In-person Work Research Articles

Analyzing from Home: The Virtual Space as a Flexible Container.

This manuscript explores the experience of teleanalysis for analyst and patient during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lenses of embodied intersubjective relating, the neurobiology of social engagement, and technologically mediated human interaction. At the beginning of the pandemic, many analytic dyads were embarking on remote work for the first time. More than a year later, we are facing the question of whether we will ever return to in-person work. In order to unpack this question, it is useful to consider how in-person analysis and in-person interaction more generally differ from remote interaction. Multiple nonverbal modalities are responsible for affective coregulation in intersubjective relating, including voice, body, and shared physical space. While conscious awareness tends to concentrate on auditory and visual inputs, other sensory inputs also impact affective experience. The impact of physical distance upon psychoanalytic treatment is compared with that of the couch. The shift in the balance of power introduced by teleanalysis is considered. Analyzing and being analyzed from home bend the frame of psychoanalysis, complicating notions about distance and intimacy and opening new spaces in which meaning can be cocreated. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for psychoanalysis to engage more deeply with the questions raised by teleanalysis in order to enhance our understanding of its impact on treatment.

The effect of mind-body exercise on the cervical spine mobility of people with neck discomfort: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:With the development of the economy and society, the pace of in-person work has gradually accelerated, resulting in longer and more intense work hours. Long-term and high-intensity work can lead to considerable discomfort in people's cervical spines.Objectives:This study aims to explore the effect of mind-body exercise intervention on the cervical spine mobility of people with neck discomfort through meta-analysis.Methods:This study's researchers will search a total of 5 research databases for data retrieval: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (from 1979), Web of Science (from 1950), PubMed (from 1965), Cochrane (from 1991), and EBSCO (from 1949) (Date of retrieval: March 10, 2021). Two authors will independently search literature records, scan titles, abstracts, and full texts, collect data, and assess materials for risk of bias. Stata14.0 software will be used for the data analysis.Results:The current study is a systematic review and meta-analysis program with no results. Data analysis will be completed after the program has been completed.Discussion:There is potential evidence that exercise can have a positive effect on the cervical spine mobility of people with cervical spine discomfort. In addition, direct evidence of the benefits of mind-body exercise intervention may be more important.INPLASY Registration Number:INPLASY202140126.

Caring for Non-English-Speaking Patients and Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

“Hi there, my name is Dr Rabinowitz,” I stated, my voice muted as it traveled across the multiple layers of my personal protective equipment. I squinted as I introduced myself, a gesture of “hello” hardly visible beneath the surgical mask, respirator, and semitransparent eye shield I donned. For a few weeks now, I worked as a pediatric resident physician in a busy metropolitan emergency department. In an effort to maintain normalcy in my rapport-building during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, I standardized such a paired auditory and visual greeting in each of my patient encounters. Yet, as I stood before this mother and son dyad, I sensed that more than just a physical barrier lay between us. “No entiendo,” my patient’s mother remarked, “I do not understand.” She seemed afraid. I watched a few small tears roll down her cheek, ricocheting off of her facial covering and onto the floor below. Almost instinctively, I returned to the room’s entryway and slid open the glass door to create an …

The trajectory and determinants of loneliness during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

In March of 2020, state governments in the United States began implementing stay-at-home orders in an attempt to curtail the spread of COVID-19. As a result, most people experienced a decrease in face-to-face interactions as they limited their participation in social gatherings, travel, and in-person work. Although these orders aimed to stop the spread of COVID-19, a potential unintended consequence of these guidelines was an increase in loneliness, which has several negative mental and physical health consequences. The goals of the present study were to investigate the extent that one’s romantic relationship status and living arrangements affected self-reports of loneliness and to track how self-reports of loneliness changed over the span of 1 month following the first stay-at-home orders in the United States. Participants ( N = 311) reported their loneliness at three time points in 2-week intervals. Results showed considerable overlap between living arrangements and romantic relationship status in predicting loneliness; however, it appears that living with another person has a greater protective effect against loneliness compared to relationship status. That is, whereas living with others or being in a romantic relationship both predicted lower loneliness scores, one’s living arrangements accounted for variance in loneliness scores beyond what was accounted for by one’s relationship status. The researcher also explored whether loneliness increased across three time points throughout data collection. Results showed that loneliness levels remained approximately the same across time. An unhypothesized interaction effect did emerge between time and age. Subsequent probing of this interact effects showed that young adults experienced the greatest level of loneliness but this loneliness decreased over the month, whereas older adults experienced less loneliness but experienced a small increase in loneliness over the during this time. Together, these results suggest that certain groups of people were more likely to experience loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Virtual Hospitalist: a Critical Innovation During the COVID-19 Crisis.

