COVID-19 Health Crisis Research Articles

Social Protection in the health and humanitarian crisis of COVID-19 in the artisanal fishing territories at Resex Acaú-Goiana, Paraíba, Pernambuco - BRAZIL

This article results from the research entitled “Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the socio-territorial management of social protection in the Resex Acaú-Goiana, Paraíba, Pernambuco” (PIBIC/CNPq/UFPB, 2021-2022). The objective was to analyze the impacts of COVID-19 on socio-territorial management from the construction of the Ecosocial Ethnomapping and the study of plans to contain the health crisis in the Resex, together with the Associação das Marisqueiras de Acaú-PB and public agents. Fishing communities, in addition to the ecosystem services provided to nature and society, symbolize a historic and traditional life. The methodological procedures of the quantitative and qualitative type, of a descriptive, exploratory nature, comprised the realization of Guided Tours, free interviews and questionnaires to experienced fisherwomen, gathering information that contributed to the construction of a systematized diagnosis. The results show that most artisanal fisherwomen have social markers that corroborate with a historical lack of social protection experienced in their territories, which were aggravated by the socio-sanitary crisis of COVID-19. There is a racialization of artisanal fisherwomen, 88.90% declare themselves to be black, brown or brown, 55.60% are between 30 and 50 years old, and 55.60% have practiced artisanal fishing for more of 40 years. The study points out that artisanal fisherwoman enjoy restricted access to social policies that guarantee constitutional rights that consider their demands and specificities.

Impact of a Brief Training on Mental Health Stakeholders’ Implementation of Evidence-Based Strategies for Trauma in the Caribbean Within the Context of COVID-19

Abstract. Objective: Lack of governmental funding/infrastructure for mental health has created urgent need for effective training in evidence-based treatments for trauma in the Caribbean for under-resourced providers. Furthermore, impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis on providers’ implementation of skills in this region are currently unknown. Method: We examined impacts of a one-day training workshop for stakeholders in the Caribbean providing psychoeducation on trauma and PTSD and training in short-term interventions. Participants ( n = 46) were surveyed at preworkshop and postworkshop and at 3-month and 6-month follow-up (which coincided with the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic) to assess retention of any changes in perceived knowledge about trauma/effective treatments and subsequent skill implementation. Results: Participants reported significant pre–post workshop increases in perceived knowledge (pre M = 31.61, post M = 44.63) about trauma and its effective treatments ( t[45] = −6.17, p < .001). This perceived knowledge was significantly maintained over time (3M M = 42.66, 6M M = 40.75). Furthermore, participants reported significant use of several of the strategies taught at the workshop at follow-up. Higher reported emotional distress related to the pandemic was associated with lower implementation at 6M, despite significant retention in perceived knowledge from the workshop ( B = −0.02, β = −1.55, p < .05). Conclusions: Brief trauma-focused trainings can be helpful for providers in under-resourced global settings with observable impact on implementation practices over time, but providers’ emotional distress stemming from public health crises can influence practice behaviors. Subsequent impacts on policy/budget allocations are discussed.

Protecting Whom, Why, and from What? The Dutch Government’s Politics of Abjection of Sex Workers in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sex workers in the Netherlands experienced severe financial and social distress during the COVID-19 health crisis. Notwithstanding them paying taxes over the earnings, they were excluded from government financial support, faced discriminatory treatment concerning safe reopening, and experienced increased repression and stigmatization. In this contribution, I explore whether the concept of “vulnerability” contributes to understanding (and addressing) that situation. Data acquired through participatory action research, partly taking place online during lock-down measures, and literature and content analysis show that labeling sex workers “vulnerable” deflects attention away from the (in)actions of Dutch authorities responsible for sex workers’ precarious conditions during the pandemic. Government denial and strategies of abjection explain these conditions better than “vulnerability” does, as they return the gaze to actors and processes accountable for sex workers’ exclusion and criminalization during the COVID-19 health crisis and thereby put responsibility where it belongs.

Off-the-Cuff Law-Making: Policing Pandemic Dispossession in Spain

This article presents a discussion concerning the role of police rationale(s) in Spain within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, where exceptionalist strategies aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus came to dramatically strengthen existing social divisions. In line with some authors who have already approached this phenomenon from different disciplines, our premise is that most serious emergencies boosted by Covid-19 were not a mere matter of public health, but rather a particularly harmful expression of accumulation by dispossession. Thus, rather than a flaw in the system produced by an exceptional friction between public security and public health, securitarian performances deployed by neoliberal states can be read as symbiotic strategies, from both law and order and business as usual approaches, to manage the social “externalities” of capitalist predatory strategies. As we will argue, phenomena such as the reinforcement of the policing consensus, police production of law, or the authoritarian turn favored by the Covid-19 health crisis must all be analyzed in this context.

