Selbstmedikation: Ratsuch- und Behandlungsstrategien bei Beschwerden und Kenntnisse über Heilmittel und Medikamente - 1982

Die ärztliche Konsultation beruht auf einer individuellen Entscheidung, der die Wahrnehmung und Interpretation von Beschwerden vorausgeht. Dies kann dazu führen, dass ein Arztbesuch unterlassen wird, wo ärztliche Behandlung angezeigt wäre ("underutilization"), bzw. medizinische Hilfe beansprucht wird, wo die Störungen vom Laien selbst behandelt werden könnten ("overutilization"). Neben der Ermittlung der Häufigkeiten und Kombinationen von Beschwerden standen Fragen bezüglich der Ratsuch- und Behandlungsstrategien der befragten Personen sowie deren Kenntnisse über Heilmittel und Medikamente im Mittelpunkt der Untersuchung. Dabei ging es darum, inwieweit bei verschiedenen Beschwerden ein medizinisches, ein paramedizinisches oder ein Laiensystem konsultiert wird, und welche Formen der Selbstbehandlung bzw. Selbstmedikation dabei gewählt werden. Die Untersuchung berücksichtigte zudem die wichtigsten soziodemografischen Merkmalen sowie veschiedene psychologische und soziale Aspekte (Sozialisation, Sozialstatus, psychosoziale Belastungen und Ressourcen, medikamentenorientierte Einstellungen und Genussmittelkonsum).The medical consultation is based on an individual decision preceded by the perception and interpretation of pains. This can lead to a doctor's visit being omitted, where medical treatment would be indicated ("underutilization"), or to medical assistance being mobilised where the disorders could be treated by the layman himself ("overutilization"). The study focuses on questions about the advice-seeking and treatment strategies of the respondents and their knowledge of remedies and drugs in addition to the determination of the frequencies and combinations of pains. It investigates the extent to which a medical, a paramedical or a lay system is consulted concerning various pains, and which forms of self-treatment or self-medication are chosen. The study also looked at key socio-demographic characteristics and various psychological and social aspects (socialization, social status, psychosocial pressures and resources, drug-related attitudes, and consumption of stimulants)

The influence of numeracy on decision making in the operating room

Healthcare providers are faced with a vast amount of numeric information during their daily routine. This information has to be integrated to make informed decisions that are in the patient’s best interest. The operating room represents a setting where this issue is particularly relevant. Here, decision making often occurs under severe time pressure leaving no room for careful considerations. Unfortunately, not all people are good at using numeric information because it is often abstract and its meaning depends on the context. The concept of numeracy – the ability to use and understand numbers in daily life – captures these interpersonal differences. The importance of numeracy in healthcare has been repeatedly highlighted. However, studies are usually concerned with the effects of patients’ numeracy. Numeracy of healthcare providers has been largely ignored so far. We will present the design of a planned experimental study aiming to address this gap. In this experiment, medical students listen to a recording describing a scene from an operating room. The scenario contains different numeric information. This information can be important, i.e. when interpreted correctly, participants need to intervene to prevent harm by pressing a button. The presentation of numeric information is manipulated. Numeracy is assessed via questionnaire

Wie können viele Personen für eine kommunale Umweltaktion gewonnen werden?

