First Phase Of Pandemic Research Articles

Volunteering and instrumental support during the first phase of the pandemic in Europe: the significance of COVID-19 exposure and stringent country’s COVID-19 policy

BackgroundThe COVID-19 control policies might negatively impact older adults’ participation in volunteer work, instrumental support provision, and the likelihood of receiving instrumental support. Studies that quantify changes in these activities and the related factors are limited. The current study aimed to examine the level of volunteering, instrumental support provision and receipt before and during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and to determine whether older adults’ volunteering, instrumental support provision and receipt were associated with individual exposure to COVID-19 and the stringency of country’s COVID-19 control policy during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Corona Survey 1 was designed to focus on community-dwelling Europeans aged ≥50 years. History of participation in volunteering work and instrumental support provision or receipt was assessed from the previous SHARE Wave data. The country’s COVID-19 control policy stringency index (S-Index) was from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker database. A total of 45,669 respondents from 26 European countries were included in the volunteering analysis. Seventeen European countries were included in the analyses of instrumental support provision (N = 36,518) and receipt (N = 36,526). The multilevel logistic regression model was fitted separately to analyse each activity.ResultsThe level of volunteering and instrumental support provision was lower during the pandemic, but instrumental support receipt was higher. The country S-Index was positively associated with support provision (OR:1.13;95%CI:1.02–1.26) and negatively associated with support receipt (OR:0.69;95%CI:0.54–0.88). Exposure to COVID-19 was positively associated with support receipt (OR:1.64;95%CI:1.38–1.95). COVID-19 exposure on close ones positively associated with volunteering (OR:1.47;95%CI:1.32–1.65), support provision (OR:1.28;95%CI:1.19–1.39), and support receipt (OR:1.25;95%CI:1.15–1.35).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted older Europeans’ volunteering, instrumental support provision, and instrumental support receipt from outside their household. When someone close to them was exposed to COVID-19, older Europeans were likely to receive instrumental support and to volunteer and provide instrumental support. A stricter country’s COVID-19 control policy might motivate older adults to provide instrumental support, but it prevents them from receiving instrumental support from outside their households.

"It's not just about you": International students' vulnerabilities and capacities during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

In Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic was initially characterized by emergency government responses that disrupted daily life, especially for marginalized groups. This study explored the vulnerabilities and capacities of international students studying at a university in Calgary, Canada during the first phase of the pandemic. Guided by the Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis framework, we thematically analyzed 11 semi-structured interviews with international students. We found that material vulnerabilities included balancing finances, housing conditions, lack of information, food inaccessibility, reliance on public transport, and poor mental health, social vulnerabilities included lack of social support, culture shock, and racism, and attitudinal vulnerabilities included "nowhere to go", feeling like a burden, and perception of Canada as safe. Material capacities included financial support, knowledge about pandemic, and mental health supports, social capacities included local social support and multilingualism, and attitudinal capacities included resilience, religious and spiritual beliefs, "it's not just about you", and reflexivity. We found overlapping and complex relationships between vulnerabilities and capacities, indicating that while international students' vulnerabilities were exacerbated and introduced challenges during the pandemic, students uniquely leveraged their capacities to offset and recover from challenges. Findings from this study may be informative for stakeholders involved in disaster responses, especially universities and governments, to support international students' capacities and address their vulnerabilities.

Protection, freedom, stigma: a critical discourse analysis of face masks in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for medical education.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the face mask as an intricate object constructed through the uptake of varied and sometimes competing discourses. We investigated how the concept of face mask was discursively deployed during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. By examining the different discourses surrounding the use of face masks in public domain texts, we comment on important educational opportunities for medical education. We applied critical discourse methodology to look for key phrases related to face masks that can be linked to specific socio-economic and educational practices. We created an archive of 171 English and Mandarin texts spanning the period of February to July 2020 to explore how discourses in Canada related to discourses of mask use in China, where the pandemic was first observed. We analyzed how the uptake of discourses related to masks was rationalized during the first phase of the pandemic and identified practices/processes that were made possible. While the face mask was initially constructed as personal protective equipment, it quickly became a discursive object for rights and freedoms, an icon for personal expression of political views and social identities, and a symbol of stigma that reinforced illness, deviance, anonymity, or fear. Discourses related to face masks have been observed in public and institutional responses to the pandemic in the first wave. Finding from this research reinforce the need for medical schools to incorporate a broader socio-political appreciation of the role of masks in healthcare when training for pandemic responses.

