COVID-19 Epidemic Research Articles

Vicarious Acquisition of Learned Helplessness During the COVID-19 Campus Epidemics in China: Interactions Between Embodied and Mediated Experiences

ABSTRACT Numerous universities nationwide announced urgent implementation of closed campus management due to the epidemics of COVID-19 in Chinese universities since March 2022, and a large number of students were under quarantine. This study aims to explore how embodied experiences (i.e., centralized quarantine and self-quarantine) and mediated experiences (i.e., exposure to media sources, pandemic information overload, and online help seeking) influence the acquisition of learned helplessness during the campus epidemics among the Chinese university students, besides, how do these two types of experiences interact with each other to elicit learned helplessness is another interested research question. The data was collected nationwide via an online survey platform from March 22nd to April 16 2022 immediately after the outbreak of campus epidemics. A total of 1267 valid student samples were retained. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that embodied experience of centralized quarantine is positively related to learned helplessness. Mediated experience of information access from friends on social media and government official media as well as online help seeking are negatively related to learned helplessness. Information access from overseas media and pandemic information overload are positively related to learned helplessness. Besides, the interaction between self-quarantine and pandemic information overload is positively related to learned helplessness. Theoretical contributions and intervention strategies aimed at enhancing authoritative communication and managing information overload during public health crisis were discussed.

Psychosocial Workloads and Resilience of Heads of Municipal Public Health Authorities in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceptions of Operational Organization, Communication, and Measures

Healthcare professionals are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues during epidemics, as evidenced by the COVID-19 crisis. German public health authorities, crucial for disease prevention, faced significant strain from chronic understaffing and resource limitations exacerbated by the pandemic. The study was designed as a cross-sectional, observational online survey. This study conducted an online needs assessment survey among heads of municipal public health authorities in Thuringia, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, and Berlin between June and November 2023. Of the 191 contacted authorities, 74 responses (38.7%) were analyzed, focusing on professional demands, recognition, stress resilience, general life satisfaction, operational organization, and communication during the pandemic. Validated scales such as ERI, RS-13, L-1, and the COVID-19 add-on module of the COPSOQ were utilized. Statistical tests included descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, Chi-Square tests, linear regression, T-tests, and ANOVA with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Respondents were mainly from North Rhine-Westphalia (43.3%) and Bavaria (24.3%), predominantly female (54.1%), and had a mean age of 52.7 years. The majority were medical specialists (71.9%). The RS-13 mean score was 72.66 (SD = 12.42), with 58.9% demonstrating high stress resilience. Public health degree holders showed the highest resilience. The ER-ratio indicated high effort versus reward for 96.7% of heads. Larger districts showed lower ER-ratios, suggesting resilient organizational structures. The study highlights high psychosocial workload and resilience among German public health authority heads during COVID-19, suggesting the need for optimized crisis management and scalable staffing for future pandemics and crises.

Regionalism under test: justifying initial regional responses to the global Covid-19 crisis in Latin America

ABSTRACT This article explores the distinctive features of Latin American regionalism by examining its rhetorical justifications during the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic offered an exceptional opportunity to witness the professed role of regional organizations in the Global South as bridges between national and international systems: how this role is discursively constructed and the practical limitations it faces in times of disruption. We address different attempts to (self-)justify the relevance of regionalist visions, analyzing how three (inter-)regional organizations of the Americas reacted discursively to the global public health crisis: the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Ibero-American Summits (SEGIB). We examine three features that have traditionally shaped Latin American visions of regionalism: coping with world hegemony; striving for regional autonomy; and expressing transnational solidarity. The findings provide insights for further understanding the legitimation of regional and global governance under conditions of uncertainty.

Challenges in evaluating neurological patients in the era of Telemedicine

Telemedicine offers multiple advantages to bothpractitioners and patients with chronic diseases, includingParkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiplesclerosis. There is an insufficient number of neurologistsproviding routine follow-up care for such individuals, andsuch complex cases require specialist attention. With theCOVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine in neurology has beenmore widely implemented. Convenience and safety mayoutweigh the limitations for most, including impaireddiagnostic accuracy for specific symptoms, limited use oftelemedicine in the first week of illness for newly diagnosedpatients, and impracticality for patients in nursinghomes .

