ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3073-3718
Current Organisation
University of New South Wales
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Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology | Psychology | Social and Community Psychology | Cognitive Science | Decision Making
Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences | Health not elsewhere classified |
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 03-05-2022
Abstract: Objective: Negative beliefs about medication and vaccine side-effects can spread rapidly through social communication. This has been recently documented with the potential side-effects from the COVID-19 vaccines. We tested if pre-vaccination social communications about side-effects from personal acquaintances, news reports, and social media predict post-vaccination side-effect experiences. Further, as previous research suggests that side-effects can be exacerbated by negative expectations, we assessed if personal expectations mediate the relationships between social communication and side-effect experience. Method: In a prospective longitudinal survey (N=551), COVID-19 vaccine side-effect information from three sources—social media posts, news reports, and first-hand accounts from personal acquaintances—as well as side-effect expectations, were self-reported pre-vaccination. Vaccination side-effect experience was assessed post-vaccination. Results: In multivariate regression analyses, the number of pre-vaccination social media post views (β = .17) and impressions of severity conveyed from personal acquaintances (β = .42) significantly predicted an increase in pre-vaccination side-effect expectations, and the same variables (βs = .11, .14, respectively) predicted post-vaccination side-effect experiences. Moreover, pre-vaccination side-effect expectations fully mediated the relationship between both sources of social communication and experienced side-effects from a COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions: This study identifies links between personal acquaintance and social media communications and vaccine side-effect experiences and provides evidence that pre-vaccination expectations account for these relationships. The results suggest that modifying side-effect expectations through these channels may change the side-effects following a COVID-19 vaccination as well as other publicly discussed vaccinations and medications.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-11-2020
DOI: 10.1093/ASJ/SJAA329
Abstract: Breast implant surgery is the most common plastic surgery procedure performed globally. A subset of women with breast implants report experiencing a myriad of disabling and distressing physical and psychological symptoms attributed to their implants. Social media groups have coined the condition “breast implant illness” (BII). Little to no scientific research currently exists for BII. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of women with BII (both those with implants still in place and those who have explanted) and compare them with those of a control group of women with implants who do not report BII. Women with self-reported BII and implants still in place (n = 51), self-reported BII who had explanted (n = 60), and women with implants in place without BII (n = 58) completed online self-report questionnaires about their symptoms, physical and mental health, health service use patterns, and lifestyle factors (eg, exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption). Women with BII, regardless of whether they had undergone explant surgery, reported experiencing more severe somatic symptoms, higher depression, anxiety and health anxiety, and poorer physical health than women without BII. These findings highlight the need for further investigation into the causes, risk factors, long-term effects, and potential interventions for women who experience BII.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-07-2013
DOI: 10.1136/POSTGRADMEDJ-2012-131730
Abstract: Expectation of treatment side effects is consistently linked with those symptoms being realised. Patient expectations, including those generated by the informed consent process, can have a large influence on the side effects that patients feel after starting a new medical treatment. Such symptoms may be the result of the nocebo effect, whereby the expectation of side effects leads to them being experienced. Side effects may also be due to the misattribution of pre-existing or unrelated symptoms to the new medication. Medical professionals' own negative beliefs about a treatment, especially generic drugs, may further enhance patients' expectations of adverse effects. The news media may also influence expectations, particularly when media attention is directed towards a health or medication scare. This field of research has ethical and clinical implications for both medical professionals and the news media with respect to the level and type of information about treatment side effects that is provided to patients or members of the public.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/APHW.12444
Abstract: Open label placebos (OLPs) appear generally efficacious among clinical s les, but the empirical evidence regarding their use in non‐clinical and sub‐clinical s les, as well as when administered independent of a convincing rationale, is mixed. Healthy participants ( N = 102) were randomised to either a 6‐day course of OLP pills with information provision (OLP‐plus: N = 35), without information provision (OLP‐only: N = 35), or no‐treatment control group ( N = 32). OLP pills were described as enhancing physical (symptoms and sleep) and psychological (positive and negative emotional) well‐being. Well‐being was assessed at baseline and on Day 6. Expectancies and adherence were measured. OLP administration interacted with baseline well‐being. The OLP‐plus group demonstrated increased well‐being on all outcomes other than positive emotions, but only when they reported decreased baseline well‐being. OLP‐only and control groups did not differ. The OLP‐plus group demonstrated elevated expectancies, that mediated the OLP effect on physical symptoms relative to control, but only when well‐being was lower than average at baseline (i.e. moderated‐mediation). Results demonstrate the importance of information provided with OLPs. The moderating effect of baseline outcomes may reconcile inconsistent results regarding clinical and non‐clinical s les. Accounting for baseline symptoms in non‐clinical and sub‐clinical s les is likely to enhance our understanding of when OLPs are effective.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-06-2023
DOI: 10.3758/S13423-023-02321-2
Abstract: Why do people believe implausible claims like conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, and fake news? Past studies using the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) suggest that implausible beliefs may result from an unwillingness to effortfully process information (i.e., cognitive miserliness). Our analysis (N = 664) tests this account by comparing CRT performance (total score, number and proportion of incorrect intuitive responses, and completion time) for endorsers and non-endorsers of implausible claims. Our results show that endorsers performed worse than non-endorsers on the CRT, but they took significantly longer to answer the questions and did not make proportionally more intuitive mistakes. Endorsers therefore appear to process information effortfully but nonetheless score lower on the CRT. Poorer overall CRT performance may not necessarily indicate that those who endorse implausible beliefs have a more reflexive, intuitive, or non-analytical cognitive style than non-endorsers.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-11-2015
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2015.1112389
Abstract: To investigate the efficacy of 3-D printed bone models as a tool to facilitate initiation of bisphosphonate treatment among in iduals who were newly diagnosed with osteoporosis. Fifty eight participants with estimated fracture risk above that at which guidelines recommend pharmacological intervention were randomised to receive either a standard physician interview or an interview augmented by the presentation of 3-D bone models. Participants' beliefs about osteoporosis and bisphosphonate treatment, initiation of bisphosphonate therapy assessed at two months using self-report and pharmacy dispensing data. In iduals in the 3-D bone model intervention condition were more emotionally affected by osteoporosis immediately after the interview (p = .04) and reported a greater understanding of osteoporosis at follow-up (p = .04), than the control group. While a greater proportion of the intervention group initiated an oral bisphosphonate regimen (alendronate) (52%) in comparison with the control group (21%), the overall initiation of medication for osteoporosis, including infusion (zoledronate), did not differ significantly (intervention group 62%, control group 45%, p = .19). The presentation of 3-D bone models during a medical consultation can modify cognitive and emotional representations relevant to treatment initiation among people with osteoporosis and might facilitate commencement of bisphosphonate treatment.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 29-12-2009
DOI: 10.1136/BMJ.B5613
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-06-2014
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-01-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S12160-016-9772-1
Abstract: Choice may be an important influence on the effectiveness and side effects of medical treatments. We investigated the impact of having a choice of medication compared to no choice on both nocebo and placebo responding. Sixty-one participants were randomly assigned to either choose between or be assigned to one of the two equivalent beta-blocker medications (actually placebos) for pre-examination anxiety. There was a greater nocebo response in the no choice group and an increased placebo response in the choice group. Participants in the no choice group attributed significantly more side effects to the tablet than the choice group (p = 0.045), particularly at the 24-h follow-up (p = 0.002). The choice group showed a stronger placebo response in heart rate than the non-choice group. Not being given a choice of medication increased the nocebo effect and reduced the placebo response to the treatment.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 14-06-2016
DOI: 10.1017/DMP.2016.67
Abstract: We examined public perceptions of the risk of an Ebola outbreak, knowledge about transmission, and the factors associated with planned protective behavior, including willingness to vaccinate. We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey using random digit dialing of 750 members of the New Zealand public between February 12 and 19, 2015. Most of the s le (72%) reported that they had been following news of the outbreak closely and 28% were concerned that there would be a large outbreak in New Zealand. High rates of planned protective behavior, in terms of avoiding contact with other people, were reported, with 23% reporting they would avoid going to work, 49% reporting they would avoid using public transport, 42% reporting they would avoid sending children to school, and 52% reporting they would avoid public events. A younger age, a higher concern, and lower confidence in the ability of hospitals to contain the outbreak were significantly associated with both a greater willingness to vaccinate and a larger number of protective behaviors. An Ebola outbreak would have large social and economic consequences owing to the large proportion of the population who intended to avoid social contact in order to protect their health. ( Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness . 2016 :674–680)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-07-2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-08-2011
DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2011.571759
Abstract: Web-based methodologies may provide a new and unique insight into public response to an infectious disease outbreak. This naturalistic study investigates the effectiveness of new web-based methodologies in assessing anxiety and information seeking in response to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak by examining language use in weblogs ("blogs"), newspaper articles, and web-based information seeking. Language use in blogs and newspaper articles was assessed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, and information seeking was examined using the number of daily visits to H1N1-relevant Wikipedia articles. The results show that blogs mentioning "swine flu" used significantly higher levels of anxiety, health, and death words and lower levels of positive emotion words than control blogs. Change in language use on blogs was strongly related to change in language use in newspaper coverage for the same day. Both the measure of anxiety in blogs mentioning "swine flu" and the number of Wikipedia visits followed similar trajectories, peaking shortly after the announcement of H1N1 and then declining rapidly. Anxiety measured in blogs preceded information seeking on Wikipedia. These results show that the public reaction to H1N1 was rapid and short-lived. This research suggests that analysis of web behavior can provide a source of naturalistic data on the level and changing pattern of public anxiety and information seeking following the outbreak of a public health emergency.
