Social Distancing Research Articles

Bye-Bye Mr Postman: A Consideration of the Electronic Delivery of Notices in Terms of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005

The outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in South Africa prompted many local companies to consider new ways of conducting business without compromising the legality and compliance aspect of operations. The COVID-19 national lockdown and related restrictions posed a huge challenge in litigious proceedings, in particular with the delivery of legal notices. In South Africa most legislations, such as the National Credit Act 34 of 2005, require the physical delivery of legal notices by registered post or by the Sheriff of the Court. The requirement of physical delivery proved difficult during the pandemic due to the existence of various restrictions such as the need for social distancing and the limitations on travel. Electronic delivery consequently became an alternative tool for satisfying the delivery requirement. The electronic delivery of legal notices ensured that notices were correctly delivered to recipients in a timely and cost effective manner. Today the move to the use of electronic services and e-delivery has become more prevalent across all business sectors. However, national legislation has failed to develop in this regard, as most Acts still require the delivery of notices by registered post. This dichotomy has given rise to questioning the legitimacy and security of electronically delivered notices, and to a need to examine whether the time has arisen for legislative change in this position.

Sport participation levels among New York City’s kids remain low months after the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in decreased sports participation due to social distancing policies and strict return-to-play protocols. This effect has been felt profoundly in New York City, one of the earliest COVID-19 hotspots, even as restrictions have eased. This study aimed to describe sport participation rates in New York City before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional, online retrospective survey, this study assessed sports participation among children aged 6–17 with musculoskeletal complaints. The survey included parents and guardians of 242 children (123 males, 119 females) who had an average age of 12.5 years. Statistical analyses were performed using McNemar’s test to assess changes in sports participation. The results revealed significant decreases in participation in gym class, pick-up games, basketball, and soccer after the pandemic. Notably, female adolescents were more affected, particularly in gym class. This study underscores a substantial decline in specific sports participation among New York City’s kids post-pandemic. The findings highlight the need for targeted public health strategies to encourage physical activity.

Over-the-Top (OTT) video streaming services’ continuance adoption during and after Covid-19 pandemic: Mediation analysis combining two research frameworks

During and after the Covid-19 outbreak, people’s precautionary measures of not visiting public venues like cinema halls or multiplexes were replaced by watching treasured videos or films in private settings. People are able to watch their favourite video contents on a variety of internet-connected gadgets thanks to advanced technologies. As a result, it appears that the Covid-19 outbreak has had a substantial impact on people’s inclination to continue using video streaming services. This study attempted to establish an integrated framework that describes how people change their health behaviours during pandemic conditions using the health belief model (HBM), as well as the mediating effect of HBM constructs over ECM constructs such as continuous intention to subscribe to OTT video streaming services among subscribers. The study looked at the impact of three perceived constructs, susceptibility, severity, and self-efficacy, on the confirmation/adoption of over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services during the lethal pandemic (Covid-19). The study focused on new OTT video streaming service subscribers, and 473 valid replies were collected. Path analysis and multivariate analytical methods, such as structural equation modelling (SEM), were used to estimate construct linkages in the integrated framework. Perceived severity has been identified as the most influential factor in confirmation/adoption, followed by perceived susceptibility. The results also showed that satisfied users/subscribers are more likely to use OTT video streaming services. The mediators, confirmation/adoption, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction were used to validate the influence of perceived susceptibility on continuance intention. Furthermore, contactless entertainment enhances security for users/subscribers by allowing them to be amused across several internet-based venues while adhering to social distance norms.

