Official Government Websites Research Articles

COVID‐19‐Related Knowledge, Protective Behaviors and the Moderating Role of Primary Sources of Information: Findings from a Cross‐Sectional Online Survey in the United States

Research ObjectiveTo assess the moderating effects of primary sources of COVID‐19 information on the association between knowledge and protective behaviors against COVID‐19.Study DesignThis is a secondary analysis of data from a cross‐sectional online COVID‐19 survey conducted among US adults in April 2020 using advertisement‐based recruitment on social media. A total of 6518 people completed the survey. Linear regression analysis was performed on COVID‐19 knowledge and protective behavior scores. An interaction term between knowledge and primary source of information was included in order to examine any moderating effects of the information source on the relationship between knowledge and protective behaviors. The analysis was adjusted for demographic and socio‐economic factors and was conducted using R software (version 3.6.3).Population StudiedAdult population (age > 18) living in the United States.Principal FindingsOverall, higher level of COVID‐19‐related knowledge was associated with higher level of self‐reported engagement in protective behaviors. More specifically, our results indicate that the primary source of information modified the association between knowledge and protective behaviors. The most effective sources of information to translate incremental knowledge into higher engagement in protective behaviors were interpersonal communication and social media. Official sources such US government, CDC, and WHO websites had significantly weaker effects. Our results also showed that respondents with lower knowledge scores preferred social media or interpersonal communication as their primary source for seeking COVID‐19‐related information.ConclusionsThis study shows the important role that the different COVID‐19 information sources can play on influencing people's engagement in protective behaviors while delivering the COVID‐19‐related knowledge.Implications for Policy or PracticeOverflowing information and misinformation are influencing people's degree of engagement in protective behaviors against COVID‐19. Policy makers should carefully monitor the use of different information sources by the public so that they can effectively target, influence decision‐making, and promote behavior change to fight the current pandemic and the infodemic concurrently.

Analysis of Covid - 19 Situations in Davanagere District, Karnataka

Background: According to CDC, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a new coronavirus which was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Although most people who have COVID-19 have mild symptoms, it can also cause severe illness and even death. Some groups, including older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions, are at increased risk of severe illness. On February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. Objectives: Analysis of COVID 19 data in the Davanagere district from April 2020 to August 2020. Methods: In this current study the secondary data is obtained from the Official Website of Government of Karnataka, Covid-19 Informational Portal – Media Bulletin. By using different indicators Davanagere district covid data is further used to calculate Attack rate, Case fatality rate and complete case fatality rate. Results: In this study it is found that, in the month of April there were no covid positive cases reported till fourth week of month, by fourth week, total two positive cases were reported the first case being encountered on 28th April 2020, with discharge of those patient in the end of the month. The attack rate has steeped up from 8.018 to 355.74 per one lakh population i.e. about 44 times more than initial months of pandemic. The strict preventive measures were followed by public and government too. So the prevalence rate is less in May, June and went on increasing once the unlocking is done. In summer the total positive cases steeping up from 2 cases to 154 total positive cases for the month April to May, and there is steady in rise of total positive cases for the month June with total positive cases of 153. In the beginning of summer there were fewer cases as pandemic was just begun and chances of transmission were very less. As monsoon appeared in June last week there is surge in total positive cases. With added burden of Unlock 1.0 phase, as public started moving out from home without any freak of infection. Conclusion: In this study it is found that due to strict nationwide lockdown and social distancing, hygiene practices among the Davanagere people has made it possible to restrict the spread of covid among the people, although the international immigration of Davanagere residents lead to transmission of infection. Further removal of lockdown after three months has lead to three fold spread of disease. Also there is rise in death rate, attack rate and case fatality in Davanagere district.