Publisher: S. Karger AG
Date: 04-11-2021
DOI: 10.1159/000519853
Publisher: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Date: 12-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2024
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 17-09-2014
DOI: 10.1136/BMJ.G5523
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1037/HEA0000282
Abstract: Branding medication with a known pharmaceutical company name or product name bestows on the drug an added assurance of authenticity and effectiveness compared to a generic preparation. This study examined the impact of brand name and generic labeling on medication effectiveness and side effects. 87 undergraduate students with frequent headaches took part in the study. Using a within-subjects counterbalanced design, each participant took tablets labeled either as brand name "Nurofen" or "Generic Ibuprofen" to treat each of 4 headaches. In reality, half of the tablets were placebos, and half were active ibuprofen (400 mg). Participants recorded their headache pain on a verbal descriptor and visual analogue scale prior to taking the tablets, and again 1 hour afterward. Medication side effects were also reported. Pain reduction following the use of brand name labeled tablets was similar in active ibuprofen or a placebo. However, if the tablets had a generic label, placebo tablets were significantly less effective compared to active ibuprofen. Fewer side effects were attributed to placebo tablets with brand name labeling compared to the same placebo tablets with a generic label. Branding of a tablet appears to have conferred a treatment benefit in the absence of an active ingredient, while generic labeled tablets were substantially less effective if they contained no active ingredient. Branding is also associated with reduced attribution of side effects to placebo tablets. Future interventions to improve perceptions of generics may have utility in improving treatment outcomes from generic drugs.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.AUEC.2019.07.001
Abstract: Around the world, many paramedics are authorised to withhold or terminate resuscitation. Research indicates this can be a challenging part of their role. Little is known about graduating paramedic student confidence, concerns and learning in this area. An online cross-sectional survey of students nearing completion of a paramedic degree in New Zealand, including piloting of a newly-developed confidence scale. Seventy-two participants reported varying exposure to termination of resuscitation and patient death. Participants felt most confident providing technical procedurally-based care and least confident with non-technical skills. Participants' greatest concerns included making 'the right call', supporting grieving family, controlling emotions and encountering conflict. Clinical exposure with supportive mentoring, clinical simulation, peer reflection and resolved personal experience with death, were considered most useful for professional development. Exposure to termination of resuscitation and management of the scene of a patient death is variable amongst graduating paramedics. Novice paramedics may benefit from opportunities to observe and rehearse non-technical skills including delivering death notification and communicating with bystanders and bereaved family. The Confidence with Resuscitation Decision-Making and Patient Death Scale has favourable psychometric properties and utility as an outcome measure for future research in this area.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.APPET.2022.106053
Abstract: The social facilitation of eating refers to people's tendency to eat more food when dining with others than when dining alone. Recent research suggests that social facilitation may be driven by people's tendency to make more food available even before social meals begin, a phenomenon referred to as social "precilitation." In order to uncover the mechanisms underlying social precilitation, it is helpful to first understand whether people consciously and deliberately make more food available for social meals. Three studies (total N = 792) used an online serving paradigm to investigate this question. Participants were asked to imagine dining alone and dining socially, and indicated how much food they would serve themselves in each scenario. Unexpectedly, participants consistently reported intending to serve themselves smaller portions for social meals than for non-social meals (Study 1). This effect emerged even when they were asked about how someone else would behave (Study 2), and when they were informed that there was plenty of food available at the social meal (Study 3). This research highlights a disconnect between people's intended serving behaviour and the actual serving behaviour observed in laboratory studies, and suggests that people may not be aware of how their behaviour is influenced by the social context. Future research should examine why the disconnect between people's intended and actual serving behaviour occurs, whether it is related to the amount of food provided for social meals, and what implications the disconnect has for people's ability to manage their food intake.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 14-06-2019
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 11-2016
DOI: 10.1037/HEA0000402
Abstract: Generic medicines provide a safe and economical medical treatment and are used routinely throughout the world. However, a significant proportion of in iduals view generic medicines as less safe, less effective and of lower quality compared with their equivalent branded medicines. This study aimed to investigate the effect of an educational intervention on improving perceptions and perceived efficacy of generic medicines. Seventy participants who experienced frequent tension headaches were randomized to receive an educational video about generic medicines or a control video. Participants then alternatively took branded and generic ibuprofen to treat their next two consecutive headaches. Changes in perceptions of generic medicines, pain relief and side effects were measured. The intervention was effective in modifying and improving perceptions of generic medicines in the areas of understanding (p < .05), preference for a generic medicine to treat a serious illness (p < .05), and overall preference for generic medicines (p < .01). However, contrary to predictions, participants in the intervention group reported significantly less pain relief (p = .03) and more symptoms (p = .04) after taking generic ibuprofen compared with branded ibuprofen. This study identified that an educational intervention is effective in modifying and improving perceptions of generic medicines but produced paradoxical effects on drug efficacy and side effects. These findings suggest that complex mechanisms are involved in the relationship between perceptions and drug efficacy and contradict the assumption that improving attitudes toward generic medicines will have a flow-on effect to improving health outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-2013
Abstract: To investigate how distressing participating in medical research is perceived to be, compared to everyday events. Anonymous questionnaire. Scotland and New Zealand. One hundred members of the Scottish general public, 94 University of Auckland students, 22 New Zealand Ministry of Health ethics committee members. Distress ratings made on a 0–10 scale for everyday events and common medical research procedures. Both general population and student s les generally rated the distress caused by participating in various medical research procedures as low or very low. Most research procedures were rated less than the distress caused by not being able to find a car park at a supermarket. In contrast, the ethics committee members rated the distress caused by most of the medical research procedures at a significantly higher level than the ratings of the student and general population s les. Ethics committee members overestimated the distress caused by interview or questionnaire assessments ( M = 203.31%, SE = 11.42, 95% CI [179.79, 226.83]) more than medical testing for research ( M = 158.06%, SE = 12.33, 95% CI [132.66, 183.46], p = 0.04) and everyday events ( M = 133.10%, SE = 7.80, 95% CI [117.03, 149.16], p 0.001). Common medical research procedures are not rated as particularly distressing by the general public, and ethics committees may be adopting an over-protective role when evaluating research applications that involve the use of questionnaire or survey methodology.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-02-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10865-022-00294-6
Abstract: Attribute framing presents an ethically sound approach for reducing adverse nocebo effects. In past studies, however, attribute framing has not always decreased nocebo effects. The present study used a sham tDCS procedure to induce nocebo headaches to explore factors that may contribute to the efficacy of attribute framing. Participants (N = 174) were randomized to one of three between-subject conditions: a no-headache instruction (control) condition and two conditions in which headaches were described as either 70% likely (negative framing) to occur or 30% unlikely (positive framing) to occur. Results revealed nocebo headaches in both framing conditions, as compared to the control condition. Attribute framing did not influence headache measures recorded during the sham tDCS task, but framing did have a modest influence on one of two headache items completed after the task. Results suggest that attribute framing could have a stronger influence on delayed nocebo effect measures or retrospective symptom reports a finding that may explain inconsistencies in the existing framing-nocebo effect literature. Exploratory analyses also revealed that low negative affect was associated with stronger nocebo and attribute framing effects, although these effects were found on only a few headache measures. It is concluded that researchers should further investigate the influence of attribute framing on nocebo headaches as a function of both timing and emotional factors.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2023
DOI: 10.1111/IMJ.16220
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.VACCINE.2017.10.004