Veterinary medicine under COVID-19: a mixed-methods analysis of student and practitioner experiences in Austria

BackgroundThis study aimed to provide a detailed analysis of the pandemic’s impact on the veterinary profession and education in Austria.MethodsTwo online surveys were conducted from November 2022 to January 2023, inviting all veterinarians and veterinary students in Austria to share their experiences on the impact of the pandemic on their veterinarian work and education in a free text question.ResultsA total of n = 289 veterinarians and n = 272 veterinary students provided an answer. In summary, 39.8% of veterinarians reported no impact by the pandemic, while others experienced changes in workload (19.7%), changes in client behavior (14.9%), implementation of safety measures (13.1%), and organizational changes (13.1%). Additional impacts included effects on mental health, private life, finances, as well as physical health. Changes were more frequently mentioned in veterinarians working with pets compared to those working with livestock. In the student panel, only a minority reported no significant impact (8.1%) but 44.9% reporting changes due to online and hybrid learning. Key issues included impaired learning conditions (34.9%), and social distancing (34.6%) leading to social isolation. Some students appreciated increased flexibility and reduced commuting (10.7%), while others experienced mental health challenges (10.7%). Further impacts were related to the implementation of safety measures (5.5%), organizational changes (4.8%) and impaired physical health due to infection (1.1%). Negative changes related to distance learning were mainly reported by students in the final study phase, whereas those in the first study phase reported more positive aspects related to online/hybrid learning.ConclusionOverall, this study highlights the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on veterinary education and professional practice in Austria, revealing diverse challenges for students and relatively lower but still notable effects on practicing veterinarians. Future research should monitor these impacts longitudinally and explore the integration of beneficial practices into standard veterinary education and care, such as effective digital learning platforms and appointment-based systems.

Investigating changes in mental illness stigma and discrimination after the Time to Change programme in England.

Between 2008 and 2019, we reported positive change relating to mental health stigma and discrimination among the adult population of England, supporting the effectiveness of the Time to Change campaign. Using data from the Attitudes to Mental Illness survey (2008/2009 to 2023), we investigated the extent to which positive changes in stigma were sustained by 2023, 2 years after the programme's end in 2021. We used regression analyses to evaluate trends in outcomes. Measures were of stigma-related knowledge (Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS)), attitudes (Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill scale (CAMI)) and desire for social distance (Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS)). We also examined willingness to interact with people based on vignettes of depression and schizophrenia, and attitudes toward workplace discrimination, using data from the British Social Attitudes Survey for comparison. CAMI scores improved between 2008 and 2023 (s.d. 0.24, 95% CI 0.16-0.31), but decreased since 2019 (P = 0.015). After improvements between 2009 and 2019, 2023 MAKS and RIBS scores no longer differed from 2009 scores, indicating decreases in stigma-related knowledge (MAKS scores declined 7.8%; P < 0.001) and willingness to interact (RIBS scores declined by 10.2%; P < 0.001) since 2019. Conversely, comparison with British Social Attitudes Survey data indicated that willingness to interact with people with depression and schizophrenia increased gradually between 2007, 2015 and 2023, and attitudes to workplace discrimination also improved. The lasting positive changes reflect support for non-discrimination and willingness to interact with someone after a sense of familiarity is evoked. Besides the end of Time to Change, interpretations for declines in other outcomes include the COVID-19 pandemic and economic stress.

Edge Computing for Smart-City Human Habitat: A Pandemic-Resilient, AI-Powered Framework

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a robust medical infrastructure and crisis management strategy as part of smart-city applications, with technology playing a crucial role. The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a promising solution, leveraging sensor arrays, wireless communication networks, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven decision-making. Advancements in edge computing (EC), deep learning (DL), and deep transfer learning (DTL) have made IoT more effective in healthcare and pandemic-resilient infrastructures. DL architectures are particularly suitable for integration into a pandemic-compliant medical infrastructures when combined with medically oriented IoT setups. The development of an intelligent pandemic-compliant infrastructure requires combining IoT, edge and cloud computing, image processing, and AI tools to monitor adherence to social distancing norms, mask-wearing protocols, and contact tracing. The proliferation of 4G and beyond systems including 5G wireless communication has enabled ultra-wide broadband data-transfer and efficient information processing, with high reliability and low latency, thereby enabling seamless medical support as part of smart-city applications. Such setups are designed to be ever-ready to deal with virus-triggered pandemic-like medical emergencies. This study presents a pandemic-compliant mechanism leveraging IoT optimized for healthcare applications, edge and cloud computing frameworks, and a suite of DL tools. The framework uses a composite attention-driven framework incorporating various DL pre-trained models (DPTMs) for protocol adherence and contact tracing, and can detect certain cyber-attacks when interfaced with public networks. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies.

