Information Campaigns Research Articles

Toward a Better Understanding of the Construction Impacts of a Light Rail System in Montréal, Canada

Large-scale transport infrastructure projects generate long-lasting changes in the built environment and alter the lives of nearby residents. It is crucial to understand public perceptions of public-transit projects and associated construction impacts, as they influence the social acceptance and eventual success of such projects. To characterize the construction-phase experiences of a new light rail in Montréal, Canada—the Réseau express métropolitain (REM)—we analyzed data from 1,236 respondents from the Greater Montréal region who self-reported ongoing construction activities near their homes. This study employs an exploratory factor and k-means cluster analysis to group residents by their different experiences and perceptions of the REM and its associated construction impacts. The analysis returned five clusters with distinct construction experiences: construction-concerned travelers, REM-critical respondents, neutral travelers, REM enthusiasts, and rerouted travelers. Subsequently, the acceptability of the impacts during the construction phase on each cluster is assessed by comparing perceptions of the impact of neighborhood change on their quality of life and their intention to use the REM. Finally, we derive targeted policy recommendations to help promote increased social acceptability of light-rail transit (LRT) projects, including mitigating disruptions in construction zones, public information campaigns, and inclusive decision-making processes. Findings from this study can benefit policymakers and transport planners as they aim to reduce the disruptions associated with the construction of LRT systems and promote increased social acceptability.

Consumers preferences and social sustainability: a discrete choice experiment on ‘Quality Agricultural Work’ ethical label in the Italian fruit sector

The Italian legislator has adopted several instruments to discourage undeclared work and exploitative labour in agriculture, mostly of a penal-repressive nature. Among the direct and indirect policy measures, the ‘Quality Agricultural Work Network’ represents an interesting approach to producing a ‘whitelist’ of farmers compliant with labour regulations. A law proposal intends to establish the ‘Quality Agricultural Work’ (QAW) ethical label to incentivise farmers to join the network, to which a limited percentage of farms have signed up. This study aims to investigate consumer preferences for the QAW label in the Italian fruit sector. We conducted a choice experiment on a sample of 324 consumers. Willingness to pay for ethical labels was estimated before and after information treatment was administered to evaluate the prospective effects of promotional and information campaigns. The information treatment conveyed a clear and concise message about the QAW project and its ethical label. The results show that consumers would pay a high price premium for fruit produced under fair working conditions, indicating that there may be a market space for the QAW label. Moreover, consumers perceive environmental and social sustainability claims as complementary contexts where both dimensions of sustainability are relevant.Graphical abstract

The Role of News Media in Reducing Traffic Accidents

Traffic accidents represent a major problem worldwide. Public and private entities launch communication campaigns in order to educate the population about this problem. The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of the presence of road safety in the Spanish media and its influence on the reduction of road accidents. A content analysis of six major Spanish newspapers between 2000 and 2008 (an important period in the reduction of the accident rate in Spain) was carried out in which the presence of news related to traffic accidents and the intensity of them were quantified using a set of criteria designed for this study. Furthermore, the correlation between the accident rates and the presence and intensity of news in the same time frame was measured. There has been an evident increase in the news related to traffic accidents during the analyzed period, both in terms of the presence of such news in general and in terms of intensity. The correlation analysis also shows a strong relationship between the increase in news presence and intensity and a sharp fall in accident rates in Spain. Although correlation analysis is not enough to establish a causal relationship between the variables studied here, the findings suggest that informative campaigns had a positive effect on encouraging pro-social behavior, were successful in disseminating related information, and, therefore, contributed significantly to lowering accident rates, although that was not the only reason.

Good fences make good neighbors? Exploring potential transformative impacts of local governance towards livestock fence-in rights in Malawi

Malawi's export earnings are dominated by tobacco, accounting for over 60% of export earnings. The demand for an alternative export commodity, pigeon pea, has been rising over the past decade, especially from India. In addition to their export potential, pigeon pea is an effective cover crop to protect soil heath and productivity in the dry season. They are mostly grown in southern region on very small farms, however, there are opportunities for expansion into central region given the existence of larger farms and agroecological suitability for the crop. Currently, social norms in the central region constrain this expansion. Livestock, and goats in particular, are left to roam free in the dry season by over two-thirds of farmers, relative to only one-third in the south. This leads to significant damage to pigeon pea crops and discourages farmers from growing them and taking advantage of the increased export demand. Much land is left bare and the few farmers that do grow crops during the dry season are forced to put up fences. This study assesses ex-ante implications, especially on agroecological transformation and economic growth, of shifting local governance arrangements among farmers around keeping livestock towards controlled systems. These externalities have been understudied in the development programming, yet their impacts are substantial, especially in lower-income countries. The policy solution under study is for the local government and non-state actors to support local governance arrangements through indirect payments to agroecosystem services. These can include information campaigns on benefits of controlled livestock systems, training and subsidizing modern goat house construction and feed preservation, and contract farming and product certification for adhering to acceptable community norms. Medium-term policy interventions include varietal development of adaptable short duration pigeon pea, initiating a review of the appropriate laws, and instituting more studies to understand these community norms.