The role of child protection managers during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Challenges, priorities, new knowledge and skills

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the role of the managers of child protection services in a region of Northern Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. In most child protection services, there is a manager who is responsible for supporting social workers and collaborating with directors and policymakers. The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly impacted welfare organisations, professionals, service users, and families. Given the exceptional situation, an online survey was conducted on child protection services and the functions performed by managers during the first phase of the pandemic (March-May 2020). This paper presents the findings of a research survey involving 85 child protection managers. The challenges of the new organisation of child protection services required by the health emergency, the hectic work schedule and the fear of infection did not hinder the action of social services. Managers played a crucial role in developing and enhancing the new skills and tools necessary to cope with problems and difficulties created by the health emergency. Although the scope of the study is limited as it involves only the managers of one Italian region, its findings could be relevant to other European child protection services.

Analysis of the effects of the first phase of COVID-19 pandemic on mobility choices in Italy by a multi-criteria approach

COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in logistics and mobility. Concerning Italian road mobility, between March and April 2020, there has been a reduction in traffic for both light vehicles and heavy goods vehicles. Italy was the first European country to implement a total lockdown, starting on March 9th, causing a deep contraction in road traffic. This paper explores the main differences in mobility choices before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A multi-criteria decision-making method was selected for the analysis of questionnaire survey data. The fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied, considering eight mobility types: bus, tram, taxi, train, shared vehicles, multiple modes, walking and car. An evaluation process was adopted for the modal mobility choices of the residents of Sicily, Italy. The results show a significant decline in mobility demand during the first phase of the pandemic, especially in public transport mode. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the need to implement strategies to respect the constraints generated by the pandemic and revive the penalised transport and mobility-related sectors. Furthermore, the study's findings provide valuable insights for the policymakers, both national and local, about the mobility results of the lockdown and can be used as a forecast benchmark for planning the restrictions in the future, in case of another unexpected phenomenon, e.g., pandemic.

Impact of the First Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Acquisition of Goods and Services in the Italian Health System.

The emergency caused by the escalation in the COVID-19 pandemic, which became widespread starting on 31 January 2020, put a strain on the Italian National Health System and forced purchasing centres to deviate from the ordinary general principles dictated by current legislation. The aim of this paper is to describe how Spedali Civili Hospital in Brescia challenged the crisis, structured itself optimally, followed simplified procedures, launched new processes, and opened up more Intensive Care Unit beds to accommodate the high number of COVID cases. From an analysis of the equipment variation in terms of increased purchases, subsequent installations, and tests carried out compared with the pre-pandemic period, we report the difficulties that hospitals had to face in the first phase of the pandemic and how they were able to respond to their needs. Our data clearly displayed how the pandemic situation led to a deep internal reorganisation and that the drafting of simpler, effective, and adaptable procedures represents a first key element to ensure receptivity and responsiveness in the management of ordinary and non-ordinary events such as this pandemic condition.

Perceived Changes in Sexual Interest and Distress About Discrepant Sexual Interest During the First Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Assessment in Cohabiting Partnered Individuals.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, different restrictive measures in terms of physical distancing and lockdowns have been introduced in most European countries, affecting all facets of social life. Currently, little is known about how partnered individuals perceive changes in their sexual life during this complex emergency. This study explored retrospectively assessed changes in sexual interest for one’s partner and levels of distress related to perceived sexual interest discrepancy during the first phase of the pandemic in a large-scale online sample of partnered individuals (n = 4813; Mage = 38.5 years, SD = 10.74) recruited between May and July 2020 in seven European Union countries and Turkey. We also examined the possible role of approach/avoidance motives for sex in reported changes in sexual interest and associated distress. Most participants (53%) reported no change in their sexual interest during the pandemic, followed by those who reported an increase (28.5%). The pattern was similar across the eight countries. Distress about discrepant sexual interest, which was only weakly related to changes in sexual interest, was significantly associated with relationship quality and emotional closeness with a partner, coping with and worrying about the pandemic, and specific motivation for sex. In contrast to avoidant and relationship-focused approach motivation, ego-focused approach motivation was related to stable sexual interest during the pandemic. The current study contributes to the understanding of the link between sexual interest and complex emergencies. Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the reported experiences and perceptions are prone to change.

Transmission of COVID-19 among healthcare workers - an epidemiological study during the first phase of the pandemic in Sweden.

Abstract During the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, concerns were raised that healthcare workers (HCWs) were at high risk of infection. The aim of this study was to explore the transmission of COVID-19 among HCWs during a staff outbreak at an inpatient ward in Sweden 1 March to 31 May 2020. A mixed-methods approach was applied using several data sources. In total, 152 of 176 HCWs participated. The incidence of COVID-19 among HCWs was 33%. Among cases, 48 (96%) performed activities involving direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Contact tracing connected 78% of cases to interaction with another contagious co-worker. Only a few HCW cases reported contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case at home (n = 6; 12%) or in the community (n = 3; 6%). Multiple logistic regression identified direct care of COVID-19 patients and positive COVID-19 family contact as risk factors for infection (adjusted OR 8.4 and 9.0 respectively). Main interventions to stop the outbreak were physical distancing between HCWs, reinforcement of personal hygiene routines and rigorous surface cleaning. The personal protective equipment used in contact with patients was not changed in response to the outbreak. We highlight HCW-to-HCW transmission of COVID-19 in a hospital environment and the importance of preventing droplet and contact transmission between co-workers.