Abstract: Human papilloma virus vaccines are a safe and effective tool for reducing HPV infections that can cause cervical cancer. However, uptake of these vaccines has been suboptimal, with many people holding negative beliefs and misconceptions. Such beliefs have been linked with the experience of unpleasant side effects following medical treatment, and media coverage may heighten such concerns. The present study sought to assess the influence of news coverage (number of news articles per month) on adverse event reporting in response to Gardasil vaccination in New Zealand over a 7.5-year period, and whether the influence of news coverage was mediated by internet search activity (Google search volumes). Multiple linear regression analyses and simple mediation analyses were used, controlling for year and number of vaccinations delivered. News coverage in the previous month, and Google search volumes in the same month, were significant predictors of adverse event reporting, after accounting for vaccination rates and year. Concurrent Google search volumes partially mediated the effect of prior news coverage. The results suggest that some of the adverse events reported were not related to the vaccination itself, but to news coverage and internet search volumes, which may have contributed to public concerns about potentially unpleasant or harmful outcomes. These findings have implications for the importance of psychological and social factors in adverse event reporting, and the role of the news media in disseminating health information.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-04-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.2044-8287.2012.02071.X
Abstract: We report on the development and psychometric properties of a scale to measure perceived sensitivity to medicines (PSM). Design. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion-related, and predictive validity of the PSM Scale were evaluated using data collected as part of four previously published studies and one unpublished data set. Participants (n= 1,166) included patients receiving treatment for HIV infection and hypertension, in iduals receiving a travel vaccination, and undergraduate students. Criterion-related validity was assessed by examining associations between the PSM and beliefs about medicines (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Predictive validity was assessed by examining associations between the PSM and medication adherence and with symptom reports following vaccination. Test-retest reliability was assessed in an undergraduate s le who completed the PSM on two occasions, 2 weeks apart. Test-retest reliability was high (r= .89, p < .001). Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.79-0.94. Consistent with expectations, high PSM scores were associated with negative beliefs about medicines in general, strong concerns about potential adverse effects of prescribed medicines, and doubts about the necessity for treatment. High PSM scores predicted non-adherence to anti-retroviral therapy and a higher incidence of symptoms following vaccination. The findings present preliminary evidence that the PSM is a valid and reliable measure of perceived sensitivity to medication. While further work is needed to develop and evaluate the scale, the findings support its use as a research tool in studies of the use and effects of medicines. What is already known on this subject? It is now well understood that beliefs about medicines have an important influence on whether patients start and continue with treatment. Research spanning a range of long-term conditions and across different countries has shown that treatment uptake and adherence are consistently related to specific beliefs about prescribed medicines, such as how patients judge their personal need relative to concerns about potential adverse effects as well as more general beliefs about medicines as a class of treatment. What does this study add? The paper reports on the development and psychometric properties of a new scale to measure patients' perceptions of their sensitivity to medicines. In five studies involving different groups of in iduals we found the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines (PSM) Scale to be a reliable and valid measure. The PSM may be useful for researchers and clinicians in explaining treatment decisions, adherence and reported side-effects.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-09-2018
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAY071
Abstract: One contributing factor to the development of nocebo effects is information provided about possible side effects. However, nondisclosure of information can be problematic. We assessed whether positively framed side effect information (highlighting likelihood of not experiencing side effects) can reduce nocebo effects compared to negatively framed information (highlighting likelihood of experiencing side effects). One hundred twelve participants took part in research ostensibly assessing the influence of benzodiazepines (actually sham capsules) on anxiety. Participants were randomized to receive a sham capsule with positively or negatively framed information about four side effects, or a no-treatment control condition. Side effect expectations were assessed after information provision. Framed side effects and other unmentioned symptoms were assessed during the session and 24-hr follow-up. Nocebo effects occurred in symptoms presented as side effects (regardless of framing) during the study session and follow-up (ps < .003). At follow-up, there was also a nocebo effect in other unmentioned symptoms (p = .018). Positive framing reduced side effect symptoms compared with negative framing during the study session (p = .037), but this effect was no longer present at follow-up (p = .53). Side effect expectations did not differ between the framing conditions (p = .14). Positive framing reduced side effects short-term, but not at follow-up. Expectations did not differ between negative and positive framing. Nocebo effects appeared to generalize to other unmentioned symptoms over a 24-hr period. Further research is needed to determine whether the initial impact of positive framing can be maintained over time.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-10-2021
Abstract: Healthcare use (HCU) during survivorship can mitigate adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors’ (aged 15–39 years) risk of medical and psychosocial late effects, but this is understudied. We surveyed 93 Australian AYA post-treatment cancer survivors (Mage = 22.0 years, SD = 3.5 55.9% female) and a comparison s le of 183 non-matched AYAs (Mage = 19.7, SD = 3.2 70.5% female) on their HCU, medication use, depression/anxiety, and general functioning. Relative to our comparison AYAs, a higher proportion of our survivor group reported medical HCU (community-delivered: 65.6% versus 47.0%, p = 0.003 hospital-delivered: 31.2% versus 20.3%, p = 0.044) and mental HCU (53.8% vs. 23.5% p 0.0001) in the past six months. A higher proportion of our survivors reported taking medications within the past six months than our comparison AYAs (61.3% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.003) and taking more types (p 0.001). Vitamin/supplement use was most common followed by psychotropic medications. Our survivor group reported lower depression (p = 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (p = 0.003), but similar work/study participation (p = 0.767) to our comparison AYAs. Across groups, psychological distress was associated with higher mental HCU (p = 0.001). Among survivors, those who were female, diagnosed with brain/solid tumors and who had finished treatment more recently reported greater HCU. Future research should establish whether this level of HCU meets AYAs’ survivorship needs.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-04-2023
DOI: 10.1093/ASJ/SJAD098
Abstract: Breast Implant Illness (BII) describes a variety of symptoms reported by patients with breast implants. Biospecimens data revealed minimal statistical differences between BII and non-BII cohorts. Baseline analysis of PROMIS data demonstrated significant differences between the BII cohort and the 2 control cohorts. This study was designed to determine if patients in the BII cohort obtained any symptom improvement after explantation, whether symptom improvement was related to the type of capsulectomy, and which symptoms improved. A prospective blinded study enrolled 150 consecutive patients ided equally into 3 cohorts. Baseline demographic data and a systemic symptoms survey, including PROMIS validated questionnaires, were obtained at baseline, 3 to 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. A total of 150 patients were enrolled between 2019 and 2021. Follow-up at 1 year included 94% of the BII cohort and 77% of non-BII and mastopexy cohorts. At 1 year, 88% of patients showed at least partial symptom improvement, with a reduction of 2 to 20 symptoms. The PROMIS score in the BII cohort decreased at 1 year for anxiety, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. Systemic symptom improvement was noted out to 1 year in the BII cohort regardless of the type of capsulectomy performed. Parts 1–3 in this series concluded that there were no consistent differences in biospecimen results between the cohorts. Unlike the data observed in the biospecimen analysis, BII patients had heightened symptoms and poorer PROMIS scores at baseline compared to the control cohorts. The reduction of negative expectations and a potential nocebo effect could contribute to this improvement.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2016
Abstract: The social context in which people take medicines can strongly influence the drug response in both positive and negative ways. We first examine the role of social modeling in influencing treatment outcomes through modifying placebo and nocebo responses, and then explore possible mechanisms for these effects. Viewing another person show improvement after taking a drug can increase the placebo component of the medicine and thus the overall potency of the treatment. Likewise, seeing another person who has taken the same medicine report side effects can substantially increase adverse effects. Such effects can also occur on a wider scale following changes in medicine formulations or from vaccinations programs, when the media transmit adverse effects from these treatments to a wider audience. Females seem to be more susceptible than males to the social modeling of adverse effects of treatments. A greater awareness of the effects of social modeling has potential to improve the effectiveness of medical treatments, minimize side-effect burden, and also lead to more effective management of health scares.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 29-05-2022
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAAC027