Burnout and Brownout in Intensive Care Physicians in the Era of COVID-19: A Qualitative Study.

The health crisis has had a strong impact on intensive care units. The objective of this study was to investigate the experience of resuscitation physicians during the COVID-19 health crisis to understand the associated determinants of quality of life, burnout, and brownout. This qualitative, longitudinal study covered two periods (T1, February 2021, and T2, May 2021). The data were collected in individual semi-directed interviews with 17 intensive care physicians (ICPs) (T1). Nine of the latter also participated in a second interview (T2). The data were examined using grounded theory analysis. We identified a multiplication of burnout and brownout indicators and factors already known in intensive care. In addition, burnout and brownout indicators and factors specific to the COVID-19 crisis were added. The evolution of professional practices has disrupted the professional identity, the meaning of work, and the boundaries between private and professional life, leading to a brownout and blur-out syndrome. The added value of our study lies in identifying the positive effects of the crisis in the professional domain. Our study revealed indicators and factors of burnout and brownout associated with the crisis among ICPs. Finally, it highlights the beneficial effects of the COVID-19 crisis on work.

Management of e-mails by the Health Executive: The Case of the Executive Trainer at the Avicenne-Jean Verdier Nursing Training Institute

The Covid-19 health crisis, with containment measures that led to telecommuting, highlighted an activity that is not often considered in the workplace: email management. It has become an inescapable activity, which can be characterized as reviewing unprocessed e-mail and deciding what to do with it. E-mail management is an activity in its own right and is part of the activities of the health executive training health professionals in his missions. In carrying out their tasks, health professionals’ trainers have various correspondents with whom they have a hierarchical and/or functional relationship. In fact, he exchanges electronic messages with the hierarchy, his colleagues and with students. With the increase in telecommuting, it is difficult for the health professional trainer to differentiate between private and professional emails.

Happiness predicts compliance with preventive health behaviours during Covid-19 lockdowns

To combat the public health crisis of Covid-19, governments and public health officials have been asking individuals to substantially change their behaviours for prolonged periods of time. Are happier people more willing to comply with such measures? Using independent, large-scale surveys covering about 79,000 adult respondents across 29 countries, including longitudinal data from the UK, we find that life satisfaction predicts compliance with preventive health behaviours during Covid-19 lockdowns, especially the number of weekdays stood at home (β = 0.02, p < 0.01). The association is stronger for higher levels of life satisfaction (e.g. β = 0.19, p < 0.01, 7 on a 0-to-10 scale). Lower life satisfaction, on the contrary, predicts lower compliance (e.g. β = 0.02, p > 0.10, 2 on a 0-to-10 scale). We explore risk-avoidance and pro-social motivations for this relationship, and find suggestive evidence that people who are older or have certain medical preconditions seem to be behave in line with risk-avoidance, whereas motivations of people who are less at risk of Covid-19 seem more mixed. While it is difficult to estimate the relationship between life satisfaction and compliance behaviour due to potential confounders and unobserved heterogeneity, our findings suggest that life satisfaction is important, both for complying with preventive health measures and as a policy end in itself.

Pandemic Populism: Explaining Support for the People's Party of Canada in the 2021 Federal Election

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has seen opponents of public health mandates deploy a range of populist and anti-elite arguments. The 2021 Canadian federal election was an exceptional “pandemic election” in which the COVID-19 health crisis took centre stage. But the election campaign also saw the populist People's Party of Canada (PPC) rise to prominence by opposing pandemic-related public health restrictions. While the party failed to win a seat, it did manage to triple its vote share (1.6 per cent to 4.9 per cent). It is unclear, however, what factors led to the rise in support for the PPC. To explore this issue, we draw on an original post-election survey (n = 18,950) and focus on populist attitudes and opposition to COVID-19-related public health restrictions. Results from regression models and structural equation models (SEMs) indicate that opposition to public health restrictions was a much stronger factor than populism in shaping support for the PPC.

Foot reflexology for caregivers in palliative care

Foot reflexology is the use of massage and acupressure techniques on the feet, which represent each organ of the human body. The reflexologist knows precisely the anatomy of the body and the reflex points on the feet in order to relieve and treat the person's problems. A team from the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand shares a very positive experience, unfortunately interrupted by the Covid-19 health crisis.

