Correction: The rising tide lifts all boats? Income support measures for employees and self-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper evaluates the impact of government support and containment measures on the manufacturing production cycle (MPC) of 39 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of our knowledge, the effects of these variables on the MPC have not been studied. To obtain reliable evidence, we resort to two complementary econometric techniques: the Arellano-Bond Generalized Method of Moments (GMMs) and the Arellano-Bover GMMs. The evidence is consistent across econometric methods in showing that: 1) Closure and containment measures have been recessionary, 2) Income support measures and interest rate cuts have been effective in raising manufacturing production, and 3) Real exchange rate depreciations do not stimulate (and could even discourage) manufacturing production, presumably because they make imported intermediate inputs more expensive. Therefore, raising consumption through higher income and investment through lower interest rates can alleviate the recessionary effects of closure and containment policies, whereas depreciating the currency may not be effective to boost manufacturing production amid falling world trade and disrupted global supply chains, which could interact with a weaker currency to make imported intermediate inputs even more costly.

COVID-19 and socioeconomic impact in Africa: The case of Kenya

This article examines the protection needs of the self-employed and the developments in such protection in Japan. Arguments are put forward for further improving the protection for the self-employed beyond the existing protection framework. These efforts towards improving protection are expected to continue in the future. However, this is not to suggest that a specific stance has been adopted with regard to the content of such protection for those self-employed who are eligible. Such protection is still very much in the stage of preliminary consideration. While the development of such protection is still in the early stages, emergency steps taken in the COVID-19 pandemic have included income support measures to cover the loss of work for self-employed people whose tasks are similar to those of an employee. The self-employed who are eligible for such protection are those who seek protection. It may be argued that, regardless of the intentions of policy-makers, the policies that are pursued are a reflection of how the self-employed perceive their needs. Self-Employment Protection, Japan, COVID-19 Pandemic, Income Support Measures

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge to States and health systems. The pandemic and its consequences can have a devastating impact on the health and development of children, especially those in vulnerable situations — children with disabilities.The aim of the study is a medical and social assessment of the effect of the COVID—19 pandemic and its consequences on families with children with disabilities.Methods. A descriptive study using the Google forms platform was conducted using the cross-sectional method. Two groups of parents of children aged 0–17 years with disabilities (group 1) and without disabilities (group 2) who apply to a medical organization for preventive examinations were interviewed.Results and discussion. A total of 175 electronic questionnaires were received. Parents from 46 regions of Russia participated in the survey. A significant majority of respondents were women — 172 people (98%), 3 men (2%). More than half of the respondents are residents of the megalopolis. The study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the health and education of children and on the lifestyle and families welfare in general. It was revealed that the financial situation of many families who took part in the study worsened, which affected the living conditions of children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care system was being rebuilt taking into account new tasks to counteract dangerous infection, which was reflected in changes in the provision of medical care to children, and in some cases this led to a deterioration of their health. A significant number of parents who participated in the study believe that changes in the organization of medical care during the pandemic had a negative impact on their child’s health. Among the main health problems, parents highlight delays and cancellations of medical consultations, difficulties in obtaining urgent care and problems with drug provision. Among the main health problems, parents highlight delays and cancellations of medical consultations, difficulties in obtaining emergency care and problems with drug provision. The study shows that families with disabled children have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to a greater extent than families raising children without chronic health problems. If the deterioration of the financial situation is almost equally revealed in both groups, then problems related to medical care and education have a more noticeable impact on families with a child with a disability. The obtained results should be taken into account in times of new challenges when developing measures of state support for families with children, especially with children with disabilities. At the same time, it is important to pay primary attention to the organization of medical care for children (continuity of planned medical care for the child population and rehabilitation actions) and educational services (providing online learning opportunities for the child, taking into account individual ones).Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have had a negative impact on the standard and quality of life of people, especially families with children. The pandemic has had a significant adverse impact on the health and development of children, especially children with disabilities. The study showed a decrease in the financial situation of families, problems with children receiving medical care, difficulties in education, especially with regard to specialized pedagogical classes with disabled children, during the pandemic. According to the study, in order to prevent the negative impact of the pandemic, it is proposed not only to provide financial support to families, but also to maintain access to the educational process with the provision of the required devices, as well as the possibility of receiving medical care for children, especially children with disabilities, including planned.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted people's lives. Families are affected in many ways, including daily life, the economy, social life, and health. Families who have resilience can face the COVID-19 pandemic situation. This study aims to determine the factors related to family resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic, including Family income, education, family type, family relations, and social support. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study conducted on 403 respondents using purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria include Husband or wife (with or without children) who live together, ages 18-65 years, in Jakarta and Tangerang. Data collection using an online questionnaire consisted of demographic data, the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The questionnaire has passed the validity and reliability test. The Ethics Board of the Mochtar Riady Institute of Nanotechnology (MRIN) provided ethical approval. Results: Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression test showed that factors related to family resilience were income (p-value: 0.028, OR: 3.08) and social support (p-value: 0.001, OR: 7.16). Social support is the dominant variable related to family resilience. An increase in social support increases the likelihood of family resilience by 7.16 times. Furthermore, an increase in family income has a 3.08 times greater chance of increasing family resilience. Conclusion: Families and the government can collaborate to improve family resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic by optimizing social support and family income.