Thematic and Multicriteria Analyses of the Readiness, Factors, and Strategies for Successful Implementation of Nature-Based Solutions Initiatives in Victoria, Laguna

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are strategies that utilize nature to address various environmental and societal challenges while simultaneously benefiting human-ecological systems. They are cost-effective and scalable approaches that have the potential to address climate change, support biodiversity, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite these benefits, several factors challenge their widespread implementation, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to determine the essential elements needed to implement the NbS initiatives successfully in rural communities. Taking the case of Victoria, Laguna, this research conducted Key Informant Interviews with local stakeholders and policymakers and applied thematic and multicriteria analyses to evaluate their readiness, factors to be considered, and strategies for the successful implementation of NbS initiatives in the municipality. Results revealed that the locals have limited knowledge of NbS and utilizing NbS initiatives stood as a secondary priority, compared to more preferred gray infrastructure/hard engineering projects. The financing, enforcement, and knowledge components determined the readiness of Victoria for its NbS initiatives. In terms of the factors for the successful implementation of NbS initiatives, the most prevalent themes were the criteria for an inclusive, transparent, and empowering governance process, net gain to biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and design informed by scale. Furthermore, the NbS initiatives in Victoria were observed to adhere to the IUCN Global Standard, with biodiversity net gain and economic feasibility as their strongest areas. In terms of strategies, local stakeholders placed substantial importance on its sustainability and mainstreaming in appropriate contexts, as well as on evidence-based adaptive management. Findings provided recommendations focusing on creating an NbS assessment mechanism, strengthening the existing NbS governance structure, information and education campaigns, and formulating proposals that utilize NbS to address other issues faced in the municipality, such as flooding and climate change.

Analysing interventions for energy-efficient appliances and heating & cooling systems adoption: An agent-based model

The transition towards energy efficiency in households is advancing slowly despite the increasing number of incentive policy interventions. It is imperative to assess the effectiveness of these interventions to prevent wasting resources or even jeopardizing the energy transition. An agent-based model was developed using the results of two discrete choice experiments to simulate the diffusion of 1) energy-efficient appliances and 2) heating & cooling systems among households. Policy interventions (information campaigns, engaging sales agencies, and providing district heating) on the diffusion of these two types of energy-efficient products have been simulated. The simulation results indicate that energy-efficient heating & cooling systems have the potential for widespread adoption, while appliances do not exhibit the same level of scalability. The results show that information campaigns targeting households' environmental attitudes have limited impacts on energy-efficient appliance diffusion while engaging sales agencies has a greater impact on energy-efficient appliance diffusion than information campaigns. Simulation results also show that district heating can achieve large-scale diffusion, and the main barrier to the diffusion is the accessibility of the infrastructure. This study contributes to designing effective strategies for accelerating energy transition in the residential sector.

The association of perceived stigma, religiosity, and paranormal beliefs in parents of children with epilepsy

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between stigma perception, religiosity, and paranormal beliefs in parents of children with epilepsy. MethodsThe sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 103 parents of children with epilepsy registered at a state hospital in a city with middle socio-economic status located in southeastern Türkiye. The data were collected using descriptive information forms for parents and children with epilepsy, the Parent Stigma Scale, the Religious Attitude Scale, and the Paranormal Belief Scale. The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, and Spearman’s correlation analysis were used to assess the data. ResultsThe results of the study revealed that while 78.6 % of the parents were female, 59.2 % of the children with epilepsy were boys. Total mean scores of the participants were 18.48 ± 4.84 in the Parent Stigma Scale, 51.73 ± 14.15 in the Classical (Non-Religious) Paranormal Beliefs Dimension, and 33.89 ± 6.55 in the Religious Attitude Scale. A weak positive correlation was found between total mean scores of the Parent Stigma Scale, the Paranormal Belief Scale and the Religious Attitude Scale (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the mean scores of the Paranormal Belief Scale and the Religiosity Attitude Scale (p > 0.05). All of the three scales were positively correlated with the age of the parents and the duration of the illness (p < 0.05). ConclusionIn this study, it was observed that while the parents had high levels of stigma perception and religious attitudes, they had moderate attitudes toward paranormal beliefs. While no direct correlation was found between religious attitudes and paranormal beliefs, cognitive inclinations toward religion were negatively correlated with paranormal beliefs. Additionally, the parents who perceived a higher level of stigma were more likely to hold stronger religious attitudes and beliefs related to various aspects of paranormal events. In the light of these findings, it is recommended to design educational programs and information campaigns aimed at reducing social stigma and raising awareness about epilepsy in such a way as to take individual belief systems into considerations.

