The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on agriculture and the food economy in the light of the literature

Purpose: The purpose of the considerations presented in the paper was to examine the changes that occurred in both population and GDP size and in selected economic sectors as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the highlighted EU regions. Design/methodology/approach: The paper examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population of selected EU regions, GDP in those regions, and the impact of the pandemic on the unemployment rate, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the number of nights spent in overnight accommodations, the number of passengers traveling by air, the number of people who ordered goods or services online in the past year, and employment in high-tech sectors. The impact was examined by analyzing development trend models for selected variables and verifying the hypothesis of constancy of model parameters with the Chow test. Predictions of selected variables were also counted if there had been no pandemic and compared to actual values from the COVID-19 pandemic period. Findings: Not all regions were equally affected by the effects of the pandemic. This was undoubtedly influenced by the authorities' struggle with the effects of the pandemic, but also by the entrepreneurial spirit of the residents of the regions studied. Also in different spheres of economic life, the effects of the pandemic varied from negative to positive. Research limitations/implications: Further research should also include the other EU regions and more economic sectors, allowing us to group regions according to similarities in coping with the pandemic and calculate spatial correlations. A problem we may encounter is the lack of sufficient data, which may result in the exclusion of some regions and economic sectors from the study. Social implications: Through the research, we can highlight regions that are coping better with the effects of a pandemic, and this can inspire regions that are coping less well. In the future, regions can look up to the actions carried out by authorities in other regions to offset the effects of pandemics (or other disasters with global effects) and transfer them to their own region. Originality/value: The article compares regions within the boundaries of which are national capitals. It was shown which region did best in combating the effects of the pandemic and which did less well. The article also shows what the impact of the pandemic was on the various branches of the economy. Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, trend models, Chow test.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Eating Disorders: A Wake-Up Call for the Future of Eating Disorders Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Developments in paediatric cancer care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from China

The aim of this study was to analyze athletes’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 249 athletes between 15 and 35 of age, M = 21.22, SD = 5.12. The sample was composed of eight Olympic Games medalists, three European medalists, 67 international medalists, and 63 national medalists. The instruments used were: (1) COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, (2) Athlete Quality of Life Scale, (3) Impact of Pandemic on Athletes Questionnaire, and (4) International Personality Item Pool (IPIP Anxiety, Depression, and Vulnerability Scales). The results indicate significant differences in COVID-19 anxiety depending on the sport practiced, F (9239) = 3.81, p < 0.01, showing that there were significant differences between sports. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between trait anxiety and the athletes’ quality of life. The percentage of mediation was 33.9%, and the indirect effect was −0.11, CI 95% (−0.18, −0.03), Z = −2.82, p < 0.01. Trait anxiety has an increasing effect on the intensity of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 0.23, CI 95% (.10, 0.35), Z = 3.56, p < 0.01, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has a decreasing effect on quality of life, −0.47, CI 95% (−0.67, −0.27), Z = −4.62, p < 0.01. Gender and age did not moderate the relationship between the negative impact of COVID-19 and athletes’ quality of life. The results of the study highlighted the impact that social isolation and quarantine have on athletes’ affective well-being.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Urological Care Delivery in the United States.

Nearly 20 years after the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic, we are facing another COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism behaviour of international students in Poland. We paid attention to the overall impact of the pandemic on life, travel, choice of tourist destination, tourism activity, ecotourism preference, and health and safety issues. We formulated two research questions: What areas of international student tourism behaviour were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? What differences in travel behaviour occurred between international students from Europe and Asia? Participants were recruited from universities located in Warsaw between June and September 2020. A total of 806 questionnaires were collected, 87 of which were eliminated due to non-response. The research sample consisted of 719 people. Six factors were identified in the survey results: tourism inclination, impact on tourist destination, hygiene and accommodation, impact on life, impact on tourism, and mode of tourism. Impact on life and impact on tourism were attributed to the general impact dimension; tourism inclination and mode of tourism can be summarized as attitude and preference. Food and accommodation were assigned to hygiene and safety dimensions. In almost all aspects, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s lives was greater for Asian respondents. Asian respondents were more likely to say that they would avoid COVID-19-affected areas when choosing tourist destinations in the future, and avoid travelling to crowded large cities after COVID-19 ended. European survey participants’ responses were more moderate.

