Search Results (57)

Background/Objectives: Long COVID (LC) is associated with more than 200 symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between symptoms clusters and pharmacological treatment in patients with LC and to explore differences by sex. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study including 304 participants diagnosed with LC according to the World Health Organization criteria. Symptoms during the acute phase, at the time of diagnosis of LC, and those persisting across both phases were collected by anamnesis. Symptoms were grouped into six clusters: systemic, neurocognitive, respiratory/cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neurological/neuromuscular, and psychological/psychiatric. Drug use was assessed through a questionnaire verified by the medical records, including the consumption of cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants/anxiolytics, and anti-inflammatory/analgesics. Results: Patients reported a mean of 5.23 ± 1.10 symptoms in the acute phase, 4.20 ± 1.70 at LC diagnosis, and 3.83 ± 1.80 persisting across both phases. The most consumed pharmacological group was cardiovascular drugs (43.3%), followed by antidepressants/anxiolytics (34.8%). Psychotropic drugs and anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs showed a positive association with all symptomatic groups (p < 0.05). Cardiovascular drugs showed a positive association with cardiorespiratory (β = 0.19, p < 0.05), neuromuscular (β = 0.11, p < 0.05), and psychological (β = 0.14, p < 0.05) symptoms. Conclusions: Psychotropic and anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs were positively associated with all symptom clusters, while cardiovascular drugs were associated only with cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular, and psychological symptoms, highlighting the relevance of better characterization of treatment patterns in this population. Full article

Global crises, from pandemics to geopolitical instability, intensify societal anxiety. Paradoxically, these periods of collective threat often witness surges in luxury consumption. Drawing on Terror Management Theory (TMT), we propose this behavior is a psychological response to the deindividuating nature of such threats. We argue that a collective crisis increases intentions to purchase luxury goods via an intensified need for uniqueness, which functions as a self-affirming mechanism against a threatened sense of personal identity. We test this model using the COVID-19 pandemic as a salient operationalization of a collective threat. We further propose that this effect is counterintuitively moderated by independent self-construal. Findings from an experimental study (N = 276) show that perceived crisis risk increases luxury purchase intention, and this effect is serially mediated by the need for uniqueness. Critically, this indirect effect is strongest for individuals low in independent self-construal, who are prompted to engage in compensatory uniqueness-seeking when their primary buffer of social connection is disrupted. Our findings contribute to consumer behavior research by identifying a novel psychological pathway linking collective threats to consumption and offer insights for brands navigating consumer behavior during periods of widespread uncertainty. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic stressors have profoundly reshaped consumer eating behaviors, presenting an urgent and underexplored challenge for the academic community. This interdisciplinary review critically examines how these disruptions have influenced both food approach and food avoidance patterns, offering a structured analysis of eight key behavioral parameters: Hunger (H), Food Responsiveness (FR), Emotional Overeating (EOE), Enjoyment of Food (EF), Satiety Responsiveness (SR), Emotional Under Eating (EUE), Food Fussiness (FF), and Slowness in Eating (SE). Drawing on recent literature, we highlight significant shifts in these traits—such as heightened hedonic hunger, age-related changes in food preferences, and gender-specific emotional-satiety dynamics—underscoring the complex interplay between emotional states, physiological cues, and behavioral tendencies. Grounded in the systematic examination of peer-reviewed studies in the post-COVID period, this review offers a robust and comprehensive synthesis of current evidence. The novelty of this work lies in its integration of findings into targeted proposition statements for each parameter, visually supported by original flow charts. These culminate in the development of a “Consumers’ Eating Behavior Index”—a conceptual tool designed to guide researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers in understanding and responding to post-pandemic dietary transformations. By emphasizing the emotional and psychological dimensions of eating, this index offers a timely framework for designing tailored public health interventions that promote sustainable nutritional habits. This study calls for renewed academic attention to the behavioral consequences of global crises, positioning eating behavior research as a critical frontier in post-COVID recovery and resilience. Full article

Despite a substantial volume of literature on the consequences of the recent pandemic, the relationship between psychological constructs that affect individual mindset and confidence, as well as travel intention, is missing. This study seeks to examine the travelers’ behavioral intentions and psychological constructs. The study was conducted among 398 Malaysian medical students. The study was conducted from the end of 2022 to the middle of 2023. The study followed PLS-SEM to estimate relationships between variables and predict dependent variables. The results revealed a negative correlation between travel risk, severity, travel barriers, and travel intention, while COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness and self-efficacy positively influenced travel intention. The present study reveals that individuals with higher levels of self-efficacy or confidence in overcoming obstacles and coping with the challenges of new circumstances exhibit a stronger intention to travel (ITT). This study contributes to understanding the cognitive process of individuals’ intentions to travel and the coping mechanisms during the post-pandemic. Utilizing the health belief model, this study validates how individual health behavior regarding perceived risk affects travel decisions or intentions. This study provides valuable insight into consumer behavior for decision-making in the aviation and tourism industries and for policymakers after the global health crisis. Full article

