Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Real-World M3-BREATHE: Toward Multimodal Mobile Monitoring of Behaviour, Respiration, and Exposures for Treatment and Health Evaluation
Published on: June 5, 2026
Worries about modernity predict symptom complaints after environmental pesticide spraying
Keith J Petrie1, Elizabeth A Broadbent, Nadine Kley
1Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. kj.petrie@auckland.ac.nz
Objective:
Concerns about environmental and technological changes affecting health have been shown to be associated with symptom reports in cross-sectional studies. We aimed to investigate how worries about modernity affecting health, negative affectivity, and prior symptom complaints influence health complaints after environmental spraying in a prospective study.
Methods:
Two hundred ninety-two residents of West Auckland completed questionnaires measuring recent symptoms, negative affect, and concerns about the effects of modernity on health before aerial spraying of their neighborhood with Foray 48B. After spraying, 181 residents (62%) returned a follow-up questionnaire measuring symptoms, spray-avoidance behavior, and the perceived effect of the spray program on health.
Results:
The number of symptoms reported after the spray was most closely related to the number of symptoms reported at baseline (beta = 0.40, p = .0001). Higher levels of modern health worries (beta = 0.23, p = .001) and baseline symptoms (beta = 0.17, p < .05) were associated with a higher number of symptoms being attributed to the spray program. Modern health worries also predicted avoidance behavior during the spraying times (beta = 0.32, p = .001) and the belief that the health of participants and the health of their children and pets was affected by the spray (all p < .01).
Conclusion:
Worries about aspects of modern life affecting health can strongly influence the attribution of symptoms and beliefs about health effects after environmental incidents.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
