Levels of Trust in Information Sources as a Predictor of Protective Health Behaviors During COVID-19 Pandemic: A UAE Cross-Sectional Study

Health information sources and the level of trust in a particular source may influence the subsequent adoption of advocated health behaviors. Information source preference and levels of trust are also likely to be influenced by sociodemographic (culture, age, gender) variables. Understanding these source-trust-behavior relationships across various national and cultural contexts is integral to improved health messaging. The present study identified the sources most frequently consulted to obtain information about COVID-19 during the pandemic's early stages in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study quantified levels of trust across an array of information sources, factoring in sociodemographic variables. Finally, the study explored the relationship between sociodemographic variables, levels of trust in information sources, and the adoption of COVID-19 related protective behaviors. Participants (n = 1585) were recruited during the first 2 weeks of April 2020 via announcements in the UAE media and through email networks. All participants completed a web-based survey presented in English or Arabic, as preferred. The most frequently consulted information sources were websites (health information websites), social media, government communications, and family and friends. The sources rated most trustworthy were: personal physicians, health care professionals, and government communications. There were differences in the use of sources and levels of trust according to age, gender, and education. The levels of trust in sources of information were associated with the adoption of protective behaviors, significantly so for citizens of the UAE. These findings may help inform the improvement of pandemic–related health messaging in multicultural contexts

Predicting the Lay Preventive Strategies in Response to Avian Influenza from Perceptions of the Threat

Background: The identification of patterns of behaviors that lay people would engage in to protect themselves from the risk of infection in the case of avian influenza outbreak, as well as the lay perceptions of the threat that underlie these risk reduction strategies. Methodology/Principal Findings: A population-based survey (N = 1003) was conducted in 2008 to understand and describe how the French public might respond to a possible outbreak. Factor analyses highlighted three main categories of risk reduction strategies consisting of food quality assurance, food avoidance, and animal avoidance. In combination with the fear of contracting avian influenza, mental representations associated with the manifestation and/or transmission of the disease were found to significantly and systematically shape the behavioral responses to the perceived threat. Conclusions/Significance: This survey provides insight into the nature and predictors of the protective patterns that might be expected from the general public during a novel domestic outbreak of avian influenza

The relative effects of upwelling and river flow on the phytoplankton diversity patterns in the ria of A Coruña (NW Spain)

Phytoplankton species assemblages in estuaries are connected to those in rivers and marine environments by local hydrodynamics leading to a continuous flow of taxa. This study revealed differential effects of upwelling and river flow on phytoplankton communities observed in 2011 along a salinity gradient from a river reservoir connected to the sea through a ria-marine bay system in A Coruña (NW Spain, 43° 16-21’ N, 8° 16-22’ W). With 130 phytoplankton taxa identified, the assemblages were dominated in general by diatoms, particularly abundant in the bay and in the estuary, but also by chlorophycea and cyanobacteria in the reservoir. Considering the entire seasonal cycle, the local assemblages were mainly characterized by changes in cryptophytes and diatoms, small dinoflagellates and some freshwater chlorophycea. Salinity, nitrate, and organic matter variables, were the main environmental factors related to the changes in the phytoplankton communities through the system, while phosphate and nitrite were also important for local communities in the estuary and the bay, respectively. The corresponding local phytoplankton assemblages showed moderate levels of connectivity. The estuarine community shared a variable number of taxa with the adjacent zones, depending on the relative strength of upwelling (major influence from the bay) and river flow (major influence of the reservoir) but had on average 35% of unique taxa. Consequently, local and zonal diversity patterns varied seasonally and were not simply related to the salinity gradient driven by the river flow.ANILE (CTM2009-08396 and CTM2010-08804-E), FIOME (CTM2011-28792-C02-01-MAR), and MEFIO (CTM2011-28792-C02-02-MAR) of the Plan Nacional de I+D+i (Spain), and RADIALES of the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO, Spain).Versión del editor2,01

Reassuring and managing patients with concerns about swine flu: Qualitative interviews with callers to NHS Direct

