Young Users Research Articles

Analyzing the Mitigation of the Negative Impact of Passive Social Media Use

This research examines the adverse effects of passive social media usage on the subjective well-being of young individuals in the digital era, where social media is closely integrated into everyday life. The opening portion establishes the context by examining the profound alterations in communication and social exchanges resulting from the digital age. The next focal point is passive engagement with social media, defined as non-participatory behaviors, and its prevalence among young users. It specifically seeks to explore the effects of passive use on well-being in terms of diminished self-esteem, increased loneliness, anxiety, and depression, thereby filling an unaddressed gap in the literature. The presented research recognizes the importance of understanding the processes that underpin these effects and presents methods to reduce them. The article suggests interventions at multiple levels (individual, community, and policy) focusing on educational efforts, platform redesign, and broad public awareness campaigns. The role of key stakeholderseducators, parents, and policymakersas architects for youth's effective mode of digital navigation is underscored.

The rise of TikTok elections: the Australian Labor Party’s use of TikTok in the 2022 federal election campaigning

ABSTRACT TikTok is an influential social media platform. During the 2022 Australian Federal election, the major political parties used TikTok as a campaigning tool. This research analysed the TikTok videos from the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The analysis primarily considered how the posts use visibility labour and other TikTok-based performance tools. It was found that they actively engaged in visibility labour, and employed popular culture to frame political issues. For youth who may not be politically active, cultural references can serve as a shared symbolic resource, aiding them in navigating political expression. This makes such references crucial, as they can help engage young users. Although TikTok utilises a short-form approach, the videos can contain substantial content that has the power to persuade viewers. The ALP used popular culture trends and more traditional techniques such as negative campaigning and humour, to attract supporter attention, denigrate the opposition and, attract the attention of all voters.

Assessment of self-esteem among Tunisian cannabis users

IntroductionSelf-esteem plays a role in the adaptive functioning of the human being. It could be a protective factor regarding multiple risks particularly substance use.ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to assess self-esteem among a group of young Tunisian users of cannabis.Methods The total study sample was composed of 137 participants, who took part of a transversal descriptive study during two months (January and February 2020). These partakers were comprehensively recruited among Emergency patients of Mahdia Hospital. Thereupon, the main criteria for the selection of these patients was their consumption of cannabis, regardless of their primary health care seeking reason or purpose. The research was carried out upon their declaration of cannabis consumption and their compliance to be part of such a study. Thus, Data were collected on a pre-determined data sheet that included various information (age, sex, lifestyle, personal and family psychiatric history, age at which they started their cannabis consumption and the rate of cannabis use …). Accordingly, Self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Consequently, the interview took place after the subject’s verbal and informed consent and the assurance of anonymity and confidentiality of the interview content.Results In our study population, the cannabis consumers were young adults aged between 18 and 35 years old, with a male predominance of 71%. Among those users, 65.9% were single and 29.7% dropped out of school or experienced academic failure. On a socio-economic level, we concluded to a rate of 5.8% (lower class), 60.9% (middle class) and 33.3% (upper class). Besides, 40.8% were employed. In total, 23.2% had a psychiatric history. Furthermore, the use of other substances was also prominent and frequent as follows: alcohol 72.5%, tobacco 74.6%, ecstasy 41.3% and 25.4% cocaine. The use of cannabis was considered as a means of indulgence and pleasure for 66.7%, as an anxiolytic for 26.8% and as a sedative for 23.9%. Self-esteem, among those cannabis users, was very low in 20% of cases, low in 38% of cases, medium in 15% of cases and high in 25% of cases. Consequently, more than half of the study population remains below the medium average according to RSES.ConclusionsThese results lead us to question the relation between cannabis and self-esteem. The question that is evolved about the use of cannabis is the following: Is it used as a remedy or is it the cause of self-esteem deficiency?Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Association of ever use of e-cigarettes with health and lifestyle variables among young adults: a Canadian health measure survey study.

Our study found that EC use was independently and significantly associated with increased odds of life stress and an indication of poorer QOL. Ongoing surveillance on young EC users is important to measure the long-term impact of vaping on their physical, mental health and quality of life to target for interventions. • E-cigarette use has been associated with high-risk behaviours and adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression and anxiety. • E-cigarette users had significantly higher odds of being physically active and higher amounts of life stress.

From greenwashing to screenwashing?

