: New Zealand Youth Voices Matter (16–24 years; N = 2014). Key insights included the importance of habit and routine, time and flexibility, social connections, incidental exercise and awareness of links between PA and well-being. Of note were the positive attitudes, creativity and resiliency demonstrated as young people substituted or invented alternatives to their usual PA. PA needs to change to adapt to new circumstances over the life course, and youth understanding and knowledge of modifiable factors may provide support for this. Thus these findings have implications for sustaining PA during late adolescence and emerging adulthood, a life phase that can be associated with significant challenge and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lockdown restrictions imposed across the UK in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a profound impact on many people's health and wellbeing. People were encouraged to be active, but population surveys suggest some groups found this easier than others. We explored the changes in health, wellbeing and physical activity levels among a sample in the UK who experienced the sudden loss of a weekly community-based physical activity opportunity, parkrun. A sample of UK parkrun participants responded to two surveys: pre-COVID-19 in January/February 2019 and during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020. Outcomes were happiness, life satisfaction, connections with others, physical health, mental health and physical activity. The sample was stratified by gender, age, deprivation status, physical activity and number of parkruns completed. Demographics were reported using descriptive statistics; distributions between sub-groups were compared using Chi-square tests while differences in outcomes were determined using the Mann–Whitney U test. Open text responses were also analysed. Happiness, life satisfaction, connections with others, physical health and mental health of 450 parkrun participants were negatively impacted for all sub-groups, although the impact was not experienced equally. Physical activity fell by 6% while happiness and life satisfaction fell by 12%. People experienced the worst negative impact on their connections with others. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the wellbeing of a greater proportion of females, younger adults, inactive people, those from higher deprivation areas, and those who had completed fewer parkruns. There is evidence that the wellbeing of those who were more active, and those more involved in a community-based physical activity initiative pre-pandemic, was less negatively affected during the COVID-19 lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We quantitatively analysed the relationship of health literacy with both anxiety about the COVID-19 outbreak and free-text qualitative data. A questionnaire was mailed to 5450 citizens aged 16–89 years in four prefectures between late April and May 2020. It gauged the level of anxiety about COVID-19, assessed health literacy (HL) on both critical and communicative HL subscales, and invited free-text responses. We compared anxiety levels in three groups of both HL subscales. Text-mining analyses were also conducted among the three HL groups. Two-thirds of respondents reported anxiety about COVID-19, and 42% of them also reported fear. The level of communicative HL was negatively associated with no or low anxiety (p < 0.01), and the same association was observed for critical HL (p < 0.01). Free-text analysis identified 11 categories related to concerns about COVID-19: response of the national government, appreciation of health care practitioners, early convergence, vaccine development, fear of infection, invisible, a school for children, everyday life, information-related issue, novel coronavirus and self-quarantine. Words that were characteristic of the high-HL group were 'information', 'going out', 'vaccines' and 'government'. This survey reveals high public anxiety under COVID-19, and while anxiety is associated with HL levels, people with higher HL may make more prudent and healthier decisions. In situations of uncertainty, different approaches to alleviate anxiety depending on HL are warranted, providing new insights and contributing to public health measures during the outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 crisis impacts populations globally. This impact seems to differ for groups with low- and high-socioeconomic status (SES). We conducted a qualitative study in the Netherlands using a salutogenic perspective to examine experiences with stressors and coping resources during the pandemic among both SES groups to gain insight on how to promote the health and well-being of these groups. We conducted 10 focus group discussions and 20 interviews to explore the experiences, including resources and stressors, of respondents from low- (N = 37) and high-SES (N = 38) groups (25–55 years, Dutch speaking). We analyzed the findings at individual, community, and national levels. The results show that coping depends on government-imposed measures and the way individuals handle these measures; restriction to the home context with positive and negative consequences for work and leisure; psychological negative consequences and resourcefulness; and social effects related to unity (e.g. social cohesion or support) and division (including polarization). Respondents with lower SES expressed more problems with COVID-19 measures and experienced more social impact in their neighborhood than those with higher SES. Where low-SES