Service change and innovation in community end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Qualitative analysis of a nationwide primary care survey

Background: Primary healthcare teams (general practice and community nursing services) within the United Kingdom provided the majority of community end-of-life care during COVID-19, alongside specialist palliative care services. As international healthcare systems move to a period of restoration following the first phases of the pandemic, the impact of rapidly-implemented service changes and innovations across primary and specialist palliative care services must be understood. Aim: To provide detailed insights and understanding into service changes and innovation that occurred in UK primary care to deliver end-of-life care during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Setting/participants: United Kingdom survey of general practitioners and community nurses, circulated via regional and national professional networks. Results: A total of 559 valid responses were received from 387 community nurses, 156 general practitioners and 16 ‘other’. Over a third of respondents (n = 224; 40.8%) experienced changes in the organisation of their team in order to provide end-of-life care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three qualitative themes were identified: COVID-19 as a catalyst for change in primary palliative care; new opportunities for more responsive and technological ways of working; and pandemic factors that improved and strengthened interprofessional collaboration. Conclusion: Opportunity has arisen to incorporate cross-boundary service changes and innovations, implemented rapidly at the time of crisis, into future service delivery. Future research should focus on which service changes and innovations provide the most benefits, who for and how, within the context of increased patient need and complexity.

Critical care nurses’ experiences of working during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic – Applying the Person-centred Practice Framework

AimThe aim of the study was to deductively study person-centred care, based on critical care nurses’ experiences during the first phase of the CoViD-19 pandemic. DesignThe study used a qualitative design. MethodData collection was conducted as individual interviews and was analysed with qualitative content analysis with a deductive approach. ParticipantsSix critical care nurses working in a special CoViD-19 intensive care unit during the first phase of the pandemic participated. FindingsThe findings are presented within the four domains of person-centred practice: the prerequisites, the care environment, person-centred processes and person-centred outcomes. While the ambition and knowledge about how to work in accordance with person-centred practice were high, there were several obstacles to perform it. ConclusionWe need to prepare ahead of time so that nurses have optimal organisational prerequisites to be able to work in accordance with person-centred practice, also during pandemics and other crisis, which means to be able to give nursing care in accordance with the ill person’s needs and resources.

How children in Sweden accessed and perceived information during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aim:To describe how children in Sweden accessed and perceived information about SARS-CoV2 and Covid-19 during the first phase of the outbreak.Methods:This study is a substudy of an international cross-sectional online mixed methods survey examining elements of children’s health literacy in relation to Covid-19. The survey included multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions and drawings and collected information from 50 Swedish children (7–12 years). Data were analysed concurrently on a descriptive level using statistics and content analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data, including the drawings, were considered equally important and resulted in six categories, illuminating how children accessed and perceived information about the pandemic.Results:The survey showed that children accessed information mainly from school but also from TV. They preferred information from reliable sources. Children reported the information they accessed as easy to understand and it prompted them to ask new questions. They reported they knew a lot about the pandemic, for example, the potential danger to themselves and others and how to act to protect themselves and others. They perceived the pandemic as an intrusion on their lives.Conclusions: This study indicates that Swedish children between 7 and 12 years old were well informed about SARS-CoV2 and Covid-19 during the first phase of the pandemic. School was shown to be an important source of information. The children could explain how to act to protect themselves and others from becoming infected by the virus.

Correlation of Country Characteristics and Government Response Measures With COVID-19 Mortality During the First Phase of the Global COVID-19 Pandemic: A Worldwide Ecological Study