Dynamic modulation of social gaze by sex and familiarity in marmoset dyads.

Social communication relies on the ability to perceive and interpret the direction of others' attention, and is commonly conveyed through head orientation and gaze direction in humans and nonhuman primates. However, traditional social gaze experiments in nonhuman primates require restraining head movements, significantly limiting their natural behavioral repertoire. Here, we developed a novel framework for accurately tracking facial features and three-dimensional head gaze orientations of multiple freely moving common marmosets ( Callithrix jacchus ). By combining deep learning-based computer vision tools with triangulation algorithms, we were able to track the facial features of marmoset dyads within an arena. This method effectively generates dynamic 3D geometrical facial frames while overcoming common challenges like occlusion. To detect the head gaze direction, we constructed a virtual cone, oriented perpendicular to the facial frame. Using this pipeline, we quantified different types of interactive social gaze events, including partner-directed gaze and joint gaze to a shared spatial location. We observed clear effects of sex and familiarity on both interpersonal distance and gaze dynamics in marmoset dyads. Unfamiliar pairs exhibited more stereotyped patterns of arena occupancy, more sustained levels of social gaze across social distance, and increased social gaze monitoring. On the other hand, familiar pairs exhibited higher levels of joint gazes. Moreover, males displayed significantly elevated levels of gazes toward females' faces and the surrounding regions, irrespective of familiarity. Our study reveals the importance of two key social factors in driving the gaze behaviors of a prosocial primate species and lays the groundwork for a rigorous quantification of primate behaviors in naturalistic settings.

Impact of Impedances and Solar Inverter Grid Controls in Electric Distribution Line with Grid Voltage and Frequency Instability

The penetration of solar energy into centralized electric grids has increased significantly during the last decade. Although the electricity from photovoltaics (PVs) can deliver clean and cost-effective energy, the intermittent nature of the sunlight can lead to challenges with electric grid stability. Smart inverter-based resources (IBRs) can be used to mitigate the impact of such high penetration of renewable energy, as well as to support grid reliability by improving the voltage and frequency stability with embedded control functions such as Volt-VAR, Volt–Watt, and Frequency–Watt. In this work, the results of an extensive experimental study of possible interactions between the unstable grid and two residential-scale inverters from different brands under different active and reactive power controls are presented. Two impedance circuits were installed between Power Hardware-in-the-loop (P-HIL) equipment to represent the impedance in an electric distribution line. Grid voltage and frequency were varied between extreme values outside of the normal range to test the response of the two inverters operating under different controls. The key findings highlighted that different inverters that have met the same requirements of IEEE 1547-2018 responded to grid instabilities differently. Therefore, commissioning tests to ensure inverter performance are crucial. In addition to the grid control, the residential PV installed capacity and physical distances between PV homes and the substation, which impacted the distribution wiring impedance which we characterized by the ratio of the reactive to real impedance (X/R), should be considered when assigning the grid-supporting control setpoints to smart inverters. A higher X/R of 3.5 allowed for more effective control to alleviate both voltage and frequency stability. The elimination of deadband in an aggressive Volt-VAR control also enhanced the ability to control voltage during extreme fluctuation. The analysis of sudden spikes in the grid responses to a large frequency drop showed that a shallow slope of 1.5 kW/Hz in the droop control resulted in a &gt;65% lower sudden reactive power overshoot amplitude than a steeper slope of 2.8 kW/Hz.