groups especially mentioned the effects of staying at home on family life, high-SES groups mentioned effects on work life. At last, psychological consequences seem to differ somewhat across SES groups. Recommendations include consistent government-imposed measures and government communication, support for home schooling children, and strengthening the social fabric of neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament was one of the largest Sporting Mega Events (SMEs) to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitigating the risk of virus transmission requires a multi-layered approach for any large event, more so in this case due to staging the tournament across eleven host countries. Yet, little is known about COVID-19 risks and mitigation from attending an event of this scale and nature. We examined the implementation of mitigation and messaging at EURO 2020 matches hosted at venues in the UK. The tournament was postponed from the summer of 2020 and played in June and July of 2021. Structured observations were conducted by 11 trained fieldwork-supporters at 10 matches played at Wembley Stadium, London, or Hampden Park, Glasgow. Fieldwork-supporters observed one-way systems and signage, and hand sanitizing stations inside the stadia, but reported significant variation in the implementation of staggered timeslots, testing upon entry, and procedures for exit. Adherence to planned measures by ticket holders and implementation by stewards waned as the tournament progressed culminating in an absence of enforced measures at the final. The non-compliance with COVID-19 mitigation measures was likely to have led to a significantly increased risk of transmission. Future events should consider how COVID-19 mitigation measures could become 'new norms' of fan behaviour, learning from what is already known about football fandom. Tournament organizers of SMEs can use these findings to promote clearer messaging on pandemic-driven changes in fan behaviour and best practices in mitigating risk at future sporting and cultural events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, news and social media outlets have played a major role in dissemination of information. This analysis aimed to study the association between trust in social and traditional media and experiences of mental distress among a representative sample of US adults. Data for this study came from National Pandemic Pulse, a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey that sampled participants on the Dynata platform. Participants included 6435 adults surveyed between 15–23 December 2020. Ordinal logistic regression analyses examined the associations of trust in (i) social media, (ii) print media, (iii) broadcast TV and (iv) cable TV, for COVID-19-related information with self-reported mental distress (4-item Patient Health Questionnaire), controlling for sociodemographics and census region. Compared with those who distrusted social media, those who trusted social media had 2.09 times (95% CI = 1.84–2.37) greater adjusted odds of being in a more severe category of mental distress. In contrast, compared with those who distrusted print media, those who trusted print media had 0.80 times (95% CI = 0.69–0.93) lower adjusted odds of being in a more severe category of mental distress. No significant associations were found between mental distress and trust in broadcast or cable TV for accessing news about COVID-19. Trust in different news outlets may be associated with mental distress during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies should explore mechanisms behind these associations, including adherence to best practices for crisis reporting among different media sources and exposure of individuals to misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lockdown that was deployed in Wuhan, China to combat the COVID-19 pandemic curbed the infection but also created great information challenges for people in social isolation. This resulted in surge in online health information seeking (OHIS) behaviors of the patients and their families. While the Internet has been widely used by Chinese public to access and search health information, there is relatively little research in the context of pandemic outbreaks, especially at the onset of a strong lockdown while many people were panicking. From a total of 10 908 '#COVID-19 Patient Seeking Help' posts on Weibo in a period of 20 days when the lockdown policy was first initiated, we identified 1496 unique patients living in or with family in Wuhan, China. Using textual analysis, we explored OHIS behaviors at the onset of the pandemic. Many faced increased difficulties accessing offline healthcare services and such turned to social media for help and information. In particular, the findings highlight the following themes: ' OHIS for medical treatment ', ' OHIS to manage self-quarantine ', ' OHIS for tangible support ' and ' OHIS to navigate information discrepancy '. Overall, our findings provide important insights into health information seeking behaviors and the role of social media during a pandemic. Our findings also highlight the importance of considering people's information need and challenges created due to the lockdown policies in the future pandemic communication and preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of online Irish traditional singing sessions on health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Singing sessions are unique facets of Ireland's music tradition that saw dramatic closure, interruption and digital transition in