In this viewpoint, we introduce the term 'screenwashing', which describes the phenomenon whereby social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, pretend to be more socially responsible than they actually are. That is, social media platforms pretend to be thoughtful about children's health and the prevention of problematic social media use, but this often turns out to be nothing more than "a lick of paint". We describe how features like the one-hour notification on TikTok and Instagram are considered screenwashing and why we believe so. Screenwashing, an unethical practice, has the potential to mislead parents and young users. Consequently, we advocate for increased government intervention to protect our youth from the potential hazards associated with problematic social media use.

Regional comparison of socio-demographic variation in urban E-scooter usage

In recent years we have witnessed explosive growth in the shared, free-floating, electric scooter industry. While still controversial in many North American cities, a number of large e-scooter operators have managed to carve out a piece of the urban transportation landscape. As these vehicles shift from novelty services to increasingly reliable modes of short personal travel, the discussion has turned to investigating who exactly benefits from these micromobility services and who are being left behind. Though population surveys have been administered to identify the socio-demographic characteristics of e-scooter riders in the past, little work has linked these characteristics through trips, or investigated the regional variation in these demographic factors. In this work we explore the variability and similarities in e-scooter rider characteristics across three major U.S. cities. To accomplish this, we apply a Moran’s Eigenvector Spatial Filtering linear regression model and compare our results to more commonly used spatial regression approaches. Our results indicate that the spatial filtering approach outperforms other methods in identifying socio-demographic characteristics of e-scooter users, across multiple regions. We find that many socio-demographics associated with e-scooter usage are regionally variant, despite younger users making up the core user base in all cities. There are variations in usage based on gender, income, and race across cities with Black and Hispanic populations remaining underserved. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Sensing the pulse of the pandemic: unveiling the geographical and demographic disparities of public sentiment toward COVID-19 through social media

ABSTRACT Social media offers a unique lens to observe large-scale, spatial-temporal patterns of users’ reactions toward critical events. However, social media use varies across demographics, with younger users being more prevalent compared to older populations. This difference introduces biases in data representativeness, and analysis based on social media without proper adjustment will lead to overlooking the voices of digitally marginalized communities and inaccurate estimations. This study explores solutions to pinpoint and alleviate the demographic biases in social media analysis through a case study estimating the public sentiment about COVID-19 using Twitter data. We analyzed the pandemic-related Twitter data in the U.S. during 2020–2021 to (1) elucidate the uneven social media usage among demographic groups and the disparities of their sentiments toward COVID-19, (2) construct an adjusted public sentiment measurement based on social media, the Sentiment Adjusted by Demographics (SAD) index, to evaluate the spatiotemporal varying public sentiment toward COVID-19. The results show higher proportions of female and adolescent Twitter users expressing negative emotions to COVID-19. The SAD index unveils that the public sentiment toward COVID-19 was most negative in January and February 2020 and most positive in April 2020. Vermont and Wyoming were the most positive and negative states toward COVID-19.

Cashless Convenience: Exploring Young India’s Satisfaction with Digital Payment

India has witnessed a remarkable surge in the adoption of digital payments, particularly amongst youngsters. Digital payments involve conducting financial transactions electronically using internet-based platforms. This shift from traditional cash-based transactions to cashless alternatives in India has been driven by various factors, including demonetization, government initiatives like the “Digital India” campaign, the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity, and the convenience and security offered by digital payment platforms While the benefits of digital payments are undeniable, understanding the level of satisfaction among young users is crucial for ensuring the continued growth and success of this ecosystem. This research delves into the consumer satisfaction of youngsters in India regarding digital payment options. It aims to explore the factors influencing their satisfaction, identify any potential challenges they face, and provide insights into how digital payment providers can further enhance their services to better cater to this demographic.

Salivary lipid changes in young adult tobacco smokers and e-cigarette users: a hidden risk to oral health?

A cross-sectional, age- and gender-matched study was conducted to investigate the effects of different forms of nicotine delivery on salivary lipid profiles among young adult novice smokers compared to non-smokers. To assess the effect of smoking traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products (HTPs) on the levels of specific sphingolipids (sphingosine, sphinganine, and sphingosine-1-phosphate), various ceramides, and lipid peroxidation products [malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)] in both unstimulated and stimulated saliva samples collected from healthy young adults who had been smoking for 1-3 years and used only 1 of the 3 nicotine delivering methods. Selection criteria included healthy young adults under 30 years old, with normal BMI and typical diet composition, and with no oral inflammatory lesions, orthodontic/dental appliances, or recent intake of medications or supplements. A total of 75 smokers and 25 non-smokers were enrolled in the study. Smokers were categorized into three groups, each comprising 25 individuals: traditional cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and HTPs smokers. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed for sphingolipid concentrations using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The concentrations of MDA and 4-HNE were measured using colorimetric and ELISA assays, respectively. The average smoking intensity inthe traditional cigarette group was 10 cigarettes per day. Salivary sphingolipid and ceramides concentrations were significantly lower in smokers compared to non-smokers across all nicotine delivery methods (p < 0.0001). Moreover, traditional cigarette smokers exhibited higher levels of 4-HNE and MDA in both stimulated and unstimulated saliva, compared to non-smokers (p < 0.01). In stimulated saliva, both MDA and 4-HNE in e-cigarette users, and MDA in HTPs users, showed significantly lower concentrations than their comparators in traditional cigarette smokers (p < 0.01). Different nicotine delivery methods impact salivary lipid profile during the initial period of smoking habit. Reduced sphingolipids and elevated lipid peroxidation products suggest a disturbed lipid balance in the oral cavity due to enhanced oxidative stress within the salivary glands of novice smokers.