COVID-19 and employment: Insights from the sub-Saharan African experience

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread upheaval, presenting unique challenges for pregnant and postpartum women, who were already in a particularly vulnerable phase. As the COVID-19 pandemic and its public health response unfolded, it became crucial for clinicians and researchers to explore postpartum depression within the context of a global crisis. (2) Methods: We used data from two cross-sectional surveys of postnatal women conducted in our tertiary academic public hospital during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the post-pandemic period, based on the retrospective assessments of two samples of mothers, each including 860 postpartum women. Our research has been conducted with the scope of evaluating postpartum depression disorder during and after the COVID-19 pandemic by using comparable data across time. (3) Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression was significantly higher among women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic (major postpartum depressive disorder: 54.19%, minor depressive disorder: 15.58%), compared to pre-pandemic rates (10% in developed countries and 21–26% in developing countries) and post-pandemic rates (major depressive disorder 10.12%, minor depressive disorder 10.93%). The results of our research indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had a major negative impact on perinatal mental health and, moreover, might have sped up an existing trend of the increasing prevalence of postpartum depression, despite the fact that the risk factors for postpartum depression disease remained consistent before, during, and after the pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Strengthening support systems during periods of heightened risk, such as during a pandemic, is crucial; therefore, policymakers and health planners should prioritize the mental health of this vulnerable group during global health crises or natural disasters, ensuring the implementation of effective mental health screenings, identification, enhanced support, follow-up, and reassurance measures to better address the challenges faced by susceptible postpartum women in future similar situations.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have significantly suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting a high prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We investigated with this survey whether HCWs benefitted from supportive measures put in place by hospitals and how these measures were perceived. This cross-sectional survey, which was conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 at the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland, between May and July 2021, collected information on the use and perception of practical and mental health support measures provided by the hospital. In total, 3461 HCWs participated in the study. Regarding the practical support measures, 2896 (84%) participants found them useful, and 2650 (76%) used them. Regarding the mental health support measures, 3149 (90%) participants found useful to have the possibility of attending hypnosis sessions, 3163 (91%) to have a psychologist within hospital units, 3202 (93%) to have a medical nursing psychiatric permanence available seven days a week, and 3171 (92%) to have a hotline available seven days a week. In total, 436 (13%) HCWs used at least one of the available mental health support measures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the support measures were valued by HCWs. Given the high prevalence of psychiatric issues among HCWs, these measures seem necessary and are likely to have alleviated the suffering of HCWs.