The Behaviour of Health Faculty Students Responding to Hoaxes Related Covid-19 on Social Media

Background: Hoax is still a problem in the era of information disclosure and technological advances currently. News or information containing hoax related to Covid-19 affects the handling effort of the Covid-19 pandemic. This research aimed to describe the behavior of health faculty students in responding to the hoaxes associated with Covid-19 on social media. Method: This research was a descriptive study. The sampling technique used was random sampling. The samples were 384 students who were required to complete the questionnaire. The statistical test used was descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The results obtained in this study were that respondents considered Facebook as the most widely used social media for spreading hoaxes (68%). Respondents thought that cross-checking the accuracy and validity of information is a step that should be performed when receiving hoax news (85%). Respondents stated that they dug up information through official government websites regarding the handling of Covid-19 to check the statement's truth (65%). Some respondents did not cross-check the news or information related to Covid-19 due to the assumption that someone else had done it. Conclusion: Most respondents have cross-checked news or information about Covid-19. Extracting information through official government websites on handling Covid-19 has also been taken to check the accuracy and validity of the statement.

Governing changes in government: the water story of Mahabubnagar

Theoretical basis Kotter’s framework of change management adapted to the situation of public policy implementation under the leadership of a civil service officer in the rural areas of a developing economy in South Asia. Research methodology This case has been written using the primary data collected from the protagonist through personal and computer-based interviews. Some of the documents associated with the event shared by the protagonist are also reproduced as case exhibits. Secondary data from government official websites were also used to enrich the case. Case overview/synopsis Mahbubnagar, an arid agricultural district in central India faced the threat of a water crisis owing to the unscientific water extraction by the resident farmers. The government appointed a task force to investigate the problem. The team executed the idea to harvest excess water from the fields through a cheap and efficient method. Though it showed spectacular results in the initial months, the farmers gave up the innovation soon. When the team met two years later, they were shocked by the unenthusiastic response of the farmers. This case pertains to the failure of policy innovations and change management in government. Complexity academic level This case is useful for undergraduate-level courses in public management, public policy and governance with modules in change management, innovation management, rural development and programme implementation. Training modules for novice public service professionals and programme management personnel in government organisations. Elective courses on public policy, government relations and public sector management for undergraduate students of business administration.

Regulating Private and Public Places of Non-Medical Cannabis Consumption in North America: Public Health and Public Safety Issues

The legalization of cannabis has necessitated a debate about the specific public or private places in which the consumption of cannabis should be lawfully allowed. Relevant federal, and state or provincial, laws governing the public consumption of cannabis as of April 2020 were retrieved through primary legal research in LexisNexis and official government websites. Across various states and provinces within the United States and Canada, three types of cannabis-related regulatory regimes have emerged. Quebec has adopted the most restrictive type of regulatory framework. Quebec generally prohibits the smoking or vaping of cannabis in both indoor and outdoor public places, by extending the restrictions on the use of tobacco and alcohol products to cannabis consumption. Slightly less restrictive are jurisdictions such as Ontario and British Columbia, which allow cannabis consumption in most outdoor public spaces, such as streets or parks. Certain local-level jurisdictions within the US states of California and Colorado have adopted the least restrictive local-level regulatory regime, by authorizing the operation of indoor cannabis consumption sites at certain fixed locations or within mobile spaces. The degree to which private consumption is allowed or prohibited also varies widely. An individual who lives or works in a jurisdiction such as Quebec that has prohibited the smoking or vaping of cannabis in almost all public places will be left with limited spaces in which to consume inhalable cannabis products. By contrast, a non-medical cannabis user who lives in Colorado, which authorizes on-site consumption at certain licensed establishments, has far more options to consume inhalable cannabis outside of the home. In this article, we will examine a range of federal-, state- or provincial-, and local-level laws that regulate cannabis consumption in certain public and private places and consider some of the potential public health and safety implications of these laws.