Abstract: Vaccines are being administered worldwide to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine boosters are essential for maintaining immunity and protecting against virus variants. The side effects of the primary COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., headache, nausea), however, could reduce intentions to repeat the vaccination experience, thereby hindering global inoculation efforts. The aim of this research was to test whether side effects of a primary COVID-19 vaccine relate to reduced intentions to receive a COVID-19 booster. The secondary aim was to test whether psychological and demographic factors predict booster intentions. Secondary data analyses were conducted on a U.S. national s le of 551 in iduals recruited through the online platform Prolific. Key measures in the dataset were side effects reported from a primary COVID-19 vaccination and subsequent intentions to receive a booster vaccine. Psychological and demographic variables that predicted primary vaccination intentions in prior studies were also measured. Booster intentions were high. COVID-19 booster vaccine intentions were uncorrelated with the number of side effects, intensity of side effects, or occurrence of an intense side effect from the primary COVID-19 vaccine. Correlational and regression analyses indicated intentions for a booster vaccination increased with positive vaccination attitudes, trust in vaccine development, worry about the COVID-19 pandemic, low concern over vaccine side effects, and democratic political party affiliation. Side effects of a primary COVID-19 vaccine were not directly associated with lower intentions to receive a booster of the COVID-19 vaccine early in the pandemic. However, many variables that predict primary vaccination intentions also predict booster intentions.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.2147/PPA.S155971
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 05-05-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2021.583491
Abstract: Handwashing has been widely recommended to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Despite this, handwashing behavior remains low in the general public. Social marketing has been employed as a successful health promotion strategy for changing many health behaviors in the past. The present study examines if message framing influences the effectiveness of a handwashing health promotion messages at the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a between-subjects cross-sectional experiment, participants ( N = 344) in the United States were randomly assigned to view one of four handwashing messages or a control message before completing self-report measures of attitudes, emotions, readiness to change, and behavioral intentions around handwashing. Simple handwashing messages were presented with different framings, including a simple exchange message, a gain message, a social norm appeal, and a guilt appeal. Results revealed that message type influenced handwashing behavioral intentions and emotions. Post-hoc comparisons revealed that the simple exchange message produced significantly higher intentions than other messages and that only the simple exchange message significantly differed from the control message on emotions regarding handwashing. Mediational analyses showed handwashing emotions fully mediated the relationship between messaging and handwashing intentions. This mediation effect was moderated by age, such that it occurred for the younger and middle age participants, but not older participants. These results suggest that even simple, brief, and easily conveyable messages can positively impact behavioral intentions around handwashing during the early stages of a health crisis. Consistent with recent research comparing affective and cognitive pathways for health behavior, the mediational analysis suggests that effect of the simple exchange message on intentions was due to increased positive emotions around handwashing.
Publisher: Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.24839/2325-7342.JN27.1.2
Abstract: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization and governments across the globe strongly suggested that in iduals incorporate health-protective behaviors into their lives to limit the spread of the virus. The present study, conducted from March to May in both 2020 and 2021, examined how demographics, perceived risk and worry of infection, knowledge about COVID-19, engagement in health-protective behaviors, trust in government, and exposure to COVID-19 predicted the intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. We additionally compared the 2 datasets to see whether any predictors changed a year later. The s le collected in 2020 included 821 U.S. residents, and the s le collected in 2021 included 299 residents. Major findings across both datasets suggest that ethnicities of Black or African American predicted less intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, receiving a flu vaccine the previous year and trust in the government were found to predict higher vaccination intentions. Belief in conspiracy theories predicted lower intention to receive a vaccination for COVID-19. Understanding these predictors allows for governments and institutions to potentially incorporate targeted strategies to increase vaccine uptake for the COVID-19 pandemic or other future pandemics.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-01-2018
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAX025
Abstract: Social modeling has the capacity to shape treatment outcomes, including side effects. This study investigated the influence of social modeling of treatment side effects, gender, and participant empathy, on side effects of a placebo treatment. Ninety-six participants (48 females) completed a study purportedly investigating the influence of modafinil (actually placebo) on alertness and fatigue. The participants were randomly seated with a male or female confederate and saw this confederate report experiencing side effects or no side effects. Participant empathy was assessed at baseline. Changes in modeled and general symptoms, and misattribution of symptoms, were assessed during the session and at 24-hr follow-up. During the experimental session, seeing side effect modeling significantly increased modeled symptoms (p = .023, d = 0.56) but not general or misattributed symptoms. Regardless of modeling condition, female participants seated with a female model reported significantly more general symptoms during the session. However, response to social modeling did not differ significantly by model or participant gender. At follow-up, the effect of social modeling of side effects had generalized to other symptoms, resulting in significantly higher rates of modeled symptoms (p = .023, d = 0.48), general symptoms (p = .013, d = 0.49), and misattributed symptoms (p = .022, d = 0.50). The experience of modeled symptoms in response to social modeling was predicted by participants’ levels of baseline empathy. Social modeling of symptoms can increase the side effects following treatment, and this effect appears to generalize to a broader range of symptoms and symptom misattribution over time. Higher baseline empathy seems to increase response to social modeling.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 2012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPSYCHORES.2022.111083
Abstract: Lack of choice over treatment may increase the nocebo effect, whereby unpleasant side effects can be triggered by the treatment context, beyond any inherent physiological effects of the treatment itself. Excessive choice may also increase the nocebo effect. The current studies tested these possibilities. Participants took part in studies ostensibly investigating the influence of beta-blockers (Study 1, n = 71) and benzodiazepines (Study 2, n = 120) on anxiety. All treatments were placebos. In Study 1, participants were randomly allocated to three groups: no-treatment control, no-choice, and choice between two treatments. In Study 2, a ten-choice group was added. Participants were warned about possible treatment side effects. These warned symptoms were assessed, and scores summed. Nocebo effects were evidenced by significantly higher warned symptoms scores in any placebo-treated group compared to the control group. In both studies, the no-choice groups experienced a nocebo effect (S1: p = .003, η Lack of choice resulted in the development of nocebo effects, while having a limited choice between two placebos did not generate significant nocebo effects. However, a larger choice between ten placebos generated a nocebo effect of similar magnitude to lack of choice. Facilitating (some) choice in medical care may reduce the development of nocebo effects, but more extensive choice options may not offer similar benefits.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 11-2014
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 11-05-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.05.09.22274840
Abstract: To evaluate the effect of presenting positively attribute-framed side effect information on COVID-19 booster vaccine intention relative to standard negatively-framed wording and a no-intervention control. A representative s le of Australian adults ( N =1,204) were randomised to one of six conditions within a factorial design: Framing (Positive Negative Control) * Vaccine (Familiar (Pfizer) Unfamiliar (Moderna)). Negative Framing involved presenting the likelihood of experiencing side effects (e.g., heart inflammation is very rare, 1 in every 80,000 will be affected), whereas Positive Framing involved presenting the same information but as the likelihood of not experiencing side effects (e.g., 79,999 in every 80,000 will not be affected). Booster vaccine intention measured pre- and post-intervention. Positive Framing ( M =75.7, SE =0.9, 95% CI[73.9, 77.4]) increased vaccine intention relative to Negative Framing ( M =70.7, SE =0.9, 95% CI[68.9, 72.4]) overall ( F (1, 1192)=4.68, p =.031, η p 2 =.004). Framing interacted with Vaccine and Baseline Intention ( F (2, 1192)=6.18, p =.002, η p 2 =.01). Positive Framing was superior, or at least equal, to Negative Framing and Control at increasing Booster Intention, irrespective of the participants pre-intervention level of intent. Side effect worry and perceived severity mediated the effect of Positive vs. Negative Framing across vaccines. Positive framing of side effect information appears superior for increasing vaccine intent relative to the standard negative wording currently used. See: aspredicted.org/LDX_2ZL
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2016