response to COVID-19 social distancing measures. This study highlights a gap in health promotion literature with regard to traditional singing sessions as a group singing activity and examines the potential for online group singing activities to have positive impacts on the health and well-being of participants. While traditional singing sessions foreground solo performances, they are quintessentially group activities, and include community engagement and active participation from singers and listeners alike. Through an online survey (n  = 108), and ethnographic interviews (n  = 3), this study explores potential health and well-being implications of online traditional singing sessions, and reveals four main areas of impact: social connection, enjoyment, cognitive motivation and timekeeping. The study suggests that online traditional singing sessions can promote health and well-being in participants, particularly during times of isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the pandemic, Canada has taken critical steps to curb the transmission of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A key intervention has been physical distancing. Although physical distancing may protect older adults and other at-risk groups from COVID-19, research suggests quarantine and isolation may worsen mental health. Among older adults, social exclusion and social safety nets are social determinants of health (SDOH) that may be uniquely affected by the COVID-19 physical distancing measures. Health promotion programmes designed to reduce social exclusion and enhance social safety nets are one way to mitigate the potential mental health implications of this pandemic. The Student–Senior Isolation Prevention Partnership (SSIPP) is a student-led, community health promotion initiative that has scaled into a nation-wide effort to improve social connection among older adults. This initiative began with in-person visits and transformed into a tele-intervention guided by health promotion principles due to COVID-19. SSIPP continued to target the SDOH of social exclusion and social safety nets by pairing student volunteers with older adults to engage in weekly phone- and video-based interactions. Informed by the community partnership model by Best et al. , SSIPP is built on the three orientations of empowerment, behaviour and organization, which are achieved through cross-disciplinary collaboration. This article reviews the importance of the adaptability of health promotion programmes, such as SSIPP during a pandemic, placing an emphasis on the lessons learned and future steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic is dependent on individual understanding of the disease and compliance to prevention measures. Early media depiction of health information about COVID-19 may influence public perceptions and behaviour. Media should ensure coverage is relevant, timely and actionable to encourage individuals to respond appropriately. India has been particularly affected by a large COVID-19 caseload. We analysed online reporting in India to assess how well the media represented health information about COVID-19 as per the World Health Organization's Strategic Risk Communications guidelines. This included media coverage of symptoms, transmission and prevention. We found that limited articles (18.8%) provided actionable suggestions to readers, including urging people to stay at home and social distance. Most articles were relevant as per WHO COVID-19 updates, accurately covering symptoms, risk factors for severe symptoms, transmission and prevention. However, 40% of media coverage of treatments options provided misleading information, such as suggesting plasma therapy or chloroquine, were effective. In addition, only 1.9% of articles included discussion of equity issues, where many prevention activities such as distancing are less applicable in lower-income households. Sixty-seven per cent of articles quoting sources of information quoted credible sources such as public health agencies and researchers. Media coverage also did not appear to reflect WHO updates in a timely manner, with most of the coverage preceding these updates. The findings show that Indian media should focus on actionable and relevant reporting that provides guidance for individual response. Media should also endeavour to report on evidence-based prevention and treatment options to avert the spread of misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the harm perpetuated by gender-blind programs for marginalized citizens, including sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) and cisgender women. Gender-blind programs are known to augment harms associated with violence and structural stigmatization by reinforcing rather than challenging unequal systems of power. The intersecting marginalization of these populations with systems of class, race, and settler-colonialism is exacerbating the impact that policies such as physical distancing, school closures, and a realignment of healthcare priorities are having on the wellbeing of these populations. The overarching reasons why women and SGM are marginalized are well known and stem from a hegemonic, patriarchal system that fails to fully integrate these groups into planning and decision making regarding public health programming—including the response to COVID-19. In this perspective, we aim to highlight how the exclusion of cisgender women and SGM, and failure to use a gender redistributive/transformative approach, has (i) hampered the recovery from the pandemic and (ii) further