Navigating the COVID-19 crisis: exploring care arrangements and gendered inequalities for migrant women in transnational families in Berlin

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a notable shift in care responsibilities, transferring them from institutions to families, with a pronounced impact on migrant women in transnational families who navigate both local and transnational care arrangements. This study explored how the pandemic affected women's care arrangements and exacerbated existing inequalities at the intersection of labour, migration, and welfare regimes. Following a qualitative methodology based on grounded theory and ethnography, this study analysed interviews with migrant women, their family members, and experts to understand their experiences with caregiving and transnational family dynamics during the pandemic, the costs and coping strategies related to gendered aspects of care, and the changing landscape of migration and care policies during the pandemic. This study scrutinised the intricate web of local and transnational caregiving structures, emphasising women's agency in negotiating care needs amid pandemic restrictions and constraints on access to formal social protection.

Demystification of Readiness, Security, and Technological Enhancements in the Adoption of a Cashless Economy

The adoption of a cashless economy was accelerated globally by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brunei Darussalam was not excluded from this trend, as pandemic-related restrictions were implemented to ensure the safety of its population. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, this research paper examines the factors influencing the readiness and acceptance of a cashless economy among working society in Brunei Darussalam. The integrated concepts of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Technology Readiness Index (TRI) are applied to examine perceptions impacting their acceptance and readiness to continue adopting a cashless economy. The methodology includes a literature review and the use of secondary data from government reports and industry publications. A quantitative approach is employed, utilizing an online survey to collect non-probability samples from 212 respondents. The main instruments used in the survey are structured questionnaires. The study’s findings show that factors such as the assessment of payment modes, technological development, digital literacy, knowledge, regulatory policies, and security concerns significantly affect working society’s perceptions, readiness, and acceptance of a cashless economy. These results provide insights for policymakers and stakeholders on the key factors influencing continued cashlessness adoption and shaping societal behavior towards cashless payments.

55 Post-pandemic paediatric asthma admissions: Clinical characteristics and outcomes of children hospitalized with asthma in 2022: The READAPT-Kids study cohort

Abstract Background Asthma exacerbations triggered by acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a major cause of hospitalizations in children. There were large reductions in asthma admission during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Following the relaxation of public health interventions, there was a resurgence in admissions for ARIs. The effect of this rebound in ARIs on asthma management practices and outcomes is not well understood. Objectives To describe sociodemographic characteristics, etiology, management, and clinical outcomes of children and youth under the age of 18 years admitted to a tertiary care paediatric hospital with an acute asthma exacerbation from July 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022. Design/Methods An observational cohort study of children and youth less than 18 years, hospitalized with an acute asthma exacerbation from July 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022 at a single large Canadian children’s hospital. This was a subgroup analysis of the READAPT-Kids study cohort (Clinical chaRacteristics and outcomEs of hospitAlized children with Acute resPiratory infecTions.) Cases were identified using ICD-10-CA codes, then manually screened for inclusion. Detailed clinical and demographic information was extracted. Results Among 551 patients hospitalized with an ARI, 29.2% (n=161) were diagnosed with an asthma exacerbation. 99 were male (61.5%) with a median age of 3.8 years (IQR 2.2-6.3). 41.3% (n=64) had a previously documented asthma history, and of those, only 16.9% were taking any form of asthma therapy at admission. In hospital, 91.4% were given systemic corticosteroids, 86.5% had at least 1 viral pathogen identified, 72.2% had a chest x ray, 42.1% received antibiotics, and 23.7% had high flow nasal cannula oxygen outside of the paediatric intensive care (PICU). 22.4% (n=36), were admitted to the PICU, and 3.7% required invasive mechanical ventilation, there were no patient deaths. Median length of stay was 2.6 days (IQR 1.7–4.6 days). At discharge, 79.5% were prescribed regular inhaled corticosteroid therapy. Conclusion Asthma admissions accounted for a significant proportion of children hospitalized with ARIs in the post-pandemic era, with one fifth requiring transfer to PICU. CXR and antibiotic usage were high. Over 80% of those with a previous diagnosis of asthma were not taking inhaled corticosteroids at the time of admission.