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-08-2014
DOI: 10.1136/BMJ.G5019
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-02-2017
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2017.1293056
Abstract: Medical treatments take place in social contexts however, little research has investigated how social modelling might influence treatment outcomes. This experimental pilot study investigated social modelling of treatment effectiveness and placebo treatment outcomes. Fifty-nine participants took part in the study, ostensibly examining the use of beta-blockers (actually placebos) for examination anxiety. Participants were randomly assigned to observe a female confederate report positive treatment effects (reduced heart rate, relaxed, calm) or feeling no different. Heart rate, anxiety and blood pressure were assessed, as were symptoms and attributed side effects. Heart rate decreased significantly more in the social modelling compared to control condition, p = .027 (d = .63), and there were trends towards effects in the same direction for both anxiety, p = .097 (d = .46), and systolic blood pressure, p = .077 (d = .51). Significant pre-post placebo differences in heart rate, anxiety and diastolic blood pressure were found in the social modelling group, ps .28 (ds = .09-.59). Social observation of medication effectiveness enhanced placebo effectiveness in heart rate, and showed a trend towards enhancing treatment effectiveness in both anxiety and systolic blood pressure. Social modelling may have utility in enhancing the effectiveness of many active medical treatments.
Publisher: AMPCo
Date: 09-2008
DOI: 10.5694/J.1326-5377.2008.TB02013.X
Abstract: The effects of "appearance medicine" programs need closer scrutiny.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.VACCINE.2016.09.029
Abstract: Vaccinations are important for controlling the spread of disease, yet an increasing number of people are distrustful of vaccines, and choose not to (fully) vaccinate themselves and their children. One proposed contributor to this distrust is anti-vaccination misinformation available on the internet, where people search for and discuss health information. The language people use in these discussions can provide insights into views about vaccination. Following a prominent Facebook post about childhood vaccination, language used by participants in a comment thread was analysed using LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count). Percentage of words used across a number of categories was compared between pro-vaccination, anti-vaccination, and unrelated (control) comments. Both pro- and anti-vaccination comments used more risk-related and causation words, as well as fewer positive emotion words compared to control comments. Anti-vaccine comments were typified by greater analytical thinking, lower authenticity, more body and health references, and a higher percentage of work-related word use in comparison to pro-vaccine comments, plus more money references than control comments. In contrast, pro-vaccination comments were more authentic, somewhat more tentative, and evidenced higher anxiety words, as well as more references to family and social processes when compared to anti-vaccination comments. Although the anti-vaccination stance is not scientifically-based, comments showed evidence of greater analytical thinking, and more references to health and the body. In contrast, pro-vaccination comments demonstrated greater comparative anxiety, with a particular focus on family and social processes. These results may be indicative of the relative salience of these issues and emotions in differing understandings of the benefits and risks of vaccination. Text-based analysis is a potentially useful and ecologically valid tool for assessing perceptions of health issues, and may provide unique information about particular concerns or arguments expressed on social media that could inform future interventions.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 30-04-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.25.20079996
Abstract: Widespread and sustained engagement with health-protective behaviours (i.e., hygiene and distancing) is critical to successfully managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence from previous emerging infectious disease outbreaks points to the role of perceived risk, worry, media coverage, and knowledge in shaping engagement with health-protective behaviours as well as vaccination intentions. The current study examined these factors in 2,174 Australian residents. An online survey was completed between 2-9 March 2020, at an early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in Australia. Results revealed that two thirds of respondents were at least moderately worried about a widespread COVID-19 outbreak in Australia (which subsequently occurred). Worry about the outbreak and closely following media coverage were consistent predictors of health-protective behaviours (both over the previous month, and intended behaviours in the case of a widespread outbreak) as well as vaccination intentions. Health-behaviour engagement over the previous month was lower in some demographic groups, including males and younger in iduals (18-29 age group). These was a substantial mismatch between respondents’ expected symptoms of infection and emerging evidence that a meaningful proportion of people who contract the novel coronavirus will experience asymptomatic infection (i.e., they will not experience symptoms associated with COVID-19). Only 0.3% of those in the current study believed that they personally would not experience any symptoms if they were infected. Uncertainty and misconceptions about COVID-19 were common, including one third of respondents who reported being unsure whether people are likely have natural or existing immunity. There was also uncertainty around whether specific home remedies (e.g., vitamins, saline rinses) would offer protection, whether the virus could spread via the airborne route, and whether the virus was human made and deliberately released. Such misconceptions are likely to cause concern for members of the public. These results point to areas of uncertainty that could be usefully targeted by public education c aigns, as well as psychological and demographic factors associated with engagement with health-protective behaviours. These findings offer potential pathways for interventions to encourage health-protective behaviours to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Date: 2014
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-03-2019
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 08-2015
DOI: 10.1037/HEA0000199
Abstract: This study investigated the impact of the social modeling of side effects following placebo medication ingestion on the nocebo and placebo effect. It also investigated whether medication branding (brand or generic labeling) moderated social modeling effects. Eighty-two university students took part in the study which was purportedly investigating the impact of fast-acting beta-blocker medications (actually placebos) on preexamination anxiety. After taking the medication, participants were randomized to either witness a female confederate report experiencing side effects or no side effects after taking the same medication. Differences in symptom reporting, blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety were assessed between the social modeling of side effects and no modeling groups. Seeing a female confederate report side effects reduced the placebo effect in systolic (p = .009) and diastolic blood pressure (p = .033). Seeing a female confederate report side effects also increased both total reported symptoms (mean [SE] 7.35 [.54] vs. 5.16 [0.53] p = .005) and symptoms attributed to the medication (5.27 [0.60] vs. 3.04 [0.59] p = .01), although the effect on symptoms was only seen in female participants. Females who saw the confederate report side effects reported approximately twice the number of symptoms as those in the no modeling group. Social modeling did not affect heart rate or anxiety. Medication branding did not influence placebo or nocebo outcomes. The social modeling of symptoms can substantially reduce or eliminate the placebo effect. Viewing a female confederate display symptoms after taking the same medication increases symptom reporting in females.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-04-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S11096-019-00826-2
Abstract: Background Little is known about patients' Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines (PSM), "the belief that one is especially sensitive to the actions and side effects of medicines". Objective (i) To explore the extent of and factors associated with high Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines in a Norwegian population of chronic medicine users (ii) to assess the psychometric characteristics of the tool to measure PSM. Setting Community pharmacies in the Oslo area, Norway. Method A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted between October 2015 and January 2016. Patients filling prescriptions for chronic disorders were recruited. Main outcome measure Perceived sensitivity to medicines. Results The study population included 214 patients (response rate 36.7%). In total 20.1% of the patients reported low, 61.7% moderate and 18.2% high perceived sensitivity to medicines. Factors positively associated with high perceived sensitivity were female gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 5.33, 95% CI 1.52 to 18.72, p < 0.001) and having a non-native language (aOR 4.76, 95% CI 1.48 to 15.30, p < 0.001) lower educational level (aOR 0.43, 95% CI 0.17 to 1.07, p < 0.001) and using generic medicines (aOR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.57, p < 0.001) were negatively associated with high perceived sensitivity to medicines. There was no association between the perceived sensitivity and the number of prescription medicines taken. The Norwegian version of the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines tool demonstrated good psychometric characteristics. Conclusion Almost one out of five patients in this study reported high sensitivity to medicines. Female gender, having a non-native language, lower educational level and using generic medicines were important factors related to the perceived sensitivity. Health care providers should be aware of the impact negative expectations about medicines can have on health behaviors and treatment outcomes, and seek to elicit and address patients' beliefs about their personal sensitivity to medicines.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 16-04-2020