The Origins of the Generic Mapping Tools: From Table Tennis to Geoscience

AbstractThe Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) is one of the most used toolsets in the Earth, Ocean, and Planetary sciences, originating as far back as the 1980s. It is an early example of an open‐source software code modeled after contemporaneous UNIX tools, and it was one of the first to employ PostScript as its graphics language and netCDF for binary files to ensure portability across different computing platforms. Here I trace the origin and evolution of GMT to the present day. The additions of MATLAB, Python, and Julia wrappers around the GMT C Application Program Interface (API) are now introducing GMT to numerous new and younger users and the platform shows no sign of diminishing after almost 40 years; in fact, usage continues to expand. Pursuing GMT for fun (and funding) has positively affected other areas of my scientific interests, and my new research modules continue to be added to GMT. The future holds many promises but will require formation and leadership of communities to steer and maintain the essential science tools that have served us well for many decades.

The role of youth in overcoming the digital divide between generational groups

One of the main resources of modern society is information and digital technologies for its processing. Access to information, digital products and services helps reduce barriers in an individual’s interaction with the state, organizations, and other individuals, and provides opportunities for personal development and active participation in solving social issues. At the same time, the uneven distribution of information infrastructure, differences in the skills of users when working with digital products, as well as varying degrees of motivation of individuals to work on the Internet form digital divide. Based on the key concepts of digital divide, in September 2022 - April 2023, the authors conducted a sociological study in which residents of the Sverdlovsk region took part. Based on the results of the study, the authors come to the conclusion that age is one of the key factors in the reproduction of digital divide, and therefore digital divide between generations of modern Russian society is relevant. The results of the study demonstrated the leading role of youth in bridging the digital divide between generational groups, since young Internet users have more developed digital skills, and representatives of the older generation are ready to acquire these skills when interacting with youth.

Association of prediabetes with stroke in young metabolically healthy tobacco users: A population-based analysis

BackgroundDiabetes and tobacco use are well-established risk factors for stroke. However, the intersection of prediabetes, tobacco use, and stroke among young individuals remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the association between pre-diabetes and stroke risk in young tobacco users. MethodsUsing the National Inpatient Sample (2019) and relevant ICD-10 codes, we identified young patients with tobacco use disorder and pre-diabetes. Regression analysis considered risk factors (gender, demographics, income, comorbidities) to assess stroke odds. ResultsAmong 1,017,540 stroke hospitalizations, 1.9 % were pre-diabetic. Pre-diabetics were often older (median age 36 vs. 31), male (59.4 %), Black (33.8 %), and Hispanic (12.2 %), with higher rates of comorbidities, including drug abuse, alcohol abuse, COPD, and CKD (p < 0.001). They also exhibited higher rates of stroke events (1.9 % vs. 0.5 %, p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis after adjusting for confounders, young metabolically healthy smokers with pre-diabetes had a higher risk of stroke (aOR 3.31, 95 % CI [1.67–6.55], p < 0.001). ConclusionPrediabetes could potentially triple stroke risk in young tobacco smokers. Prospective research is warranted to explore the causal association between pre-diabetes and stroke in the setting of tobacco use.

