While COVID-19 spreads aggressively and rapidly across the globe, many societies have also witnessed the spread of other viral phenomena like misinformation, conspiracy theories, and general mass suspicions about what is really going on. This study investigates how exposure to and trust in information sources, and anxiety and depression, are associated with conspiracy and misinformation beliefs in eight countries/regions (Belgium, Canada, England, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, United States, Switzerland) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in an online survey fielded from May 29, 2020 to June 12, 2020, resulting in a multinational representative sample of 8,806 adult respondents. Results indicate that greater exposure to traditional media (television, radio, newspapers) is associated with lower conspiracy and misinformation beliefs, while exposure to politicians and digital media and personal contacts are associated with greater conspiracy and misinformation beliefs. Exposure to health experts is associated with lower conspiracy beliefs only. Higher feelings of depression are also associated with greater conspiracy and misinformation beliefs. We also found relevant group- and country differences. We discuss the implications of these results.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about several features that increased the sense of fear and confusion, such as quarantine and financial losses among other stressors, which may have led to adverse psychosocial outcomes. The influence of such stressors took place within a broader sociocultural context that needs to be considered. The objective was to examine how the psychological response to the pandemic varied across countries and identify which risk/protective factors contributed to this response. An online survey was conducted from 29 May 2020–12 June 2020, among a multinational sample of 8806 adults from eight countries/regions (Canada, United States, England, Switzerland, Belgium, Hong Kong, Philippines, New Zealand). Probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depression episode (MDE) were assessed. The independent role of a wide range of potential factors was examined using multilevel logistic regression. Probable GAD and MDE were indicated by 21.0% and 25.5% of the respondents, respectively, with an important variation according to countries/regions (GAD: 12.2–31.0%; MDE: 16.7–32.9%). When considered together, 30.2% of the participants indicated probable GAD or MDE. Several factors were positively associated with a probable GAD or MDE, including (in descending order of importance) weak sense of coherence (SOC), lower age, false beliefs, isolation, threat perceived for oneself/family, mistrust in authorities, stigma, threat perceived for country/world, financial losses, being a female, and having a high level of information about COVID-19. Having a weak SOC yielded the highest adjusted odds ratio for probable GAD or MDE (3.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.73–3.77). This pandemic is having an impact on psychological health. In some places and under certain circumstances, however, people seem to be better protected psychologically. This is a unique opportunity to evaluate the psychosocial impacts across various sociocultural backgrounds, providing important lessons that could inform all phases of disaster risk management.

Background: The COVID-19 crisis has unique features that increase the sense of fear, and comes with additional stressors (e.g., confusion, discrimination, quarantine), which can lead to adverse psychological responses. There is however limited understanding of differences between sociocultural contexts in psychological response to pandemics and other disasters. Objective: To examine how Canadians in different provinces, and with different governance modes and sociocultural contexts, understand and react to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted from April 8–11, 2020, among a representative sample of 600 Canadian adults from two different contexts ( n=300 in Quebec, the French part of Canada, and n=300 elsewhere in Canada). Two psychological outcomes were assessed: probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The roles of various stressors (i.e., threat perceived for oneself or family/friends, quarantine or isolation, financial losses, victims of stigma), assets (i.e., trust in authorities, information received, and compliance with directives) and sources of information used on these two outcomes were also examined. Chi-square tests were performed to examine differences in the distribution of probable PTSD and GAD according to these stressors and assets. Results: Probable PTSD and GAD were observed in 25.5% and 25.4% of the respondents, respectively. These proportions were significantly lower in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada. Perceiving a high level of threat and being a victim of stigma were positively associated with probable PTSD and GAD (but not quarantine/isolation and financial losses). A high level of trust in authorities was the only asset associated with a lower risk of PTSD or GAD. Interestingly, this asset was more frequently reported in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a unique opportunity to evaluate the psychosocial impacts on various sociocultural groups and contexts, providing important lessons that could help respond to future disasters.