Context Of COVID-19 Pandemic Research Articles

Counseling for Physical Activity in Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scope Review.

Objective: The aim of this scope review was to map the available scientific evidence on physical activity counseling for adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, LILACS, SciELO, and CINAHL databases. Studies that described the population of adults over 18 years of age that used physical activity counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic context were selected. Data extracted were author, study location, sample, age group, sex, population characteristics, design, means used for intervention, time of intervention, professionals involved, and intervention or counseling strategy. Results: Physical activity counseling interventions were aimed at participants with insufficient levels of physical activity or with comorbidities; counseling was carried out in the online format; by health professionals, in the highest proportion of coaches, physicians, researchers, and nutritionists; through educational contents regarding the practice of physical activity; and using the transtheoretical model of behavior change as a reference method. Conclusions: The results of this review can provide tools for health professionals to assist in the process of coping with physical inactivity.

COVID-19 Burnout Subject to the Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy in Hong Kong: Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the COVID-19 Burnout Frequency Scale

We sought to develop and validate a self-assessment burnout scale of the Chinese general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of a dynamic zero-COVID policy. Factors relevant to individuals’ burnout during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic were identified in the literature and through the reviews of an expert panel. A convenience sample of 1087 was randomly divided into two subsamples and the scale’s psychometric properties were assessed. Findings suggested that the COVID-19 BFS has adequate reliability (α = 0.90) along with factorial, concurrent, and convergent validity. Results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the one-factor structure of the scale. Concurrent validity results indicate a significant positive correlation between COVID-19 BFS and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (r = 0.131, p < 0.001), suggesting that individuals with higher levels of burnout may also have higher levels of fear of COVID, or vice versa. The scale was also correlated positively with being against the dynamic zero-COVID strategy (r = 0.340, p < 0.001), indicating that a higher level of burnout may be associated with individuals who are against the dynamic zero-COVID strategy. The results suggest the five-item COVID-19 BFS is a valid and reliable scale for the measurement of burnout frequency of the Chinese general population in relation to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in a dynamic zero-COVID policy context.

Technology Integration for Quality Education: A study for Equity and Justice

There is a long history of more than six decades of technological development and its incorporation in education. A large volume of literature and research focuses on the importance of technology integration in order to create an educational environment conducive to a higher-order learning opportunity. Adaptation of technology became more pertinent in the present context of COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are concerns about whether all learners worldwide are getting equitable access to technology in learning. In this context, this paper studies some policy documents from Nepal to explore how technology is integrated to enhance learning. Further, this paper compares Nepal's technological integration based on the common core state standards from the United States. This literature review identifies that Nepal's educational authorities need serious attention to invest in technological infrastructure and prepare for technology integration in education. This paper aims to inform and evoke policymakers, school/college leaders, teachers, and parents to put an effort to incorporate technology as one of the inevitable means to quality education.

Islamic equity funds and stock market: dynamic relation and market timing during the COVID-19 outbreak

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market timing skills of Islamic equity funds in Asia, Europe and North America.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed a two-step process. First, a Granger causality test is applied to test the bivariate relationship between Islamic fund indices and stock market ones by highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, the methodology of Treynor and Mazuy (1966) is deployed to account for the market timing abilities skills of Islamic fund managers during the pandemic period.FindingsThe investigation revealed mixed results. The European Islamic funds were positively impacted by the stock market as well as by the COVID-19 pandemic context. Additionally, compared to their Asian and North American peers, only European Islamic fund managers have the ability to time the market during the health crisis period.Research limitations/implicationsDespite its contribution to the Islamic finance literature, this study has some flaws. Indeed, the selected sample of three regions, namely Asia, Europe and North America, precludes extrapolating these conclusions. Other regions should be investigated to further our understanding of Islamic equity funds. Furthermore, due to data availability and accessibility, the study period was limited to a specific time of the COVID-19 pandemic. This shortcoming can be addressed through a multiwave investigation, especially since each region was exposed differently to the pandemic.Practical implicationsThe paper provides scholars, portfolio managers and investors with insights regarding the investment dilemma during the COVID-19 pandemic period, especially for those wishing to hedge their pandemic risk exposure and/or diversify their portfolios. Equally, the depiction of potential market timing abilities of Islamic fund managers across the three regions would serve as a guide to identifying the most suitable internationally focused investment strategy.Social implicationsThe paper provides scholars, portfolio managers and investors with insights regarding the investment dilemma during the COVID-19 pandemic period, especially for those wishing to hedge their pandemic risk exposure and/or diversify their portfolios. Equally, the depiction of potential market timing abilities of Islamic funds managers across the three regions would serve as a guide to identify the most suitable internationally focused investment strategy.Originality/valueThe originality of this investigation is that it is the first to examine Islamic equity fund managers and their skills to time the stock markets during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Asia, Europe and North America. The current paper extends the Islamic finance literature.

