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Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the utilitarian value (UV), hedonic value (HV) and social value (SV) that make people use a certain type of online media website and how the usage of specific online media website impact the way people perceive online information credibility (OIC). A research model was also proposed to explain the essence of this study. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted the survey research methodology to empirically test the research model with 873 research participants from the University of Science and Technology of China and Anhui Medical University. Findings Results from structural equation modeling showed that UV and HV have a significant positive impact on the usage of print news media website (PNMW), usage of broadcast news media website (BNMW) and usage of social networking website (SNW). The SV was also found to have a significant positive impact on the usage of SNWs. The result also indicated that the usage of the PNMW and the usage of the BNMW by online users have a significantly positive impact on high rating of OIC. However, the result showed that the usage of SNW does not have a significant positive impact on the high rating of OIC. Originality/value Findings in this study provided substantial contributions toward the advancement of the uses and gratification theoretical framework by unraveling how certain motivational values can influence online media users’ preferences for specific online media websites, as well as showing how specific online media websites affect online users’ perception of OIC.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global public health emergency, has exposed the fragility of health systems. Access to healthcare became a scarce commodity as healthcare providers and resource-poor populations became victims of the novel corona virus. Therefore, this study focuses on Africa's readiness to integrate telemedicine into the weak health systems and its adoption may help alleviate poor healthcare and poverty after COVID-19. We conducted a narrative review through different search strategies in Scopus on January 20, 2021, to identify available literature reporting implementation of various telemedicine modes in Africa from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2020. We summarized 54 studies according to geographies, field, and implementation methods. The results show a willingness to adopt telemedicine in the resource-poor settings and hard-to-reach populations, which will bring relief to the inadequate healthcare systems and alleviate poverty of those who feel the burden of healthcare cost the most. With adequate government financing, telemedicine promises to enhance the treating of communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as support health infrastructure. It can also alleviate poverty among vulnerable groups and hard-to-reach communities in Africa with adequate government financing. However, given the lack of funding in Africa, the challenges in implementing telemedicine require global and national strategies before it can yield promising results. This is especially true in regards to alleviating the multidimensionality of poverty in post-COVID-19 Africa.

PurposeThis study explored whether the critical incident management systems (CIMS) model can predict the EMS performance in the COVID-19 context. Past research has established the significance of early detection and response (ER) in the context of Ebola virus disease (EVD), prompting a question of whether the model can also be helpful in the COVID-19 context. Consequently, the authors assessed whether ER influences the impact of communication capacity (CC), reliable information channel (RC) and environment (EN) on COVID-19 EMS performance. Assessing these relationships will advance emerging infectious disease (EID) preparedness.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed standardized measurement instruments of the CIMS model (CC, ER, RC and EN) to predict the performance of COVID-19 EMS using structural equation modeling (SEM) in a study of 313 participants from frontline responders.FindingsThe results show that the relationship of ER and EN with COVID-19 EMS performance is positive, while that of EN on CC is negative. The relationship between EN and COVID-19 EMS performance was insignificant. Contrary to the hypothesis, CC was negatively significant to COVID-19 EMS performance due to poor communication capacities.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors acknowledge some limitations due to challenges faced in this study. First, Data collection was a significant limitation as these questionnaires were built and distributed in June 2020, but the response time was prolonged due to the recurring nature of the pandemic. The authors had wanted to implore the inputs of all stakeholders, and efforts were made to reach out to various Ministry of Health, the local CDC and related agencies in the region via repeated emails explaining the purpose of the study to no avail. The study finally used the frontline workers as the respondents. The authors used international students from various countries as the representatives to reach out to their countries' frontline workers. Second, since the study was only partially supported using the CIMS model, future studies may combine the CIMS model with other models or theories. Subsequent research reassesses this outcome in other contexts or regions. Consequently, further research can explore how CC can be improved with COVID-19 and another future EID in the region. This may improve the COVID-19 EMS performance, thereby expanding the lesson learned from the pandemic and sustaining public health EID response. Additionally, other authors may combine the CIMS model with other emergency management models or theories to establish a fully supported theoretical model in the context of COVID-19.Practical implicationsThe findings have practical implications for incident managers, local CDCs, governments, international organizations and scholars. The outcome of the study might inform these stakeholders on future direction and contribution to EID preparedness. This study unfolds the impact of lessons learned in the region demonstrated by moderating early detection and responses with other constructs to achieve COVID-19 EMS performance. The findings reveal that countries that experienced the 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak, were not necessarily more prepared for an epidemic or pandemic, judging by the negative moderating impact of early detection and response. However, these experiences provide a foundation for the fight against COVID-19. There is a need for localized plans tailored to each country's situation, resources, culture and lifestyle. The localized plan will be to mitigate and prevent an unsustainable EID management system, post-epidemic fund withdrawals and governance. This plan might be more adaptable and sustainable for the local health system when international interventions are withdrawn after an epidemic. Public health EID plans must be adapted to each country's unique situation to ensure sustainability and constantly improve EID management of epidemics and pandemics in emergency response. The high to moderate importation risk in African countries shows Africa's largest window of vulnerability to be West Africa (Gilbert et al., 2020). Therefore, they should be in the spotlight for heightened assistance towards the preparedness and response for a future pandemic like COVID-19. The West African region has a low capacity to manage the health emergency to match the population capacities. The COVID-19 outbreak in West Africa undoubtedly inflicted many disruptions in most countries' economic, social and environmental circumstances. The region's unique challenges observed in this study with CC and reliable information channels as being negatively significant highlight the poor maintenance culture and weak institutions due to brain drain and inadequate training and monitoring. This outcome practically informs West African stakeholders and governments on aspects to indulge when trying to improve emergency preparedness as the outcomes from other regions might not be applicable.Originality/valueThis study explored the relevance of the CIMS model in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing different patterns of influence on COVID-19 EMS performance. In contrast to the extant literature on EVD, the authors found the moderating effects of ER in the COVID-19 context. Thus, the authors contribute to the COVID-19 EMS performance domain by developing a context-driven EMS model. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications.