Сфера туризма сталкивается с беспрецедентной проблемой коронавирусной болезни 2019 года (Covid-19), вызванной тяжелым острым респираторным синдромом коронавируса 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Целью данной статьи является анализ влияние пандемии Covid-2019 на состояние и развитие сферы туризма. Было проанализировано влияние пандемий на развитие туризма, рассмотрено влияние пандемии Covid-2019 на состояние и развитие сферы туризма – турпотока, поступления от международного туризма. Был проанализировано видение развития туризма и сопряженных с ними отраслей, цепочки создания добавленной стоимости в условиях пандемии в некоторых странах на начало мая 2020 года. Выявлены основные подходы к ограничительным мерам. Представлены возможные прогнозы развития сферы туризма после пандемии Covid-2019. Проанализированы государственные меры по поддержанию экономики в целом и в частности сферы туризма.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected farmworkers in the United States and Europe, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the specific impact of the pandemic on agriculture and food production workers in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and assess the mental health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among avocado farmworkers in Michoacan, Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult farmworkers (n = 395) in May 2021. We collected survey data, nasal swabs and saliva samples for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection, and blood samples for immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactivity measurements. None of the farmworkers tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. However, among unvaccinated farmworkers (n = 336, 85%), approximately one-third (33%) showed evidence of past infection (positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2). Unvaccinated farmworkers who lived with other farmworkers (aRR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.05), had ever lived with someone with COVID-19 (aRR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.43), and who had diabetes (aRR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.53, 2.85) had a higher risk of testing IgG-positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, unvaccinated farmworkers living in more rural areas (outside of Tingambato or Uruapan) (aRR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.96) or cooking with wood-burning stove (aRR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.96) had a lower risk of IgG-positivity. Moreover, 66% of farmworkers reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their lives, 29% reported experiencing food insecurity and difficulty paying bills, and 10% reported depression or anxiety symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health and financial well-being of avocado farmworkers. Consequently, the implementation of interventions and prevention efforts, such as providing mental health support and food assistance services, is imperative.

The disruption in the lives of students around the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been considered the largest disruption in the history of formal education. Schools and Universities were closed for several months almost everywhere around the globe. The students of Nepalese universities were also affected by this pandemic. In this context, using the data enumerated from 89 undergraduate students studying at undergraduate programs in the School of Development and Social Engineering, Pokhara University by means of an online survey, this study has explored the means of accessing online classes and assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic performance of undergraduate students. This study revealed that the Zoom platform, smartphones and tablets, Wi-Fi, and electricity were the major means to attend online classes. Despite many negative effects of the pandemic on different aspects of life, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive impact on their academic performance. However, the study did not find significant gender and rural-urban differences in the impact of the pandemic on the academic performance of students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of people's lives and territories. It has a destabilizing effect on the economy due to both direct and indirect factors. In order to develop an effective policy to combat such emergencies, the problem of studying its consequences seems urgent.To form effective responses to the consequences of the pandemic, adequate scientific tools are needed to assess them. In many of the studies conducted, the impact of the pandemic was assessed without considering the previously existing socio-economic trends in the regions.The purpose of the article is to conduct a retrospective analysis of the consequences of economic instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the socio-economic development of the region on the example of the Sverdlovsk region. The monthly values of twelve main socio-economic indicators from January 2016 to December 2021 were analyzed. The study is based on the use of regression models with dummy variables and seasonal autoregression for forecasting, which allow considering the seasonal dependence of socio-economic indicators.To determine the seasonality of individual indicators, a graphical method, autocorrelation correlograms and spectral analysis were used. When determining the uniformity between the predicted and actual values during the pandemic, the parametric Student's criterion and the nonparametric Wilcoxon criterion were applied, which allowed us to obtain a statistically significant result regardless of the normality of the compared aggregates.The retrospective analysis made it possible to establish a significant heterogeneous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on most of the analyzed spheres of life in the Sverdlovsk region.