Determinants of e-pharmacy adoption and the mediating role of social influence among young users

PurposeThis study aims to examine the mediating role of social influence on the relationship between key predictors of E-pharmacy adoption among young consumers based on the unified theory of adoption and use of technology (UTAUT).Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a quantitative correlational research design. Based on cluster sampling, data was collected from 306 university students from three public universities in southwestern Nigeria. Data was analysed using partial least square structural equation modeling.FindingsThe primary determinant driving the adoption of e-pharmacy is performance expectancy. Social influence plays a partial mediating role in linking performance expectancy to e-pharmacy adoption. In contrast, it fully mediates the relationship between effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and the adoption of e-pharmacy services.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides theoretical clarity on recent issues within the UTAUT framework. Findings highlight the complexity of how social factors interact with individual beliefs and external conditions in determining technology acceptance.Practical implicationsResearch includes information relevant to access the impact of e-pharmacy services on healthcare accessibility, affordability and quality in developing countries.Originality/valueThe findings extend the adoption of technology literature in healthcare and offer a new understanding of adoption dynamics. The results emphasize the importance of performance expectancy in driving e-pharmacy adoption, providing a clear direction for stakeholders to enhance service quality and user experience of e-pharmacy. Additionally, the mediating effect of social influence highlights the significance of peer recommendations, celebrity endorsements and social media campaigns in shaping consumer adoption of e-pharmacies among young people.

Prevalence of Dequervains Tenosynovitis in 20-40 Years Old Mobile Users

Background: The advent of mobile technology has revolutionized communication but has also introduced new health concerns, including DeQuervain's tenosynovitis (DQT), a condition affecting the thumb and wrist. Previous studies have reported varying prevalences of DQT among mobile users, with potential gender differences in susceptibility. This study seeks to add to the existing body of knowledge by exploring the prevalence of DQT among young adult mobile users and examining gender differences in the condition's occurrence. Objective: To determine the prevalence of DeQuervain's tenosynovitis among mobile users aged 20–40 years and to investigate whether there are significant gender differences in the susceptibility to the condition. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 100 participants, stratified by gender, who regularly use mobile devices. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires to assess mobile device usage patterns and symptoms of DQT. The Finkelstein test was used to diagnose DQT among participants. Statistical analysis included the calculation of prevalence rates, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to explore the relationship between mobile device usage and symptoms of DQT. Gender differences were assessed using chi-square tests. Results: Of the 100 participants, 52% tested positive for DeQuervain's tenosynovitis. Female mobile users demonstrated a higher prevalence (58%) compared to male mobile users (42%). The study also found a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.37, p = 0.001) between the extent of mobile device use and symptoms of DQT. The Quick DASH scores ranged from 12.0 to 45.00, with an average score of 17.75 ± 6.91, indicating variability in the impact of DQT on functional abilities. Conclusion: The study confirms a high prevalence of DeQuervain's tenosynovitis among young adult mobile users, with a significant gender difference indicating higher susceptibility among females. These findings underscore the need for ergonomic considerations and preventive measures in the use of mobile devices to mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

Generation Z's Health Information Avoidance Behavior: Insights From Focus Group Discussions.

Younger generations actively use social media to access health information. However, research shows that they also avoid obtaining health information online at times when confronted with uncertainty. This study aims to examine the phenomenon of health information avoidance among Generation Z, a representative cohort of active web users in this era. Drawing on the planned risk information avoidance model, we adopted a qualitative approach to explore the factors related to information avoidance within the context of health and risk communication. The researchers recruited 38 participants aged 16 to 25 years for the focus group discussion sessions. In this study, we sought to perform a deductive qualitative analysis of the focus group interview content with open, focused, and theoretical coding. Our findings support several key components of the planned risk information avoidance model while highlighting the underlying influence of cognition on emotions. Specifically, socioculturally, group identity and social norms among peers lead some to avoid health information. Cognitively, mixed levels of risk perception, conflicting values, information overload, and low credibility of information sources elicited their information avoidance behaviors. Affectively, negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, and the desire to stay positive contributed to avoidance. This study has implications for understanding young users' information avoidance behaviors in both academia and practice.

42 Challenges for agricultural social media influencers engagement with young, non-ag adults

Abstract Segments of society question the welfare of animals in production, whether types of product consumption have a negative impact on personal health, and environmental sustainability of producing livestock. As most Americans are three or more generations removed from production agriculture (American Farm Bureau, 2020), they have minimal incentive to question unsubstantiated information purported by anti-animal agriculture groups. Ag communication strategies often seem to fall short compared with anti-agricultural messages shared throughout the media infosphere. Prominent forms of digital / social media (SM) platforms have infiltrated daily lives of society. With the significance of engagement factors such as likes, comments, shares, and saves on such platforms in mind, our research sought to assess the willingness of SM users to interact with content on Instagram created by agricultural social media influencers (SMIs). Participants (n = 855; ages 18-30 from the U.S. and a non-ag background) were recruited through Prolific and anonymously completed a Qualtrics survey. Quantitative data were responses to questions about willingness to engage with both general content and agriculture-related content. Participants were shown images and narrative content from well-established agricultural SMIs. Participants were surveyed both before and after being shown example image posts of agricultural SMIs. Data were analyzed utilizing SPSS with independent variables consisting of general content versus agricultural content while dependent variables were comprised of the summation of participant engagement type willingness which was operationalized by numerically converting the five-point Likert scale. Results showed differences (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in willingness to engage with agricultural SMI through likes, comments, shares, and saves than with general content. Results imply that agricultural SMIs will have more limited opportunities to facilitate engagement with young adult Instagram users than those that share generalized content. These outcomes reinforce a communication dilemma around SM engagement that focuses on reaching non-ag audiences with image and evidence-based agricultural content.