The mobile digital culture (MDC) supports individual lives, communities, and real-time organizational surveillance during COVID-19 emergencies. Hence, the study examined the advancement in smart health devices evidence in smartphone apps technologies in surveillance, control, and tracking potential virus areas among high-risk populations.The study explored how environmental condition and MDC mediates between knowledge of App and mobile usability in the prevention of COVID-19 infection in high-risk areas.Using the concept of UTAUT, the study conceptualized that mobile usability, MDC, knowledge of App and environmental condition, are essential for COVID-19 mitigation. A cross-sectional method was adopted through an online survey to assess data from n = 459 mobile users. The association of the study models was appraised through structural equation models (Amos v.24.0).We found mobile usability, knowledge of App, and MDC were statistically significant to COVID-19 mitigation. Environment condition as mediator had no effect in the study models. However, moderating effect of MDC shows a negative influence on the association between COVID-19 mitigation and knowledge of apps.Future policies should consider the development of mHealth technology to improve end-user experience. Also, future policies should entail data privacy to reduce the infringement of data collected. This approach will lead to a confidential, high acceptance of usability of mHealth apps infectious disease prevention.

Purpose In an attempt to tackle the incidence of poverty and social exclusion in the Ghanaian society, a number of social protection programmes including the school feeding programme is introduced. The programme is designed to cater for the extreme poor and as well encourage enrolment and attendance in the country. The purpose of this paper is to assess the intention or objective for which the programme is initiated and the realities on the ground. It looks at whether the current beneficiaries are the extreme poor described in the policy document. Design/methodology/approach The study explored the incidence of poverty in Ghana using the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS6) and the Ghana School Feeding Annual Operation Plan (GSFAOP) with the help of the school feeding policy document to draw on actual beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries. The differences between percentages of poverty (2012/2013) and feeding schools was computed using GLSS6 and GSFAOP. The study also conducted a number of open-ended interviews with some stakeholders to validate the nature of recruitment of beneficiary schools. Findings The study concluded that there is a mismatch of potential beneficiaries and current beneficiaries using the referred data sources. It was found out that majority of beneficiary schools are located within areas of lesser incidence of poverty. This could be attributed to political interference in view of testimonies from respondents and the computerisation of GLSS6 and GSFAOP. The study therefore proposed that the allocation of feeding schools should be done to reflect the percentage of poverty situation in each region. This could be achieved when the district education office takes control. It will help minimise the level of politicisation and as well improve efficiency. Originality/value The study therefore highlighted the relevance of the school feeding programme and the inverse relationship it has with political interference. It again demonstrates the need to restructure the operations of the programme to meet the objective for which it was established.