| 1. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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Associations Between Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health, and Preventive Behaviours Across Pregnant Women and Husbands : An Actor-Partner Interdependence Modelling
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. - : Springer. - 1557-1874 .- 1557-1882. ; 20, s. 68-82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present cross-sectional study examined the actor-partner interdependence effect of fear of COVID-19 among Iranian pregnant women and their husbands and its association with their mental health and preventive behaviours during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A total of 290 pregnant women and their husbands (N = 580) were randomly selected from a list of pregnant women in the Iranian Integrated Health System and were invited to respond to psychometric scales assessing fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, suicidal intention, mental quality of life, and COVID-19 preventive behaviours. The findings demonstrated significant dyadic relationships between husbands and their pregnant wives' fear of COVID-19, mental health, and preventive behaviours. Pregnant wives' actor effect of fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with depression, suicidal intention, mental quality of life, and COVID-19 preventive behaviours but not anxiety. Moreover, a husband actor effect of fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, suicidal intention, mental quality of life, and COVID-19 preventive behaviours. Additionally, there were significant partner effects observed for both the pregnant wives and their husbands concerning all outcomes. The present study used a cross-sectional design and so is unable to determine the mechanism or causal ordering of the effects. Also, the data are mainly based on self-reported measures which have some limitations due to its potential for social desirability and recall biases. Based on the findings, couples may benefit from psychoeducation that focuses on the effect of mental health problems on pregnant women and the foetus.
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| 2. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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Cyberchondria, Fear of COVID-19, and Risk Perception Mediate the Association between Problematic Social Media Use and Intention to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine
- 2022
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Ingår i: Vaccines. - : MDPI. - 2076-393X. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vaccination is the most effective way to control the COVID-19 pandemic, but vaccination hesitancy threatens this effort worldwide. Consequently, there is a need to understand what influences individuals' intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Restriction of information gathering on societal developments to social media may influence attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination through exposure to disinformation and imbalanced arguments. The present study examined the association between problematic social media use and intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine, taking into account the mediating roles of cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception. In a cross-sectional survey study, a total of 10,843 residents of Qazvin City, Iran completed measures on problematic social media use, fear of COVID-19, cyberchondria, COVID-19 risk perception, and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that there was no direct association between problematic social media use and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Nonetheless, cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception (each or serially) mediated associations between problematic social media use and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. These results add to the understanding of the role of problematic social media use in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, i.e., it is not the quantity of social media use per se that matters. This knowledge of the mediating roles of cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception can be used by public health experts and policymakers when planning educational interventions and other initiatives in COVID-19 vaccination programs.
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| 3. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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Mediating Roles of Psychological Distress, Insomnia, and Body Image Concerns in the Association Between Exercise Addiction and Eating Disorders
- 2023
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Ingår i: Psychology Research and Behavior Management. - : Dove Medical Press. - 1179-1578. ; 16, s. 2533-2542
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Exercising can promote good health. However, excessive exercising may have downsides. This study examined the association between exercise addiction and eating disorders and whether the identified association was mediated by psychological distress, insomnia (including sleep quality), and body image concern.Methods: A total of 2088 adolescents (mean age of 15.3 years) participated in this cross-sectional study by questions assessing exercise addiction, eating disorders, psychological distress, insomnia, sleep quality, and body image concern.Results: There were significantly positive relationships between the variables (r=0.12-0.54, p<0.01) with effect sizes from small to large. The four potential mediators (ie, insomnia, sleep quality, psychological distress, and body image concern), individually and in total, significantly mediated the association between exercise addiction and eating disorders.Conclusion: The findings suggest that exercise addiction in adolescents may influence eating disorders through multiple pathways, such as insomnia, psychological distress, and body image concerns. Future research should examine these relationships longitudinally and use gathered information to inform intervention development. Clinicians and healthcare workers are encouraged to assess exercise addiction when treating individuals with eating disorders.