Radon in child care centers: An examination of state laws and regulations in the United States

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking in the United States (US); however, there is a lack of state policies and regulations to address radon gas exposure. This study aimed to explain if state radon legislation for child care centers is associated with the percent of counties within the state in radon zone 1(above 4 pCi/L). The research method was secondary analysis. Data were obtained from EPA radon website, journal resources, state laws and regulations, and official state government websites. The existing radon laws were assessed based on the EPA radon zones. Then, independent T-Test with a significant level of P<0.05 was used. The finding of this study indicated 39 US states have at least one county or more in radon zone 1, and 11 states have no counties in radon zone 1. Eleven states have legislation associated with child care centers, and 39 states have no such regulation in place. Twenty eight percent (28%) (n=39) of states with at least one county or more in radon zone 1 have radon regulations for child care facilities. The findings reveal that states located in EPA radon zone 1, partially or completely, were Eighty eight percent (88%) likely to not have different regulations requiring the radon testing in child care centers than states that are not in zone 1. In other words, the association between state radon legislation for child care centers and the percent of counties in radon zone 1 is remarkable but not significant (p-value = 0.12).

Assessment of early COVID-19 compliance to and challenges with public health and social prevention measures in the Kingdom of Eswatini, using an online survey.

Public health and social measures have been implemented around the world in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Public compliance with these measures is key in successfully controlling the pandemic. This online survey assessed the compliance and attitude of adults residing in the southern African Kingdom of Eswatini to government protection, activity and travel measures aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19. A rapid online survey, comprising of 28 questions, was administered in May 2020. More than 90% of respondents knew the virus could kill anyone and most respondents (70%) reported to be compliant to public health and social measures. Females, those who did not use public transport and those aged 30 years and above were significantly (p<0.01) more compliant, particularly to protective and travel measures. Social media, television and official government websites were the primary source of ongoing COVID-19 information for respondents of this online survey, and these methods should continue to be employed to reach the public who regularly use the internet. More than half of essential workers who responded to the online survey reported to have their own personal protective equipment; however, 32% either did not have any protective equipment or shared their equipment with other staff members. Due to the survey being online, these results should not be generalised to populations of low socioeconomic status.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptances and barriers to vaccination in the context of Kerala: a cross-sectional survey

Background: The long-term control of the pandemic COVID-19 pandemic hinges on the uptake of vaccine and high immunization uptake is critical but barriers to immunization exists. Vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to global health. Hesitancy will be a challenge to curbing this pandemic. Apt vaccination strategies are very essential to increase vaccine acceptance.Methods: A cross‐sectional study among the population in Kerala where data was collected through an online questionnaire using Google forms and was distributed using social media platforms. Total of 213 data was collected. Study focused on aspects of vaccine communication, preference of COVID-19 vaccine, perceived benefits, and barriers of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and cues of vaccine.Results: 80.2% of the respondents were willing to get vaccinated. 78.9% of the respondents have taken previous vaccinations by the government. 70 of them trust government health care departments and media (82.2%) is the least trusted platform regarding vaccination. 56.3% are not getting enough information on COVID vaccine safety, while 81.2% of the respondents did not receive negative information. A majority of them (64.3%) relied on official government websites for information. Majority agrees to the perceived benefits of COVID-19. 80.3% are willing to take free vaccination. 46.9 % are willing to pay for COVID vaccine.Conclusions: The scenario in Kerala is positive towards the vaccination drive and majority of them are willing to get vaccinated. But strategies must be made effective in terms of elevating the barriers to vaccination.