A virtual hospitalist program expanded our ability to confront the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis at the epicenter of the pandemic in New York City. In concert with on-site hospitalists and redeployed physicians, virtual hospitalists aimed to expand capacity while maintaining high-quality care and communication. The program addressed multiple challenges created by our first COVID-19 surge: high patient census and acuity; limitations of and due to personal protective equipment; increased communication needs due to visitor restrictions and the uncertain nature of the novel disease, and limitations to in-person work for some physicians. The program created a mechanism to train and support new hospitalists and provide and expand palliative care services. We describe how our virtual hospitalist program operated during our COVID-19 surge in April and May 2020 and reflect on potential roles of virtual hospitalists after the COVID-19 crisis passes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-06675-y.

Virtualização do trabalho durante a Pandemia do COVID-19: avaliação da experiência dos servidores de uma Instituição Federal de Ensino Superior

The aid of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has provided new ways of working in organizations, among them teleworking. With the COVID-19 pandemic, this work modality was adopted by several public agencies and private companies so as not to interrupt their activities completely. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the perceptions of employees regarding the exceptional implementation of the telework regime in a Federal Institution of Higher Education (IFES) regarding the advantages and/or disadvantages in the personal, organizational and social spheres; and to verify the feasibility of implementing a Telework Management Program at IFES. The strategy adopted was the case study of an exploratory qualitative approach. The data were collected through interviews conducted with 06 servers from among the 15 sectors classified as essential in the IFES Contingency Plan. The results were assessed by the Bardin Content Analysis and identified that initially the deployment of telework was not perceived in a positive way, however, after the adaptation period, the interviewees pointed out gains such as flexibility, improvement in quality of life, productivity, better family relationship, time saving with no need for commuting, and motivation. In the view of the participants, it is viable to implement telework definitively, as long as it occurs in a planned manner and does not dispense with in-person work. The ICTs, increasingly present, and in evidence during the pandemic, have allowed the Public Administration a new opportunity to transcend the paradigm of the culture of bureaucracy through innovation.

Prevalence and Clinical Profile of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection among Farmworkers, California, USA, June-November 2020.

During the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, farmworkers in the United States are considered essential personnel and continue in-person work. We conducted prospective surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and antibody prevalence among farmworkers in Salinas Valley, California, during June 15–November 30, 2020. We observed 22.1% (1,514/6,864) positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection among farmworkers compared with 17.2% (1,255/7,305) among other adults from the same communities (risk ratio 1.29, 95% CI 1.20–1.37). In a nested study enrolling 1,115 farmworkers, prevalence of current infection was 27.7% among farmworkers reporting >1 COVID-19 symptom and 7.2% among farmworkers without symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 4.16, 95% CI 2.85–6.06). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increased from 10.5% (95% CI 6.0%–18.4%) during July 16–August 31 to 21.2% (95% CI 16.6%–27.4%) during November 1–30. High SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among farmworkers underscores the need for vaccination and other preventive interventions.

Symptoms related to mental disorder in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