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to deal with the adaptation of communication strategies set out in the pre-crisis plan implemented by the members of Quebec’s public safety authorities in the specific case of the rail explosion and fire that destroyed the downtown of Lac-Mégantic in July 2013. Design/methodology/approach Based on a triangulation approach combining three qualitative methodologies, namely in-depth interviews, analysis of communication artifacts, and news analysis, this research aims to determine how public safety authorities used the existing crisis management plan at the time of the Lac-Mégantic crisis. It also seeks to determine whether or not the crisis managers used emergent communication strategies, as defined by Mintzberg (2007). Finally, the case study also seeks to identify potentially unforeseen contextual elements that influenced the communication strategies deployed. Findings The analysis reveals that the disaster, whose magnitude and consequences were unprecedented in Canada, prompted those in charge of public safety to review the established crisis management communication strategies and practices in order to adapt to the realities of a particular terrain and context. It is important to mention, first, that the crisis was managed in an unforeseen context of a twofold digital divide that created a dead zone for emergency and public health messages; and, second, that direct communication with the victims revealed major difficulty in understanding such messages (literacy). As a result, the traditional and digital communication strategies established in the crisis management plan had to be rapidly reviewed in order to incorporate “old-fashioned” communication tools, such as giving out information door-to-door, meeting with people on their front porches, and holding informal street gatherings with public health doctors and social workers to better communicate messages to the disaster victims and to promote the adoption of safe behaviors. Originality/value The findings demonstrate that in a crisis and emergency context, communication efforts must sometimes deviate from the planned strategies and come back to simple, direct, and “human” communication methods in order to adapt to the realities of the victims.

La perméabilité de la division information/publicité dans les salles de rédaction fait récursivement l’objet de débats au sein de l’industrie journalistique. Mus par des logiques différentes, univers marketing et journalistique sont supposés se prémunir de toute influence mutuelle. L’arrivée des plateformes socio numériques, l’éclatement du modèle économique des médias d’information et l’irritation face à l’intrusion publicitaire et les stratégies de blocage encouragent de nouveaux chevauchements, dont la publicité native (PN). Les différentes justifications ou critiques de cette technique controversée constituent une entrée pour analyser le rapport à l’éthique des deux professions, journalisme et marketing. Cette communication propose d’interroger ce phénomène par une double analyse. D’abord en repérant dans le discours des professionnels du marketing et de l’information les différentes rationalités entourant l’utilisation, ou non, de la PN. Ces rationalités sont ensuite adossées aux codes, chartes et guides déontiques. Au final, nous arguons que les guides actuels sont insuffisants pour encadrer le bouleversement professionnel qu’engendre la PN, entre autres sous la force de tensions séculaires, mais fortement bousculées par des rationalités convergentes. Ce paradoxe semble se solder par l’arrivée d’un nouveau type de professionnel, le producteur de contenu. Nous ouvrons quelques pistes pour explorer plus avant cette transformation professionnelle. Mots Clés : publicité native, journalisme, analyse de discours, éthique The porousness of the information/advertising division in newsrooms is a recursive topic of debate in the journalism industry. With their distinct logics, the worlds of marketing and journalism are supposed to guard against any mutual influence, as enshrined in ethical codes and charters. But the rise of social media platforms, the fragmentation of the economic model of the news media, the irritation of advertising intrusion, and the ad blocking software are encouraging new overlaps, one being native advertising (NA). The various justifications or criticisms of this controversial technique constitute for us the entry point to analyze the ethics of both journalism and marketing in regard of NA. First, we identify, within the discourse of both marketing and information professionals, the different rationalities surrounding the use or non use of NA. These rationalities are then compared to codes, charters and deontic guides in use. In the end, we argue that the current guides are insufficient to frame the professional upheaval that NA generates, under the force of deep-rooted tensions, now strongly shaken by convergent economical rationalities. This paradox seems to result in the arrival of a new type of professional, the content producer. We open up some avenues to explore this professional transformation further. Keywords: Ethics, deontology, native advertising, marketing, journalism