Racial biases in clinical practice and medical education: a scoping review

IntroductionHealth inequalities represent a major challenge in contemporary medicine, with some attributed to racial biases. Recently, in the United States, a call to combat discrimination in the field of health has resonated, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, in which minorities have been disproportionately affected. These calls echo recommendations from the Institute of Medicine dating back to 2001, urging the fight against inequalities in access to health care. In France, inequalities based on presumed origin persist, yet medical education on these issues is virtually nonexistent.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a scoping review literature review in accordance with the JBI recommendations for scoping review writing and applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist to explore existing conceptual and educational data on racial biases in medicine. The inclusion criteria were interventional studies or evaluations of existing educational programs in medical training addressing the fight against racial biases in clinical settings published in French or English between 2003 and 2023. Six databases were systematically consulted.ResultsOut of 748 initial studies, 28 were included in our study. The median number of participants in the studies was low, interventions were diverse, and participants were generally well received, most of whom were self-selected. No study has evaluated the clinical impact of these interventions. The highlighted concepts included levels of racism, cultural competence, cultural humility, and critical race theory.DiscussionThe authors most frequently referred to institutionalized racism, demonstrating the systemic nature of these issues. At an individual level, implicit and unconscious biases were most often emphasized. It appears that the concept of “race” is a sociopolitical construct without supporting biological determinants. Humility is central to this field of study, as it encourages questioning of individual or collective medical practices. In France, the context, including the prohibition of ethnic statistics, may hinder the objectification of discrimination. Immersion and virtual patient scenarios emerged as potential solutions for evaluating the clinical impact of interventions. A more horizontal medical pedagogy seems better suited to teach these sensitive issues.

The Impact of the Corona virus and trade credit on the profitability and value of companies

This study aimed to identify the impact of the Corona virus and commercial credit risks on the profitability and value of companies. The problem of the study was the presence of real risks that threaten the profitability of companies resulting from commercial credit risks and the Corona crisis. The study adopted the descriptive analytical approach, and the study population represents commercial companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, and the study concluded with a set of results, the most important of which are: the presence of a significant impact of commercial credit risks on the profitability and value of companies, the existence of a statistically significant relationship between commercial credit risks and corporate profitability, and the study proved the existence of a negative correlation between credit risk and the Corona crisis as an independent variable and between companies’ profitability as a variable. continued. The study recommended that companies should review the mechanisms and procedures taken to confront the risks of commercial credit on the profitability of companies, and review the mechanisms and procedures taken to confront the risks of the Corona crisis on the profitability and value of companies.

Environmental Attitudes, Concerns, and Behaviors Across Survey Modes. Assessing Selection and Measurement Biases in ISSP 2020 ‘Push-to-Web’ Surveys

How much does survey mode matter for predicting environmental attitudes and behaviors? It is essential to consider the influence of survey mode on the measurement of variables, particularly given the increasing popularity of web-based data collection following the Covid crisis. In 2020, several ISSP countries adopted a mixed-mode design, combining web and paper surveys for the Environment IV module. While mixed-mode data collection can reduce mode-specific errors, its success depends on accurately estimating and adjusting for selection and measurement differences between the modes. Failing to do so can increase the Total Survey Error, compromising the accuracy and reliability of the data. In this article, we examine selection and measurement differences in the web and paper modes in the Environment IV data from Switzerland and Finland. Register data are used as a benchmark to estimate selection biases in key socio-demographic variables, and we use these estimates to disentangle mode measurement effects from other sources of error. While we find that age, education, and labor market status account for selection effects across modes, we do not find significant differences in the measurement of environmental attitudes and behaviors across modes once the selection effect is controlled for. Mixing online and paper modes should thus not compromise data quality by introducing measurement biases for environmental variables.