Background: Life insurance markets are experiencing unprecedented transformation in the wake of economic disruption, evolving consumer expectations, and behavioral shifts following the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional economic models often fail to capture the complex interplay of attitudinal, and cognitive factors that now shape insurance demand and premium selection. Methods: This study analyzes nationally representative survey data from over 3600 U.S. adults (2024 NAIC Financial Inclusion Survey). It uses a weighted full maximum likelihood Heckman selection model to identify determinants of life insurance uptake and premiums. The main innovation is modeling psychological price, a composite of perceived affordability, with higher-order polynomials. The design integrates psychometrically validated measures of financial knowledge and risk tolerance. Political ideology, race and ethnicity, and sources of financial advice serve as exclusion restrictions in the selection equation. Results: Psychological price shows an inverse-U relation with term outcomes: uptake rises at low to moderate affordability and declines at high affordability; among purchasers, term premiums rise at low to mid affordability and decline at high levels. For cash value policies, premiums decrease as psychological price increases. Financial knowledge and risk tolerance increase term uptake; financial knowledge reduces cash premiums. Education and income increase term uptake and term premiums. Compared with respondents reporting no ideology, conservative and centrist respondents have lower term uptake and higher cash uptake; using a professional advisor is associated with higher cash uptake. The selection correlation is positive for term ($\rho \approx 0.98$) and negative for cash ($\rho \approx -0.38$), indicating non-random selection in both markets. Implications: In order to reduce disparities, insurers should target the mid-affordability threshold with term offerings, streamline options for high-affordability consumers, offer pricing support and guidance for low-affordability households, increase uptake through advice channels and financial education, and address affordability barriers. Conclusions: Nonlinear affordability effects shape both market entry and pricing choices. Modeling psychological price with higher-order polynomials identifies thresholds and turning points that linear specifications miss. The results support targeted product design and outreach when perceived affordability drives insurance participation and premium choices. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic caused immense physical disruptions, affecting young adults in the U.S. The Health Belief Model is a social psychological framework that predicts the likelihood of adopting health behavior. The purpose of this research is to investigate COVID-19-related health beliefs and dietary behaviors among undergraduate students during the pandemic. Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 304 individuals at a New Jersey state university. Survey data included the frequency of COVID-19 prevention behaviors (e.g., wearing an indoor mask, handwashing), and consumption of fruit and vegetables. The Health Belief Model constructs measured perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, severity, benefits, barriers, and self-efficacy. Frequency distributions, t-tests, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were investigated for racial subgroups (Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians). The mean age of the sample was 21.7, with 27% males, and 46% self-identified as White. Whites adopted fewer COVID-19 prevention behaviors (p < 0.001) than non-Whites. Black students perceived less COVID-19 severity (p < 0.01) and stronger perceived benefits (p < 0.05) than the other subgroups. Latino students perceived greater susceptibility (p < 0.01) and greater barriers than non-Latinos. Asians practiced higher mask wearing frequency (p < 0.05) but less daily fruit intake than their counterparts (p < 0.01). This research highlights the importance of handwashing, wearing indoor masks, and consuming produce among university students. Addressing barriers to health action while promoting the benefits of enacting behaviors to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 is warranted. Full article

This study investigates how pandemic-induced emotional disruption has reshaped sustainable consumer behavior in the digital age, with a focus on the continued influence of safety measures in the restaurant industry. As societies transition beyond COVID-19 restrictions, health-related anxieties persist, driving consumers to prioritize hygiene and risk reduction in their decision-making. Drawing on large-scale data from TripAdvisor and OpenTable, we analyze the effects of digitally communicated safety protocols on restaurant booking behavior across major U.S. cities. Our findings reveal that safety communication remains a salient factor in consumer choice, even after the acute phase of the pandemic. This effect is particularly pronounced in lower-tier restaurants, where visible digital safety signals help build trust and compensate for weaker brand equity. Conversely, in upscale establishments, where baseline hygiene standards are presumed, the marginal benefit of safety signaling is reduced. The study also identifies enduring patterns of emotional expression and anxiety in online reviews, indicating the long-term psychological imprint of the pandemic on consumer sentiment. By situating safety communication as both a psychological reassurance mechanism and a strategic digital marketing tool, this research contributes to the emerging discourse on sustainable marketing in post-crisis contexts. The results offer theoretical and managerial insights into how businesses can integrate health assurance into long-term brand strategies, reinforcing trust and resilience in digitally mediated, post-pandemic consumption environments. Full article