Background Data from European studies suggest that well-being declined during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic's consequences on an overall nations’ well-being remains inadequately explored, especially over time. This study aims to map the long-term impact of the pandemic on the subjective well-being (SWB) of Belgian citizens. Methods Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, data were collected in representative samples of the Belgian population at 5 different time points during the period from February 2020 until December 2022. Life evaluation was measured with the Cantril ladder. Positive and negative affect were assessed with the short version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. ANOVA were used to evaluate the evolution in SWB. Moderation analyses were performed to investigate the differential impact of the pandemic for different age categories. Results Our results show that the pandemic negatively impacted the SWB of the Belgian population. Life evaluation (F(4,7605)=18.12, p&amp;lt;.001) and positive affect (F(4,7605)=16.83, p&amp;lt;.001) significantly decreased during the second wave and after the fourth wave compared to before the pandemic with a decline of .52 and .37 points respectively for life evaluation and a decline of .18 and .42 points respectively for positive affect (both on a scale between 0 and 10). No statistically significant differences in negative affect were found (F(4,7605)=1.08, p = 0.363). Citizens over the age of 50 appeared to be more resilient than younger citizens as the negative impact of the pandemic was either smaller or delayed in this group for all SWB indicators. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic clearly impacted the SWB of the Belgian population, and particularly the well-being of younger individuals suffered. We urge policymakers to consider all aspects of health during pandemics and to attend in particular the mental health needs of younger members of their society. Key messages • The COVID-19 pandemic and its related measures negatively impacted the well-being of the Belgian population, with younger individuals being more susceptible to the negative effects of the pandemic. • We urge policymakers and governments to consider all aspects of health during pandemics and to attend in particular the mental health needs of younger members of their society.

PurposeTo investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on middle-aged and older patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) who underwent spinal fusion.MethodsThe subjects were 252 AIS patients who underwent spinal fusion between 1968 and 1988. The surveys were performed before the COVID-19 pandemic (a primary survey in 2014) and during the pandemic (a secondary survey in 2022). The self-administered questionnaires were mailed to the patients. We analyzed 35 patients (33 females and two males) who replied to both surveys.ResultsThe pandemic had low impacts on 11 patients (31.4%). Two patients reported refraining from seeing a doctor because they were concerned about going to the clinic or hospital, eight reported that the pandemic impacted their work, and five reported fewer opportunities to go out (based on multiple-choice answers). Twenty-four patients reported that their lives were unaffected by the pandemic. No significant differences were detected between both surveys for Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) in any domains (function, pain, self-image, mental, or satisfaction). The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaires revealed a significant worsening of the survey during the pandemic compared with the survey before the pandemic. There was no significant difference in the impact of the pandemic between the ODI deterioration group (27.8%) and the ODI stable group (35.3%).ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic had a low impact on 31.4% of middle-aged and older patients with AIS who underwent spinal fusion. The impact of the pandemic did not significantly differ between the groups with ODI deteriorations and the groups with stable ODI. The pandemic had a smaller impact on AIS patients at a minimum of 33 years after surgery.

