Anat Gesser-Edelsburg

Background: Sleep duration is a well‐established factor associated with all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Poor sleep quality was also suggested to affect all‐cause mortality risk among adults. The Cardiovascular Occupational Risk Factor determination in Israel Study (CORDIS) is a prospective cohort study of industrial workers who entered the study during 1985–1990 and have been followed for 36 years. We examined the relationship between sleep duration, sleeping problems and difficulties, and all‐cause mortality in the CORDIS cohort. Method: Self‐reported data, including sleep duration and sleeping problems, from 7287 participants were merged with data on all‐cause mortality obtained from the National Death Registry and the Central Bureau of Statistics. Results: Over the 36‐year follow‐up, 2159 participants died: 445 were < 45 years and 1714 were ≥ 45 years. Sleep duration of ≤ 5 h significantly increased mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.30, p = 0.0032), with a more pronounced effect in those < 45 years (HR = 1.55, p = 0.0028). Sleeping problems also increased mortality risk (HR = 1.30, p = 0.0088), with a stronger association among younger individuals (HR = 1.63, p = 0.0399). Conversely, difficulty sleeping when anticipating something unpleasant was linked to increased mortality only in those aged ≥ 45 years (HR = 1.17, p = 0.0440). Conclusions: Our analysis showed that short sleep duration and sleeping problems are significant predictors for all‐cause mortality, particularly in younger individuals (< 45 years). These results emphasize the importance of addressing sleep problems among different age groups to potentially reduce mortality risk.

Background/Objectives: Research on children’s eating has primarily focused on parental feeding practices and dietary outcomes, with less attention to how young children themselves understand parental food-related messages and relate them to their own food choices. Recognizing children as active participants in food socialization, this study aimed to examine preschool children’s representations of parental feeding strategies alongside their expressed food-choice considerations. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, multi-method design was employed within a constructivist framework. Forty kindergarten children aged 4 years 10 months to 5 years 8 months participated in individual, play-based sessions conducted in familiar educational settings. Data were generated using two complementary tools: a doll role-play task eliciting children’s representations of parental feeding strategies and a simulated grocery shopping task eliciting food-choice considerations. All sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: During role-play, children frequently portrayed parents as emphasizing health-related arguments, control, and negotiation when guiding food intake. Less frequently, they represented strategies such as encouragement to try, deception, or references to body weight. In contrast, during the food-choice task, children’s selections were primarily guided by personal preference, with health considerations mentioned less often. For most participants, the feeding strategies attributed to parents did not closely align with the considerations guiding their own food choices. Conclusions: The findings highlight young children’s active and selective engagement with parental feeding discourse and underscore the contextual nature of food-related meaning-making in early childhood. Rather than reflecting a straightforward transmission of parental messages, children’s food choices appear shaped by situational affordances and perceived autonomy, supporting child-centered approaches to nutrition education and health promotion.

Perceiving ambiguity-a specific type of uncertainty-can lead to ambiguity aversion. In the context of vaccination, ambiguity aversion can manifest as vaccine hesitancy. We tested various correlates of ambiguity aversion in the context of COVID-19 vaccination to better understand how and why ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines is associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Two studies regarding beliefs about COVID-19 were conducted among 330 college students in the US and 204 college students in Israel during March to June 2023. Participants completed a survey assessing perceived ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 risk perceptions (i.e., likelihood, severity, and worry), emotions about COVID-19 vaccines, vaccination intentions, and information seeking about vaccination. Overall, key findings include higher levels of anger among individuals who report higher perceived ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccination, as well as possible engagement in motivated reasoning processes when considering COVID-19 vaccination. More specifically, consistent with motivated reasoning, Americans who perceived higher ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines reported lower worry about and lower perceived severity of COVID-19, which were each associated with lower vaccination intentions and lower information seeking about COVID-19 vaccines. In line with the Appraisal-Tendency Framework, Americans who perceived higher ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines reported higher anger about COVID-19 vaccines, which was associated with lower perceived severity of COVID-19. Consistent with conceptualizing ambiguity as an aversive experience, Americans who perceived higher ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines reported lower happiness about COVID-19 vaccines, which was associated with both lower worry about and lower perceived severity of COVID-19. These relationships were not present in the Israeli sample. Further, both Americans and Israelis who perceived higher ambiguity about COVID-19 vaccines reported lower feelings of relaxation from the COVID-19 vaccine, which was associated with lower perceived severity of COVID-19. These results can improve our understanding of processes involved in ambiguity aversion. Findings also provide greater insight into vaccine hesitancy and have practical implications for creating culturally appropriate vaccine health communications and interventions that consider the phenomenon of ambiguity aversion. Indeed, if motivated reasoning does play a role in responses to ambiguity, incorporating strategies to reduce motivated reasoning may contribute to vaccine uptake.

BACKGROUND Protests serve as a powerful catalyst for transformations, where collective influence can lead to significant personal changes. Collective action can strengthen empowerment and collective self-efficacy in facing threats. This aligns with WHO's definition of health promotion as “enabling people to increase control over and improve their health”. Collective action can act as a mechanism for promoting mental health and well-being by providing a sense of agency and belonging. OBJECTIVE This research investigates the impact of protest participation on individual well-being in Israel during the 2023 judicial reform, focusing on self-efficacy and perceived threats. METHODS Using a cross-sectional online survey with 570 participants, the study examines the psychological dimensions of civic engagement and activism. RESULTS The study found that higher perceived threats significantly motivated individuals to participate in protests. Older age was associated with increased protest participation. Exposure to verbal violence in social media significantly increased protest. Participation in protests was found to enhance perceived self-efficacy, reinforcing the individual's belief in their ability to effect change. A higher rate of protest activity was found among individuals actively pursuing emigration, driven by intrinsic motivations and personal values. Contrary to initial expectations, participants who personally experienced verbal or police violence were less likely to cease participating in protests. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the importance of considering the psychological dimensions of civic engagement, particularly in socio-political crises. In conclusion, promoting activism and collective action can serve as a valuable public health strategy to enhance mental health and resilience, supporting individuals and communities in navigating challenging times.