BackgroundStudies of previous pandemics indicate that healthcare workers have a high risk of developing symptoms related to mental health, especially depression, anxiety, and stress.ObjectiveTo identify mental disorder symptoms among Brazilian healthcare workers during the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic and compare findings in different work categories.MethodsThis was an online cross-sectional study. Information related to the pandemic and mental disorder symptoms was collected. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-revised were used. Associations were estimated by the chi-square test. The mean scores were compared among work categories with ANOVA (α = 5%) and the prevalence of symptoms was estimated.Results1,609 healthcare workers participated in the survey [mean age: 36.9 (SD = 11.6) years, women = 83.6%]. There was no association between work category and changes in mental health during the pandemic (p = 0.288) or prevalence of unsafe feeling (p = 0.218). A significant relationship was observed between maintaining work activities during the pandemic and work category (p < 0.001). Physicians had the lowest out-of-work prevalence (9.5%) while dentists had the highest (32.3%). Physicians and nurses showed the highest prevalence of in-person work routine. Psychologists presented the highest prevalence of remote work (64.0%) while dentists had the lowest (20.2%). A high prevalence of depression (D), anxiety (A), and stress (S) symptoms was observed in all professional categories (D: 57.2, 95% CI 48.3–66.1%; A: 46.20%, 95% CI = 37.2–55.2%; S: 55.80%, 95% CI = 46.8–64.8%), with physicians (D = 38.4%, A = 25.80%, S = 37.90%), psychologists (D = 50.2%, A = 39.0%, S = 43.1%), and nurses (D = 50.0%, A = 40.9%, S = 49.0%) having significantly lower scores. Psychologists had the lowest pandemic-related psychological impact (42.70%, 95% CI 36.8–48.6%).ConclusionExtreme changes in the work routine of dentists and psychologists and an overall high prevalence of mental symptoms due to the pandemic were found. Researchers should focus on gathering information that can identify workers at increased risk of mental illness to guide discussions and develop actions to minimize the harm of the pandemic. In addition, we suggest that healthcare and support systems urgently adopt mental health care measures with specialized professionals to protect the psychological well-being of the healthcare community.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00420-021-01656-4.

Teaching in the digital library: A partnership between teaching librarians and digital library staff

On March 10, 2020, UCLA announced a transition to remote teaching through the end of winter quarter. Remote teaching has been extended through all subsequent teaching periods through summer 2021. Similarly, remote work has remained a predominant work situation for the majority of UCLA Library staff, although some staff have returned to in-person work to support services that required on-site activity. A wider return to work will begin in July 2021. After this year and a half of remote teaching, UCLA is planning to return to primarily in-person instruction starting in fall 2021 in line with changes to Los Angeles County public health guidelines.

Emergency Remote Training in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy: An Initial Assessment from Columbia.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the social distancing required to combat it have set in motion an experiment in psychoanalytic education of unprecedented scope. Following an abrupt shift from in-person study to remote classes, supervision, clinical work, and training analyses, the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research polled its psychotherapy and psychoanalysis trainees to assess their initial experience of remote training. Most candidates found the technical aspects of online learning easy and were satisfied with remote training overall. Across all programs, most trainees considered class length and reading load about right and felt their class participation was unaffected, though they found it harder to concentrate. Most found it no harder to start a training case, felt the shift to remote supervision had no negative effect, and were satisfied with seeing their training analyst remotely. Most trainees preferred in-person classes, clinical work, and training analyses to those offered remotely, yet in light of the health risks they said they were less likely to continue training in fall 2020 if in-person work resumed. Trainees suggested several modifications of teaching techniques to improve their participation and concentration in class. These findings' implications for the debate regarding remote training in psychoanalysis are explored.

New ACS course on reducing the spread of viruses

To arm professionals with knowledge on how to reduce the spread of viruses as they return to in-person work, ACS Publications is offering the course “Chemistry in Practice: Reduce the Spread of Viruses.” Lessons include seven short modules on how viruses spread, how vaccines work, how disinfectants work, how masks provide protection, and more. “ACS is uniquely positioned to help communicate the science of virus prevention,” James Milne, president of ACS Publications, says in a press release . “This course will provide invaluable tools to help professionals adapt to challenging new circumstances.” The course incorporates guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Participants can also access videos from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and research articles in American Chemical Society journals. “This will hopefully provide professionals with increased confidence as they return to work, including being more prepared for future

Clinician Telemedicine Perceptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Telemedicine utilization increased exponentially due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As a result, most clinicians now have experience with telemedicine. Questions/Purposes: We studied factors independently associated with a clinician desiring to continue telemedicine services after the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondarily, we sought factors independently associated with clinician satisfaction with the quality of care provided through telemedicine and factors associated with telemedicine platform preference by clinicians. Methods: A large multispecialty medical group of physicians were invited to complete a survey, including demographics, telemedicine experience, satisfaction with various elements of telemedicine encounters, desired features in a telemedicine platform, personality traits, and preferences. A total of 220 complete responses were analyzed. Results: A desire to continue offering telemedicine visits after the COVID-19 pandemic was independently associated with a higher satisfaction with the quality of telemedicine care, endorsement of the ease of performing a physical examination with telemedicine, belief that adaptability is an important element of being a clinician, and less preference for in-person work meetings over virtual meetings. Higher satisfaction with the quality of telemedicine care was associated with belief that adaptability is an important element of being a clinician, clinicians who identify as being more perceiving (value flexibility) than judging (value organization), providers from relatively urban counties, and those with less preference for in-person work meetings over virtual meetings. Clinicians ranked ease of use for patients and physicians as the most important features of telemedicine platforms. Conclusions: The observed association of clinician personality and interpersonal preferences with the appeal, satisfaction, and perceived effectiveness of telemedicine merit additional study. Early implementation of telemedicine might be easiest with clinicians that take pride in their adaptability and value a technology-based workstyle.