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| 4. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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Testing an app-based intervention to improve insomnia in patients with epilepsy : A randomized controlled trial
- 2020
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Ingår i: Epilepsy & Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 1525-5050 .- 1525-5069. ; 112
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Insomnia has adverse effects on people with epilepsy. We aimed to test a novel cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) app-based intervention on insomnia symptoms and social psychological factors in people with epilepsy and to examine the possible mechanisms among the factors.Methods: Participants were recruited from neurology clinics in Iran and comprised individuals diagnosed with epilepsy and having moderate to severe insomnia. A two-arm randomized controlled trial design was used, consisting of a treatment group (CBT-I; n = 160) and control group (patient education; n = 160). Primary outcomes were self-reported sleep quality, insomnia severity, and sleep hygiene behavior and objective sleep characteristics measured by actigraphy. Secondary outcomes were attitude, perceived behavioral control, intention, action planning, coping planning, behavioral automaticity, self-monitoring, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL). All outcomes were measured at baseline, and at one, three, and six months postintervention, except objective sleep, which was assessed at baseline, and one and six months postintervention. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models.Results: Current findings showed that sleep quality, insomnia severity, sleep hygiene behavior, and sleep onset latency were significantly improved in the CBT-I group compared with the patient education group at all measurement points. Also, the CBT-I group had significantly improved anxiety, depression, and QoL compared with the patient education group. Mediation analyses showed that attitude, intention, coping planning, self-monitoring, and behavioral automaticity significantly mediated the effect of the intervention on sleep outcomes.Conclusion: Results support the use of the CBT-I app to improve sleep outcomes among people with epilepsy.
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| 5. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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The association between fear of COVID-19 and mental health : The mediating roles of burnout and job stress among emergency nursing staff
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nursing Open. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2054-1058. ; 9:2, s. 1147-1154
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: This current study examined the mediation roles of burnout and job stress in the association between fear of COVID-19 and mental health among emergency nurses.Design: Cross-sectional survey. Design: Cross-sectional survey.Methods: A total of 516 emergency nurses with a mean age of 41.18 (SD = 8.24), mostly females (76.16%) and married (78.9%) responded to measures on fear of COVID-19, burnout, job stress and mental health between 15 September and 7 November 2020.Results: There was a significantly direct effect between (a) fear of COVID-19 and mental health, (b) fear of COVID-19 and mediators (burnout and job stress) and (c) mediators (burnout and job stress) and mental health. Also, there was a significantly indirect effect between fear of COVID-19 and mental health through job stress, burnout or both.Conclusions: Fear of COVID-19 directly and indirectly influenced the mental health of emergency nurses. Therefore, hospital authorities should provide sufficient resources to allay the fears of nurses during this COVID-19 pandemic period.
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| 6. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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The Association Between Health Status and Insomnia, Mental Health, and Preventive Behaviors : The Mediating Role of Fear of COVID-19
- 2020
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Ingår i: Gerontology and geriatric medicine. - : Sage Publications. - 2333-7214. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: This study examined the mediation role of fear of COVID-19 in the association between perceived health status of older adults and their insomnia, mental health, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors so as to have better understanding of the factors associated with COVID-19 and its preventive measures. Methods: A total of 413 older adults with a mean age of 57.72 (SD = 7.31) were recruited for this study. They responded to the measures on fear of COVID-19, insomnia, mental health, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Results: There were small-large significant interrelationships between insomnia, mental health, fear of COVID-19, and preventive behaviors. Fear of COVID-19 significantly mediated the associations between perceived health status and insomnia, mental health, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors. It was also observed that perceived health status directly influenced insomnia and mental health of older adults but not their COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Conclusion: Fear of COVID-19 has an important role to play in the management of the health and preventive behaviors of older adults. Health experts and communicators may capitalize on these findings to educate people on COVID-19. Future studies are needed to perfectly ascertain the extent of fear needed to stimulate or initiate better preventive behaviors and healthcare practices.
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| 7. |
- Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi, et al.
(författare)
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The mediational role of trust in the healthcare system in the association between generalized trust and willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination in Iran
- 2022
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Ingår i: Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2164-5515 .- 2164-554X. ; 18:1, s. 1-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 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.
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| 8. |
- Ahorsu Kwasi, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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De-mythifying mental health taboo: Can an educational programme in combination with workshops change the perspective towards mental health and help seeking behavior among university students in Hong Kong?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 5th International conference on medical and Health Sciences. - Bhutan : Medical Education Centre for Research Innovation and Training, (MECRIT), and the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB).