Die Mobilisierung einer genügend großen Zahl von Personen für umweltbezogene Verhaltensänderungen stellt eine große Herausforderung dar. Bei einer Aktion zur Geschwindigkeitsreduktion in einer Gemeinde gelang es, über 1.000 Personen zur Teilnahme zu bewegen. Der gesamte Prozess wurde von Umweltpsychologen initiiert, beraten und evaluiert. Bei den für die Mobilisierung verwendeten Diffusionsinstrumenten waren neben Standaktionen sowie Verteiler in Geschäften und Firmen die persönlichen Kontakte besonders effektiv. Für die Verhaltensänderung waren Kommunikationsinstrumente, namentlich eine Selbstverpflichtung, Prompts und Feedback-Instrumente wirksam. Mit der Aktion konnte eine markante Geschwindigkeitsreduktion erzielt werden. Die Reduktion ist noch sechs Monate nach der Aktion feststellbar, wenn auch in abgeschwächter Form. Mobilising a sufficiently large number of persons to change behaviours relevant to the environment poses a great challenge. In this study, a town campaign to reduce driving speeds succeeded in gaining the voluntary participation of over 1,000 people. Throughout the entire process, environmental psychologists served as initiators, advisors, and evaluators. Besides information booths and information dispensers in shops and businesses, personal contacting proved to be a particularly effective intervention instrument to mobilise the public. To in-duce behaviour change, communication instruments - self-commitment, prompts, and feedback instruments - were effective. The campaign produced a remarkable reduction in driving speeds. The speed reduction effect remained in evidence for six months after the end of the campaign, although in a weaker form

The general confidence scale: coping with environmental uncertainty and threat

We investigated general confidence as a psychological buffer for coping with environmental uncertainty and threat. In Study 1, a new scale to measure general confidence was developed and cross-validated with different samples. Study 2 examined general confidence as a moderator of the influence of environmental stress on individual strains. Two groups of participants were presented with photographs either of terrorist attacks or of neutral scenes. We found a significant interaction between presented scenes and general confidence. Study 3 examined the effect of general confidence on acceptance of mobile phone stations while controlling for relevant variables. The results showed good incremental validity for the General Confidence Scale over related personality and social psychological constructs

How Do the Chinese Perceive Ecological Risk in Freshwater Lakes?

<div><p>In this study, we explore the potential contributions of a risk perception framework in understanding public perceptions of unstable ecosystems. In doing so, we characterize one type of common ecological risk– harmful algal blooms (HABs)–in four of the most seriously eutrophicated freshwater lakes in China. These lakes include Chaohu, Dianchi, Hongze, and Taihu, where a total of 2000 residents living near these sites were interviewed. Regional discrepancies existed in the pilot study regarding public perceptions of ecological changes and public concerns for ecological risk. Comparing HABs and other kinds of risks (earthquake, nuclear, and public traffic) through the psychometric paradigm method, <i>Knowledge</i>, <i>Effect</i>, and <i>Trust</i> were three key factors formulating the risk perception model. The results indicated that <i>Knowledge</i> and risk tolerance levels had significant negative correlations in the higher economic situation while correlations in the lower economic situation were significantly positive. <i>Effect</i> and risk tolerance levels had significant negative correlations in the high and middle education situation while correlations in the low education situation were close to zero or insignificant. For residents from Taihu with comparatively higher economic and educational levels, more investment in risk prevention measures and stronger policies are needed. And for residents from Hongze and Dianchi with comparatively low economic and educational levels, improvement of the government’s credibility (<i>Trust</i>) was the most important factor of risk tolerance, so efforts to eliminate ecological problems with the stepwise development of economic and educational levels should be implemented and gradually strengthened. In turn, this could prevent public discontent and ensure support for ecological protection policies.</p></div

Psychological determinants of fuel consumption of purchased new cars

With regard to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of road transport consumers' adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles is crucial. However, facing the ongoing trend of increasing car size and power, fuel consumption is apparently of lesser importance to most buyers. For the design of effective measures to change behavior and promote fuel-efficient cars, psychological factors should be considered. Drawing from psychological research on environmental behavior, we propose a model which integrates psychological variables to explain the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles by private consumers. This model is tested with survey data from 302 Swiss respondents whose households have bought a new car since 2002. SEM analyses confirm valence of less power and smaller size, and perceived behavioral control as direct predictors of the purchase of a fuel-efficient vehicle. Problem awareness, symbolic motives, and response efficacy influence the respective behavior indirectly via affecting the direct predictors. The design, implementation and evaluation of measures aimed at changing car choice behavior with respect to fuel consumption should account for these factors