Anti-Herpes Zoster Vaccination of Fragile Patients in Hospital Setting: A Nudge Intervention in Italy.

A nudge intervention against Herpes Zoster, created and implemented in Italy, is presented in order to administer the Shingrix vaccine on a sample of frail patients, as required by the National Prevention Plan. Individual and contextual factors associated with vaccine adherence were investigated. 300 frail adult subjects underwent a full vaccine cycle with recombinant-Shingrix vaccine (RZV vaccine). Hospital Presidia of the Salerno University Hospital Authority, a Hospital Presidium of the Salerno Local Health Authority, and the Public Health Laboratory of the University of Salerno (Campania) participated in the intervention. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered with the following scales: EQ-5D, PSS-10, MSPSS, and representations of HZ and its consequences. Some variables, such as peer support, doctor-patient relationship, level of education, and perception of health, are important in vaccine adherence and information processing. The following factors emerged from the factor analysis: Trust in collective knowledge and collective responsibility (F1); beliefs about virus risk and vaccine function (F2); information about virus and symptomatology (F3); and vaccine distrust (F4). Factor 4 correlates negatively with social support indices (R = -0.363; p < 0.001). There is a significant relationship between factor 3 and satisfaction with national information campaigns (F = 3.376; gdl = 5; p-value = 0.006). Future vaccination campaigns should be built with the aim of personalizing information and developing contextualized strategies, starting from understanding the stakeholders involved, cultural contexts, and organizational settings.

Nudges versus prices: Lessons and challenges from a water-savings program

This study evaluates the effects of two exogenous interventions targeting residential consumers using both pecuniary and nonpecuniary incentives, with the potential of increasing the moral and monetary costs of water use. The first intervention provided households with personalized reports including normative information regarding household water use compared with neighbors. The second intervention consisted of an exogenous change in water tariffs. The timing of the interventions provides a unique opportunity to separately assess both the individual and combined effects of each policy instrument. The empirical analysis was conducted on the same sample households assessed in the field experiment by Jaime and Carlsson (2018), whose behavior was followed one year after implementation. The results reveal that both nonpecuniary and pecuniary incentives significantly reduce water use when each instrument is applied separately, with the change in tariffs generating larger reductions in water use, compared with information provision, at 11% vs. 7%, respectively. However, the effectiveness of the combined policy depends on the setting of implementation. While the differentiated effects of the social information campaign associated with the change in tariffs suggest this policy remains effective, the evidence also suggests potential crowding-out effects arising upon the introduction of the new tariff regime. The largest reductions in water use are achieved when the instruments are jointly implemented. Findings shed light on the importance of accurately defining the timing and order of the interventions to maximize their impact on resource conservation.

Трагедия в чеченском Хайбахе: память поколений (социологический анализ)

This article delves into the tragedy that occurred in the village of Khaybakh in the Galanchozhsky district of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1944), stemming from the determination of NKVD personnel to execute the order of absolute deportation of Chechens at any cost, even at the expense of many hundreds of civilian lives. The author portrays the events as a source of historical trauma for the Chechen ethnic group. Analogies are drawn between the events in the village of Khaybakh and the Holocaust, as well as the tragedies in the Czech village of Lidice and the Belarusian village of Khatyn. The issue of the commemorative field is delineated, analyzing the peculiarities of how present generations in the Chechen Republic perceive historical events related to ethnic genocide in 1944. It is noted that the level of awareness among young respondents about the tragedy is low. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of educational efforts to preserve the memory of the past to prevent its recurrence. Additionally, the focus is on conducting informational campaigns on social media platforms to combat attempts to falsify history and intentionally distort historical facts. The tragedy in Khaybakh serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of unchecked power and the importance of preserving historical memory. By actively engaging with the past and confronting historical injustices, societies can strive towards a more just and equitable future.