The Current State and Development of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan Economy

The purpose of this article is to analyze the current state and development of women’s entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan, which has a significant impact on the sustainable development of business structures. Therefore, in recent years, in the COVID-19 pandemic context, more and more attention has been paid to empowering small and medium-sized enterprises led by women, but in many low-income countries, women entrepreneurs still face significant barriers that do not exist when men are engaged in business. The analysis revealed that in practice, despite the organic changes introduced in COVID-19 pandemic conditions, women’s interest in the entrepreneurial activity organization is increasing every year from the point of view of the formation of the business process culture. The analysis identified the main reasons why women go into business: the desire for financial independence, the desire to realize their business idea, and the opportunity to combine work, family, and entertainment. Consequently, the state institution is actively pursuing a policy to reduce gender inequality, including in the business environment of Kazakhstan. The results of the study confirm that small and medium- sized business support institutions are interested in increasing women’s business, regardless of geographical location (city and village). Statistical analysis shows that the largest percentage of women entrepreneurs in wholesale and retail trade, the smallest percentage of women entrepreneurs is observed in the field of public administration and defense. To increase the business activity of women’s entrepreneurship, recommendations were developed for the formation and creation of a Unified National information Base on the development of women’s entrepreneurship.

Self-neglect among older adults admitted to a Chinese comprehensive hospital in the COVID-19 pandemic era: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore the prevalence of self-neglect and associated factors among older adults admitted to the hospital in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The cross-sectional study conducted at a Chinese comprehensive hospital between January and April 2021, 452 older adults were recruited to complete the Abrams Geriatric Self-Neglect Scale, Social Support Rate Scale, FRAIL scale, Barthel index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with elder self-neglect. The results showed that the prevalence of self-neglect among our sample was 30.3%. Factors that were associated with the risk of elder self-neglect included male, having multiple children (≥4), receiving infrequent visits from children, frailty, and depression. There is a need to screen for self-neglect among older adults admitted to the hospital in the COVID-19 pandemic context. Tailored interventions are warranted to improve the quality of life of older adults.

Learners’ Perceived Self-Efficacy, Engagement, and Satisfaction in Online Learning of Accounting and Auditing University Students

The development of online learning is inevitable in the digital age and the Covid-19 pandemic context. The benefits and limitations of online learning are studied along with solutions to improve its efficiency. This study investigated how students’ perceived self-efficacy affects their learning online learning environment based on learner characteristics. With the data collected from 401 accounting and auditing students, the study evaluated the measurement model and tested the research hypotheses with the structural equation model (SEM), SPSS 20 and Amos 24. The finding validates that the level of online student engagement can be classified as: engagement for learning and engagement for social interaction. The results of the SEM analysis show a significant positive influence of online students’ perceived self-efficacy on their engagement in learning and on the satisfaction of students majoring in accounting and auditing. These findings contribute to the existing literature and practice that provide a framework for higher education to propose appropriate solutions to promote online learning or blended learning.

In-hospital admissions and deaths in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Romania.

The COVID-19 pandemic context led to a relevant burden on essential sectors of society; hospital sector capacity is tested in this period. A cross-sectional study of admissions in hospitals reporting DRG data for 2018-2020. Trend analysis of admissions and deaths in hospitals was carried out for identifying annual patterns and deviations from the 2010-2020 trend. Data aggregated by year, month, diagnosis, death in hospital. Graph analysis for time and diagnosis comparisons and correlation identifying associations. There is an annual change in admission and death patterns recorded in Romanian hospitals. An important contraction in number of acute hospital admissions was recording during the COVID-19 pandemic; patients' hesitancy to seek healthcare and limited capacity to treat patients other than COVID-19 patients due to legal regulations limiting the admissions number could explain this pattern of admission only for serious condition or emergency surgery. In Romania excess deaths in second half 2020 was generally greater than COVID-19 deaths. Overall, excess mortality between March and December 2020 was more than double than reported COVID-19 deaths. The same mortality pattern persists, but with significant decreases for some diagnoses. The Romanian healthcare system has been challenged due to COVID-19 pandemic, leading to temporary reorganization of hospitals with consequences on all acute care diagnostics and therapeutic pathways. It is a challenge to identify causes of reduced inpatient treatment rates and to provide evidence on hospital activity for understanding future optimal management of patients with COVID-19, but also with other acute and chronic conditions.

Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction Among Brazilian Adolescents in the COVID-19 Pandemic Context: a Mixed-Method Study

This study intended to (1) estimate the prevalence of Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction among adolescents and (2) know the adolescents’ perspective on smartphone addiction in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The research is a sequential explanatory mixed-method study conducted with adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years old. In the first phase, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 479 adolescents and, in the second, an exploratory research with a qualitative approach was conducted with 16 participants, who were in the Focus Groups sessions. The estimated prevalence of self-reported smartphone addiction was 56.37%. The most prevalent symptoms were those related to the tolerance. Sequentially, from the qualitative analysis, two categories were identified that reveal how adolescents perceive smartphone addiction in the COVID-19 pandemic context, as well as how they unveil the elements that characterize this addiction. It can be concluded that most adolescents were classified as smartphone addicted and this is admitted by most of them during the sessions. The addictive relationship established with the device was intensified by the consequences of the pandemic. Thus, health professionals must implement actions aimed at an adaptive behavior towards smartphones and that promote mental health in adolescence.

Coping Mechanisms and Emotional Distress for Young People and Adults in Pandemic Context

The COVID-19 pandemic context put to test all adaptive skills of human beings around the world. In this disruptive context, a sample of 401 respondents (173 male and 228 female), aged between 19 and 65 years old, were assessed using the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (USAQ), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), the Emotional Distress Profile (PDE) and the Autonomy Questionnaire, from Cognitrom Assessment System. The main objectives of the study aimed at identifying the significant differences in emotional distress, coping mechanisms, autonomy and self-acceptance based on gender and age as grouping variables, and the significant relationships between all these variables. Statistics show differences in behavioural and emotional autonomy between male and female, differences related to catastrophizing and blaming others as resilience mechanisms between male and female, differences in self-acceptance and positive assessment (as coping mechanism) between young people and adults, and significant negative correlations between emotional distress and all types of autonomy (value, cognitive, behavioural and emotional), significant positive correlation with coping mechanisms like blaming others, catastrophizing, self-blame and acceptance, and significant negative correlation with positive assessment and refocusing on planning. All results are discussed in the context of the disruption caused by the pandemic context and in relationship with the necessity of supporting people to maintain their mental health and well-being, now more than ever, with the new turning back to the previous way of life caused by the lifting of the state of alert by the authorities.

Social Networking and the Motivations Underlying Online Purchase: Insights from the “New Normal” of the COVID-19 Pandemic Context

The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted consumers to make online purchases. However, which motivations and communication channels transform online purchases in the COVID-19 context have been inadequately studied. The paper aims to unveil the importance of social networking for inducing favorable perceptions and online purchases among young consumers in the “new normal” of the pandemic. The conceptual framework is formulated due to the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Empirical data is collected using a web-based survey of 379 respondents who are inclined to embrace online purchases. The findings illustrate that social networking significantly influences social value, perceived utility, information quality, perceived threat, and self-efficacy. Additionally, purchase intention is motivated by antecedents such as perceived utility, information quality, social value, and perceived threat. Lastly, theoretical and managerial implications are drawn.

Social Networking and the Motivations Underlying Online Purchase: Insights from the “New Normal” of the COVID-19 Pandemic Context

The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted consumers to make online purchases. However, which motivations and communication channels transform online purchases in the COVID-19 context have been inadequately studied. The paper aims to unveil the importance of social networking for inducing favorable perceptions and online purchases among young consumers in the “new normal” of the pandemic. The conceptual framework is formulated due to the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Empirical data is collected using a web-based survey of 379 respondents who are inclined to embrace online purchases. The findings illustrate that social networking significantly influences social value, perceived utility, information quality, perceived threat, and self-efficacy. Additionally, purchase intention is motivated by antecedents such as perceived utility, information quality, social value, and perceived threat. Lastly, theoretical and managerial implications are drawn.