Information sources of Brazilian undergraduate dental students during the COVID-19 outbreak

Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate where Brazilian dental students seek information about COVID-19 by a self-administered web-based questionnaire. Methods: A social network campaign on Instagram was raised to approach the target population. The dental students responded to a multiple-response question asking where or with whom they get information about COVID-19. The possible answers were government official websites or health and education institutions websites, TV Programs, professors, social media, scientific articles, health professionals, and family members. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, and the frequency distributions of responses were evaluated by gender, age, type of institution, and year of enrollment. Results: A total of 833 valid responses were received. The main source of information used by the dental students were government official websites or health and education institutions websites, which were reported by 739 (88.7%) participants. In the sequence, 477 (57.3%) participants chose health professionals while 468 (56.2%) chose scientific articles as information sources. The use of social media was reported by 451 (54.1%) students, while TV programs were information sources used by 332 (39.9%) students. The least used information sources were professors, reported by 317 (38.1%) students, and family members, chosen only by 65 (7.8%) participants. Conclusion: Brazilian dental students rely on multiple information sources to stay informed about COVID-19, mainly focusing their information-seeking behavior on governmental and health professional’s websites.

Epidemiology of COVID-19 in Indonesia: common source and propagated source as a cause for outbreaks.

The COVID-19 outbreak first occurred in China and has developed throughout the world, including Indonesia. The Indonesian government reports that up to May 22, 2020 there have been 21,430 confirmed cases. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology, clinical symptoms and comorbidities of COVID-19 as well as the various government interventions to reduce the rate of incidence. A retrospective cohort study was designed. The population in this study is based data from the official Indonesian government website run by the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19. The sample was observed b March 2 to April 24, 2020. The total sample included 8,211 cases of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, among these 1,002 recovered and 689 died. Data analysis used percentages from various recorded epidemiological variables. The results showed that COVID-19 epidemiological features were mostly observed in men (56.5%) and patients of productive age (31-59 of age) by 57.5%; most deaths were recorded in patients aged > 60 years (43.6%). The most recurrent clinical symptom was cough (77.8%), the most recurrent comorbidity was hypertension (52.4%), and the province with the highest COVID-19 incidence was DKI Jakarta (34.3%). The combination of common sources and propagated source was observed during the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia. Special attention should be given to protecting vulnerable populations such as children, health care providers, and the elderly. The community is expected to participate in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 by complying with health protocols.

Social media for government information dissemination: content, characteristics and civic engagement

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the information distributed on social media by government ministries. In addition, this study seeks to categorize and identify the characteristics of the highest engaging government social media posts.Design/methodology/approachThis article is based on content analysis to examine the work of Israeli government ministries on Facebook. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze 6,292 posts posted over a six-month period, and a sample of 230 of the most popular posts was analyzed qualitatively.FindingsFindings indicate that government ministries primarily direct and link to internal Facebook pages, with few, if any, referrals to official government websites. In addition, the types of content that generate the highest levels of engagement are classified as operations and events or symbolic acts (e.g. greetings or condolences) and are containing visual content as photos or video clips.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on the topic in several ways. First, it presents findings from a cross-national study of government authorities and organizations that operate and serve diverse populations in a multicultural country. Second, this study presents a novel examination of information strategies by government organizations with focusing on the characteristics of links, media types, content and posting frequency.

Developing Financial Sources: The Case Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Vietnam

Although Vietnam's business environment has undergone fundamental changes to create favourable conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop, SMEs are having difficulties in their existing operation and are facing constraints in accessing financial sources. This research aims to analyze the situation of financial sources and produce the relevant recommendations for small and medium enterprises in Vietnam. The authors use secondary data from government official websites of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam about Vietnam's SME survey of Ha Noi Capital in the period 2014 – 2020. By observing and analyzing the collected data, the study provides a detailed description of the findings and relevant recommendations. After examining and investigating data and current studies about Vietnamese SMEs, the authors find that, in general, main constraints in accessing financial sources of SMEs are chiefly caused by (i) macroeconomic conditions, (ii) capacity management, (iii) lack of network and (iv) collateral requirements. The findings suggest implications for Vietnamese SMEs to improve financial sources should focus on: (i) training SMEs’ leaders to tackle potential risks and crises; (ii) creating new financial products and services in environmental and social development in Ha Noi Capital; (iii) developing new credit accessibility products without collaterals for SMEs. Different from prior studies that either provide current situation and list constraints of SMEs or make suggestions without sticking to the actual situation, the authors deliver a more comprehensive analysis about SMEs in the context of a developing country like Vietnam.

ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND INTERNET FINANCIAL REPORTING ACCESSIBILITY IN IMPROVING THE COMPLIANCE IN FINANCIAL INFORMATION DISCLOSURE

Financial information disclosure is a public demand that must be fulfilled by the local government. This study aimed to describe the financial performance and IFR accessibility in improving compliance in financial information disclosure. There were 34 provincial governments in Indonesia taken as the population of this study. The sample was taken using purposive sampling technique with the requirements of having e-government and accessible website until June 2018 and having a Financial Statement for the period of 2015-2016. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis with quantitative approaches. The results showed that the financial performance during the period of 2015-2016 did not show an evenly improved performance in each financial ratio. IFR accessibility in obtaining financial information has also not been maximally provided in the official website of the local government. The level of compliance of financial information disclosures in 2016 has decreased from which in 2015. This situation showed that the existing financial performance and IFR accessibility had not been able to improve compliance in disclosing financial information on the official local government websites.

Disclosure dos governos locais: nem tudo é transparente

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="fontstyle0"&gt;The objective of this paper is to analyze the level of transparency of information disclosed to local citizens of Santa Catarina - Brazil. The research was conducted under the lens of the theory of disclosure. The theoretical foundation addresses aspects related to mandatory disclosure, accountability, public transparency and legal standardization. This is a quantitative and descriptive study that used documentary survey procedures. The municipalities of Santa Catarina were analyzed using a random sample. Data were statistically treated using the Classical Test Theory in order to validate the research instrument and analyze the results. Cronbach’s alpha of 0.944 confirmed the usefulness of the instrument for measuring the latent trait for which it is intended. It was found that most municipalities do not comply with the legal requirement of mandatory disclosure of data on their official website. On average only 69% of the data established in the legal standard are met. The results reveal flaws in disclosure and supervision, as well as the need to review and improve disclosure, accountability and transparency of information available on official websites of local governments.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

DIRECTIVES ON COMMUNITY USE OF FACE MASKS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A COMMENTARY ARTICLE

Wearing a universal face mask is recommended by most health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This commentary elaborates directives given in relation to the use of face masks and identify the underlying principles for public health recommendations by the government authorities of Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Key data were considered from official government websites by a team of healthcare management experts. It was argued that the directives recommended by the governments were based on the principles addressing the different facets of COVID-19 pandemic, population dynamics, resource availability and scarcity, and the fact that how the proposed standard of practices would be translated into compulsory obligations in the community. The principles involved regulations versus voluntary compliance of the population, transmission scenario, protection from sick or asymptomatic people, special needs and vulnerable groups, synergistic versus substitute/alternative, occupational health risk, adverse effects on usage, types of masks which depend on the risk or context, change in use practices depending on demand, scarcity and quality assurance. Recommendations of the use of face masks were found to be heterogeneous and apparently inconstant. Within the dynamic situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the directives on community use of face masks were issued based on certain dominant principles and interplayed between principles that should be deeply explored by the healthcare decision makers. Keywords: COVID-19, face masks, pandemic, public health measures

Patients’ participation in government-sponsored guidelines in Latin America: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIt is recommended that patients actively participate in clinical practice guideline (CPG) development, which allows consideration of their values and preferences and improves adherence to recommendations. The development of CPGs...