Museu de Arte da UFC na pandemia de COVID-19: o uso do Instagram como ferramenta para a mediação da informação

Introdução: as restrições de acesso presencial em muitos espaços sociais devido à pandemia de Covid-19 trouxeram um grande desafio às organizações para interagir e atender às necessidades de seu público. O uso de mídias sociais se mostrou uma importante estratégia, sendo o Instagram uma das mais utilizadas. Desta forma, museus também tiveram que se adaptar a essa nova realidade. Este estudo de caso tem por objetivo investigar o uso do Instagram feito pelo Museu de Arte da Universidade Federal do Ceará como ferramenta de mediação da informação no período de março a abril de 2021. Método: foram realizadas revisão bibliográfica exploratória, coleta de dados nos perfis do museu no Instagram e aplicação de questionário. A abordagem foi do tipo qualitativa, com finalidade exploratória, e utiliza o estudo de caso como método. Realizou-se uma análise convergente dos dados coletados, desenvolvendo uma descrição do fenômeno. Resultados: apresentam que o Instagram foi utilizado como ferramenta recorrente no período pesquisado e trouxe diversos resultados positivos listados no artigo para a comunicação, interação e cumprimento da função educativa do Museu de Arte da UFC junto aos seus usuários. Conclusão: os museus, enquanto equipamentos que possibilitam a interação dos usuários com as diversas culturas, adaptaram-se às condições advindas da crise sanitária de Covid-19, o que suscita reflexões da reestruturação do papel de tais unidades enquanto essenciais para a educação do indivíduo.

Gender diversity and risk-taking: evidence from dual banking systems

Purpose This paper aims to examine the relationship between gender diversity and the risk profile of 141 listed banks from 14 emerging countries over the period of 2012–2020. Specifically, this study investigates whether the relationship between gender diversity and banking risk varies between Islamic banks and conventional banks, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim is to investigate whether COVID-19 health crisis moderates the effect of gender diversity on banks’ risk-taking behavior within a dual banking system. Design/methodology/approach This study derives its theoretical foundation from both the token theory and the critical mass theory. Both fixed and random effects are combined to examine the relationship between gender diversity and bank risk-taking in emerging countries. Findings The results show that female presence on the board of directors reduces banks' financial risk. However, the presence of women continues to positively affect the capital adequacy ratio of large banks. The results also show that the presence of at least two female directors significantly reduces banking risk. The findings support the expectations of the token and critical mass theories. In addition, the presence of female board members, per se, does not influence the risk-taking behavior of Islamic banks. Finally, this study demonstrates that the moderating role of the COVID-19 health crisis is only more effective for large banks than for small ones. The analyses demonstrate good reliability and robustness of the findings of this study. Practical implications The study provides novel insights for policymakers and practitioners on how female directors impact banks’ risk-taking behavior in dual-banking countries. It also contributes to the debate on gender diversity and corporate governance literature, which can help in monitoring bank risk-taking and improving financial stability. Originality/value This study presents new evidence about the importance of board gender diversity for bank risk-taking in a dual banking system by considering the moderating influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also contributes to the literature on bank risk-taking by applying two measures of gender diversity and a critical mass of women on boards.

Potential Strengths and Weaknesses in Hospital Resilience in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil: A Case Study

ABSTRACT The analysis of hospital resilience is essential in understanding how health services prepared for and responded to sudden shocks and unexpected challenges in the COVID-19 health crisis. This study aimed to analyze the resilience of a referral hospital in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main theoretical approach based on resilience is the system’s capacity to maintain essential functions and to absorb, adapt, and transform in the face of unprecedented or unexpected changes. A single case study approach was used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of this response capacity. Data triangulation was employed. Data were collected from April (beginning of case discharges) to October 2020 (decrease in the moving average of cases in 2020). A content analysis was then conducted. Data were analyzed in relation to context, effects, strategies, and impacts in facing the disruptions caused by the pandemic. The results indicated the occurrence of four configurations mostly favorable to hospital resilience during the study period. Among the main strengths were: injection of financial resources; implementation of new hospital protocols; formation of a support network; equipping and continuing education of professionals; and proactive leadership. Weaknesses found in the analysis included: initial insufficiency of personal protective equipment and confirmatory tests; difficulties in restructuring work schedules; increasing illness among professionals; stress generated by constant changes and work overload; sense of discrimination for being a health professional; lack of knowledge about the clinical management of the disease; and the reduction of non-COVID assistance services.

