UNASSIGNED: The goal of the present research was to develop a video collection of simulated fires to investigate how people perceive growing building fires. In fire safety science, a critical factor to occupant responses to building fires is the pre-movement period, determined by how long it takes an individual to initiate taking protective action with an incipient fire. Key to studying the psychological processes that contribute to the duration of the pre-movement period is presenting human subjects with building fires. One approach used in previous research is to present videos of building fires to individuals via scenarios. The numerical simulations used to model fire dynamics can be used to render videos for these scenarios. However, such simulations have predominantly been used in fire protection engineering to design buildings and are relatively inaccessible to social scientists.
UNASSIGNED: The present study documents a collection of videos, based on numerical simulations, which can be used by researchers to study human behavior in fire. These videos display developing fires in different types of rooms, growing at different rates, different smoke thickness, among other characteristics. As part of a validation study, participants were presented with subsets of the video clips and were asked to rate the perceived risk posed by the simulated fire.
UNASSIGNED: We observed that ratings varied by the intensity and growth rate of the fires, smoke opacity, type of room, and where the viewpoint was located from the fire. These effects aligned with those observed in previous fire science research, providing evidence that the videos could elicit perceived risk using fire simulations. The present research indicates that future studies can utilize the video library of fire simulations to study human perceptions of developing building fires as situational factors are systematically manipulated.

UNASSIGNED: COVID-19, as a significant public health issue, has had a major impact on the mental health of people worldwide. Research shows a significant positive correlation between individuals\' risk perception levels and negative emotions during the outbreak of COVID-19. However, some studies also suggest that the relationship between the two is not significant. Therefore, we will conduct a meta-analysis to explore the relationship between risk perception and negative emotions from cultural, temporal, and individual psychological perspectives.
UNASSIGNED: Searches were conducted in the Web of Science, Pub Med, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, focusing on publications from January 2020 onwards, specifically targeting studies examining the relationship between risk perception and negative emotion during COVID-19.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 58 papers with 85 effect sizes were meta-analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 software, with a combined sample of 83,948 individuals. Risk perception of COVID-19 showed a moderate positive correlation with negative emotions (r = 0.211, 95%CI [0.18, 0.24]). There was no moderating effect of tight-loose cultures on the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and negative emotions. However, the epidemic period, gender ratio, and measurement methods did have moderating effects on the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and negative emotions.
UNASSIGNED: In future research, we can further develop theories related to the risk perception of COVID-19 and negative emotions, and based on these, formulate interventions to promote people\'s mental health.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is the third cause of cancer mortality worldwide. A screening strategy that combines an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) with a screening colonoscopy may be cost-effective in intermediate-risk regions. This study aimed to evaluate the intention to adhere to combined endoscopic screening and assess knowledge of GC symptoms, risk factors, and barriers to screening.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study enrolling individuals eligible for CRC screening in northern Portugal, where a populational fecal occult blood test (FOBT) program is implemented. The validated PERCEPT-PREVENT tool was applied across three groups: (a) not yet invited to CRC screening, (b) FOBT-positive referred to colonoscopy, and (c) primary colonoscopy screening.
RESULTS: A high acceptance rate was observed for combined endoscopic screening (94%; n = 264) [not yet invited to CRC screening 98% (n = 90) vs. FOBT-positive referred to colonoscopy 90% (n = 103) vs. primary colonoscopy 97% (n = 71); p = 0.017], with the vast majority reporting intention to adhere in the setting of full reimbursement (97%; n = 255). Most respondents were unaware of any possible GC symptom (76%; n = 213), risk factor (73%; n = 205), and UGIE-related complication (85%; n = 237). Regular follow-up with the primary care physician (Odds Ratio (OR) 27.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.99-254.57), lower perceived negative health consequences of UGIE (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.13-1.74), and lower perceived financial burden (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.04-5.85) were the only factors independently associated with a higher intention to undergo combined screening.
CONCLUSIONS: Willingness to undergo combined endoscopic screening was notably high and positively impacted by lower perceived barriers. Additional efforts should be undertaken to improve levels of digestive health literacy.

BACKGROUND: This study delves into the risk perceptions of Italian pediatricians concerning climate change\'s impact on children\'s health. Given children\'s heightened vulnerability to climate-related health risks, comprehending these perceptions is crucial. A review of pertinent literature establishes the framework, emphasizing six key factors influencing children\'s susceptibility to climate-related health hazards.
METHODS: Methodologically, the study utilized a survey tool developed collaboratively with the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP), garnering responses from a representative sample of Italian pediatricians.
RESULTS: Findings indicate a high level of awareness among respondents regarding climate change and its health implications, with a majority attributing it primarily to human activity. Pediatricians recognize various current and anticipated health impacts of climate change, notably concerning illnesses linked to outdoor air quality. Despite acknowledging their role in addressing climate-related health concerns, respondents also cite barriers to engagement, including time constraints and knowledge gaps. However, they express interest in resources like professional training and policy statements to bolster their capacity for effective communication and advocacy.
CONCLUSIONS: Comparisons with prior studies highlight the consistency of findings across diverse contexts and underscore the significance of integrating climate and environmental health education into medical training. Overall, this study sheds light on pediatricians\' perspectives in tackling the convergence of climate change and children\'s health, pinpointing avenues for enhancing their involvement in climate advocacy and mitigation efforts.

BACKGROUND: Road crashes are still one of the main causes of death around the world. Risky behavior has been proposed as one of the foremost predictors, with the theoretical framework of aberrant behavior emerging as a predominant approach for its examination. Sensation seeking has been pointed out as one of the main personality predictors of aberrant behavior. The current research aimed to investigate the moderated-moderation effect of both risk perception and self-esteem in the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant behavior.
METHODS: Two studies were conducted. The first study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Risk Perception Scale (RPS), a 10-item self-report to assess risk perception. A sample composed of 471 Spanish drivers (319 female, Mage = 29.75) completed the RPS. In the second study, a different sample of 236 Spanish drivers (129 female, Mage = 38.49) completed a set of self-reports aiming both to analyze the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS, and to test the main moderated-moderation hypothesis.
RESULTS: With respect to the first study, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a 7-item version which fitted in a single reliable factor (α = .74). Regarding the second study, the results supported both the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS. Likewise, it was verified the moderated-moderation effect in the case of ordinary violations (R2 = .34), aggressive violations (R2 = .20), and lapses (R2 = .12).
CONCLUSIONS: The RPS is a useful self-report to assess subjective risk perception in Spanish drivers. Both self-esteem and risk perception affect the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant driving behavior.
CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs aiming to reduce aberrant driving behavior should be focused on reducing sensation seeking tendencies while simultaneously enhancing both risk perception skills and self-esteem.

BACKGROUND: Pedestrians are a particularly vulnerable group of road users. Mobile phone usage while walking (MPUWW) is a significant contributor to pedestrians\' involvement in road crashes and associated injuries. The current study aims to explore the effect of state mindfulness on daily MPUWW via phone dependence (at the within-person level), and the moderating role of risk perception (at the between-person level) in the phone dependence-MPUWW relationship.
METHODS: We utilized a fine-grained method, the daily diary methodology (DDM) to explore the aforementioned model. A total of 88 Chinese college students participated in a consecutive 12-day study, yielding 632 daily data. Unconflated multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data.
RESULTS: After trait mindfulness being controlled, state mindfulness has a negative impact on MPUWW via phone dependence at the daily level. Furthermore, risk perception as an individual difference variable moderates the relationship between phone dependence and MPUWW, in which a weaker effect observed in individuals with higher levels of risk perception.
CONCLUSIONS: State mindfulness can decrease the frequency of daily MPUWW by reducing phone dependence, and risk perception is a crucial factor in mitigating the negative effects of phone dependence on MPUWW.
CONCLUSIONS: To lower MPUWW and thereby minimize the risk of road crashes and associated injuries, it is beneficial to foster present-moment awareness of individuals, encourage individuals to use mobile phones in a balanced and sensible manner, and integrate the enhancement of risk perception into road safety education.

OBJECTIVE: The chronic lack of obstetrics-gynecology (Ob/Gyn) doctors is a serious problem to be tackled in Japan. To address this issue, it is necessary for medical students to be interested in working as an Ob/Gyn doctor and more junior residents need to specialize in Ob/Gyn. This study aims to identify the preferences concerning working conditions among students and discusses what information should be provided and what conditions should be changed.
METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted among participants in the Summer School 2023 of the Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The respondents were medical students and junior residents interested in Ob/Gyn. Ob/Gyn specialists contributing to the summer school were also asked the same questions for comparison. The resulting data focused on important working conditions, concerns about future work, and expected future working conditions.
RESULTS: Responses from 132 medical students (97.8%, N = 135), 122 residents (99.2%, N = 123), and 76 specialists (95.0%, N = 80) were obtained. There were three main findings. First, large gaps between students/residents and specialists were observed in terms of preferences. Second, differences between male and female students/residents were not negligible, although the difference was relatively small in specialists. Third, students/residents were more concerned about risks related to medical malpractice than specialists.
CONCLUSIONS: Gaps in preferences and perceptions regarding working conditions between students/residents and specialists should be narrowed through sufficient information provision. Working conditions should become gender-inclusive rather than focus on female persons.

The use of e-cigarette or vape devices is a growing concern on an international scale, given the devices\' addictive nature and questions regarding their short- and long-term health impacts. Their use is especially an issue in young people, many of whom have little or no previous nicotine use experience. This study tested an integrated dual process model in 363 young Australian undergraduates where prospectively measured e-cigarette use was predicted by the psychological constructs of the theory of planned behavior, supplemented with risk perception, e-cigarette dependence, habit, and implicit attitude. Intention to use an e-cigarette was predicted by affective attitude, subjective norm, and e-cigarette dependance, but not instrumental attitude, perceived behavioral control, or risk perception. E-cigarette use was predicted by e-cigarette dependance, intention, habit, implicit attitude, and previous nicotine use, although perceived behavioral control did not directly predict behavior nor moderate the intention-behavior relationship. Current findings provide evidence for important psychological predictors of e-cigarette use, signposting potential intervention targets. Specifically, interventions may benefit from using strategies that tap affective or normative beliefs alongside automatic constructs and dependence, while focusing less on beliefs about the health impacts of e-cigarettes or control over using.

BACKGROUND: Risk perception varies greatly among individuals, affecting their behavior and decision-making in risky situations. The COVID-19 pandemic affected worldwide, but the role of risk perception related to COVID-19 in ethnic minorities in Mexico is unclear. This study quantifies the impact of COVID-related risk perception (susceptibility and severity) and perceived fear on the utilization of antenatal care services among indigenous women in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective crossover study between June and December 2021, interviewing 98 women from San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. In a crossover design, each subject acts as their own control, so we required the participants to have a previous pregnancy experience. A logistic model was used to calculate the odds ratio for the outcome of having an adequate number of antenatal care visits. The analysis considered the period (during or before the pandemic) as well as perceived severity and susceptibility levels as independent variables.
RESULTS: COVID-19 reduced antenatal care utilization by 50%. During the pandemic, the adjusted odds ratio for attending health antenatal care services was 0.83 (95% CI: 4.8, 14.5) compared to pre pandemics. Adjusted for fear of contagion, the mother\'s perception of severity was associated with an increased likelihood of an insufficient number of antenatal visits. OR = 0.25 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.65).
CONCLUSIONS: The risk perception for COVID-19 decreased the likelihood of receiving an adequate number of antenatal care visits.

Cultural theory and the psychometric paradigm are two frameworks proposed to explain risk perceptions, mostly used independently of each other. On the one hand, psychometric research identified key characteristics of hazards responsible for their level of perceived riskiness. On the other hand, cultural studies provided evidence that different worldviews lead to divergent perceptions of risk in a way supportive of individuals\' cultural values. The purpose of this research was to combine both approaches into mediational models in which cultural values impact risk perceptions of controversial hazards through their influence on the characteristics associated with those hazards. Using data from an online survey completed by 629 French participants, findings indicated specific associations between cultural values and risk characteristics, both of them exhibiting effects on risk perceptions that depend largely on hazardous issues. More specifically, we found that people confer specific characteristics on hazards (common or dreadful, beneficial or costly, affecting few or many people), depending on whether they are hierarchists-individualists, egalitarians, or fatalists; in turn, such characteristics have an impact on the perceived riskiness of hazards such as cannabis, social movement, global warming, genetically modified organisms, nuclear power, public transportation, and coronavirus. Finally, this article discussed the interest of addressing the mechanisms that explain how cultural values shape individuals\' perceptions of risk.