Unraveling gender differences in entrepreneurial exits: The role of human capital and family situation during an unprecedented crisis

This study applies a gender role perspective to delve into disparities in entrepreneurial exit decisions during unprecedented crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper examines how human capital and family dynamics—encompassing family income and size—interact with evolving social roles and responsibilities. Using multinomial estimation techniques and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey data from Chile, our findings reveal that women entrepreneurs display a higher likelihood of business exits compared to their male counterparts. Further analysis with moderating variables shows that the gender coefficient is not significant and unveils a non-linear pattern tied to educational backgrounds. Specifically, women with elementary education are prone to discontinuing businesses due to the COVID-19 crisis, with a similar—though weaker—tendency observed among women with tertiary education. Women with medium education levels do not significantly differ from men in terms of business closures due to COVID-19. Additionally, family size disproportionately affects women, amplifying the likelihood of business exits during the COVID-19 crisis compared to men. The paper offers actionable insights for researchers and policymakers, emphasizing the pressing need to augment women's entrepreneurial resilience in the face of unforeseen crises.

To What Extent Can Digital Health Technologies Comply With the Principles of Responsible Innovation? Practice-and Policy-Oriented Research Insights Regarding an Organisational and Systemic Issue

Background: Digital health technologies (DHTs) have expanded exponentially since the COVID-19 crisis and have prompted questions about their impact across all levels of health systems. Because health organisations and systems play a central role in the success or failure of the transition to more equitable and sustainable societies, the concept of Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH), focused on aligning the processes and outcomes of innovation with societal values, is gaining interest in research, policy, and practice. This study aims to explore enablers and constraints to the development, procurement and/or utilisation of responsible DHTs in health organisations. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 stakeholders concerned with the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of DHTs in a large Canadian academic health centre. Data were thematically analysed through a mixed deductive-inductive process using the RIH framework. Results: Our findings highlight that the consideration of RIH principles in the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of DHTs depends mainly on organisational and systemic factors and conditions, namely: (1) the presence of an organisational culture that promotes RIH in its innovation-related practices and processes; (2) availability of material and financial resources as well as expertise in certain fields (eg, environmental sustainability); (3) the evolution of health technology assessment (HTA) practices to include other dimensions beyond effectiveness, safety, and costs; (4) the scope of the regulatory and legal frameworks that govern the approval and use of DHTs; and (5) the role of the market (eg, venture capital) in the design of federal and provincial innovation policies. Conclusion: This study provides insights on practice, policy, and political issues that health organisations may face in the development, procurement, and/or utilisation of responsible DHTs. It can help scholars, practitioners, decision-makers, and industry to create the conditions for a better integration of RIH principles into health organisations and systems.

Regions and the European Union in times of crisis: A decline of the regional interest?

Abstract The article examines the evolving role of regions in the EU integration process, particularly in light of recent crises, such as the euro and COVID-19 crises. Historically, EU regional studies have emphasized the importance of regions in EU identity and integration, highlighting their role in regional and cohesion policies as key to a multilevel governance system. However, the euro crisis marked a significant shift, as the European Union’s response—focusing on fiscal discipline—curtailed regions’ budgetary autonomy, especially in Southern Europe. In contrast, the COVID-19 crisis prompted a different approach, with the EU relaxing fiscal controls and increasing public expenditure through initiatives like the Recovery Plan for Europe. Despite these measures, the article argues that state interests continue to dominate, sidelining regional voices in the new institutional structures. The article focuses on two critical aspects: the formal participation of regions in EU governance, particularly in the Economic and Monetary Union and the new pandemic-related frameworks, and the impact of these crises on EU regional policy. The findings suggest a decline in regional influence both in institutional participation and in regional policy resources, marking a regression from pre-crisis trends. While the article does not cover a broader multipolicy analysis or the national-level role of regions, it indicates that the post-crisis era has been challenging for regions in maintaining their relevance and influence within the EU framework. The article thus contributes to the discourse on whether the European Union’s interest in regions has diminished, signaling a potential shift in the balance of power within the EU integration process.