When the Going Gets Tough, Leaders Use Metaphors and Storytelling: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study on Communication in the Context of COVID-19 and Ukraine Crises

Metaphors and storytelling are important communication tools that play a significant role in leadership and organizational life. Leaders have used metaphors and storytelling to enhance their written and verbal communication from ancient times, since Aristotle, to the modern age. In the present research, we focus on the use of storytelling and metaphors by leaders in times of crisis. We perform a qualitative analysis of the public statements and addresses of the leaders of two different countries in the context of recent worldwide crises: The prime minister of Greece during the COVID-19 health crisis and the president of Ukraine during the outbreak of the conflict with Russia in 2022. Based on existing evidence, their effectiveness in convincing their subordinates and conveying their intended meaning either nationally or internationally during the aforementioned crises has been widely recognized. Our analysis reveals that both leaders have consistently utilized metaphors and storytelling in their efforts to be more convincing and empowering. We also find that the higher the intensity of the crisis, the more pronounced the use of metaphors and stories. We accordingly provide an analysis of the types and frequency of use of the aforementioned communication tools. Reflecting on our findings, we provide specific insight for practice by leaders, discuss theoretical implications, and suggest directions for future research.

Risk Narratives on Immigration During the COVID-19 Crisis in Italy: A Comparative Analysis of Facebook Posts Published by Politicians and by News media

This work explores how the narrative on immigration changes when society is threatened by “real” risks, i.e., during the COVID-19 health crisis. We compared the frequency and engagement of over 348,684 posts published on Facebook between December 2019 and November 2020 by Italian politicians and news media. We identified two waves of “tangible crisis” assuming that in these two periods the risk stemming from COVID-19 was strongly perceived by the Italian population, contrasting our observations to the periods preceding the first wave and between both waves. Our findings suggest that the political discourse and risk narratives on immigration decreased during times of “tangible crises” for right-wing populist parties and news media. This happened at a time when key policies regarding immigration and regularization of migrants were highly discussed by the Italian government, receiving unexpectedly low reactions. This leads us to theorize that anti-immigrant communication decreases during times of “tangible crises.”

The legal keys in the management of health risks during COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco: Early focus

&lt;b&gt;Context:&lt;/b&gt; In order to manage health risks, Morocco has taken measures to prevent and fight against the coronavirus “COVID-19” pandemic. The objective of this work was to list all the legislative and regulatory texts that have legislated and regulated the management of COVID-19 health crisis in Morocco, to clarify the competences of the public authorities, and to justify the importance of the application of this legal arsenal in a vision of better controlling and containing the pandemic.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; An exhaustive early review of the legislative and regulatory texts published and referenced at the national level such as laws, decrees, orders, and ministerial circulars were cited in this article. The study was limited to the period from 1 January 2020 to 30 May 2021.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; During the crisis and after the official declaration of the state of health emergency that would have repercussions on the various sectors of activity. And to better manage health risks, legislative and regulatory texts were promulgated to remedy the various malfunctions caused by COVID-19 pandemic (laws, decrees, circulars, etc.). This legal arsenal was succinctly put in place in line with the evolution of COVID-19 pandemic indicators in Morocco. This legal framework underlines the importance of legal texts in the management of health crises.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; During COVID-19 pandemic, the public authorities were able to attenuate the health risks, by implementing several mechanisms managed by legal levers, in order to avoid the collapse of the health sector. However, the health crisis affirmed the important social role of the state.

Interlinkages of cryptocurrency and stock markets during the COVID-19 pandemic by applying a QVAR model

PurposeThis paper aims to study the interlinkages between cryptocurrency and the stock market by characterizing their connectedness and the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on their relations.Design/methodology/approachThe author employs a quantile vector autoregression (QVAR) to identify the connectedness of nine indicators from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, in an effort to examine the relationships between cryptocurrency and stock markets.FindingsThe results demonstrate that the pandemic shocks appear to have influences on the system-wide dynamic connectedness. Dynamic net total directional connectedness implies that Bitcoin (BTC) is a net short-duration shock transmitter during the sample. BTC is a long-duration net receiver of shocks during the 2018–2020 period and turns into a long-duration net transmitter of shocks in late 2021. Ethereum is a net shock transmitter in both durations. Binance turns into a net short-duration shock transmitter during the COVID-19 outbreak before receiving net shocks in 2021. The stock market in different areas plays various roles in the short run and long run. During the COVID-19 pandemic shock, pairwise connectedness reveals that cryptocurrencies can explain the volatility of the stock markets with the most severe impact at the beginning of 2020.Practical implicationsInsightful knowledge about key antecedents of contagion among these markets also help policymakers design adequate policies to reduce these markets' vulnerabilities and minimize the spread of risk or uncertainty across these markets.Originality/valueThe author is the first to investigate the interlinkages between the cryptocurrency and the stock market and assess the influences of uncertain events like the COVID-19 health crisis on the dynamic interlinkages between these two markets.