The burgeoning role of artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) in academia signifies a transformative shift in educational methodologies and research practices. This mixed-methods cross-sectional study investigates the differential familiarity, usage and attitudes towards AI and GenAI among 704 students and lecturers, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 12 industry and academic professionals. Findings indicate minimal familiarity with AI tools and low use, primarily attributing this to a lack of knowledge. Notably, despite a reported higher familiarity among men than women, actual usage rates did not significantly differ. Discrepancies were also observed between students and lecturers in familiarity and usage, with institutional factors and generational divides impacting AI integration. The study underscores the necessity for academia to bridge these gaps through targeted AI literacy initiatives, fostering equitable access and integrating AI into curriculum and training.

Within the Arab community of Israel, the influence of masculine perceptions, violence, the carrying of weapons, and their subsequent use are growing concerns that significantly impact public safety. The omnipresence of social media further complicates this narrative, potentially reshaping traditional notions and behaviors associated with masculinity. This study endeavors to delve deep into the relationships between masculinity, violence, and weapon carrying and use and the role that social media plays in shaping these dynamics among Arab adolescent boys and young men in Israel. By employing a qualitative constructivist lens, the research integrated content analysis, digital ethnography, and rhetorical semiotic analysis. The participants included 40 Israeli Arab Muslim and Christian adolescent boys and young men. A recurrent theme was the belief in “Maktub”, signifying preordained events, pointing to a profound cultural relationship with fatalistic views on violence. Participants’ backgrounds in relation to violence influenced their stance on weapon carrying. There was a prevalent mistrust towards law enforcement. Social media’s role was pronounced, with genre preferences acting as indicators of violent inclinations. Culturally sensitive interventions are imperative, and it is essential to construct an early childhood educational program that includes positive male role models while collaborating with epistemic authorities.

Background:Despite several empirical studies that have emphasized the problematic and ineffective way in which health organizations ‘correct’ information which does not come from them, they have not yet found ways to properly address vaccine hesitancy.Objectives:(1) Examining the responses of groups with different attitudes/ behaviors regarding vaccination; (2) Examining the effect of the common methods of correcting information regarding the response of subgroups, while examining issues of reliability, satisfaction, and information seeking, as well as how health organization tools aid the decision-making process regarding vaccines.Methods:A simulation study that included 150 parents of kindergarten children was carried out.Results:Significant difference was found among the various groups (with respect to vaccination behavior) regarding the extent of their trust in the Ministry of Health (χ2(3) = 46.33; P < 0.0001), the reliability of the Ministry of Health’s response (χ2(3) = 31.56; P < 0.0001), satisfaction with the Ministry of Health’s response (χ2(3) = 25.25; P < 0.0001), and the level of help they felt the Ministry of Health’s tools provided them regarding vaccine-related decision making (χ2(3) = 27.76; P < 0.0001).Conclusion:It is important for health organizations to gain the public’s trust, especially that of pro-vaccination groups with hesitant attitudes, while addressing the public’s fears and concerns.

Background: The anthroposophical philosophy is a holistic educational and lifestyle approach. Limited information exists on the health-promoting behavioral norms and obesity rates among children living anthroposophical vs. conventional lifestyles. Aims: This study aims to compare the prevalence of childhood obesity, and parents’ perceptions of their children’s food environment, between anthroposophical and conventional education systems. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Anthropometric Measurement Survey for first grade students in Israel, comparing anthroposophical schools with matched conventional schools. Additionally, an online survey was distributed among parents of children in both school systems, assessing children’s eating norms and dietary intake. Results: Overweight and obesity rates were higher among students in conventional schools (n = 205,500) compared to anthroposophical schools (n = 2247) (11.2% vs. 9.6%, and 7.8% vs. 4.8%, respectively; Pv < 0.001). Anthroposophical schools were perceived by more parents to have health-promoting curricula, health promoting teacher behavior, and health promoting social dietary norms, while their children’s dietary intake was perceived as healthier both in school and in the after-school, social, and familial environment (Pv < 0.001). Conclusions: Children in anthroposophical education exhibited lower overweight and obesity rates, and engaged in more health-promoting behaviors. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between the anthroposophical lifestyle and childhood obesity, and to identify effective anthroposophical strategies for health promotion among children.

The importance of emerging infectious disease (EID) communication resurfaces repeatedly when disease outbreaks appear. Particularly in recent years, outbreaks such as those caused by the Zika virus, Ebola, H1N1, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), polio, coronaviruses causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19 and the issue of vaccinations for human papillomavirus (HPV) and measles have stood at the center of public health disputes (Gesser-Edelsburg & Shir-Raz, 2016b). Following the communication crises surrounding the successive outbreaks of mad cow disease (i.e., bovine spongiform encephalopathy [BSE]), SARS, and H1N1 influenza, Barry (2009, p. 324) noted: “In the next influenza pandemic, be it now or in the future, be the virus mild or virulent, the single most important weapon against the disease will be a vaccine. The second most important will be communication.”