Analysing the evolution of argumentation quality among pre-service biology teachers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the most controversial issues in recent years. The pandemic’s impact on argumentation skills, crucial for science teachers, needs exploration to understand its effects on how they evaluate evidence and engage in discussions. This study investigated how biology pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) argumentation quality changed over the pandemic’s first two months of social distancing and quarantine. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and Toulmin’s Argument Pattern (TAP) was employed to evaluate the arguments. Initially, nearly half of the participants demonstrated low-level arguments. However, during the second round of interviews, a decrease in Level 1 and 2 arguments and an increase in Level 3 arguments were observed. The observed improvements in argumentation quality, particularly in the use of counterclaims, warrants, and rebuttals, underscore the role of increased familiarity with the issue and exposure to diverse information sources. These findings suggest that real-life contexts, such as the pandemic, offer opportunities for PSTs to develop more sophisticated argumentation skills when exposed to multiple perspectives and ongoing engagement with the topic. Understanding these changes can inform teaching strategies and teacher training programmes, especially during global crises. Future research could examine argumentation quality related to issues such as vaccination and COVID-19 variants.

Factors associated with adherence to preventive measures against COVID-19, among adult Bahraini residents

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a life-altering experience. It compelled individuals to alter their attitudes and habits and adopt measures to prevent the risks of infection. This research discusses factors that determine adherence to these measures, with the aim of enhancing compliance in future pandemics. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using snowball non-random sampling through an online Qualtrics survey targeting Bahraini residents, aged 18 and older. The sample included 1,008 participants, and data were analyzed using SPSS, and presented in tables and graphs. The majority of the participants were Bahraini females with a bachelor’s degree, between the ages of 20–29 (43.2%). Awareness of COVID-19 transmission was high, with 87.7%. The adherence rates for preventive measures were high: mask usage at 98.8%, hygiene practices at 93.7%, and social distancing at 92.2%. Older adults aged 50 + showed the highest consistency in compliance (p = 0.001). Individuals with chronic diseases were more likely to adhere to mask use (p < 0.001). Conversely, those experiencing negative emotions about social distancing were more likely to visit crowded places (p = 0.031), indicating a psychological barrier. Mask use exhibited the highest adherence at 98.8%, while overall compliance was notably high among educated and retired individuals. Public health campaigns should target younger demographics with education about crowded spaces and address emotional barriers to social distancing. Future strategies can be tailored to promote adherence among diverse populations, enhancing community resilience against pandemics.

Conformed to Gender Conformity? Gender Nonconformity Stigma is Buffered by Personal Contact

Research has shown that individuals from sexual and gender minorities are more likely to be stigmatized. Taking the perceiver’s perspective, we conducted two experimental studies to examine gender nonconformity stigma and the conditions under which such stigma is more (or less) likely to emerge. In both studies, participants were asked to read descriptions of targets varying in gender (non)conformity and assigned sex (Study 1; N = 337) or sexual identity (Study 2; N = 406). Results from both studies showed that participants preferred more social distance from gender nonconforming (vs. conforming) targets, tended to dehumanize them (i.e., attributed them more primary and less secondary emotions), and reported less anti-violence behavioral intentions and justifications. In both studies, results further showed that having more frequent and positive personal contact with gender nonconforming individuals helps buffer against gender nonconformity bias. Unexpectedly, results from Study 2 showed that humanizing gender nonconforming targets (rather than dehumanizing them) was associated with more violence predispositions for participants who reported having more negative personal contact with gender nonconforming individuals. No differences were found according to the targets’ assigned sex or sexual identity. Taken together, our findings highlight the need to understand the causes and boundaries of gender nonconformity bias.