Longitudinal associations between maladaptive daydreaming and psychological distress during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) is a suggested syndrome where individuals become addicted to fantasizing vividly for hours on end at the expense of engaging in real-world relationships and functioning. MD can be seen as a behavioral addiction. However, a paucity of longitudinal research means that there is no empirical evidence confirming the stability of this alleged addiction. Moreover, the direction of its association with psychopathology is unclear. We examine, for the first time, long-term stability and longitudinal associations between MD, psychological distress (stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms) and COVID-19 related exposure. Participants (N = 814) completed an online survey twice, with a lag of 13 months. A two-wave structural equation model demonstrated high MD stability and positive cross-lagged pathways from MD to psychological distress. COVID-19 related exposure was not a longitudinal predictor. MD is a stable condition and a risk factor for an increase in psychological distress.

Disinformation and Verification in a Digital Society: An Analysis of Strategies and Policies Applied in the European Regional TV Broadcasters of the CIRCOM Network

The recent COVID-19 health crisis has shone a spotlight on disinformation as the circulation of false information became more and more prominent. What the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined as an ‘infodemic’ poses a great risk for democracies and for society in general. In this context, public television channels, with their regional scope, actively participate in the fight against misinformation. This research aims to identify and classify the different verification initiatives and technological tools, as well as the different strategies and codes used in fact-checking tasks by European broadcasters belonging to the CIRCOM network. The methodology undertakes an exploratory approach and employs a questionnaire that is applied to a sample of the members of the network. Managers and professionals with executive profiles were asked about the management, operation and strategies used in the verification process. In light of the results obtained, it can be concluded that the current verification processes are based on human efforts, rather than technological tools, amounting to a total dependence on content curation by the writing teams in the newsroom. Thus, it is evidenced that in most cases, there is neither a specific department for verification, nor sufficient resources, despite the fact that all those surveyed regard disinformation as a priority issue, a threat to democratic integrity and a responsibility of public service media.

Reports from the frontline: health workers describe COVID-19 risks and fears in five cities in Brazil

BackgroundHealth providers are under unprecedented pressures to perform in the COVID-19 health crisis and under unprecedented risks. We initiated a large mixed-method survey of health professionals in five large metropolitan areas in Brazil to document the risks and needs of health professionals. To initiate the study, we conducted formative research.MethodsWe conducted 77 open-ended semi-structured interviews online in a convenience sample of physicians, nurses, nurse technicians, and physiotherapists in Belem, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife, and São Paulo, Brazil. Design, data collection, and analysis were informed by Rapid Ethnographic Analysis (REA).ResultsResponses are organized into three themes that emerged in the interviews: the lack of preparation – both locally and nationally—for the pandemic and its effects on staffing and training; the overlap of personal, family, and professional risk and consequences; and inadequately addressed anxiety and suffering among health staff.ConclusionsOur respondents were unprepared for the epidemic, especially the institutional sequelae and psychological cost. These consequences were exacerbated by both lack of leadership and sweeping changes undercutting the Brazilian health system noted by almost all participants.

Spillovers between positively and negatively affected service sectors from the COVID-19 health crisis: Implications for portfolio management

This study empirically investigates and contributes new evidence to the ongoing topic of potential volatility spillover, efficient portfolio management, and hedging strategies. We investigate the connectedness between the travel and leisure sector (which was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic) and healthcare, technology, and telecommunications sectors (which were positively impacted by the pandemic). We selected these four service sectors because they have been impacted by the pandemic and are also crucial for the world's economy. We separately perform a connectedness analysis for four regions: Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America. The main findings indicate a rise in return and volatility spillovers during the COVID-19 outbreak in the selected sectors. Healthcare, telecommunications, and technology sectors are major transmitters of volatility shocks to the travel and leisure sector during the crisis. The portfolio analysis shows that investors should include healthcare, telecommunications, and technology sectors in their equity portfolios to reduce investment risk and protect expected returns during the pandemic. Hedge ratios vary over crisis and non-crisis periods, highlighting the option of adjusting hedging strategies during turbulent and stable periods. The study also evaluates efficient portfolio management strategies shaped during the COVID-19 pandemic using the estimated results of the DCC-GARCH approach.