Instagram Utilization as User Generated Content in Promoting Local Culinary

Promoting anything is one kind of communication that leverages social media and breakthroughs in IT. Information-gathering, public appeal, and influence-peddling are the goals of promotional activities. Informational, persuasive, and reminder campaigns are the goals of promotion. One app for sharing images or videos is called Instagram. Friends on Facebook can follow us on Instagram thanks to a feature of Instagram that is integrated into Facebook. The capabilities that Instagram offers its users are rather extensive. A user's creation of content and subsequent sharing on a platform of their choosing is known as user-generated content. Users utilize user-generated content to spread knowledge, advertise a company or product, and sometimes even attract attention and encourage other users to purchase. The Instagram account@kulinercirebon served as the study's subject. A food Instagram account, @kulinercirebon, highlights Cirebon's excellent food. Utilizing a qualitative research method with a descriptive approach, the study's objectives were to ascertain the @kulinercirebon account owner's creative process in optimizing Instagram accounts and the optimization of Instagram's use as a medium for Cirebon culinary promotion. The study yielded the following research findings: the process by which creators create promotional content is split into three stages: pre-production, content creation, and post-production. The best way to maximize Instagram's potential as a promotional tool is to take advantage of its features, which include captions, hashtags, video reels, Instagram feeds with multiple photos and comment features.

Effects of public policy interventions for environmentally sustainable food consumption: a systematic map of available evidence

BackgroundThe global food system is inflicting substantial environmental harm, necessitating a shift towards more environmentally sustainable food consumption practices. Policy interventions, for example, information campaigns, taxes and subsidies and changes in the choice context are essential to stimulate sustainable change, but their effectiveness in achieving environmental goals remains inadequately understood. Existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of evidence on the role of public policies in promoting sustainable food consumption. Our systematic map addressed this gap by collecting and categorising research evidence on public policy interventions aimed at establishing environmentally sustainable food consumption patterns, in order to answer the primary research question: What evidence exists on the effects of public policy interventions for achieving environmentally sustainable food consumption?MethodsSearches for relevant records (in English) were performed in WoS, Scopus, ASSIA, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses, EconLit, Google Scholar and in bibliographies of relevant reviews. A grey literature search was also performed on 28 specialist websites (searches were made in the original language of the webpages and publications in English, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian were eligible) and Google Scholar (search in English). Screening was performed at title/abstract and full-text levels, with machine learning-aided priority screening at title/abstract level. Eligibility criteria encompassed settings, interventions (public policies on sustainable food consumption), target groups and outcomes. No critical appraisal of study validity was conducted. Data coding covered bibliographic details, study characteristics, intervention types and outcomes. Evidence was categorised into intervention types and subcategories. Visual representation utilised bar plots, diagrams, heatmaps and an evidence atlas. This produced a comprehensive overview of effects of public policy interventions on sustainable food consumption patterns.Review findingsThe evidence base included 227 articles (267 interventions), with 92% of studies in high-income countries and only 4% in low-income countries. Quantitative studies dominated (83%), followed by mixed methods (16%) and qualitative studies (1%). Most interventions were information-based and 50% of reviewed studies looked at labels. Information campaigns/education interventions constituted 10% of the sample, and menu design changes and restriction/editing of choice context 8% each. Market-based interventions represented 13% of total interventions, of which two-thirds were taxes. Administrative interventions were rare (< 1%). Proxies for environmental impact (85%) were more frequent outcome measures than direct impacts (15%). Animal-source food consumption was commonly used (19%) for effects of interventions on, for example, greenhouse gas emissions. Most studies used stated preferences (61%) to evaluate interventions.ConclusionsThe literature assessing policies for sustainable food consumption is dominated by studies on non-intrusive policy instruments; labels, information campaigns, menu design changes and editing choice contexts. There is a strong need for research on sustainable food policies to leave the lab and enter the real world, which will require support and cooperation of public and private sector stakeholders. Impact evaluations of large-scale interventions require scaling-up of available research funding and stronger multidisciplinary research, including collaborations with industry and other societal actors. Future research in this field should also go beyond the European and North American context, to obtain evidence on how to counteract increasing environmental pressures from food consumption worldwide.