Manajemen Risiko Bisnis BMT di Tengah Pandemi COVID-19

The economic contraction in the MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) sector during the Covid pandemic directly impacted financial business performance. On a micro scale, BMT (Baitul Maal wat Tamwil) as a sharia microfinance institution is affected by the weakening of economic activity in the MSME sector. This is understandable because in its activities, BMT makes MSMEs its business partners. From a business aspect, the impact experienced by BMT is the emergence of various risks; increasing problematic financing, liquidity and operational risks. The results of this qualitative research show that; Firstly, business risks that arise at BMT NU Jawa timur Balung Branch and BMT UGT Nusantara Rambipuji Jember include financing risk, operational risk and liquidity risk. Financing risk is characterized by a high number of problematic financing. Meanwhile, operational risks are characterized by restrictions on access to the office, physical distancing, and increased operational costs. Meanwhile, liquidity risk is characterized by an abundance of funds in cash. Second, risk management at BMT NU Jatim Balung Branch and BMT UGT Nusantara Rambipuji Jember is carried out sequentially starting from risk identification, measurement, analysis and control activities. Based on this process, tactical steps are then developed to handle each aspect of risk. Financing risks include financing moratorium steps, intensive collection, restructuring and creating reserves for losses. Operational risks are approached by the issuance of new rules regarding office operating systems and rules related to the implementation of Health procedures.

Sexual behaviours and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among MSM during the first COVID-19 lockdown

BackgroundThe social distancing measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had far reaching effects on sexual behavior worldwide. However, it remains unclear whether sexual contact with non-steady partners was a contributor to the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to (i) describe risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity after the first pandemic wave among people using HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Zurich, Switzerland, including sexual contact with non-steady partners, and (ii) assess whether the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among PrEP users in this time period differed from that of a demographic matched population level comparison group.MethodsThe study was conducted between July 2020 and October 2020 as a nested cross-sectional study within two ongoing cohort studies, SwissPrEPared (all eligible PrEP users in Switzerland ≥ 18 years old) and Corona Immunitas (a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies measuring the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence across Switzerland, beginning in April 2020). All SwissPrEPared participants were recruited from Checkpoint Zurich (the main PrEP clinic in Zurich) and were men having sex with men or transgender women. Data were collected on participants’ SARS-CoV-2 antibody status, social characteristics and behavioral data after the first wave of the pandemic in Switzerland, and seroprevalence was compared with a propensity score-matched sample from the general Zurich population.ResultsOf the 218 participants enrolled, 8.7% (n = 19, 95% CI: 5.5–13.5%) were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first pandemic wave, higher than that of the general male population in Zurich aged 20–65 (5.5%, 95% CI: 3.8–8.2%). Participants on average reduced their social outings, but the seronegative were more socially active before, during, and after the first lockdown period. In a logistic model, increasing mean sexual partner count was not associated with seropositivity (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.07). The estimated risk ratio for seropositivity for the participants compared to the general Zurich population after propensity score matching was 1.46 (95% CI: 0.53, 3.99).ConclusionsOur study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was slightly elevated among people taking PrEP in Zurich during the first wave of the pandemic, but that socializing and sexual activity were less important than other factors in contributing to risk.

A wearable hip exoskeleton for anaerobic exercise in healthy adults

Guidelines encouraging social distancing, limited outings, and remote work due to COVID-19 have increased sedentary periods and reduced levels of physical activity. These habits increase the risk of metabolic diseases, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. The World Health Organization recommends muscle-strengthening exercises as well as regular physical activity to promote overall health. This study investigates the effect of a wearable hip exoskeleton on muscle activity and heart rate during anaerobic exercise in 40 healthy adults (mean age of 40.00 ± 11.51 years; n = 20 females). Bot Fit, a wearable hip-type robotic exoskeleton, was developed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Suwon, Republic of Korea) to enhance the effects of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. All study participants performed a fitness exercise protocol, including knee-ups, good mornings, squats, mountain climbs, kick-backs, reverse lunges, and split jacks, with and without a Bot Fit. To evaluate the effect of anaerobic exercise with the Bot Fit, muscle activity and heart rate were measured during fitness exercises with and without a Bot Fit. Measured muscles were the rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GCM), and gluteus maximus (GM). During anaerobic exercises with the Bot Fit, there was a significant increase in muscle activity compared to exercising without the Bot Fit. Muscle activity increased significantly in the RA, RF, VL, BF and TA muscles during knee-ups; in the ES, BF, and GM during good mornings; in the RF, VL, VM, BF, and GM during squats; in RA, RF, VL, VM, and GM during mountain climbs; in the RA and BF during kick-backs; in the RF, BF, and GCM during reverse lunges; and in the RF and VL during split jacks (p < 0.05). Heart rates showed a statistically significant increase during good mornings, mountain climbs, and reverse lunge exercises while wearing the Bot Fit (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that anaerobic exercises by healthy adults using a Bot Fit led to enhanced activation of abdominal and lower-limb muscles as well as an improved heart rate, maximizing the effect of anaerobic exercise compared with the same exercise protocol without a Bot Fit. This suggests that use of a Bot Fit can increase the effectiveness of anaerobic exercise in healthy adults.