IntroductionIt is valuable to know if country demographic, educational, healthcare and other socioeconomic factors were correlated with the COVID-19 mortality rate during the initial phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic (January 1st - August 31st, 2020). Similarly, it is worthwhile understanding whether a country’s geographic location or the measures instituted by governments, such as lockdowns and mask-wearing, were associated with an increased or decreased mortality rate.Materials and methodsTo assess these correlations, we conducted an ecologic study of 178 countries using time-matched data from the Social Progress Index (www.socialprogress.org, produced by the Social Progress Imperative), population data from the World Bank (data.worldbank.org), government response indices from Our World In Data (ourworldindata.org/policy-responses-covid), and COVID-19 mortality data from the Johns Hopkins University CSSE COVID-19 Data repository (github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19), accessed on November 22nd, 2020. Pearson correlation coefficients were derived between potential predictors and countries’ COVID-19 population-adjusted crude mortality rates. Select variables were entered in a multivariable regression model. Countries with no data in the social progress index database or those with no COVID-19 cases were excluded (20 in total). ResultsThe highest positive correlations were found between the proportion of the population older than 75 (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.321), country distance from the equator (0.267), gross domestic product per capita (0.218), health and wellness score (0.388), water and sanitation score (0.384), environmental quality (0.237), and the days between the first reported COVID-19 case and the initial government response (0.238). A previously unreported and unexpected negative correlation was found between gender parity in secondary education attainment and COVID-19 mortality (-0.290). Peak mask-wearing ranging from ‘recommended’ to ‘required outside the home at all times was extremely weakly correlated with lower COVID-19 mortality (-0.046).ConclusionsCrude COVID-19 mortality rates during the first phase of the pandemic in 2020, during which no vaccine or specific treatment was available, were higher in wealthier countries that were further away from the equator and had a higher health and wellness score according to the Social Progress Imperative. They were also higher the longer governments delayed their initial response. Gender parity in secondary education and stringency of mask-wearing guidelines were correlated with lower mortality, though the latter correlation was extremely weak. Our findings are consistent with previously published correlations. The correlation between crude COVID-19 mortality rates and gender parity in secondary education has not been previously reported.

Psychological distress during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: Cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThe effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of citizens from Asia, Europe, or North America begin to be known, but there are fewer publications on its effects in Latin American countries. In this study, its impact in Ecuador is described, with data collected during the first phase of the pandemic. The objective of this study was to analyse the level of psychological distress in the population of Ecuador during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods and findingsCross-sectional observational study. The questionnaires were collected through an online self-developed questionnaire, between April 2 and May 17, 2020, using the non-probabilistic sampling methodology: snowball method. The variables considered were sociodemographic variables, physical symptoms, health status, COVID-19 contact history, preventive measures, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The percentage with high psychological distress (PD) (GHQ-12 ≥ 3) has been somewhat lower than that found in Europe, being women, young people, people with higher level of education, living without a partner, not living with children or children under 16 years of age, and with worse perception of health the groups with the highest PD. Differences have been observed with European studies regarding common symptoms, preventive measures to avoid contagion, percentage of infected relatives, or diagnostic tests performed.ConclusionsThe use of the same research instrument, validated in Europe and adapted to Ecuador, has facilitated the comparison of the found results and differences, which can be explained by socio-economic or cultural variables, the health system, level of information, or by preventive measures put in place to prevent the pandemic.

Practices and attitudes of bariatric surgeons in Israel during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionIsrael ranks very high globally in performing bariatric surgery (BS) per capita. In the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic the bariatric surgeons’ community faced many concerns and challenges, especially in light of a decree issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on March 22nd, to ban all elective surgery in public hospitals. The aim of this study is to portray the practices and attitudes of Israeli bariatric surgeons in the first phase of the pandemic.MethodsAnonymous web-based questionnaire sent to all active bariatric surgeons in Israel. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software package.Results53 out of 63 (84%) active surgeons responded to the survey. 18% practice in the public sector only, 4% in the private sector only and 78% in both sectors. 76% practice BS for more than 10 years and 68% perform more than 100 procedures a year. Almost all the surgeons (98%) experienced a tremendous decrease in operations. Nevertheless, there were substantial differences by sectors. In the public sector, 86% of the surgeons ceased to operate while 14% did not comply with the government’s decree. In the public sector 69% of the surgeons were instructed by the administrators to stop operating. The majority of surgeons who continued to operate (77%) changed nothing in the indications or contra-indications for surgery. Among the surgeons who opted to refrain from operating on special sub-groups, the most frequent reasons were pulmonary disease (82%), age above 60 (64%), Ischemic heart disease (55%) and living in heavily affected communities. Roughly only half (57%) of the surgeons implemented changes in informed consent and operating room (OR) measures, contrary to guidelines and recommendations by leading professional societies. When asked about future conditions for reestablishing elective procedures, the reply frequencies were as follows: no special measures - 40%; PCR negativity - 27%; IgG positivity - 15%; waiting until the end of the pandemic- 9%.ConclusionsWe showed in this nation-wide survey that the variance between surgeons, regarding present and future reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, is high. There were substantial differences between the private and the public sectors. Although the instructions given by the MOH for the public sector were quite clear, the compliance by surgeons and administrators was far from complete. The administrators in the public sector, but more so in the private sector were ambiguous in instructing staff, leading surgeons to a more “personal non-structured” practice in the first phase of the pandemic. These facts must be considered by regulators, administrators and surgeons when planning for reestablishing elective BS or in case a second wave of the pandemic is on its way.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on oral medicine services in a tertiary referral center.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on oral medicine services in a tertiary referral center.