МЕТОДЫ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ ХОЗЯЙСТВУЮЩЕГО СУБЪЕКТА ОТ УГРОЗ ТЕНЕВОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ

To prevent the shadow economy, it is necessary to choose systemic solutions that synthesize the strengthening of the tax legislative base, the fight against corruption, the progression of the legal complex, support for small and medium-sized businesses, and the achievement of transparency and effectiveness of public institutions. It is only with the combined efforts of the state, the business community and citizens that it is possible to minimize the shadow economy and achieve the desired degree of economic security both for the country and separately for business entities. It is also necessary to implement information campaigns about the dangers of the shadow economy and its negative consequences in order to increase awareness and strengthen the opinion of business entities about the importance of combating it.

PRINCIPLES OF OPEN SCIENCE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF A TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

The purpose of the article is to analyse and present the use of Open Science principles and their implementation in the activities of Lutsk National Technical University. Methodology. The main provisions of the Open Science concept and their implementation in European and Ukrainian official documents are analysed. It has been found that at Lutsk National Technical University (LNTU) the principles of Open Science are implemented in three main areas: in the educational process; in research activities; in informal promotion among students and other stakeholders. As a result, the authors found that participation in international projects, in particular ERASMUS+, causes changes in educational and scientific activities towards the creation of a fair and competitive educational space. New disciplines, such as Open Scientific Foundations and Information Management Practice, have been introduced into the educational process of masters and postgraduate students. The implementation of the policy of openness of scientific research is mainly limited to open publications in scientific journals and public discussion of research results at conferences and seminars. Informal trainings on academic integrity and Open Science involving students and teachers help to promote the principles of Open Science. The effectiveness of the training for LNTU students has been experimentally established. After the training, most students understood the basic principles of Open Science and were able to give examples of their use at LNTU, but they are not yet ready to apply them in their first scientific or academic achievements. Practical implications. These examples of implementation of Open Science principles in educational and scientific activities of LNTU illustrate an important vector of development of the technical university towards joining the European higher education area. At the same time, the authors came to the conclusion that it is necessary to conduct a broad information campaign among research and teaching staff for their further implementation.

Comprehensive Assessment of Factors Affecting Malaria Prevalence among Pregnant Women in Nyabubare Health Centre III, Bushenyi District, Uganda: Implications for Public Health Intervention

Malaria remains a significant global health burden, particularly among pregnant women, with adverse outcomes such as maternal mortality and low birth weight. This study comprehensively investigates the multifaceted factors influencing malaria prevalence among pregnant women attending Nyabubare Health Centre III in Bushenyi District, Uganda. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through structured interviews and documentary review from a sample of 86 respondents, including 80 pregnant women and 6 health workers. Descriptive analysis revealed poverty, deficiency in malaria control measures, low education levels, environmental factors such as swamps and floods, age, limited access to health facilities, and climatic changes as major determinants of malaria prevalence among pregnant women. Despite a relatively low malaria prevalence, knowledge gaps regarding malaria prevention were identified. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted public health interventions, including subsidies for preventive equipment, sustained information campaigns, and improvements in healthcare services to enhance malaria prevention and control among pregnant women in the region. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare practitioners to develop effective strategies to mitigate the impact of malaria on maternal and child health in resource-limited settings. Keywords: Prevalence of malaria, pregnant women, and knowledge

Correlation between tobacco control policies and tobacco prevention in Mexico: a sub-national analysis.

This study aims to determinate the correlation between tobacco control policies (TCP) and the prevalence of tobacco use in the 32 Mexican states during the 2016-2017 period. This is an ecological study that measured TCP by the Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) which assigns a score (0-100) based on the level of these component's implementation: price, prohibition in public spaces, expenditures of public information campaigns, publicity prohibitions, health warnings, and treatments. We analyzed the associations between the TCS scores and prevalence of tobacco use extracted from the National Survey of Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption using Spearman correlations. Prevalence of daily smokers is negatively correlated with global TCS scores for adolescents (p = 0.026). Price showed similar negative correlations with daily prevalence in adolescents (p = 0.003), adults (p = 0.040), men (p < 0.006), and women (p = 0.040). Many Mexican states need to improve on tobacco control policies, especially targeting a key population: adolescents.

Sustainable finance literacy and the determinants of sustainable investing

In this paper, we survey a large sample of Swiss households to measure sustainable finance literacy, which we define as the knowledge and skill of identifying and assessing financial products according to their reported sustainability-related characteristics. To this end, we use multiple-choice questions. Furthermore, we measure Swiss private investors' level of awareness about sustainable financial products using open-ended questions. We find that Swiss households, which are generally highly financially literate by international standards, exhibit low levels of sustainable financial literacy compared to the current working definitions of sustainable finance. Moreover, despite its low level, knowledge about sustainable finance is a significant factor in the reported ownership of sustainable products. The empirical results also show a relatively low level of awareness. Generally, these empirical findings suggest a need to create transparent regulatory standards and strengthen information campaigns about sustainable financial products.

