Barbieri Verena, Wiedermann Christian J, Lombardo Stefano, Plagg Barbara, Piccoliori Giuliano, Gärtner Timon, Engl Adolf
Institute of General Practice and Public Health, Claudiana College of Health Professions, 39100 Bolzano, BZ, Italy.
Department of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, University of Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, 6060 Hall, Austria.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2023 Feb 19;13(2):188. doi: 10.3390/bs13020188.
During the coronavirus pandemic, altruism has been linked to personal protective behavior, vaccine development, and vaccination intention. Studies of the moderating effects of age on altruism in pandemic preparedness have not yet been conducted.
A representative cross-sectional survey of residents of South Tyrol, Italy, was conducted in March 2021. Among the participants, 1169 were aged 18-69 years, and 257 were aged ≥ 70 years. The questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic and individual characteristics, including comorbidities, COVID-19-related experiences, trust in information, the likelihood of accepting the national vaccination plan, and altruism. A linear regression analysis was performed.
Among 1426 participants, the median altruism sum score was 24 (interquartile range, 20-26). In the participant group aged ≥ 70 years, the median altruism score was significantly higher than that in the younger group. Participants living in a single household were significantly less altruistic than other participants, while participants working in the health sector, living in a household at risk from coronavirus disease 2019, or suffering from a chronic disease were found to be more altruistic. Altruism showed significant positive correlations with age and agreement with the national vaccination plan and was negatively correlated with well-being. Trust in institutions was positively correlated with altruism only in the younger age group but not in the elderly. Linear regression models confirmed female gender and identified trust in institutions as a positive predictor of altruism. In the younger age group, increased well-being and restricted individual sports activities were associated with reduced altruism, whereas support of compulsory self-isolation after contact with a SARS-CoV-2-positive person and handwashing as a personal protective measure were positively associated.
Altruism is associated with various predictors of pandemic behavior and traits. The strengths of the identified positive and negative correlations support the modifying role of age in the effects of altruism on pandemic attitudes. Interventions that are likely to enhance altruism to improve pandemic preparedness in certain age groups require further study.
在新冠疫情期间，利他主义与个人防护行为、疫苗研发及接种意愿相关。尚未有研究探讨年龄在大流行防范中对利他主义的调节作用。
2021年3月对意大利南蒂罗尔居民进行了一项具有代表性的横断面调查。参与者中，1169人年龄在18 - 69岁之间，257人年龄≥70岁。问卷收集了社会人口学和个人特征信息，包括合并症、与新冠病毒相关的经历、对信息的信任度、接受国家疫苗接种计划的可能性以及利他主义。进行了线性回归分析。
在1426名参与者中，利他主义总分中位数为24（四分位间距，20 - 26）。在年龄≥70岁的参与者组中，利他主义得分中位数显著高于较年轻组。独居的参与者利他主义程度显著低于其他参与者，而从事卫生部门工作、生活在有感染2019冠状病毒病风险的家庭或患有慢性病的参与者利他主义程度更高。利他主义与年龄、对国家疫苗接种计划的认同呈显著正相关，与幸福感呈负相关。对机构的信任仅在较年轻年龄组中与利他主义呈正相关，在老年人中则不然。线性回归模型证实女性性别，并确定对机构的信任是利他主义的一个积极预测因素。在较年轻年龄组中，幸福感增加和个人体育活动受限与利他主义减少相关，而在接触新冠病毒阳性者后支持强制自我隔离以及将洗手作为个人防护措施则与利他主义呈正相关。
利他主义与大流行行为和特征的各种预测因素相关。所确定的正相关和负相关的强度支持年龄在利他主义对大流行态度影响中的调节作用。可能增强利他主义以改善特定年龄组大流行防范的干预措施需要进一步研究。