Shaping caring cities: A study of community-based mutual support networks in post-pandemic Madrid

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of community-based mutual support networks in shaping caring cities. Taking four neighborhoods in Madrid as a case study, we investigate the dynamics, organization, and impact of these networks in addressing vulnerabilities and fostering resilience within the city. In Madrid, community support networks, herein also referred to as “care networks,” emerged as key actors in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable populations. We document how they establish relations with the existing social services to show that public-common partnerships may be a way to tackle future crises. Politicizing care at the level of the commons helps ensure better attention is paid to vulnerability, understood as both a human condition and a political issue that must be addressed collectively. Their repertory of action, part of a micro-local geopolitics of care which ought to be care-fully described, contributes to the development of a theory of urban care in the commons.

COVID-19-induced extracorporeal circulation coagulation during continuous renal replacement therapy: A cross-sectional study.

After the control policies of the COVID-19 epidemic were lifted in China from December 5th, 2022, there was an increase in the demand for hemodialysis and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) at our center, and patients experienced hypercoagulable blood states more frequently. This study aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on extracorporeal coagulation during CRRT. All CRRT records were gathered from the Hemodialysis Center at our hospital from December 5th, 2022 to February 4th, 2023, and analyzed the incidence and risk factors associated with extracorporeal coagulation. COVID-19 substantially increased the likelihood of extracorporeal coagulation during CRRT. Venous pressure and transmembrane pressure were proportional to the severity of extracorporeal coagulation. Additionally, non-tunnel type conduit vascular access, and acute kidney injury had a positive correlation with the severity of coagulation. Blood tests demonstrated that COVID-19 altered 4 coagulation indices. Moreover, mitigation of coagulation can be achieved through increasing the dosage of low molecular weight heparin and administering regional citrate anticoagulation. Patients who fail anticoagulation may be switched to peritoneal dialysis. In conclusion, COVID-19 poses a heightened risk of extracorporeal coagulation during CRRT. This study underscores the importance of anticoagulant treatment in CRRT for infected patients with kidney failure and holds significant implications for clinical practice. In future, the epidemics of COVID-19 or any other pandemic, the metrics in this study can be referenced to determine coagulation risk, as well as relevant therapeutic practices may be considered.

Riding out the Storm: How State-Owned Enterprises in China Fought the COVID Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted economic and social activities worldwide, exposing and exacerbating inherent flaws in the capitalist system. The pandemic’s devastating impact highlights the need for the state and its institutional agencies to actively intervene in public health crises and mitigate the economic damage they cause. This article situates the effectiveness and contribution of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the context of the COVID crisis in China. It first examines how SOEs successfully mobilized their productive capacity at the beginning of the pandemic. Using empirical evidence from publicly listed companies, we then demonstrate how SOEs engaged in countercyclical investment when private investment collapsed. The evidence suggests that SOEs served as a crucial instrument in strengthening social and economic stability, which helped China ride out the COVID storm. We conclude that SOEs are vital for achieving stable social and economic performance in a neoliberal global economy. JEL Classification: E11, O47, P31

Navigating in Turbulent Times: Using Social Media to Examine Small and family-Owned Business Topics and Sentiments during the COVID-19 Crisis

Navigating in Turbulent Times: Using Social Media to Examine Small and family-Owned Business Topics and Sentiments during the COVID-19 Crisis

Medical students' perception of mobile learning during COVID-19 in Iran: A national study.