Knowledge and Practices of Infection Prevention and Control towards COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers in Benghazi Medical Centre, Libya

Background: The current pandemic puts a substantial pressure on the health-care system worldwide. Healthcare workers especially those in frontline of patients’ care are at increased risk of being infected. The aim of this study is to assess infection prevention and control knowledge and practice toward COVID- 19 among health care workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September of 2020 at Benghazi Medical Centre in Benghazi, Libya. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 400 health care workers. Results: Of those surveyed, the majority of participants were females; (40 .6%) in frontline, the overall percentage of correct answers was (64.8%). Knowledge was gained mainly from news media by (27.8%) of participants, while official government websites were used by nearly 21% of participants. The percentage of total good practice score was (76.28%). The knowledge scores were significantly associated with differences by gender, occupation, and level of education (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The study found a satisfactory knowledge and relatively good practice towards COVID-19 among health care workers. However; there were areas with poor knowledge and practices. These areas should be addressed through continuous public health education on COVID-19 infection prevention and control.

A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a large number of international seafarers have been stranded aboard ships. Some seafarers have been banned from coming ashore even for over 18 months. Crew change crisis is a time bomb for marine trade because seafarers play an important role in ensuring the safety of ship navigation and maintaining the smooth flow of global supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of crew change crisis and legal framework of seafarers’ right to stop working and leave the ships they serve, and to provide a supporting system for relieving COVID-19 international seafarers change crisis. Situation analysis, which is a widely held method in health policy research to understand the present condition, contributes to finding out the reasons for crew change crisis. Statistical analysis is used to demonstrate the obstacles encountered in public health governance on crew change. Information is collected from official websites of governments and international organizations. The study provides three solutions for relieving COVID-19 crew change crisis based on China’s successful experience. The first is to implement refined management including monitoring of the pandemic, crew transportation, tracking and preventing mechanism. The second is to construct public-private collaboration mechanism and provide policy support on helping shipping companies reduce cost, which contributes to shipping companies to relieve their economic pressure on seafarers shift arrangement. The third is to construct international cooperation mechanism for crew changes.

Forms of public participation in the sustainable development of the city (on the example of the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia)

The city space is permeated with structural and functional opportunities for public participation in solving its problems. This is due to both the existence of a regulatory framework and the willingness and intention of citizens to express their opinion through indirect and direct forms of participation. Direct forms of participation, such as voting and referendums, rallies and pickets, arouse greater interest of city residents by their timeliness, adequacy in the presence of well-built communication channels of local government bodies and the population. The results of the survey and expert interviews about the presence of an active public and community in the city of Yekaterinburg indicate both successful stories of interaction and demonstrate the possibilities for growth and improvement of this process. One of such forms of development can be the transfer of communication to the Internet space of the official websites of local governments and social networks.

Current state of cannabis use, policies, and research across sixteen countries: cross-country comparisons and international perspectives.

Introduction Varying public views on cannabis use across countries may explain the variation in the prevalence of use, policies, and research in individual countries, and global regulation of cannabis. This paper aims to describe the current state of cannabis use, policies, and research across sixteen countries.Methods PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies published from 2010 to 2020. Searches were conducted using the relevant country of interest as a search term (e.g., “Iran”), as well as relevant predefined keywords such as “cannabis,” “marijuana,” “hashish,” “bhang “dual diagnosis,” “use,” “addiction,” “prevalence,” “co-morbidity,” “substance use disorder,” “legalization” or “policy” (in English and non-English languages). These keywords were used in multiple combinations to create the search string for studies’ titles and abstracts. Official websites of respective governments and international organizations were also searched in English and non-English languages (using countries national languages) to identify the current state of cannabis use, policies, and research in each of those countries.Results The main findings were inconsistent and heterogeneous reporting of cannabis use, variation in policies (e.g., legalization), and variation in intervention strategies across the countries reviewed. European countries dominate the cannabis research output indexed on PubMed, in contrast to Asian countries (Thailand, Malaysia, India, Iran, and Nepal).Conclusions Although global cannabis regulation is ongoing, the existing heterogeneities across countries in terms of policies and epidemiology can increase the burden of cannabis use disorders disproportionately and unpredictably. There is an urgent need to develop global strategies to address these cross-country barriers to improve early detection, prevention, and interventions for cannabis use and related disorders.