Abstract: The coronavirus outbreak manifested in Norway in March 2020. It was met with a combination of mandatory changes (closing of public institutions) and recommended changes (hygiene behavior, physical distancing). It has been emphasized that health-protective behavior such as increased hygiene or physical distancing are able to slow the spread of infections and flatten the curve. Drawing on previous health-psychological studies during the outbreak of various pandemics, we investigated psychological and demographic factors predicting the adoption and engagement in health-protective behavior and changes in such behavior, attitudes, and emotions over time. We recruited a non-representative s le of Norwegians (n = 8676) during a 15-day period (March 12–26 2020) at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Norway. Employing both traditional methods and exploratory machine learning, we replicated earlier findings that engagement in health-protective behavior is associated with specific demographic characteristics. Further, we observed that increased media exposure, perceiving measures as effective, and perceiving the outbreak as serious positively was related to engagement in health-protective behavior. We also found indications that hygiene and physical distancing behaviors were related to somewhat different psychological and demographic factors. Over the s ling period, reported engagement in physical distancing increased, while experienced concern or fear declined. Contrary to previous studies, we found no or only small positive predictions by confidence in authorities, knowledge about the outbreak, and perceived in idual risk, while all of those variables were rather high. These findings provide guidance for health communications or interventions targeting the adoption of health-protective behaviors in order to diminish the spread of COVID-19.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 30-09-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-04-2015
DOI: 10.1002/PDS.3751
Abstract: The belief that one is especially sensitive to the actions and side effects of medicines can influence treatment adherence and side-effect reporting. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of perceived medication sensitivity in the general population and its relationship to symptom complaints, information seeking about medications, use of medical care and demographic factors. A nationally representative s le of 1000 New Zealand residents completed the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines scale and symptoms experienced during the previous 7 days. Demographic data and medical visits, medication use and information seeking about medicines were also collected. Over 20% of the general population reported being very sensitive to the effects of medication (20.2%) and that small amounts of medicines can upset their body (25.3%). Participants who reported high levels of perceived sensitivity to medicines reported significantly more symptoms (M = 9.54, SE = 0.47) than people with low (M = 5.04, SE = 0.49) or moderate (M = 5.91, SE = 0.24) levels, ps < .001. This relationship was strongest in participants who were currently taking prescription medication. Those with high perceived sensitivity also reported being more likely to seek information about medicines, and had significantly more general practitioner visits. Perceived sensitivity to medicines is common in the population and associated with important clinical variables including information seeking, GP visits and symptom reporting. Identifying patients with higher perceived sensitivity to medicines may improve patient care by providing the basis for targeted and personalised interventions to reduce side effects and improve adherence to medications.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 25-05-2020
DOI: 10.2196/14375
Abstract: New technologies and innovations have often improved population well-being and societal function however, these are also often initially accompanied by worry and fear. In some cases, such worries can impede, or even prevent entirely, the adoption of the technology. Mobile health (mHealth), a discipline broadly focused on employing ambulatory technologies to improve the affordability, reach, and effectiveness of health promotion and clinical intervention approaches, offers new innovations and opportunities. Despite emerging evidence supporting mHealth efficacy (eg, for improving health outcomes), some in iduals have concerns about mHealth technology that may impede scalability, efficacy, and, ultimately, the public health benefits of mHealth. We present a review and conceptual framework to examine these issues, focusing on three overarching themes: biophysiological, psychological, and societal concerns. There are features of mHealth that lead to worries about the potential negative effects on an in idual’s health (eg, due to exposure to electromagnetic or radio waves), despite evidence supporting the safety of these technologies. When present, such beliefs can lead to worry that gives rise to the experience of unpleasant and concerning physical symptoms—the nocebo effect. This may represent an important implementational barrier because of apprehension toward beneficial mHealth products (or features thereof, such as wireless charging, wearable or implantable sensors, etc) and may also have broader ramifications (eg, leading to economic, governmental, and legislative actions). In addition to reviewing evidence on these points, we provide a broad three-step model of implementation research in mHealth that focuses on understanding and preventing health concerns to facilitate the safe and effective scalability of mHealth (and that may be generalizable and applied to similar technologies): (1) evaluating and better discerning public perceptions and misperceptions (and how these may differ between populations), (2) developing theory-based public health communication strategies regarding the safety of mHealth, and (3) disseminating this messaging using evidence-based methods. Collectively, these steps converge on reviewing evidence regarding the potential role of worry and nocebo in mHealth and providing a model for understanding and changing attitudes and preventing unfounded negative perceptions related to mHealth technology.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-2021
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAAA115
Abstract: Side effect warnings can contribute directly to their occurrence via the nocebo effect. This creates a challenge for clinicians and researchers, because warnings are necessary for informed consent, but can cause harm. Positive framing has been proposed as a method for reducing nocebo side effects whilst maintaining the principles of informed consent, but the limited available empirical data are mixed. To test whether positive attribute framing reduces nocebo side effects relative to negative framing, general warning, and no warning. Ninety-nine healthy volunteers were recruited under the guise of a study on virtual reality (VR) and spatial awareness. Participants were randomized to receive positively framed (“7 out of 10 people will not experience nausea”), negatively framed (“3 out of 10 people will experience nausea”), general (“a proportion of people will experience nausea”), or no side effect warnings prior to VR exposure. Receiving a side effect warning increased VR cybersickness relative to no warning overall, confirming that warnings can induce nocebo side effects. Importantly, however, positive framing reduced cybersickness relative to both negative framing and the general warning, with no difference between the latter two. Further, there was no difference in side effects between positive framing and no warning. These findings suggest that positive framing not only reduces nocebo side effects relative to negative framing and general warnings, but actually prevents nocebo side effects from occurring at all. As such, positive attribute framing may be a cheap and ethical way to reduce nocebo side effects.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/BS.IRN.2018.07.016
Abstract: Nocebo effects comprise two broad types: primary nocebo effects, in which overall treatment efficacy is reduced and nocebo side effects, which result in the increased experience of unpleasant secondary side effects. An important factor in generating nocebo effects of both types is the patient's expectations of how well a treatment will work, and how likely it is to cause side effects. One source of negative expectations is the presence of generic-as opposed to brand name-labeling. A medicine's labeling is likely to be one of the first aspects of a treatment that is encountered by a patient, and perhaps the most common labeling information on pharmaceuticals is the labeling that identifies the drug as being made by the originator brand manufacturer, or as a generic copy. Although generic medicines are pharmaceutically equivalent to their brand name counterparts, generics are often viewed with distrust and perceived to be inferior to branded medicines. Negative perceptions of generic pharmaceuticals may contribute to reduced treatment efficacy via enhanced primary nocebo effects, and increased nocebo side effects. This chapter reviews evidence for the role of brand and generic labeling in treatment outcomes across a range of contexts-most often laboratory research assessing pain outcomes, as well as the influence of related factors including price, familiarity, and treatment switches. Although increasing evidence suggests that labeling of medicines can shape nocebo effects, interventions to improve perceptions of generics do not necessarily translate into more positive treatment outcomes.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-01-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2020.567397