Challenges and guidance for implementing social distancing for COVID-19 in care homes: a mixed methods rapid review.

Older people living in care homes are at high risk of poor health outcomes and mortality if they contract coronavirus disease 2019. Protective measures include social distancing and isolation, although implementation is challenging. To explore the real-life experiences of social distancing and isolation in care homes for older people, and to develop a toolkit of guidance and resources. A mixed-methods, phased design. Six care homes in England caring for older adults. Care home staff (n = 31), residents (n = 17), family members (n = 17), senior health and care leaders (n = 13). A rapid review to assess the social distancing and isolation measures used by care homes to control the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 and other infectious diseases (phase 1), in-depth case studies of six care homes, involving remote individual interviews with staff, residents and families, collection of policies, protocols and routinely collected care home data, remote focus groups with senior health and care leaders (phase 2) and stakeholder workshops to co-design the toolkit (phase 3). Interview and focus group data and care home documents were analysed using thematic analysis and care home data using descriptive statistics. The rapid review of 103 records demonstrated limited empirical evidence and the limited nature of policy documentation around social distancing and isolation measures in care homes. The case studies found that social distancing and isolation measures presented moral dilemmas for staff and often were difficult, and sometimes impossible to implement. Social distancing and isolation measures made care homes feel like an institution and denied residents, staff and families of physical touch and other forms of non-verbal communication. This was particularly important for residents with cognitive impairment. Care homes developed new visiting modalities to work around social distancing measures. Residents and families valued the work of care homes to keep residents safe and support remote communication. Social distancing, isolation and related restrictions negatively impacted on residents' physical, psychological, social and cognitive well-being. There were feelings of powerlessness for families whose loved ones had moved into the care home during the pandemic. It was challenging for care homes to capture frequent updates in policy and guidance. Senior health and care leaders shared that the care home sector felt isolated from the National Health Service, communication from government was described as chaotic, and trauma was inflicted on care home staff, residents, families and friends. These multiple data sources have informed the co-design of a toolkit to care for residents, families, friends and care home staff. The review included papers published in English language only. The six care homes had a Care Quality Commission rating of either 'good' or 'outstanding'. There was a lack of ethnic diversity in resident and family participants. Care homes implemented innovative approaches to social distancing and isolation with varying degrees of success. A legacy of learning can help rebuild trust at multiple levels and address trauma-informed care for residents, families, friends and staff. Future work can include evaluation of the toolkit, research to develop a trauma-informed approach to caring for the care home sector and co-designing and evaluating an intervention to enable residents with different needs to transition to living well in a care home. This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR132541) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 45. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Effectiveness of social distancing under partial compliance of individuals

Social distancing reduces infectious disease transmission by limiting contact frequency and proximity within a community. However, compliance varies due to its impact on daily life. This paper explores the effects of compliance on social distancing effectiveness through a “social distancing game”, where community members make decisions based on personal utility. We conducted numerical experiments to evaluate how different policy settings for social distancing affect disease transmission.Our findings suggest several key points for developing effective social distancing policies. Firstly, while generally effective, overly strict policies may lead to noncompliance and reduced effectiveness. Secondly, the public health benefits of social distancing need to be balanced against social costs, emphasizing policy efficiency. Lastly, for diseases with low reinfection risk, a segmented policy exempting immune individuals could lessen both infections and socioeconomic costs.