Introduction: Quality of life is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to changes in the daily routine, there was a change in the psychosocial functioning of individuals. Given that laryngectomized patients belong to a vulnerable group that requires psychological support after surgery, specific epidemiological measures during the COVID-19 pandemic could only further increase the fear and reluctance that is especially pronounced after surgery. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was a link between the quality of life of laryngectomized patients and the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The literature review was performed through the Google Scholar Advanced Search search engine and the Consortium of Libraries of Serbia for Unified Acqusition - KoBSON. Results: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the emotional well-being of patients with head and neck cancer. These patients became even more anxious due to the high mortality from the COVID-19 viral infection, hospital occupancy and missed therapeutic examinations. The need for togetherness, impaired concentration and attention, irritability and fear that family members might suffer from a deadly disease were the most common behavioral problems identified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The psychological burden associated with the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic should not be overlooked, given the fact that laryngectomized patients have twice the risk of suicide compared to patients who have undergone other types of cancer. Assessing the quality of life in laryngectomized patients is very important because it enables the timely identification of mental disorders and suggests the necessary support measures.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented negative impact on women’s mental well-being, especially on mothers. This article proposes the concept of “burnout resilience” and introduces “structural support” as a variable that influences job burnout in women, mothers working in executive positions. Different support measures may promote resilience: in this case, the structural, organizational, and family-related. The study focuses on resilience enablers in a disaster scenario like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlights the relevance for public policy and organizations of ensuring organizational and structural support that contributes to develop resilience for mitigating burnout, especially during natural catastrophe periods and war environments, among other negative scenarios. The investigation aimed to quantify job burnout among 704 executive mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory General survey. The data-collection method employed was a non-probabilistic snowball sampling technique, and the hypotheses were tested using a comparison of means t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed the relationship between job burnout and organizational, familial, and structural support. The findings also reveal that organizational and structural support attenuated burnout, while familial support is not correlated with burnout mitigation. Moreover, compared to the pre-pandemic period, executive mothers seemed to have experienced an increase in burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Health care workers, due to be involved in caring for COVID-19 patients may experience various psychological problems including anxiety disorders. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic by systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods: The PRISMA guideline was used for conducting this study. Related keywords were searched in credited resources including ISC, Magiran, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, ProQuest, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Embase to find the articles published on the prevalence of GAD among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic from the first of January to the end of June 2020. Meta-analysis was conducted by the random effects model.Results: In this study, 553 articles were initially identified, from which 19 studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the prevalence of GAD in health care workers based on the GAD-7 and GAD-2 instruments were 32.04% (95% CI: 26.89–37.19, I2 = 98.2%, p < 0.001) and 22.62% (95% CI: 9.01–36.24, I2 = 97.7%, p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of GAD was obtained 30.5% (95% CI: 25.58–35.42, I2 = 98.4%, p < 0.001).Conclusion: This study showed a relatively high GAD prevalence, as one of the fundamental psychological problems, among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, health system managers should implement preventive strategies to protect health staff from contracting the virus and monitor them for psychological problems and provide them with supportive measures if necessary.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought several behavioral changes in the social, academic and professional spheres, caused numerous deaths and, due to the lack of treatment, imposed social isolation and an adaptation of daily activities, restricted to the remote format, causing emotional and mental instability. in society. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Rapid Systematic Review was performed using several databases. Observational studies evaluating suicidal ideation among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic were considered. Articles were assessed for risk of bias by the Joanna Briggs Institute Instrument. Data were extracted for analysis of associated factors and prevalence meta-analysis. Eleven articles were included. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among university students ranged from 1.7 to 19.6%, with a combined prevalence of 12.1% (95% CI: 9.6-15.0%). Factors associated with suicidal ideation were excessive screen time, social isolation, sleep disorders, symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and being female. The quality of articles ranged from high to low risk of bias. The combined prevalence of suicidal ideation among university students in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic was high, with social isolation and screen time as factors associated with the new context of the pandemic. The findings indicate that support measures should be made available to students during the pandemic to ensure mental health.