The agrarian continent of Africa has many fruits with nutritional, medicinal and spiritual values. Regardless, Africa leads the statistics of poor healthcare globally. Two major challenges in Africa’s healthcare system are poor access and the high cost of medical healthcare. Among others, the effects of such challenges include low responsiveness to medical treatment and a high mortality rate. However, it seems the nosophobia that accompanied the global mortality rate during the COVID-19 pandemic may have triggered a spiritually influenced alternative. One of the traditional alternatives was a subscription to Garcinia Kola, popularly known as Bitter Kola (BK). This article, majoring in spiritual and not psychological influence, raised a hypothetical question: does spirituality influence Africans’ traditional response to COVID-19? To answer this question, Sunnyside in Pretoria was chosen as a demography to investigate the hypothesis. Data were collected via mixed research methods. There were 16 qualitative respondents, including sellers, herbalists and clergies, and 75 consumers as quantitative respondents under probability sampling. The results analysed using Excel and Python’s regression analysis demonstrated strong connections between consumers’ spiritual motivations, the sales period, the sales rate, and the swift traditional response to the pandemic and related illnesses. The outcome validated the influence of spirituality on 60.9% of quantitative respondents and showed how 25–72% responded to COVID-19 symptoms with BK. Likewise, 87.5% of qualitative respondents consumed BK via indigenous spiritual knowledge in response to the pandemic. Subsequently, this article discussed the benefits, limitations and lessons of spiritual influence on BK consumption in the post-COVID-19 era. Full article

This research examines the correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and the desire to engage in compensatory consuming behaviors, specifically emphasizing emotional eating as a psychological coping strategy, particularly with respect to snacks and sweets. Conducting sentiment analysis by using a Natural Language Processing (NLP) method on posts from Sina Weibo, a leading Chinese social media platform, the research identifies three distinct phases of consumer behavior during the pandemic: anxiety, escapism, and compensatory periods. These stages are marked by varying degrees of emotional eating tendencies, illustrating a psychological trajectory from initial shock to seeking comfort through food as a means of regaining a sense of normalcy and control. The analysis reveals a notable increase in posts expressing a desire for compensatory consumption of snacks and sweets in 2020 compared to 2019, indicating a significant shift towards emotional eating amid the pandemic. This shift reflects the broader psychological impacts of the crisis, offering insights into consumer behavior and the role of digital platforms in capturing public sentiment during global crises. The findings have implications for policymakers, health professionals, and the food industry, suggesting the need for strategies to address the psychological and behavioral effects of natural disasters. Full article

COVID-19 vaccination is a critical public health measure to control the pandemic, but disparities in vaccination uptake remain a concern. This study investigates the determinants of COVID-19 vaccination among Korean adults using the Andersen model. Data from 231,784 participants in the community health survey were analyzed using chi-square testing and logistic regression. The risk of non-vaccination was higher among those aged 19–64 (95% CI: 1.52–1.74), males (95% CI: 1.11–1.24), the unemployed (95% CI: 2.21–2.47), unmarried individuals (95% CI: 1.12–1.24), those with unmet healthcare needs (95% CI: 1.41–1.67), recipients of national basic livelihood guarantees (95% CI: 1.45–1.73), those with lower subjective health (95% CI: 1.20–1.30), individuals with depression (95% CI: 1.28–1.44), current smokers (95% CI: 1.13–1.30), and those skipping breakfast (95% CI: 1.04–1.16). Conversely, the risk was lower for those with less than a high school education (95% CI: 0.72–0.81), individuals with psychological concerns about infection (0.87, 95% CI: 0.82–0.92) or public criticism (0.91, 95% CI: 0.86–0.97), individuals with chronic diseases (95% CI: 0.64–0.72), and current alcohol consumers (95% CI: 0.52–0.58). These findings underscore the need for targeted intervention strategies and support systems to promote vaccination in vulnerable populations. Further research should explore the long-term impact of these interventions on vaccination uptake. Full article

Investment in stocks is increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence (AI), but the psychological and social factors that affect stock prices may not be fully covered by the measures currently used in AI training. Here, we search for additional measures that may improve AI predictions. We start by reviewing stock price movements that appear to be affected by social and psychological factors, drawing on stock market behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of processes that are likely to produce such stock market movements follows: the disposition effect, momentum, and the response to information. These processes are then explained by regression to the mean, negativity bias, the availability mechanism, and information diffusion. Taking account of these processes and drawing on the consumer behaviour literature, we identify three factors which may not be covered by current AI training data that could affect stock prices: publicity in relation to capitalization, stock-holding penetration in relation to capitalization, and changes in the penetration of stock holding. Full article