The impact of financial development on environmental sustainability: A European perspective

This research aimed to analyze the impact of financial development on environmental sustainability. Data was collected for 34 countries in Europe, covering the period from 2000 to 2020. Data analysis was conducted using the Feasible Generalised Least Squares (FGLS) model, a random-effects model (specified by the Hausman test), and the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) approach. It was found that lending rates are negatively related to CO2 emissions per capita, total CO2, and CO2 by the transport industry. It was also found that bank credit to the private sector increases total CO2 emissions and CO2 emissions from the power and transport industries. This study found that domestic credit to the private sector increases total CO2 emissions. An important implication of these results is that borrowers should be selected and monitored using more stringent criteria to ensure compliance with environmental requirements. This study has made multiple contributions. It has extended knowledge about how the financial sector impacts the environment. It has used two models that can handle issues of collinearity and heteroscedasticity. Its findings are useful for understanding the financial development-environmental health association in this unique COVID-19 pandemic context.

Comparative Study about the Consumption of Organic Food Products on Samples of Portuguese and Turkish Consumers under the COVID-19 Pandemic Context

This research aimed to study consumers’ trends and the consumption of foods obtained through organic farming in two different countries, Portugal and Turkey. A questionnaire survey was used, applied through internet tools as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. For the treatment of data, we used basic statistics complemented with a tree classification, aimed at evaluating the influence of sociodemographic factors on the knowledge about this type of food. The results showed that the consumption patterns are relatively similar in both countries, with many participants consuming organic foods, especially vegetables and fruits, consuming them mostly two or three meals per week. The strongest motivations to consume organic foods include benefits for human health and lower environmental impacts, while the most substantial reason not to consume is the higher price. It was also found that in both countries, people have good knowledge about the advantages of organic foods over conventional ones. Finally, the perception of the value attributed by society to organic foods was considerably higher in Portugal. These results confirm the apparent trend of making more sustainable food choices, which is motivated by the perceived negative impact of conventional agriculture on ecosystems and health.

Post COVID-19: cautious or courageous travel behaviour?

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on post-pandemic travel behaviour and examines the relationship between destination-risk image and pre-travel behaviour using health-protective behaviour and media engagement as mediators. It empirically tests the model proposed by Bhati et al. The researchers adopt a pragmatist paradigm and utilise mixed methods to develop and test the adapted PMT framework. The findings confirm that, in the COVID-19 pandemic context, destination health-risk image has an effect on pre-travel behaviour via media engagement and health protective behaviour. Respondents preferred destinations that handled the pandemic crisis effectively, implemented hygiene and safety protocols, and had robust healthcare systems.

Evaluation of tuberculosis infection in COVID-19 patients: a case of tuberculosis and COVID-19 co-infection

The COVID-19 pandemic affected millions of people worldwide, becoming a challenge of every nation. Since the COVID-19 can present wide spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms, patients with symptoms similar to that of COVID-19 may be misdiagnosed during the context of COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, various co-infections may affect the outcome of COVID-19 patients if it lefts undiagnosed, especially during the administration of immunosuppressive drugs. Similar to COVID-19, TB affect the lungs and respiratory airways primarily. These two diseases have resembling symptoms, including dry cough, fever, and dyspnea. Due to the importance of early COVID-19 diagnosis, many other respiratory infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) may be missed. Herein, a case of COVID-19 and tuberculosis co-infection is presented.

Student Academic Engagement and Burnout Amidst COVID-19: The Role of Purpose Orientations and Disposition Towards Gratitude in Life

The current study considered the role of broad life orientations of university students on their academic engagement and burnout within the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine whether life purpose orientations predicted student academic engagement and burnout directly and indirectly through disposition towards gratitude. University students completed questionnaires assessing academic engagement, burnout (reduced sense of schoolwork accomplishment, schoolwork devaluation, mental exhaustion from schoolwork), life purpose orientations (others-growth, self-growth, career-focused), and disposition towards gratitude. Structural equation modeling showed that academic engagement and two dimensions of burnout (reduced sense of schoolwork accomplishment, schoolwork devaluation) were negatively predicted by career-focused purpose orientation and by disposition towards gratitude. Additionally, reduced sense of schoolwork accomplishment was predicted indirectly by others-growth purpose orientation through disposition towards gratitude. Overall, findings highlight that broad life orientations may play salient roles in student academic success.

The Impact of Empowering Leadership on Preschool Teachers' Job Well-Being in the Context of COVID-19: A Perspective Based on Job Demands-Resources Model.