The article discusses the issue of social exclusion of elderly people in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author relies on the concept that defines social exclusion as a mechanism for separating a certain group of people from an integral community. Using the example of several respondents, the article examines the effects that social exclusion of elderly people creates in rural areas, as well as possible ways of their adaptation that can minimise it. The empirical basis of the work is collected by the author 20 semi-structured interviews with elderly people living in rural areas in the Republic of Karelia and 20 diaries of their observations. When analysing interviews and diaries, a thematic method was used. The main result of the study is the identification of various fears and characteristics of the perception of social exclusion as a condition associated with changes in the habitual everyday life, as well as the lifestyle of respondents due to isolation. The main conclusion highlights the various fears presented in the perceptions of social exclusion by elderly people associated with changes in the usual everyday life due to isolation. The study also identifies the most effective ways for adaptation of elderly people to minimise their social exclusion: expanding communication with neighbours, translating communication into digital format. The data obtained by the author also allow us to draw a conclusion about changes in the sociological consideration of ageing. It becomes not a state of inclusiveness and activity, integration of elderly people into society, as modern concepts and approaches denote it (for example, the concept of active longevity), but a state that is primarily determined by physical weakness. The need for isolation, as well as limitation of activity, is becoming a forced measure that negatively affects older people and the characteristics of their perception of their age and the situation of a pandemic. This work contributes to the latest research into the understanding of ageing in the context of forced social exclusion in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The environmentally sound invention (ESI) is a "bridge" between environmental sound technologies (ESTs) and green productions. This study investigates the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on ESI efficiency using a multi-methods model in three stages. The ESI efficiency is measured using the Slack-Based Measure (SBM) method in the first stage. By excluding the environmental effect of the pandemic on each province using the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model's results in the second stage, this study compares the ESI efficiency change with or without the influence of the pandemic in the third stage. The results show that the pandemic can be a "crisis" in the short term, but an "opportunity" in the long term. First, the SBM efficiency results in the first stage show a decrease in the number of the average efficient provinces in which the pandemic is more severe during 2020-2021. Second, results of the spatial Tobit and SFA models provide evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts the ESI efficiency during 2020, this impact is decreasing in 2021, and this impact has a spatial diffusion effect. Based on these results, this study discussed the theoretical and political implications. This paper enriches the knowledge of ESTs research and development by proposing a three-stage approach with multi-methods to investigate the influence of the pandemic's impact on ESI efficiency.

Abstract: The global economic landscape has been significantly influenced by health pandemics, leading to heightened uncertainties. Using data from past epidemics and economic downturns, this research paper examines the repercussions of these health crises on global economies. Prominent among these health crises is the 1918 influenza epidemic, which Garrett (2008) reveals had severe impacts on investment, human capital, and consumer behaviour. In more recent history, the SARS outbreak in 2003, as analysed by Lee and McKibbin (2004), cost the world an estimated USD 40 billion, highlighting the tangible economic costs of health pandemics. COVID-19, emerging at the end of 2019, has created another layer of global economic uncertainty. Containment measures such as lockdowns and social distancing have led to a ripple effect, causing a downturn in various economic sectors. To better understand the scale of this uncertainty, this study employs the newly developed World Pandemic UncertaintyIndex (WPUI) – a tool introduced in 2020 specifically to measure the economic and political uncertainties introduced by pandemics.A crucial focus of the research is the impact of health pandemics on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). FDI, a major non-debt financial resource, plays an instrumental role in the economic development of nations. It introduces technical know- how, generates employment, and can be seen as a barometer of a country's economic health. Using the WPUI, the study investigates the consequences of health pandemics on FDI in 142 countries from 1996 to 2019. It identifies patterns in different regions and economic brackets,adding new insights to existing literature. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global foreign direct investment (FDI), causing disruptions in both inflows and outflows across countries and regions. This study, drawing from quantitative data from the World Bank and UNCTAD and qualitative insights from FDI experts, examines the extent and nature of this impact from 2019-2023. Results indicate a pronounced decline in FDI flows in 2020 and 2021, with varying impacts based on regional development, economic structures, and exposure to the pandemic. Factors such as digitalisation, diversification, and cooperation have influenced these FDI trends. This researchoffers valuable insights for policymakers navigating the post-pandemic FDI landscape, emphasising the need for further studies on the long-term effects of the pandemic on FDI dynamics. The study further narrows down its focus to India, analysing the FDI trends before and after the advent of COVID-19. Secondary data sources, including RBI bulletins and economic survey reports, provide insights into FDI equity inflows during the pandemic. Preliminary results suggest a considerable dip in FDI equity inflows at the onset of the pandemic. However, there's a noticeable recovery in the second quarter of FY-20, aided in part by significant investments, such as Google's $10 billion injection into the Indian market.In light of these findings, the study offers several solutions to mitigate the impact of pandemics on FDI. These range from promoting investment stability, diversifying investment promotion, and supporting digital transformations, to ensuring global health preparedness and implementing robust economic recovery plans. Effective execution of these strategies, tailored to a country's specific needs, can create an environment more receptive to foreign investment