Canadian Psychiatrists Transition Smoothly Into Emergency Mode for COVID-19

Canadian Psychiatrists Transition Smoothly Into Emergency Mode for COVID-19

Stretching the Analytic Frame: Analytic Therapists' Experiences with Remote Therapy During COVID-19.

Remote therapy has been used by analytic therapists for quite some time, though many have been reluctant to use it regularly, out of concern that it might distort analytic frame and relational dynamics. Now the Covid-19 pandemic has forced therapists to make a sudden, across-the-board transition to remote therapy. This study reports on survey responses from 190 analytic therapists on their transition to online therapy via videoconferencing during the pandemic and their previous experience with remote therapy (the majority had such experience). During the pandemic they prepared themselves and their patients for the transition in a variety of ways. The majority of those surveyed reported feeling as confident and as competent in their online sessions as in their earlier in-person work. Moreover, despite technical and relational challenges, they remained as strong, emotionally connected, and authentic in their online therapy sessions as they were in person. These experiences during the pandemic led to more positive views of online therapy than they held before, but a majority still considered online therapy less effective than in-person sessions.

Barriers and opportunities for breast cancer organizations to focus on environmental health and disease prevention: a mixed-methods approach using website analyses, interviews, and focus groups

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and most cases are not due to high risk inherited genes. In response, breast cancer activists successfully advocated for innovative research on environmental chemical exposures as a possible cause. Since then, new evidence supports hypotheses that common industrial and consumer chemicals are linked to the disease, and expert panels recommend reducing exposures. We evaluated whether these research results and recommendations are translated back into the work of breast cancer organizations and what barriers and opportunities influence their ability to focus on environmental factors.MethodsWe used a Python script to evaluate the frequency of environmental terms on the websites of 81 breast cancer organizations (> 14,000 associated URLs) and conducted two focus groups and 20 interviews with leaders of breast cancer organizations. We also analyzed the frequency of terms on two trusted, national cancer websites.Results40% of organizations include information on environmental chemicals on their websites, but references are infrequent and rarely cite specific chemicals of concern. Most organizations (82%) discuss other risk factors such as exercise, diet, family history, or genetics. From interviews and focus groups, we identified four types of barriers to addressing environmental chemicals: 1) time and resource constraints, 2) limited knowledge of the state of the research and lack of access to experts, 3) difficulties with messaging, including concern that cultural and economic factors make it difficult for individuals to reduce their exposures, and 4) institutional obstacles, such as the downplaying of environmental risks by industry interests. Participants expressed the desire for easy-to-adopt educational programs and increased federal funding for scientist-advocate research partnerships.ConclusionOur research underscores the need for environmental breast cancer experts and trusted cancer organizations to increase research translation activities so that breast cancer organizations can communicate new science on environmental factors in their online and in-person work. Moreover, our research highlights how most groups are focusing on providing resources to diagnosed women, including addressing problems with healthcare access, which displaces their ability to work on breast cancer prevention.

Sex workers are returning to work and require enhanced support in the face of COVID-19: results from a longitudinal analysis of online sex work activity and a content analysis of safer sex work guidelines.

Sex workers confront unique challenges in the face of COVID-19. Data from an international sex work website popular with cisgender men and transgender men and women suggest that, after a period of physical distancing, many sex workers are returning to in-person work: from May to August 2020, active sex work profiles increased 9.4% (P < 0.001) and newly created profiles increased by 35.6% (P < 0.001). Analysis of sex work and COVID-19 guidelines published by five community-based organisations found that they focused on altering sexual practices, enhancing hygiene and pivoting to virtual work. To capitalise on these guidelines, funding and research for implementation and evaluation are needed to support COVID-19 risk reduction strategies for sex workers.

Intersectional Politics

Intersectional Politics