Mobile learning has gained significant attention in medical education in recent years. The COVID-19 crisis has further accelerated its adoption. A lack of research on student perceptions of mobile learning during pandemics limits strategies for maintaining education during these times. This study examines the perceptions of medical students in Iran regarding the mobile learning during COVID-19. It is imperative that these perceptions are understood to optimize mobile learning effectiveness in medical education during disruptions. A cross-sectional study was done in 2022 among 785 medical students in Iran who spent summer semester. Convenience sampling was used to select the sample. We used Biswas et al.'s scale for measuring medical students' perceptions of mobile learning during pandemics. Face and content validity was determined by qualitative methods. Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's Alpha (0.79). Data was collected through an online questionnaire. To analyze the data, descriptive and analytical statistics were conducted with SPSS software at a significance level of p<0.05. In total, 1,200 medical students were asked to complete the survey, and 785 responded, resulting in a 65.4% response rate. Mobile learning has been embraced by majority of medical students, with Android devices being used the most frequently. They also have frequent access to the internet, and they rely on a wide range of apps and platforms for academic purposes. Students perceive mobile devices to be highly advantageous for improving subject knowledge (Mean = 4.71±0.58), accessing study materials (Mean = 4.44±0.75), and providing flexible learning opportunities (Mean = 4.40±0.79). Despite this, participants were less confident about the ability of mobile devices to assist with specific study problems (Mean = 3.12 ± 1.28), facilitate class discussions (Mean = 3.33 ± 1.38), and overcome screen size limitations (Mean = 3.32 ± 1.38). Medical students in Iran have widely adopted mobile learning and perceive it as beneficial for acquiring knowledge, accessing material, and being flexible during COVID-19. M-learning's effectiveness in specific learning activities must be investigated in further research, and concerns regarding problem-solving, discussion facilitation, and screen size limitations should be addressed.

Crisis as inflection point in the urban governance of domestic migration in India: a policy frames analysis

The exodus of millions of domestic migrants from Indian cities during COVID-19 highlighted the failure of urban governance to address their vulnerabilities and reconfirmed that migrant integration is an intractable policy problem, where actors take oppositional and irresolvable positions. Drawing on frame analysis, which outlines agenda-setting aspects of complex policy issues, this paper explores the ideas, perceptions and beliefs of diverse governance actors – politicians, bureaucrats and civil society members – and questions whether the COVID-19 migrant crisis generated new directions in the urban governance of migration. Results show that the COVID-19 crisis generated framing contests around the role of cities in migrant inclusion that shaped new governance agendas regarding improving urban services and welfare delivery. However, owing to a persistent belief in rural sedentarism, COVID-19 failed to act as a tipping point for definitive policy towards improved urban governance of migration. The findings suggest that deeper analysis of policy frames can enrich literature on the governance of domestic migration and encourage theoretical convergences between domestic and international migration.

Digital retailing practices for triggering physical retailers’ bounce-back and bounce-forward performance against a great shock: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper explores the mapping from specific digitalization practices to specific resilient performance against a great shock. Based on an adapted structure–conduct–performance framework, this paper hypothesizes by theoretically analyzing how the pre-shock establishment of digital retailing practices could trigger physical retailers’ bounce-back and bounce-forward performance against the COVID-19 crisis. Using a difference-in-differences strategy, the hypotheses are examined with a sample including 549 observations of 50 Chinese listed retailers from the first quarter of 2018 to the third quarter of 2020. The empirical results mainly indicate the following binary findings. First, regardless of the differences in triggering bounce-back performance, different digital retailing practices are found to be effective in triggering physical retailers’ bounce-forward performance against the COVID-19 crisis. This somewhat addresses the concern about the temporality of digitalization-enabled resilience by revealing the generality across digital retailing practices in the sense of triggering resilient performance. Second, it is shown that physical retailers’ bounce-back performance at a specific stage of the COVID-19 crisis could only be triggered by digital retailing practices that coincidentally apply to the shock-induced market structure changes at the stage. The results emphasize each digitalization practice’s individuality in triggering resilient performance. This justifies the non-negligibility of the direct mapping from specific digitalization practices to specific resilient performance in digitalization-enabled resilience evaluation.