The COVID-19 epidemic in the early 2020s is making a big difference for educators around the world. For the past 2 years, the curriculum and working patterns have been overturned in response to this epidemic, which has brought unprecedented challenges and physical and mental stress to preschool teachers. This situation can have a drastic impact on the acquisition of job well-being for preschool teachers. During this special time, the leader’s management style will also influence the psychological feelings of the organization’s staff. For example, empowering leadership is an important management function that empowers subordinates, emphasizes the meaning of work, promotes participation in decision-making, and expresses confidence. Therefore, in the current COVID-19 pandemic context, it is worthwhile to explore the topic of empowering leadership to ensure preschool teachers’ well-being, by balancing work demands and work resources in a way that facilitates a sense of organizational support and reduces job stress, while relatively fewer studies have been conducted on the relationship between preschool teachers’ job well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this, this study proposed a research model from the theoretical perspective of the Job Demands-Resources Model to explore the influence of empowering leadership, sense of organizational support, and job stress on preschool teachers’ job well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve the purpose of this study, a convenience sampling method was used to invite 500 preschool teachers in China to complete a questionnaire survey, and after removing invalid samples and data with incomplete answers, reliability and validity analyses and model fit tests were conducted, followed by a structural equation modeling method for path analysis. The results of the study showed that (1) in the kindergarten work context, empowering leadership showed a significant negative effect on job stress, but a significant positive effect on job well-being and a significant positive effect on sense of organizational support. (2) Sense of organizational support had a significant negative effect on job stress but a significant positive effect on preschool teachers’ job well-being. (3) Preschool teachers’ job stress and job well-being showed a significant negative effect. The contribution of this study was to explore the relationship between understanding leadership empowerment and preschool teachers’ job well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Job Demands-Resources Model, which will facilitate educational organizational contexts to empower preschool teachers to work harder to reduce their job stress as well as enhance their sense of organizational support and promote the acquisition of job well-being.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic context on the microbiological epidemiology and management of flexor sheath phlegmons

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic in France has recently modified the patients’ lifestyles, as well as methods of medical and surgical management. This could explain subsequent changes to the microbiological spectrum, the severity, as well as the scalability of phlegmons of the flexor tendon sheath. The objective of this study was to construct an epidemiological and bacteriological inventory of these hand infections, and to compare the clinical and microbiological data, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. HypothesisThe hypothesis of this work was that the phlegmons of the flexor tendon sheath presented specific microbiological characteristics in the tropical environment of our University Hospital Center, and that these characteristics could have changed with the recent introduction of hydro-alcoholic solution (HAS) associated to the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methodsThe preoperative epidemiological data of our patients were collected between January 2016 and December 2020. The stage of severity, according to the classification of Michon, the use of hydro-alcoholic solution, as well as the early clinical evolution were collected. The cohort was then divided into two groups in order to compare the microbiological profiles, the management and the clinical evolution of patients in the pre-COVID period with those in the post-COVID period. ResultsA total of 199 patients were included, 154 patients in the pre-COVID period and 26 in the post-COVID period. We found a majority of MSSA (58.3%, N=105) and negative samples comprised 18.9% (N=34). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the bacteriological results. The clinical course was judged to be favorable in 93.5% of cases in the pre-COVID group compared to 80.8% in the post-COVID group (p=0.046). The use of HAS (p<0.0001), as well as the initial stage of severity according to Michon, were significantly higher in group 2 (p=0.04). DiscussionThe COVID-19 pandemic has not shown any change in the microbiological spectrum, despite the now daily use of HAS in everyday life. The postoperative clinical evolution was significantly less favorable after the onset of COVID and could be explained by an increase in cases with a more advanced initial stage of severity. Level of evidenceIV, Observational epidemiological study.

Self-perceived substance and behavioral addictions among Jewish Israeli adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examined self-perceived substance and behavioral addictions among Israeli adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic across different sociodemographic categories. The sample comprised 2,074 adolescents (40% males, 60% females) aged 12–19 years who completed the survey anonymously and with parental consent. We examined what is the prevalence of self-perceived substance and behavioral addictions in this population in the COVID-19 pandemic context. Participants reported self-perceived addictions to social networks (70%), shopping (46%), binge eating (34%), gaming (30%), sex-related behavior (15%), psychoactive substance (31%, including alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and/or cocaine), and gambling (3%). Moreover, differences were found to be directly related to age, biological sex, religiosity, socioeconomic status, and immigration status. From a lay epidemiological perspective, the current research expands our knowledge about self-perceived addiction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering better understanding of the likelihood probability factors for self-perceived addiction among adolescents and its related negative outcomes, including increased risk factors for later adult life.