Effect of reverberation and informational masking on speech perception by adolescents and young adults with cochlear implants

Children with severe to profound hearing loss fitted with cochlear implants (CIs) can develop speech with degraded auditory inputs. Little is known about how speech perception by CI users who developed speech through electrical hearing is affected by realistic reverberation—a source of additional degradation in acoustic inputs to the CI speech processor. Moreover, how these young CI users handle competing maskers with high informational masking, such as two-talker babble, in speech-in-noise perception is not well characterized. Both reverberation and competing maskers are relevant factors in everyday classroom listening scenarios. In this work, we studied a cohort of adolescents and young adults with early fitting of CIs. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured in five types of maskers: speech-shaped noise (SSN), SSN modulated by a speech envelope, two-talker babble in English and in French, and time-reversed two-talker English babble. SRTs from each masker type were repeated in an anechoic condition and two reverberation conditions mimicking a classroom meeting classroom acoustics standard versus a lecture hall. When compared with a group of age-matched normal-hearing listeners, young CI users showed steeper increase of masked SRTs by increasing reverberation but comparable release from informational masking. [Work supported by the Hearing Health Foundation.]

Effect of smartphone use on cervical spine stability

Using a smartphone often involves a sustained head-forward tilt posture, which may deteriorate the mechanism of muscle reaction efficiency or reduce the stiffness of connective tissues of the cervical spine. These changes in muscular and connective tissues can impair cervical spine stability and contribute to developing neck pain symptoms. In this experiment, change in the cervical spine stability associated with a sustained smartphone use posture was evaluated by quantifying the effective stiffness and the reflexive responses of the head to sudden perturbations. Seventeen young smartphone users maintained their heads tilted forward approximately 30° for 30 min while watching videos on their smartphones in sitting. Data show that the measures of cervical spine stability did not change significantly after the smartphone use task despite developing mild to moderate neck and upper body discomfort symptoms. Study findings imply that keeping the head tilt posture for 30 min for smartphone use did not significantly alter spinal stability, rejecting its association with neck discomfort.

Feasibility and acceptability of multidisciplinary team training in health coaching: Case study in adolescent rheumatology

The central importance of the biopsychosocial model of chronic disease is increasingly recognised in the management of long-term conditions (LTC), which are often associated with chronic pain, fatigue and disability. Despite the physical and mental health impact, 'struggle' to maintain self-efficacy, gap in effective transition to adult pathways and long term consequences of poor disease control and lifestyle choices in young people with LTCs, innovation in this age range is rarely reported in generic journals. This paper explores the feasibility and acceptability of health coaching with young service users to increase engagement and self-management, achieved through multidisciplinary team (MDT) training in Adolescent Rheumatology.

Pokrovsky – Rubakin Bridge Theory: a Modern Reading

The development of digital technologies, which provide unprecedented growth in labor productivity, leads to the depreciation of material goods, resulting in the loss of habitual life guidelines for an ever-expanding share of the planet’s population. The purpose of the article is to determine the directions for transforming the activities of a public library, basing on the analysis of the current needs of residents of highly developed countries. Public library, in the author opinion, should become a place where each user will have the opportunity to come to a deep understanding of their own existence, discover talents and gain a stable life position through integration into intellectual and creative activity. The idea of mandatory gradualism – “step-by-step” nature of this process is drawn from the creative heritage of N. A. Rubakin and A. A. Pokrovsky, who developed and put into practice the “theory of bridges” – an approach to the work of libraries that involved the gradual development of reading taste, ultimately aimed at the development of a harmonious personality. The author comes to the conclusion that the current task of libraries is to build bridges from primitive forms of creative activity to more and more meaningful and complicated one with the ultimate goal of leading each user to independent conscious creativity that helps to demonstrate all person’s abilities. As an example, the author provides the list of library services designed to work with segments of the teenage audience identified on the basis of “lifestyle,” which will allow them to unlock the potential of young users and help them to achieve intellectual and creative self-realization.