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the early stages of the 2009 swine flu (influenza H1N1) outbreak, the large majority of patients who contacted the health services about the illness did not have it. In the UK, the NHS Direct telephone service was used by many of these patients. We used qualitative interviews to identify the main reasons why people approached NHS Direct with concerns about swine flu and to identify aspects of their contact which were reassuring, using a framework approach.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>33 patients participated in semi-structured interviews. All patients had telephoned NHS Direct between 11 and 14 May with concerns about swine flu and had been assessed as being unlikely to have the illness.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Reasons for seeking advice about swine flu included: the presence of unexpectedly severe flu-like symptoms; uncertainties about how one can catch swine flu; concern about giving it to others; pressure from friends or employers; and seeking 'peace of mind.' Most participants found speaking to NHS Direct reassuring or useful. Helpful aspects included: having swine flu ruled out; receiving an alternative explanation for symptoms; clarification on how swine flu is transmitted; and the perceived credibility of NHS Direct. No-one reported anything that had increased their anxiety and only one participant subsequently sought additional advice about swine flu from elsewhere.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Future major incidents involving other forms of chemical, biological or radiological hazards may also cause large numbers of unexposed people to seek health advice. Our data suggest that providing telephone triage and information is helpful in such instances, particularly where advice can be given via a trusted, pre-existing service.</p

Control of Pyrethroid-Resistant Chagas Disease Vectors with Entomopathogenic Fungi

Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is the most relevant parasitic disease in Latin America, being a major burden that affects mostly poor human populations living in rural areas. The kissing-bugs of the Triatominae family transmit the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi by infectious blood-sucking; Triatoma infestans is the vector of major relevance in the southern Cone of South America. Current control strategies, heavily based on residual insecticide spraying, are threatened by the emergence of pyrethroid-resistant bug populations. Furthermore, ensuring the long-term and sustainable control of this overwhelming disease remains a major challenge. Here we show the utility of a simple, low-cost, biological control methodology against T. infestans bugs, regardless of their susceptibility to pyrethroid insecticides. It is based on the understanding of the initial contact interactions between a mycoinsecticide agent—the fungus Beauveria bassiana—and the host defense barrier, the bug cuticle. The proposed methodology is also supported by present data showing a relationship between the triatomine cuticle width and its hydrocarbon surface components, with insecticide resistance. These results will help to provide a safe and efficient alternative to overcome pyrethroid-resilience of these noxious bugs. A high transfer potential to immediate application in rural communities located in remote areas inaccessible to sanitary control teams, and to the control of other Chagas disease vectors as well, is also envisaged

Change in antihypertensive drug prescribing after guideline implementation: a controlled before and after study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antihypertensive drug choices and treatment levels are not in accordance with the existing guidelines. We aimed to assess the impact of a guideline implementation intervention on antihypertensive drug prescribing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this controlled before and after study, the effects of a multifaceted (education, audit and feedback, local care pathway) quality programme was evaluated. The intervention was carried out in a health centre between 2002 and 2003. From each health care unit (n = 31), a doctor-nurse pair was trained to act as peer facilitators in the intervention.</p> <p>All antihypertensive drugs prescribed by 25 facilitator general practitioners (intervention GPs) and 53 control GPs were retrieved from the nationwide Prescription Register for three-month periods in 2001 and 2003. The proportions of patients receiving specific antihypertensive drugs and multiple antihypertensive drugs were measured before and after the intervention for three subgroups of hypertension patients: hypertension only, with coronary heart disease, and with diabetes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In all subgroups, the use of multiple concurrent medications increased. For intervention patients with hypertension only, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.12 (95% CI 0.99, 1.25; p = 0.06) and for controls 1.13 (1.05, 1.21; p = 0.002). We observed no statistically significant differences in the change in the prescribing of specific antihypertensive agents between the intervention and control groups. The use of agents acting on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system increased in all subgroups (hypertension only intervention patients OR 1.19 (1.06, 1.34; p = 0.004) and controls OR 1.24 (1.15, 1.34; p < 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A multifaceted guideline implementation intervention does not necessarily lead to significant changes in prescribing performance. Rigorous planning of the interventions and quality projects and their evaluation are essential.</p