Analyzing the interplay between social media analytics and nudges in pandemic control

This study employs a data-driven approach to examine the government's use of data insights and nudges to promote social distancing during the pandemic. Drawing from well-established technology adoption theories, a nationwide online survey was conducted among professionals and postgraduate students adapting to remote work and learning. The study unveils that access to suitable information and communication technology (ICT) significantly influences people's willingness to adhere to social distancing and work from home (WFH). Moreover, respondents' expectations of WFH's impact on job performance emerged as a critical driver for sustained social distancing, with individuals' habits playing a pivotal role in enhancing WFH performance expectancy. Notably, the study pioneers in exploring the psychological effects of government nudges during a pandemic, shedding light on an uncharted aspect of pandemic control strategies.

Interlanguage impoliteness in criticism by the English learners from Javanese background over social status and distance

The present study analyses the impoliteness of criticism over social status and distance, incorporating the concept of "levels of imposition." Criticism as a fundamental speech act is commonly used by people in the modern era, either in the digital world or the real world. It usually contains impoliteness if it embodies negative behavior, conveying criticism. This study belonged to an interlanguage pragmatics study and used forty participants from English language learners having Javanese backgrounds. It also applied the role play technique to take data to be analyzed using mixed method analysis. The data showed that the criticizer performed various impoliteness strategies in criticism, considering familiar and unfamiliar relationships in different social status levels. They mainly performed bald-on-record impoliteness and adhered to other strategies such as negative, positive, and mock politeness. Besides that, delivering criticism in high intonation was also perceived as a part of impoliteness. Therefore, it suggested conducting another research concerning paralinguistics and impoliteness in various communication contexts.

Social Cognitive Predictors of Health Promotion Self-Efficacy Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To examine the relative importance of social cognitive predictors (ie, performance accomplishment, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion, affective state) on health promotion self-efficacy among older adults during COVID-19. Cross-sectional. Data collected online from participants in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Seventy-five adults (n = 75) aged ≥65years. Health promotion self-efficacy was measured using the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale. Performance accomplishment was assessed using the health directed behavior subscale of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire; vicarious learning was measured using the positive social interaction subscale of the Medical Outcomes Survey - Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS); verbal persuasion was assessed using the informational support subscale from the MOS-SSS; and affective state was assessed using the depression subscale from the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relative importance of each social cognitive predictor on self-efficacy, after controlling for age. Our analyses revealed statistically significant associations between self-efficacy and performance accomplishment (health-directed behavior; β = .20), verbal persuasion (informational support; β = .41), and affective state (depressive symptoms; β = -.44) at P < .05. Vicarious learning (β = -.15) did not significantly predict self-efficacy. The model was statistically significant (P < .001) explaining 43% of the self-efficacy variance. Performance accomplishment experiences, verbal persuasion strategies, and affective states may be the target of interventions to modify health promotion self-efficacy among older adults, in environments that require physical and social distancing.

The role of economic evaluation in modelling public health and social measures for pandemic policy: a systematic review

BackgroundDynamic transmission models are often used to provide epidemiological guidance for pandemic policy decisions. However, how economic evaluation is typically incorporated into this technique to generate cost-effectiveness estimates of pandemic policy responses has not previously been reviewed.MethodsWe systematically searched the Embase, PubMed and Scopus databases for dynamic epidemiological modelling studies that incorporated economic evaluation of public health and social measures (PHSMs), with no date restrictions, on 7 July 2024.ResultsOf the 2,719 screened studies, 51 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (n = 42, 82%) modelled SARS-CoV-2. A range of PHSMs were examined, including school closures, testing/screening, social distancing and mask use. Half of the studies utilised an extension of a Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) compartmental model. The most common type of economic evaluation was cost-effectiveness analysis (n = 24, 47%), followed by cost-utility analysis (n = 17, 33%) and cost–benefit analysis (n = 17, 33%).ConclusionsEconomic evaluation is infrequently incorporated into dynamic epidemiological modelling studies of PHSMs. The scope of this research should be expanded, given the substantial cost implications of pandemic PHSM policy responses.