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a global health emergency that caused anxiety, including for pregnant women. In Ireland, clinical anxiety for pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic reached 63.4-66.7%. Anxiety in pregnant women increases the hormone cortisol, which suppresses the immune system and increases blood sugar levels, resulting in low birth weight (LBW) babies and delayed fetal growth. Social support influences anxiety in pregnant women. The research aims to determine the relationship between social support and anxiety among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research method is a quantitative survey with a cross-sectional approach. Using a purposive sampling technique, the sample was 397 pregnant women in the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province. Data were collected using the Corona Anxiety Scale questionnaire and social support questionnaire. Data analysis used the Somer's d Gamma test. The results show that the majority of respondents live in Kulonprogo Regency (35.5%), graduated from high school/vocational school (53.7%), do not work (51.9%), family income is the Provincial Minimum Wage and above (70 .3%) and primigravida (63%). Mothers with low social support experienced more anxiety (66.7%). Variables related to anxiety in pregnant women are employment (p-value= 0.024), family income (p-value= 0.023), parity (p-value= 0.024), and social support (p-value= 0.023). The unrelated variable is education (p-value= 0.693). There is a relationship between social support and anxiety among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety is more experienced in pregnant women with low social support. Community health centers as primary healthcare facilities should facilitate access to mental health services by developing clinical teleconsultation and increasing public knowledge about the importance of social support to prevent anxiety.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) have described the onset of shame- and trust-violation-related moral injuries (MI) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research suggests that HCPs may turn to various coping methods and supports, such as spirituality/religiosity, substance use, friends/family or organizational support, to manage workplace stress. It remains unknown, however, if similar coping methods and supports are associated with MI among this population. We explored associations between MI (including the shame and trust-violation presentations individually) and coping methods and supports. Canadian HCPs completed an online survey about their mental health and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, including demographic indices (e.g., sex, age, mental health history) and measures of MI, organizational support, social support, spiritual well-being, self-compassion, alcohol use, cannabis use and childhood adversity. Three hierarchical multiple linear regressions were conducted to assess the associations between coping methods/supports and (i) MI, (ii) shame-related MI and (iii) trust-violation-related MI, when controlling for age, mental health history and childhood adversity. One hundred and seventy-six (N = 176) HCPs were included in the data analysis. Spiritual well-being and organizational support were each significantly associated with reduced total MI (p’s < 0.001), shame-related MI (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively) and trust-violation-related MI (p’s < 0.001). Notably, comparison of the standardized beta coefficients suggests that the association between trust-violation-related MI and both spiritual well-being and organizational support was more than twice as great as the associations between these variables and shame-related MI, emphasizing the importance of these supports and the trust-violation outcomes particularly. Mental health history (p = 0.02) and self-compassion (p = 0.01) were additionally related to shame-related MI only. Our findings indicate that heightened levels of spiritual well-being and organizational support were associated with reduced MI among HCPs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than placing sole responsibility for mental health outcomes on HCPs individually, organizations can instead play a significant role in mitigating MI among staff by implementing evidence-informed organizational policies and interventions and by considering how supports for spiritual well-being may be implemented into existing models of care where relevant for employees.

Subject. The article addresses the system of measures used to support the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives. The focus is on the comparative analysis of efficiency of measures for economy support during the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries, identification of possible correlation between economic recovery and the amount of financial assistance provided. Methods. We employed methods of systems, comparative, structural, and logical analysis. Results. The paper characterizes measures of socio-economic support in China and other countries, discloses relative volumes of support as a percentage of the gross domestic product, analyzes the structure of economic support measures. The performed analysis did not reveal direct impact of the relative amount of assistance to the economy on the growth of real gross product. Using the example of the People's Republic of China, we unveiled the effectiveness of administrative actions to localize the pandemic and support the economy, specified the role of fostering appropriate civic initiative. During the pandemic, the key factor of the subsequent economic recovery is discipline and responsibility of the authorities and society, rather than credit volumes and provision of loans and benefits. Conclusions. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of the institution of strong central government with high social responsibility, and secondary nature of economic support measures compared to administrative measures to support the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.