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: Promotion of mental health contributes to enhancing the ability of a person to reach and maintain a positive psychosocial state of wellbeing. The degree of knowledge on mental health significantly affects the willingness of an individual to seek for help in case of emotional distress. Aims and objectives: A psychoeducation programme was implemented to de-mythify mental illness and promote help-seeking behavior in combination with group workshops focusing on relaxation and physical activities in tertiary education students in Hong Kong. Methodology: A mixed method approach was used. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires based on the validated tools to assess mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior. Focus group interviews were carried out to collect additional information on the program impact. Results: A total of 64 students participated in the study (mean age of 23.4 ± 5.2 years). A significant increase in awareness of mental health was observed. While the mean score increased from pretest to posttest, the help-seeking behavior showed no significant difference. A total of 18 subjects participated in 2 focus group interviews. The themes identified included definition of mental health, attitudes related to good mental health, challenges when dealing with mental health, strategies to deal with mental health, strategies to help others and positive impact of the program. Conclusion: The implementation of the psychoeducational program increased mental health awareness, had a positive impact on the participants awareness on self-care and promoted knowledge on strategies for self-help and helping others.
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| 9. |
- Chen, I-Hua, et al.
(författare)
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Internet addiction and psychological distress among Chinese schoolchildren before and during the COVID-19 outbreak : A latent class analysis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Behavioral Addictions. - : AKADEMIAI KIADO ZRT. - 2062-5871 .- 2063-5303. ; 10:3, s. 731-746
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aims: The present longitudinal study examined the changes in problematic internet use (problematic smartphone use, problematic social media use, and problematic gaming) and changes in COVID-19-related psychological distress (fear of COVID-19 and worry concerning COVID-19) across three time-points (before the COVID-19 outbreak, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, and during the COVID-19 outbreak recovery period). Methods: A total of 504 Chinese schoolchildren completed measures concerning problematic internet use and psychological distress across three time points. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to classify participants into three groups of problematic internet use comprising Group 1 (lowest level), Group 2 (moderate level), and Group 3 (highest level). Results: Statistical analyses showed that as problematic use of internet-related activities declined among Group 3 participants across the three time points, participants in Group 1 and Group 2 had increased problematic use of internet-related activities. Although there was no between-group difference in relation to worrying concerning COVID-19 infection, Groups 2 and 3 had significantly higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than Group 1 during the COVID-19 recovery period. Regression analysis showed that change in problematic internet use predicted fear of COVID-19 during the recovery period. Conclusion: The varied levels of problematic internet use among schoolchildren reflect different changing trends of additive behaviors during COVID-19 outbreak and recovery periods.
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| 10. |
- Chen, I-Hua, et al.
(författare)
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Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) : Evidence of Measurement Invariance Across Five Countries
- 2022
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Ingår i: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy. - : DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD. - 1179-1594. ; 15, s. 435-445
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The percentage of individuals who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 was 53% worldwide, 62% in Asia, and 11% in Africa at the time of writing (February 9, 2022). In addition to administrative issues, vaccine hesitancy is an important factor contributing to the relatively low rate of vaccination. The Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) was developed to assess COVID-19 vaccination acceptance levels. However, it has only been tested among Taiwanese, mainland Chinese, and Ghanaian populations (Chen et al, 2021; Fan et al, 2021; Yeh et al, 2021). Therefore, the present study examined the construct validity and measurement invariance of the MoVac-COVID19S among individuals from five countries (ie, Taiwan, mainland China, India, Ghana, and Afghanistan). Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional survey study recruited 6053 participants across five countries who completed the survey between January and March 2021. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) fit indices were used to examine factor structure and measurement invariance across the five countries. Results: The fit indices of the CFA were relatively good across the countries except for the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Moreover, the four-factor structure (either nine or 12 items) had a better fit than the one-factor structure. However, the four-factor model using nine MoVac-COVID19S items was the only model that had measurement invariance support for both factor loadings and item intercepts across the five countries. Conclusion: The present study confirmed that the MoVac-COVID19S has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used to assess an individual's willingness to get COVID-19 vaccination.
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