entrenched the existing power structures that lead to the marginalization of these groups. We also argue that COVID-19 represents a once-in-a-century opportunity to realign priorities regarding health promotion for cisgender women and SGM by using gender redistributive/transformative approaches to the recovery from the pandemic. We apply this framework, which aims to challenge the existing power structures and distribution of resources, to exemplars from programs in health, housing, employment, and incarceration to envision how a gender redistributive/transformative approach could harness the COVID-19 recovery to advance health equity for cisgender women and SGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Young adults are not considered a risk group, but the public health response to COVID-19 impacts all citizens. We investigated the impact on young adults' and their adherence to containment measures addressing potential gender differences. Methods In April 2020 12 341 students of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences were invited to a longitudinal health survey. Survey topics spanned socio-demographic data, students' health status and behavior, COVID-19 specific impact, concerns, information sources, adherence to containment measures, and trust in government bodies. Group comparisons by gender and multivariate ordinal regression models assessing adherence to restrictions of mobility and social contacts were conducted (n =  2373). Results Mean age was 26.4 (SD = 5.6), 70% were female. 43.5% reported some concern about their own health, 2.7% stated major worries. Women experienced more conflicts (p < 0.000) and, enjoyed time with the family more (p < 0.000). Men felt less locked up (p = 0.001). The most frequented COVID-19 information source was public media (48%) and confidence in government bodies was high (82%) for both genders. Men yielded lower adjusted odds (OR; 95%-CI) of adherence regarding the following measures: social distancing (0.68; 0.53–0.87), non-utilization of public transport (0.74; 0.56–0.97), 5-person limit for social gatherings (0.47; 0.35–0.64) and the stay at home rule (0.64; 0.51–0.82). Conclusion Early in the pandemic a high degree of adherence was observed in this young academic population. Containment measures restricting movement and social contact yielded considerable differences by gender, information source and perceived susceptibility to the virus. More targeted communication may increase adherence regarding mobility restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, global measures preventing the spread of the new coronavirus required most of the population to lockdown at home. This sudden halt to collective life meant that non-essential services were closed and many health promoting activities (i.e. physical activity, school) were stopped in their tracks. To curb the negative health impacts of lockdown measures, activities adapting to this new reality were urgently developed. One form of activity promoted indoor physical activity to prevent the adverse physical and psychological effects of the lockdown. Another form of activity included the rapid development of online learning tools to keep children and youth engaged academically while not attending school. While these health promoting efforts were meant to benefit the general population, we argue that these interventions may have unintended consequences and inadvertently increase health inequalities affecting marginalized youth in particular, as they may not reap the same benefits, both social and physical, from the interventions promoting at-home physical activities or distance learning measures. We elaborate on several interventions and their possible unintended consequences for marginalized youth and suggest several strategies that may mitigate their impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global shifts toward a disease-oriented, vertical approach to health has involved limiting the right for communities to participate in decision-making. Ecuador's authoritarian legacy has forced civil society and social organizations to adopt 'coping strategies', while large protests recently derived into violent struggles. The country has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic amid corruption scandals involving hospital and food purchases by government during the response. This study critically examines how Ecuador's government took into consideration 'community participation' as a value and tenet of health promotion. Our systematic textual analysis focuses on 53 consecutive resolutions by the National Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) leading the decision-making processes, which, explicitly requires community participation. Results show that the 'lifecycle' of the central government's evolving policy framing centered on law enforcement and the private sector, followed by the social sector. Further, there is no evidence of stakeholders from civil society or organizations taking part in decision-making. Having legitimized the exclusion of community participation in Ecuador's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that the government will fail to consider the wider social implications of its impact. In particular, the limits to local governments becoming informed and making decisions without mediation by the National EOC will further impede community participation in health decision-making in the future. This implies that local knowledge and experiences will also not inform health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]