The issue of sustainability has once again received attention and promotion in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Countries worldwide have launched returnable cup services for beverages, such as Taiwan, which is a highly developed market for hand-shaken drinks, and various beverage and convenience stores have been gradually launching this service. However, reasonable usage rates have yet to be achieved. This study aimed to explore the psychological cognition of using a returnable cups service by understanding the motivation affecting the behavior intention through external and internal influencing and categorizing realistic cognition, which observes the motivating factors from three perspectives: passively acquired awareness, autonomous consciousness, and perception in real life for further achieving environmental sustainability. Research found that when consumers’ environmental awareness is insufficient to sacrifice convenience, it is necessary to employ a service strategy design for passive influence. The focal point for influencing consumer attitudes lies in the backend of services, particularly in cup return, which is the chain-closing juncture. The result can provide the beverage industry and governments with a reference to promote returnable cups and contribute to plastic reduction in sustainable development. Full article

Background: Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) has created complex pressures and challenges for healthcare systems worldwide; however, little is known about the impacts COVID-19 has had on regional/rural healthcare workers. The Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study (LMHCWCS) cohort was established to explore and describe the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional and rural healthcare workers. Methods: Eligible healthcare workers employed within 23 different healthcare organisations located in the Loddon Mallee region of Victoria, Australia, were included. In this cohort study, a total of 1313 participants were recruited from November 2020–May 2021. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and burnout were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Impact of Events Scale-6 (IES-6), and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), respectively. Resilience and optimism were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R), respectively. Subjective fear of COVID-19 was measured using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results: These cross-sectional baseline findings demonstrate that regional/rural healthcare workers were experiencing moderate/severe depressive symptoms (n = 211, 16.1%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (n = 193, 14.7%), and high personal or patient/client burnout with median total scores of 46.4 (IQR = 28.6) and 25.0 (IQR = 29.2), respectively. There was a moderate degree of COVID-19-related fear. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience (n = 854, 65.0%). Based on self-reporting, 15.4% had a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 kgm² and 37.0% have a BMI of 25 kgm² or over. Overall, 7.3% of participants reported they were current smokers and 20.6% reported alcohol consumption that is considered moderate/high-risk drinking. Only 21.2% of the sample reported consuming four or more serves of vegetables daily and 37.8% reported consuming two or more serves of fruit daily. There were 48.0% the sample who reported having poor sleep quality measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Conclusion: Regional/rural healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia, were experiencing a moderate to high degree of psychological distress during the early stages of the pandemic. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience. Findings will be used to inform policy options to support healthcare workers in responding to future pandemics. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress levels in the population due to radical lifestyle changes caused by containment measures. Studies suggest that high levels of stress may be related to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aims to explain how quarantine habits and lifestyles acted as risk factors for the frequency of this syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. An observational study was conducted with 34 Chilean participants (average age 24.5 ± 3.85 years), of whom 21 (62%) were female. Surveys on consumption trends and lifestyles created by the authors were administered. Additionally, we used the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21) to assess psychological stress and the Rome IV criteria to assess IBS. Significant differences were found between individuals with better healthy habits compared to those with poor healthy habits. The former showed lower sedentary activity (32%, p = 0.005), only 27% were fast eaters (vs. 44%, p = 0.001), had shorter nap intervals (14% vs. 28%, p = 0.03), and higher vegetable consumption (p = 0.02). There were 20 cases (59%) of IBS, with a strong association with the female sex (p = 0.004), where females were 15 times more likely to develop it compared to males (p = 0.008). Additionally, when alcohol consumption was added to females, there was a higher likelihood of developing this syndrome (p = 0.009), as individuals who consumed alcohol were 12 times more likely to develop it compared to those who did not (p = 0.02). Among other factors, it was observed that 57% of those with the syndrome consumed drinks more often (p = 0.02) but consumed fewer nuts (p = 0.009). In conclusion, IBS has a multifactorial etiology, and correcting individual habits such as alcohol consumption could potentially prevent or delay its development. Therefore, it is important to maintain healthy lifestyles, regardless of non-modifiable factors such as gender, in order to better cope with this syndrome. Full article

Consumer behavior is dynamic and can shift rapidly due to various factors. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented market disruptions, prompting unique consumer reactions. Our foundational study dissected factors affecting consumer habits, laying the groundwork for a focused analysis of how individual consumption was impacted during the pandemic. Significantly, psychological influences emerged as a key determinant of consumer behavior in our prior findings, leading us to centralize the pandemic’s effect in our recent research. We undertook this analysis using data from 559 participants from the Republic of Croatia. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), typically applied in analyses of decision making in businesses, we ranked the influences on consumer purchasing patterns amidst the pandemic. Our findings underscored the profound influence of these factors on consumer behavior and the resulting implications for sustainable development. This highlights the urgency for businesses to adopt flexible strategies that also support overarching sustainability objectives. The objective of the study is to analyze the impact of the pandemic on individual consumption and to understand the key psychological factors influencing consumer behavior. The main contribution of this work is the identification and ranking of pandemic influences using the AHP model, as well as understanding the implications of these behavioral changes for future planning. Full article