The Importance of Animal Welfare and Country of Origin in Consumer Preferences: A Cross-National Study

Livestock husbandry systems are controversially discussed in society, politics and science. Since exporting countries such as Germany, the Netherlands or Denmark produce pork under higher animal welfare standards, the question arises if it will be competitive on the international market. We used a factor and cluster analysis to identify consumer segments in Japan, South Korea, Italy and Poland and to determine the instruments necessary to make animal welfare more popular. Each study country revealed three consumer groups: One group is interested in animal welfare and meat quality attributes but prefers domestically produced pork. Another group is price sensitive and without expectations. Finally, a third group is interested in animal welfare and accepts imported products. To address consumers in this group, informational campaigns and target market-oriented strategies are necessary.

Knowledge, attitudes, and adherence of the Cape Verdean population to the COVID-19 vaccine

BackgroundThe spread of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, with its well-known consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality, has triggered an intense mobilization of the scientific community in the search for knowledge about the SARS-Cov2 virus and the development of a vaccine. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and intentions of the resident Cape Verdean population regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. MethodsThis was a descriptive, cross-sectional, and analytical study involving 1704 resident Cape Verdeans, whose ages ranged from 16 to 60 years old and the majority of participants were male (52.6%). The data was collected using the Google form platform between March 9 and 15, 2021. ResultsThe data indicated that the majority of participants (95.8%) knew of at least one approved vaccine against COVID-19, and this knowledge (74.9%) was obtained from television, radio, and newspapers. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was the best known (54.1%) among the study subjects and the majority of respondents (69.7%) had enough information to consciously decide whether or not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The majority (68.0%) of participants were in favor of the COVID-19 vaccine being administered to all interested people. About 59% of participants considered the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe and 49.6% of participants intended to get vaccinated when the time came. The greatest vaccine hesitancy was related to fear of side effects (21.4%), followed by the fact that it was developed too quickly (12.8%). Health professionals were seen as the priority group (81.5%) to be vaccinated. ConclusionsThe results show that the Cape Verdean population had a good level of knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite initial hesitation, the vast majority of participants were willing to get vaccinated. These data suggest that awareness-raising, education, and information campaigns about the COVID-19 vaccine should be strengthened to reduce hesitation and increase confidence and adherence to the COVID-19 vaccine among Cape Verdean residents.

Understanding Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Blood Donation in Greece: An Analysis Aligned with the Health Belief Model

IntroductionThis study explores attitudes toward blood donation in Greece, where maintaining an adequate supply is challenging. Using the Health Belief Model, we examine factors like perceived severity, vulnerability, and self-efficacy.ObjectivesThe main aims of this study are to assess public perceptions and barriers concerning blood shortage in Greece, and to identify motivators and self-efficacy levels for regular blood donation.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to a sample of Greek adults. The questionnaire was designed based on the constructs of the Health Belief Model and included questions related to perceived severity, vulnerability, self-efficacy, and barriers and facilitators to blood donation. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the responses, calculating means and standard deviations (SDs) for each variable.ResultsPerceived Severity and VulnerabilityParticipants in our study show a heightened awareness of the severity of blood shortages, especially in summer months and during increased surgical interventions. They also acknowledge Greece’s dependency on more than just voluntary donations to meet blood supply needs. These findings align with the Health Belief Model’s constructs of perceived severity and vulnerability, suggesting avenues for promoting donation.Perceived Benefits and BarriersA significant 74% of participants believe they can regularly donate blood and plan to do so in the next six months. However, fear of needles, health concerns, and fears of transmissible diseases act as barriers. According to the Health Belief Model, targeting these barriers could facilitate blood donation.Self-EfficacyA high percentage (74%, SD=5) of participants displayed strong self-efficacy, suggesting they are likely to engage in blood donation if encouraged. This aligns with the Health Belief Model’s emphasis on self-efficacy as a motivator for health actions.Cues to ActionParticipants identified informational campaigns, digital reminders, and social encouragement as cues to action, with a disfavor for financial incentives. These cues could serve as triggers for blood donation, consistent with the Health Belief Model.ConclusionsBy aligning these findings with the Health Belief Model, it becomes evident that there are strong perceptions of severity and vulnerability, but also considerable barriers to overcome. The high self-efficacy among participants and the cues to action identified could serve as bases for targeted interventions to improve blood donation rates.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared