Background: The social distancing policies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic forced many individuals to confront their mortality and worry about losing loved ones, making it impossible to say goodbye to them properly. Those not directly experiencing loss were inundated with information about COVID-19-related deaths throughout social media, leading to vicarious grief. This study delved into the long-term effects of direct and vicarious mourning on people\'s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A sample of 171 adults (65% female) aged 19-66 years (Mage = 25.8, SD = 8.57) voluntarily participated in an online survey assessing self-reported psychological measures of complicated grief, stress, depression, dispositional neuroticism, trait anxiety, and situational anxiety. Results: MANOVAs revealed that direct mourning experiences had an extremely severe impact on anxiety, stress, and fear of COVID-19, and a moderate effect on those without personal losses. Indeed, participants reporting high media exposure showed higher scores of depression and stress. Conclusions: Findings from the current study displayed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, people engaged more in proximal defenses than distal ones, taking health-protective measures, experiencing increased anxiety levels toward virus infection, and feeling distressed. Additionally, vicarious mourning was more strongly associated with depression due to emotional empathy with others.

Media exposure to graphic images of violence has proliferated in contemporary society, particularly with the advent of social media. Extensive exposure to media coverage immediately after the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombings (BMB) was associated with more early traumatic stress symptoms; in fact, several hours of BMB-related daily media exposure was a stronger correlate of distress than being directly exposed to the bombings themselves. Researchers have replicated these findings across different traumatic events, extending this work to document that exposure to graphic images is independently and significantly associated with stress symptoms and poorer functioning. The media exposure-distress association also appears to be cyclical over time, with increased exposure predicting greater distress and greater distress predicting more media exposure following subsequent tragedies. The war in Israel and Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, provides a current, real-time context to further explore these issues as journalists often share graphic images of death and destruction, making media-based graphic images once again ubiquitous and potentially challenging public well-being. For individuals sharing an identity with the victims or otherwise feeling emotionally connected to the Middle East, it may be difficult to avoid viewing these images. Through a review of research on the association between exposure to graphic images and public health, we discuss differing views on the societal implications of viewing such images and advocate for media literacy campaigns to educate the public to identify mis/disinformation and understand the risks of viewing and sharing graphic images with others.

BACKGROUND: New global crises are emerging, while existing global crises remain unabated. Coping with climate change, the radioactive water released into the Pacific Ocean subsequent to the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East (hereafter referred to as the wars) as individual crises can negatively affect the psychological health of young people, but little is known about the compounded impact of multiple crises. We aimed to examine: (1) the emotional responses of young people towards each individual crisis, (2) how aggregate levels of emotional engagement in global crises might pose different potential trajectories in psychological health, and (3) the protective or exacerbating role of media exposure and nature connectedness as mediators on psychological health outcomes of young people.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-national online survey among young people (aged 18-29 years) from China, Portugal, South Africa, the USA, and the UK. We adopted stratified purposive sampling and distributed the survey using online platforms (www.wenjuan.com and www.prolific.com). Individuals were eligible for inclusion in our analysis if they were literate in Chinese or English and had no mental disorders diagnosed within the past 12 months. Participants were asked questions on their demographic characteristics and time spent on social media, including proportion of time exposed to media pertaining to global crises of interest, and they completed surveys based on validated scales that measure depression, anxiety, stress, and wellbeing, as well as emotional responses to each global crisis and nature relatedness. We assessed the survey results using descriptive statistics, ANOVA tests, cluster analysis for individual emotional responses, and structural equation modelling for the aggregate measure of emotional engagement towards individual global crises.
RESULTS: Between Oct 20 and Nov 3, 2023, 2579 individuals participated in the survey, of whom 400 participants from each country (200 male and 200 female participants) were included in our analysis (mean age 24·36 years [SD 2·86]). The mean emotional engagement varied between the global crises of interest (on a scale from 0 to 68, where 0 indicates no emotional response and 68 indicates strong emotional responses across 17 different emotions; wars: 32·42 [SD 14·57]; climate change: 28·79 [14·17]; radioactive water: 21·26 [16·08]), and emotional engagement also varied by country; for instance, for respondents from China, mean emotional engagement in radioactive water was relatively high (39·15 [10·72]) compared with the other countries, and for respondents from the USA, engagement with the wars was relatively low (29·45 [15·78]). We found significant variations in the level of emotional engagement between different crises, with distinct emotional profiles observed among individual countries. To assess the role of media exposure and nature connectedness on psychological outcomes, using structural equation modelling, we constructed a multi-country model comprising Portugal, South Africa, the USA, and the UK, and a standalone model for China. These models elucidated associations between emotional engagement and psychological distress and wellbeing, explaining substantial portions of the variance in both. Notably, while greater emotional engagement in the ecological crises (ie, climate change and radioactive water) generally predicted worse psychological health outcomes, we found the direction of effect for war crises to have positive outcomes for mental health in the standalone China model. Additionally, we found that media exposure mediated the negative effect of wars on psychological distress in the multi-country model, and positive psychological wellbeing in the standalone China model. Moreover, nature connectedness emerged as a potent mediator, effectively mitigating the adverse mental health effects of emotional engagement with some crises, such as radioactive water and climate change.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings offer valuable insights into the nuanced dynamics of emotional engagement in global crises and its implications for mental health outcomes among young people across diverse global contexts. Further research is needed to understand the contribution of ongoing and new global crises towards a compounded negative future outlook on young people\'s mental health to identify effective communication and intervention strategies that can mitigate the effect of this global challenge.
BACKGROUND: Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the relationship between media exposure to the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and its impact on children\'s mental health difficulties.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 409 parents between March and July 2023. Parents were invited to participate in an online survey through social media platforms. The data was collected using the \'Descriptive Characteristics Form\', the \'Media Exposure Form Related to the Earthquake\', and the \'Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire\'.
RESULTS: The results indicated that exposure to images of earthquake-related events on the first day after the earthquake (p < 0.001), people rescued alive from the rubble on television (p < 0.001), earthquake victims staying on the streets/in tents on television (p = 0.006), and earthquake-related events while alone on the Internet (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with the impact of children\'s mental difficulties. Furthermore, exposure to images of people pulled deceased from the rubble (p < 0.001), exposure to images of demolished houses on the Internet (p = 0.007), and exposure to images of destroyed roads on the Internet (p = 0.01) were found to significantly predict the impact of children\'s mental difficulties (r2 = 0.29; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that children who are exposed to screen media may experience difficulties in coping mentally, leading to emotional and behavioral problems.
CONCLUSIONS: Children who have experienced natural disasters may be exposed to distressing images on screen, which can lead to difficulties and stress. To reduce the risk of mental health problems related to disasters, nurses may suggest that victims limit their exposure to television footage.

BACKGROUND: In the context of persistent wars and conflicts worldwide, the impact of acute, excessive and constant exposure to media coverage of such events on mental health outcomes becomes a serious problem for public health, and requires therefore urgent investigation to inform an effective prevention and management response. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that war-related media exposure is directly and indirectly associated with insomnia through depression and perceived stress among adults from the general population of different Arab countries.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried-out two weeks after the beginning of Israel-Gaza war on the 7th of October 2023. An anonymous online survey and a snowball sampling method were adopted to collect data. A sample of 2635 general population adults (mean age of 23.98 ± 7.55 years, 73.1% females) took part of this study.
RESULTS: The results of the mediation analysis showed that, after adjusting over potential confounders, depression and perceived stress fully mediated the association between war media exposure and insomnia; higher war media exposure was significantly associated with higher depression (Beta = 0.13; p < .001) and perceived stress (Beta = 0.07; p < .001), whereas higher depression (Beta = 0.43; p < .001) and perceived stress (Beta = 0.31; p < .001) were significantly associated with higher insomnia. It is of note that war media exposure was not significantly and directly associated with insomnia (Beta = - 0.01; p = .178 and Beta = 0.02; p = .098 respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to provide evidence that more time spent viewing the horrors of war is significantly associated with insomnia. In addition, symptoms of stress and depression were present as early as two weeks following the beginning of the war, and played a significant role in mediating the association between war media coverage and insomnia. These findings suggest that timely screening for, and management of depression and stress symptoms in clinical and preventive programs might be beneficial for community adults who have been heavily and indirectly exposed to war through media, and present with insomnia.

Climate change anxiety among young people of college age has become a prevalent topic, with debate on whether climate change anxiety is maladaptive or can motivate climate change action. Using a cross-sectional survey of 440 college students, the study investigated the relationships between college students\' climate anxiety, climate change media exposure, efficacy beliefs, and pro-environmental intentions. The findings revealed among other things, that climate anxiety had a significant curvilinear relationship with pro-environmental intentions with moderate anxiety predicting positive intentions and higher levels of anxiety were associated with negative intentions. Media exposure also positively predicted increased climate anxiety. Implications for climate change mitigation are discussed.

OBJECTIVE: Media use in children has exploded in the past several decades, most recently fuelled by portable electronic devices. This study aims to explore differences in functional brain connectivity in children during a story-listening functional MRI (fMRI) task using data collected before (1998) and after (2013) the widespread adoption of media.
METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from English-speaking 5- to 7-year-old children at Cincinnati Children\'s Hospital Medical Center, USA, of a functional MRI narrative comprehension task completed in 1998 (n = 22) or 2013 (n = 25). Imaging data were processed using a graph theory approach, focusing on executive functions, language and visual processing networks supporting reading.
RESULTS: Group differences suggest more efficient processing in the fronto-parietal network in the pre-media group while listening to stories. A modulation of the visual and fronto-parietal networks for the post-media exposure group was found.
CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are needed to assess effects over time in the more exposed group to discern a causal effect of portable devices on cognitive networks.

OBJECTIVE: Promoting cancer preventive behaviors among adolescents, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, is crucial due to the significant impact of health behaviors in adolescence on disease risk in adulthood. With India witnessing a rise in cancer incidence and mortality, adolescence becomes a pivotal stage for establishing healthy habits, emphasizing the need for early cancer prevention efforts.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study used survey data from 2242 adolescents attending public schools of Mumbai, India. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine the associations between cancer preventive behaviors and: (1) the individual and social determinants of health, and (2) media exposure.
RESULTS: Merely 21.5% of the adolescents ate fruits and vegetables daily, 50% of the adolescents exercised 3 or more times a week, and 20% of the adolescents admitted having used tobacco and/or supari. Girls were found to have lower odds of exercising, as well as using tobacco and/or supari. Wealth and father\'s education were positively associated with all 3 cancer preventive behaviors. Media exposure was negatively associated, with television exposure linked to reduced fruits and vegetables consumption, while movies and social media exposure were associated with increased tobacco and/or supari use.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that individual and social determinants of health and media exposure can influence cancer preventive health behaviors in low socio-economic status (SES) adolescents. Efforts to increase awareness to promote cancer preventive behaviors among the adolescents, particularly low SES adolescents, a population more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, is critical.
This study investigates factors that can influence cancer preventive behaviors among low socioeconomic status (SES) adolescents, focusing on dietary habits, physical activity, and avoidance of tobacco and areca nut. Our study gathered data from an underrepresented population of India, which is more vulnerable to poor health outcomes and have less access to health care. Our findings can alert public health officials, policy makers and non-governmental organizations to target this population and customize their intervention strategies to promote health and prevent cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between exposure to climate change information in traditional and modern media, cognitive and emotional aspects of climate change risk judgment, and pro-environmental behavior (PEB).
METHODS: A cross-sectional online study was conducted on a quota sample of 1,075 participants (51.9% women) aged 18-79 years. Participants self-reported their exposure to climate change-related information in traditional (e.g. television) and modern media (e.g. social networks), cognitive assessment of climate change risk, level of worry about climate change, and the frequency of PEB.
RESULTS: Structural equation modeling showed a good fit for the parallel mediation model, involving cognitive risk judgment and worry as mediators between exposure to climate change information in traditional and modern media and PEB. Exposure to climate change information in traditional media had indirect effect on PEB through heightened worry, but not cognitive risk judgment. In contrast, exposure to climate change information in modern media had no indirect effect on PEB.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the link between exposure to climate change information in traditional media and PEB has been shown to be mediated by climate change worry, it is important to enhance the coverage of climate change in traditional media in Croatia, taking care to offer solutions to reduce possible negative impact on people\'s well-being.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a critical period for establishing healthy eating habits and weight management, essential for preventing obesity and promoting overall health. This study investigates the impact of mukbang and cookbang-popular online broadcasts in Korea that feature excessive consumption of food-on the dietary habits and body image perception of Korean adolescents. With digital media, especially platforms like YouTube, becoming an integral part of daily life, these broadcasts have the potential to significantly influence adolescent health behaviors.
METHODS: Employing data from the 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2022), this descriptive survey research explores the relationship between watching mukbang and cookbang and various health-related factors among adolescents. The survey\'s comprehensive dataset provided a unique opportunity to examine this association in a population that is increasingly exposed to digital media content. The analysis focused on the frequency of watching mukbang and cookbang, their impact on eating habits, body mass index (BMI), body shape perception, and body image distortion among adolescents.
RESULTS: The results revealed a significant engagement with mukbang and cookbang among adolescents, with notable gender differences in viewing habits and effects. Increased frequency of viewing was associated with negative impacts on eating habits and body image perception. Furthermore, psychological factors such as stress levels and sleep quality emerged as significant predictors of the frequency of watching these broadcasts.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for further investigation into the causal relationships between mukbang and cookbang viewership and adolescent health outcomes. The findings suggest the importance of developing targeted interventions to mitigate the negative influences of such content on adolescents\' eating habits and body perceptions. Given the widespread popularity of these broadcasts, it is crucial to address their potential health implications through public health strategies, educational content, and policy development aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles among adolescents.