Dataset Information

Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the association among social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors, and attitudes toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia.

Methods

We launched an online survey in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia, during April and May 2020. The questionnaire examined: Socio-demographic factors, Social media use, Risk Perception, Preventive behaviors, attitudes and the willingness to use a vaccine if it were available in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. A logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with risk perception and a structural equation model (SEM) was performed to explore the pathway of the relationship among social media exposure, risk perception and preventive behaviors and attitudes.

Results

Among 886 participants, the most were young adults, between 18-25 years old (73.4%) and 577 (65.1%) were female. During the the week before the survey 387 (43.7%) reported be exposure to social media Covid-19 information almost always or always. Moreover 304 (34.3%) were categorized as with a high risk perception. The multivariable analyses show that being female (aOR = 1.5, CI 95% 1.1-2.1) and having high exposure to Covid-19 information on social media (aOR = 2.5, CI 95% 1.3-5.3) were associated with a higher risk perception for Covid-19. Furthermore, SEM results indicated that risk perception is associated with the adoption of preventive behaviors and attitudes (? = 0.605, p < 0.001) including the acceptance of a vaccine if one were available (? = 0.388, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Social media exposure to COVID-19 information influences the adoption of preventive attitudes and behaviors through shaping risk perception. Understanding the role of social media during the pandemic could help policymakers and communicators to develop better communication strategies that enable the population to adopt appropriate attitudes and behaviors.

SUBMITTER: Zeballos Rivas DR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7822287 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study.

Zeballos Rivas Diana Reyna DR Lopez Jaldin Marinalda Lidia ML Nina Canaviri Blanca B Portugal Escalante Luisa Fabiola LF Alanes Fernández Angela M C AMC Aguilar Ticona Juan Pablo JP

PloS one 20210122 1

<h4>Objective</h4>To investigate the association among social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors, and attitudes toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Bolivia.<h4>Methods</h4>We launched an online survey in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia, during April and May 2020. The questionnaire examined: Socio-demographic factors, Social media use, Risk Perception, Preventive behaviors, attitudes and the willingness to use a vaccine if it were available in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. A lo ...[more]

PMID: 33481945

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Project description:BackgroundTriatoma sordida is one of the main Chagas disease vectors in Brazil. In addition to Brazil, this species has already been reported in Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is hypothesized that the insects currently identified as T. sordida are a species subcomplex formed by three cytotypes (T. sordida sensu stricto [s.s.], T. sordida La Paz, and T. sordida Argentina). With the recent description of T. rosai from the Argentinean specimens, it became necessary to assess the taxonomic status of T. sordida from La Paz, Bolivia, since it was suggested that it may represent a new species, which has taxonomic, evolutionary, and epidemiological implications. Based on the above, we carried out molecular and experimental crossover studies to assess the specific status of T. sordida La Paz.MethodsTo evaluate the pre- and postzygotic barriers between T. sordida La Paz and T. sordida s.s., experimental crosses and intercrosses between F1 hybrids and between F2 hybrids were conducted. In addition, cytogenetic analyses of the F1 and F2 hybrids were applied with an emphasis on the degree of pairing between the homeologous chromosomes, and morphological analyses of the male gonads were performed to evaluate the presence of gonadal dysgenesis. Lastly, the genetic distance between T. sordida La Paz and T. sordida s.s. was calculated for the CYTB, ND1, and ITS1 genes.ResultsRegardless of the gene used, T. sordida La Paz showed low genetic distance compared to T. sordida s.s. (below 2%). Experimental crosses resulted in offspring for both directions, demonstrating that there are no prezygotic barriers installed between these allopatric populations. Furthermore, postzygotic barriers were not observed either (since the F1 × F1 and F2 × F2 intercrosses resulted in viable offspring). Morphological and cytogenetic analyses of the male gonads of the F1 and F2 offspring demonstrated that the testes were not atrophied and did not show chromosome pairing errors.ConclusionBased on the low genetic distance (which configures intraspecific variation), associated with the absence of prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriers, we confirm that T. sordida La Paz represents only a chromosomal polymorphism of T. sordida s.s.

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Dataset Information

Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Social media exposure, risk perception, preventive behaviors and attitudes during the COVID-19 epidemic in La Paz, Bolivia: A cross sectional study.

Similar Datasets

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