Abstract: Handwashing is important in preventing infectious diseases like COVID-19. The current public health emergency has required rapid implementation of increased handwashing in the general public however, rapidly changing health behavior, especially on this scale, is difficult. This study considers attitudes and affective responses to handwashing as possible factors predicting COVID-19 related changes to handwashing behavior, future intentions, and readiness to change during the early stages of the pandemic in the United States. Income was explored as a potential moderator to these relationships. To explore these issues, data from 344 community participants were analyzed. Results indicate that stronger affective responses toward handwashing relate to increases in handwashing since the outbreak of COVID-19, and both attitudes and affect uniquely predict handwashing intentions. Income significantly moderated the relationship between affect and readiness to change. Those with low income were more influenced by both affective responses and attitudes. These results suggest messages targeting both cognitions and affective responses are needed to increase the handwashing behavior during a global pandemic and these variables are critical in increasing readiness to change in low-income in iduals.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-06-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S00192-019-04003-X
Abstract: Evidence regarding how women feel about episiotomies is not recorded in the literature. As the most common surgical procedure, there is a need to understand how women feel about episiotomy. The primary outcome was to identify the percentage of women who would accept an episiotomy if required. A literature review was compiled to provide nulliparous women in their third trimester with evidence-based information about episiotomies and perineal tears. Questions eliciting demographics, pre-information level of anxiety and acceptance of episiotomy were asked. After reading the information sheets, anxiety and knowledge were assessed again. Changes in anxiety levels from pre- to post-information were investigated using paired s les t tests. Because anxiety was measured on a scale, we assessed potential departures from normality by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Questions also assessed the value women placed on this form of education. There were 105 responses, with 88% accepting episiotomy, 2% declining and 10% seeking more information to decide. Eighty-one percent of women agreed that the information provided helped them to understand more about childbirth and 62% agreed that they felt more comfortable with the birthing process after reading the material. There was a reduction in anxiety levels regarding episiotomies after reading information (p = 0.002) and perineal tears (p = 0.02). Most women will accept an episiotomy if required. Antenatal education about episiotomies is important to women and helps them feel more comfortable with the birthing process. Written information increases acceptance and reduces anxiety levels regarding episiotomies.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-11-2018
DOI: 10.1111/APHW.12151
Abstract: Public health c aigns commonly emphasise the association between excess weight and poor health. The present study aimed to examine the effect of information about weight and engagement with health behaviours on judgements of a person's health. In two experimental studies, participants were asked to evaluate a target person's health and to make recommendations about that person's health-related behaviours. In Study 1 (n = 306), we manipulated the target's behaviours (healthy, unhealthy) and body weight (normal, overweight, obese) in Study 2 (n = 192), we manipulated the behaviour of an overweight target (healthy, unhealthy). Study 1 found that the obese target was consistently rated as less healthy than the normal-weight target, whereas the overweight target was only rated as less healthy when her behaviours were unhealthy. Study 2 found that the overweight target's weight was viewed as being more harmful to her health when she engaged in unhealthy behaviours. Recommendations to lose weight were most common for the obese targets (with healthy or unhealthy behaviours), and for the overweight target with unhealthy behaviours. Whereas obesity appears to be viewed as harmful to health independent of health behaviours, the extent to which overweight is perceived as harmful depends on the overweight in idual's diet and exercise behaviours.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 02-05-2022
Abstract: The use of online mediums for social communication and interaction has rapidly increased. Yet, little is known about the social transmission of symptoms online. We explored the social transmission of cybersickness following a Virtual Reality (VR) experience through online webcam interactions. 177 adults viewed a VR video in one of four links along a social transmission chain, after: viewing an actor model cybersickness to the VR video (First-Generation) viewing the First-Generation participant undergo VR (Second-Generation) viewing the Second-Generation participant undergo VR (Third-Generation) or naïve (Control). Cybersickness was strongest in First-Generation participants, indicating social transmission from the model. This was mediated by expectancy and anxiety. Whether or not subsequent generations experienced cybersickness depended on what the observed participant verbally reported, which is consistent with social transmission. This suggests that symptoms are readily transmitted online and that their propagation along a social transmission chain depends on the experience of the person prior.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 12-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-04-2023
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAAC081
Abstract: Social learning can be highly adaptive—for ex le, avoiding a hotplate your friend just burnt themselves on—but it has also been implicated in symptom transmission. Social learning is particularly pertinent given the rapid increase in the use of online mediums for social interaction. Yet, little is known about the social transmission of symptoms online or social chains extending further than a single model–observer interaction. To explore whether socially induced symptoms could be propagated through a three-generation social transmission chain in an online setting. We explored the social transmission of cybersickness following a virtual reality (VR) experience through online webcam interactions. One hundred and seventy-seven adults viewed a VR video in one of four links along a social transmission chain, after: viewing an actor model cybersickness to the VR video (First-Generation) viewing the First-Generation participant undergo VR (Second-Generation) viewing the Second-Generation participant undergo VR (Third-Generation) or naïve (Control). Cybersickness was strongest in First-Generation participants, indicating social transmission from the model. This was mediated by expectancy and anxiety. Whether or not subsequent generations experienced cybersickness depended on what the observed participant verbally reported, which is consistent with social transmission. Results demonstrate that symptoms can be readily transmitted online, and that expectancy and anxiety are involved. Although it is inconclusive as to whether symptoms can propagate along a social transmission chain, there is some evidence of protection from symptoms when a model who does not report any symptoms is observed. As such, this research highlights the role of social transmission in the modulation of symptoms through virtual mediums.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-04-2021
DOI: 10.1093/ASJ/SJAB204
Abstract: Breast implant illness (BII) is a term used to describe physical and psychological symptoms experienced by some women following breast implant surgery. Few studies have examined the experiences of women with BII—a poorly understood condition with no clear cause or treatment. The aim of this study was to explore women’s experiences of BII, including symptoms, healthcare encounters, social media, and explant surgery. Employing an exploratory qualitative methodology, researchers undertook semistructured interviews with 29 women who self-identified as having BII. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by inductive thematic analysis. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified 6 themes: (1) symptoms without explanation (2) invalidation and invisibility (3) making the BII connection (4) implant toxicity (5) explant surgery: solution to suffering? and (6) concealed information. BII was described as distressing and debilitating across multiple domains including relationships, work, identity, and physical and mental health, and symptoms were attributed to implant toxicity and immune system rejection of foreign objects. When their experience was not validated by healthcare professionals, many looked to social media for information, support, and understanding, and saw explant as their only chance of recovery. BII is disabling mentally and physically. Women with BII require support, understanding, and validation, and proactive treatment to prevent disability. With unclear pathophysiology, future research should examine how biopsychosocial approaches can be used to guide treatment, and how to best support women with BII, focusing on early detection and evidence-based education and intervention.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 28-07-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-10-2023
DOI: 10.1111/APHW.12497
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AP.12392
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-05-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.03.20089961
Abstract: The acute and long-term mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unknown. The current study examined the acute mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in 5070 adult participants in Australia, using an online survey administered during the peak of the outbreak in Australia (27 th March to 7 th April 2020). Self-report questionnaires examined COVID-19 fears and behavioural responses to COVID-19, as well as the severity of psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress), health anxiety, contamination fears, alcohol use, and physical activity. 78% of respondents reported that their mental health had worsened since the outbreak, one quarter (25.9%) were very or extremely worried about contracting COVID-19, and half (52.7%) were worried about family and friends contracting COVID-19. Uncertainty, loneliness and financial worries (50%) were common. Rates of elevated psychological distress were higher than expected, with 62%, 50%, and 64% of respondents reporting elevated depression, anxiety and stress levels respectively, and one in four reporting elevated health anxiety in the past week. Participants with self-reported history of a mental health diagnosis had significantly higher distress, health anxiety, and COVID-19 fears than those without a prior mental health diagnosis. Demographic (e.g., non-binary or different gender identity Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status), occupational (e.g., being a carer or stay at home parent), and psychological (e.g., perceived risk of contracting COVID-19) factors were associated with distress. Results revealed that precautionary behaviours (e.g., washing hands, using hand sanitiser, avoiding social events) were common, although in contrast to previous research, higher engagement in hygiene behaviours was associated with higher stress and anxiety levels. These results highlight the serious acute impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of respondents, and the need for proactive, accessible digital mental health services to address these mental health needs, particularly for those most vulnerable, including people with prior history of mental health problems. Longitudinal research is needed to explore long-term predictors of poor mental health from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 12-04-2019
Abstract: ew technologies and innovations have often improved population well-being and societal function however, these are also often initially accompanied by worry and fear. In some cases, such worries can impede, or even prevent entirely, the adoption of the technology. Mobile health (mHealth), a discipline broadly focused on employing ambulatory technologies to improve the affordability, reach, and effectiveness of health promotion and clinical intervention approaches, offers new innovations and opportunities. Despite emerging evidence supporting mHealth efficacy (eg, for improving health outcomes), some in iduals have concerns about mHealth technology that may impede scalability, efficacy, and, ultimately, the public health benefits of mHealth. We present a review and conceptual framework to examine these issues, focusing on three overarching themes: biophysiological, psychological, and societal concerns. There are features of mHealth that lead to worries about the potential negative effects on an in idual’s health (eg, due to exposure to electromagnetic or radio waves), despite evidence supporting the safety of these technologies. When present, such beliefs can lead to worry that gives rise to the experience of unpleasant and concerning physical symptoms—the nocebo effect. This may represent an important implementational barrier because of apprehension toward beneficial mHealth products (or features thereof, such as wireless charging, wearable or implantable sensors, etc) and may also have broader ramifications (eg, leading to economic, governmental, and legislative actions). In addition to reviewing evidence on these points, we provide a broad three-step model of implementation research in mHealth that focuses on understanding and preventing health concerns to facilitate the safe and effective scalability of mHealth (and that may be generalizable and applied to similar technologies): (1) evaluating and better discerning public perceptions and misperceptions (and how these may differ between populations), (2) developing theory-based public health communication strategies regarding the safety of mHealth, and (3) disseminating this messaging using evidence-based methods. Collectively, these steps converge on reviewing evidence regarding the potential role of worry and nocebo in mHealth and providing a model for understanding and changing attitudes and preventing unfounded negative perceptions related to mHealth technology.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-07-2021
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2015
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-10-2020
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1037/T71569-000
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-07-2020
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-03-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0282501
Abstract: There is considerable variability in how successful people are in losing weight via exercise programs. Experimental research suggests that greater food intake after exercise may be one factor underlying this variability, but no studies have assessed patterns of post-exercise eating behaviour over time in naturalistic settings. Thus, we aimed to assess how exercise and contextual factors (e.g., hunger, presence of others) influence the healthiness and amount of food eaten after exercise in two daily diary studies. In Study 1, participants ( n = 48) reported their food intake and exercise daily for 28 days. For each meal, they provided a brief description of the food(s) eaten which were then categorised as healthy, unhealthy, or mixed (neither healthy nor unhealthy) by two independent coders. Study 2 used the same method, but participants ( n = 55) also reported the portion size of each meal. Hierarchical linear modelling showed that in Study 1, contrary to expectations, post-exercise meals were less likely to be unhealthy (relative to mixed) than were random meals from non-exercise days (OR = 0.63, p = .011), and that participants ate proportionally fewer unhealthy meals on exercise days compared to non-exercise days ( b = -4.27, p = .004). Study 2 replicated these findings, and also found that participants consumed larger meals after exercise in comparison to random meals from non-exercise days ( b = 0.25, p .001). Participants were not consistently engaging in compensatory eating by eating less healthily after exercise compared to on non-exercise days, but they did eat larger portions post-exercise. This work highlights the need for naturalistic methods of assessing compensatory eating, and has the potential to facilitate development of strategies to improve health behaviour regulation.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2013
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 03-2015
DOI: 10.1037/HEA0000109
Abstract: Providing reassurance is often a critical component of the medical consultation. An important area that has not been addressed in the literature is how delay in providing the results of medical tests affects patient reassurance. In this study we investigated whether the early provision of a normal diagnostic result immediately following medical testing improves patient reassurance compared to results provided 4 weeks later. We conducted a longitudinal randomized controlled trial and 1-month follow-up. Fifty-one cardiology outpatients with no known cardiac pathology referred for an echocardiogram test were randomized following normal test results to receive their test results from a cardiologist either immediately following testing or 4 weeks later. Measures of symptoms, anxiety, and health perceptions were taken prior to diagnostic testing. Reassurance was assessed immediately after the results were provided and 1 month later. Data analysis showed that the provision of early results had no impact on patient reassurance. Cardiac anxiety was strongly associated with lower reassurance patients who were more anxious about their heart were significantly less reassured by a normal test result, both immediately following feedback and 1 month later. The early provision of test results had no impact on patient reassurance. The study suggests the identification and targeting of patients high in cardiac anxiety may be a better method for improving reassurance than reducing the waiting time for results following medical testing.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 14-03-2018
DOI: 10.1093/ABM/KAY011
Abstract: Recent evidence indicates that placebo effects can occur even when patients know that they are taking a placebo, termed the open-label placebo effect. To assess whether placebo dose (one pill per day vs. four pills per day), treatment expectancies, and adherence contribute to open-label placebo effects. Healthy undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to take one or four open-label placebo pills per day or to a no-treatment control group. Placebo-treated participants took a 5-day course of an open-label placebo described as enhancing physical (symptoms and sleep) and psychological (positive and negative emotional experience) well-being. Expectancies about placebo effectiveness and well-being were assessed at baseline, and well-being and adherence were assessed after the 5-day course of treatment. Medium-to-large open-label placebo effects were evidenced in all well-being outcomes including sleep quality. Dose did not influence these effects. Both treatment expectancies and adherence were significant independent predictors of enhanced well-being in the two psychological well-being outcomes and the experience of physical symptoms, but sleep quality improved independently. This is the first study to demonstrate the effect of open-label placebos in improving well-being and sleep quality and to show that open-label placebo reposes do not appear to be dose-dependent, but for most well-being outcomes are independently predicted by both positive expectancies and treatment adherence.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/SPC3.12575
Abstract: Once considered nuisance variance in clinical trials, placebo effects and nocebo effects are now widely recognized as important and mutable psychobiological contributors to mental and physical health. Psychological theory explaining these effects emphasizes associative learning and conscious expectations. It has long been suggested, however, that affective states such as moods, emotions, and distress could play a significant role. In this paper, we draw together and review the empirical data linking affective states to placebo and nocebo effects. To organize this disparate literature, three questions are addressed: (1) Does pre‐existing state and trait affect modulate placebo and nocebo effects? (2) Does administering placebo and nocebo treatments change affective states, and if so, does the resulting affect causally influence placebo and nocebo effects? Finally, (3) Can placebo treatments be successfully employed as a regulation strategy to modulate different affective states? In reviewing the evidence in relation to these three questions, it is clear that affect does play a key role in placebo and nocebo effects in many circumstances, and further, there may be a reciprocal dynamic at play between a treatment event, affect, and placebo/nocebo effects. The paper concludes by discussing implications for theory and intervention and recommends future research priorities.
Start Date: 2022
End Date: 09-2025
Amount: $410,027.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2018
End Date: 02-2022
Amount: $354,171.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 02-2022
End Date: 02-2025
Amount: $356,550.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity