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External shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic can fundamentally change the working conditions of salespeople and their customer interactions. This paper examines whether and how a change in social media usage by B2B salespeople following the first wave of lockdowns in response to COVID-19 in 2020 affected their sales performance. The results of a survey of 568 B2B salespeople show that an increase in social media usage following this external shock can lead to an increase in salespeople's performance under certain conditions: This effect is contingent on the salespeople's level of training in social media and their customer focus in social media usage. If these conditions are not met, an increase in social media usage following this external shock may even decrease salespeople's performance. These findings provide insights into how firms can better understand what helps to be prepared for a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully further embed social media in the functioning of their sales organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to restrictions in production worldwide. Numerous firms were affected and unable to keep up production due to lockdowns. In disruptive events like this, the resilience of the production system is of central importance, as the survivability of the entire firm depends on it. In this context, the literature argues that cutting-edge technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), raise the proactive and reactive capabilities of firms, enabling them to better resist and recover from disruptive events and thus, show a higher resilience. This paper takes up this topic and observes the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim to analyse whether a firm's AI-readiness had an impact on its production resilience during the spring 2020 lockdown in Germany. For this purpose, we combine two large-scale surveys containing data from 237 manufacturers in Germany and test hypotheses based on quantitative analyses. Our results show that firms could indeed benefit from AI-enabled production during the lockdown. However, it is also clear that manufacturers have to exceed a certain AI threshold to significantly increase their resilient capabilities and realise positive effects. Our findings not only hold implications for research, but also provide recommendations for the resilience management of manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemic lockdowns in early 2020 disrupted daily life worldwide and created an opportunity for self-reflection and consumption paradigm shifts. However, consumption patterns might take different directions, and opposing views exist about whether consumers (1) prolong reduced consumption after lockdown or (2) compensate for lockdown consumption restrictions through self-indulgence. Drawing from self-determination theory and individual–cultural values frameworks, this article develops a conceptual model of postlockdown consumption patterns related to three factors: consumers' fulfillment of basic psychological needs during lockdowns, individual consumer values, and country-level cultural orientations. Consumer surveys conducted after the first lockdowns in three culturally different European countries (the United Kingdom, Germany, and Romania) show that both satisfaction and dissatisfaction of psychological needs during lockdown impact consumption patterns, at least in the short term. The direction of consumption patterns is driven by hedonism and universalism values at an individual level and differences in postmaterialism and indulgence at a country level. The results provide implications for international marketers and policy makers in postpandemic marketplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with participation of community-dwelling older Australians (≥65 years) in the Exercise Right for Active Ageing program, consisting of 12 low- to moderate-intensity group exercise classes, delivered weekly, in person or online, by accredited exercise scientists and physiologists across Australia. Out of 6,949 participants recruited, 6,626 (95%) attended one or more classes and were included in the primary analysis, and 49% of participants attended all 12 classes. Factors associated with higher class attendance included participation in yoga/flexibility/mobility classes, attendance at a free trial class (adjusted incidence rate ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.05 [1.03, 1.08]), and attending online classes (1.19 [1.11, 1.26]). Factors associated with lower class attendance included state of residence, living in inner regional areas (0.95 [0.93, 0.98]), and having two or more comorbidities (0.97 [0.95, 0.99]). High class attendance suggests that the Exercise Right for Active Ageing program was well received by older Australians, particularly in states less impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare community-dwelling older adults' physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 to their PA levels 2 years before and investigate associations between earlier physical performance and PA levels over the follow-up. Participants' (n = 809, initial age 75–85 years) self-reported PA was assessed at baseline in 2017–2018 and May/June 2020 as total weekly minutes of walking and vigorous PA. Physical performance was assessed at baseline using the maximal handgrip strength and Short Physical Performance Battery tests. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a median change in total weekly minutes of walking and vigorous PA among all participants was + 20.0 (interquartile range: −60.0 to 120.0, p <.001) min per week compared with 2 years earlier. Higher baseline Short Physical Performance Battery total scores were associated with higher total weekly minutes of walking and vigorous PA over the follow-up in men and women, and better handgrip strength in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe the level of physical activity and its relation to fatigue and frailty during the COVID-19 pandemic in community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years and over. Three hundred and ninety-one older adults (aged 86.5 ± 3.00) completed a survey including physical activity, the Mobility Tiredness scale, and the FRAIL scale. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess whether the variables age, sex, and physical activity (independent factors) were significantly related to fatigue and frailty. Respectively, 30.5% and 24.7% of the participants reported a decrease in walking and in energy-intensive activities; 25.4% reported increased sedentary behavior. A lower level of physical activity was associated with higher levels of fatigue and increased frailty risk (p <.05), independently from psychological symptoms. These results are important because participants with lower levels of physical activity and more sedentary behavior are more likely to feel fatigued and have higher risk to be frail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the effects of delivering 3 gait retraining interventions (toe-in, toe-out, and placebo gait) on proxy measures of medial knee load (early- and late-stance peak knee adduction moment [KAM], KAM impulse, and varus thrust) in people with knee osteoarthritis, using a hybrid model of face-to-face and telehealth-delivered sessions over 5 months. This was an originally planned 3-arm randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. However, during the 2021 COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown in Sydney, Australia, the study became a pilot randomized controlled trial with the remainder of interventions delivered via telehealth. Nine individuals with symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis were allocated to receive either a toe-in, toe-out, or posture re-education (placebo) gait retraining intervention. Primary outcomes of early- and late-stance peak KAM, KAM impulse, and varus thrust were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Eight participants returned for their follow-up gait assessment. Participants in both active intervention groups (toe-in and toe-out) achieved foot progression angle changes at follow-up. Overall, knee biomechanics in the placebo group did not change at follow-up. It is possible to achieve biomechanical changes in individuals with medial knee osteoarthritis when delivering gait retraining interventions via a hybrid model of face-to-face and telehealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic adversely impacted older adults' physical activity levels. This convergent mixed-method study assessed the adaptation of the Recreovía, a community-based physical activity program in Bogotá, and characterized physical activity levels among older adult participants. Our results showed how the Recreovía adapted during the pandemic to continue promoting physical activity, through indoor and outdoor strategies, including virtual physical activity sessions and safety protocols. During this time, 72%–79% of the older adults attending the adapted program were physically active. A greater proportion of park users (84.2%) and more people involved in vigorous physical activity were observed during Recreovía days. Older adults had positive experiences and perceptions of the Recreovía program related to their health and social well-being. Even though the older adults prefer being outdoors, the adapted program allowed participants to continue with their physical activity routines as much as possible during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, in March of 2020, the state of Virginia issued a stay-at-home order requiring fitness center closures for 2.4 months. The purpose of this study was to explore how the fitness center closures influenced physical activity (PA) in older adults who previously participated in the centers' exercise classes. Eleven older adults (69.0 ± 6.6 years) completed semistructured interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed to identify emergent themes. Ten participants reported engaging in PA during the stay-at-home order; four participants maintained/increased PA compared to prepandemic levels. Four themes emerged regarding PA are as follows: recognition of the value of PA, high self-efficacy in regard to PA, adaptation to circumstances, and functional limitations. Findings suggest that prior exercise class participation positively influenced PA. While most participants did not maintain prepandemic PA levels, they remained active because they recognized the benefits of PA, had high self-efficacy for exercise, and adapted to their circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative narrative correspondence study investigates older adults' experiences of physical activity (PA) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This paper presents a reflexive thematic analysis of 501 letters received from 568 participants that discussed PA. Participants described PA as bringing joy and rhythm to daily life under stay-at-home measures. The most frequently discussed forms of PA included exercising, gardening, and housework. Four interconnected conceptual themes identified were as follows: (a) renegotiating environmental relationships, (b) social connection, (c) pleasure and PA, and (d) navigating active aging discourses. This paper emphasizes the important environmental and social motivations for becoming and remaining physically active despite restrictions on movement. Older adults' understandings and performance of PA were heavily shaped by active aging discourses. As such, we suggest that initiatives seeking to promote PA should foreground older adults' feelings of connection, productivity, and pleasure and recognize their diversity. This is contrary to current recommendations focused on duration or intensity of older adults' PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol harms changed significantly during COVID-19, but did not affect the population equally. Vulnerable groups including people with pre-existing mental health or suicidal behaviors may be at greater risk of alcohol-related harms, yet limited public health data are able to assess these. The present study utilised a novel, statewide surveillance system to examine ambulance attendances for alcohol intoxication over a four-year period prior to, and during the strictest lockdowns in Victoria, Australia. While there was an overall reduction in alcohol-related attendances during lockdown (n = 15,064) compared to the 2018–19 period (n = 16,989), alcohol- intoxication attendances involving mental health symptoms increased by 40 % in Melbourne (IRR: 1.40 [1.30–1.51], p < 0.001), and by 25 % in regional Victoria (IRR: 1.25 [1.07–1.44], p = 0.005).There was also a 7 % increase in alcohol-intoxication attendances with co-morbid suicidal behaviors in Melbourne (IRR: 1.07 95%CI [1.02–1.13], p = 0.006), and a 21 % increase in regional Victoria (IRR: 1.21 [1.08–1.35], p = 0.001). These findings suggest that extra services and supports for individuals with co-morbid alcohol-related harms are required to ensure their clinical care needs are being met. • Alcohol consumption and harms increase following exposure to pandemics or disasters, including lockdown restrictions during COVID-19. • People with pre-existing mental health conditions are more vulnerable to alcohol-related harms. • Emergency services including ambulance were placed under increasing strain during lockdown restrictions. • We tracked comorbid alcohol-related harms involving mental health, suicide and self-harm before and during COVID-19. • While overall alcohol attendances decreased, there were significant increases where comorbid conditions were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this autoethnography, it is my intention to explore experiences of bereavement and loss through the diffractive lenses of cultural intra-actions with literary texts, narratives, and sensory affordances. Bringing my own biographic experience of grief into these pages allows me, as a researcher, to make sense of death and its rituals, fundamental for healing purposes. I wonder: What does the affective materiality of bereaving do? My lived experience helps me to connect empathically and compassionately to events by looking at how society went through the impossibility of delivering care to the dead and their families during COVID-19 lockdowns and by questioning the "crisis of care." To conclude, I reflect on how autoethnography can be a sensemaking process, leading to healing, opening to reflexivity, and reaching out to socially relevant questions about practices and ethics of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: COVID-19 lockdowns were introduced to control the pandemic, however, they resulted in a global disruption of daily life and of individual and global health. Reduced accessibility of health services, unavailability of food and drugs, and mental health challenges had a huge impact on older people and on people living with disabling conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed whether and to what extent the more disabled and vulnerable people with Parkinson's (PwP) were affected by lockdowns. Method: We analysed responses collected through a web-based survey of PwP according to their self-sufficiency [self-sufficient (SS); nearly self-sufficient (nSS); non-self-sufficient, cared for by family (NSS/F); non-self-sufficient, needs professional care (NSS/PC)]. Results: Fears due to COVID-19 and difficulties with food supply were highest in NSS/F PwP. Difficulties with the supply of Parkinson's medication or other drugs were apparently not an issue, while problems accessing primary care physicians and neurologists were similar across all patient groups. On the contrary, difficulties with daily and motor activities were higher in NSS/F and NSS/PC PwP. PwP symptoms worsened in all groups, with NSS/F and NSS/PC participants experiencing the worst deterioration. Notably, the deterioration of PwP symptoms was specifically related to changes in daily and motor activities, with participants who reported less engagement in daily and motor activities experiencing the worst deterioration. Conclusion: Findings strongly support the need for decision-makers and healthcare providers to carefully re-evaluate the risk–benefit ratio of limiting healthcare accessibility for PwP, since evidence shows that lockdown measures primarily impact the groups who are most fragile and vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the well-documented COVID-19 pandemic's impact on public health, it is crucial to acknowledge the broader societal costs of the pandemic and the resulting pandemic-related restrictions. In particular, this research highlights the impact of COVID-19 on two forms of crime: domestic violence and child abuse. This study aims to evaluate the prolonged effect of COVID-19 on arrests for domestic violence and child abuse in Hong Kong by employing a single-group interrupted time-series analysis of ten-year monthly arrest data obtained from the Hong Kong Police Review. Consistent with previous studies, this study found that there was no immediate effect of COVID-19 on arrests for domestic violence and child abuse, but there was subsequently an increasing trend of domestic violence and child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased trend of family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic may be explained by the accumulated strains and changes in routine activities associated with the pandemic and the anti-pandemic measures implemented by the government. Limitations and implications for future studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented World Health Organization orchestrated lockdown and public health measures in response to the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic were enacted by virtually every government worldwide. In many countries, but especially the United States, long-standing political animosities congealed into a discourse of dehumanization between liberal establishment adherents and anti-state revolutionaries. Left out from the field were the plural voices fitting neither camp. Mikhail Bakhtin's lens of Ideologiekritik offers a diagnosis, and the symbolic destabilizing tool of the carnivalesque provides a discursive tool to soften the political polarization and depoliticized technocracy of the coronavirus pandemic state of exception. The conflagration of the global coronavirus governmental response and the often violent counter-responses warrants examining the democratic dangers of dualistic discourses. Disrupting this explosive polarization requires reintroducing plural discursive spaces which widen the conversation to include liminal and oblique perspectives via spectacle and jest—the carnival—providing a potential nonviolent path forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dependence on gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an emerging substance use disorder which can be life-threatening in overdose and withdrawal. The aim of this study was to describe rising GHB-related hospitalizations amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective consecutive case series of adults admitted to hospitals in South Western Sydney Local Health District was identified with clinical coding of GHB-related disorder between March 20 2019 and March 20 2021. Morbidity outcomes and multivariable Kaplan–Meier survival analysis on length of hospital stay were described. Results: Sixty-nine of 84 included admissions, (82%) occurred in the 12 months following COVID-19 related border closure. Of 47 admissions for withdrawal, fifteen of 47 (32%) required intensive care, 6 (13%) intubation, 4 (9%) one-to-one ward observation, and 8 (17%) emergency calls for agitated delirium, fall, or seizure. Five cofactors were associated with longer hospital stay in the multivariable analysis: age 30 or older (p <.05), 6 months of regular GHB use (p <.01), and elective admission (p <.05), and diagnosis of psychosis rather than withdrawal (p <.05) or overdose (p <.001). Conclusions: Development of a validated GHB withdrawal severity scale based on these risk factors could help identify patients requiring close monitoring for complicated withdrawal and escalation of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on drug consumption and sexual behaviors, among people living in Australia. Methods: Retrospective data analysis via logistic regression of 806 responses from an online, cross-sectional survey conducted during August 2020 was performed. State was a proxy for lockdown (Victoria = lockdown, other states = no lockdown). Results: Some participants increased drug usage from 2019–2020: 25.0% for alcohol, followed by marijuana (11.0%), other drugs (8.9%), and tobacco (7.0%). Risk factors for increasing use included women who have sex with women (WSW) and unsecure employment; protective factors included being in a relationship. TAFE/Diploma/Certificate level education was a risk factor for tobacco use, but a protective factor for alcohol use. There was a strong association between drug use and high-risk sexual behaviors. Multivariable analysis found no significant difference in patterns of drug use in Victoria (lockdown), relative to other states (without lockdown). Conclusion: Several risk factors for drug use were identified, and high-risk sexual behaviors were associated with drug use. However, given the lack of difference between Victoria and other states, it is unclear if these changes are attributable to lockdown. Further research could explore the nature/causes of these changes, to inform future pandemic preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated by the widespread use of social media, Internet rumors in major public health emergencies will destroy urban resilience. To find the path to improve the effectiveness of government rumor–refutation in major public health emergencies to enhance urban resilience, this paper creatively establishes an assessment research structure of the government's rumor–refutation effectiveness in major public health emergencies, and an assessment criteria system from four perspectives of source, message, channel, and reviewer is constructed, an assessment method incorporating multicriteria decision-making and machine learning methods, i.e., optimal clustering-VIKORSort with hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets based on combinatorial weighting is proposed. Subsequently, all 102 cases of government rumor–refutation during the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan in 2020 are taken as alternatives and assessed. The results show that Wuhan's rumor–refutation effectiveness was not strong. Then, the investigated factors that constrain Wuhan's emergency rumor–refutation effectiveness are diversified. Furthermore, this paper assesses the rumor–refutation effectiveness in Shanghai during the 2022 epidemic, obtains similar problems to Wuhan, and demonstrates the generalizability and robustness of the proposed method. Finally, based on the results, this paper proposes suggestions for improving the government's rumor–refutation effectiveness in major public health emergencies to enhance urban resilience, which is a crucial contribution to combating Internet rumors and improving urban resilience in major public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited time for music education in generalist primary and early childhood teacher education courses remains a persistent challenge in initial teacher education. An initiative for student-owned ukuleles was launched at an Australian university to enhance the skills and confidence of pre-service primary and early childhood generalist teachers to include music activities in their teaching. This collaborative self-study explores the experiences of four music teacher educators across several years and iterations of core arts subjects where pre-service teachers purchased or borrowed a ukulele. The initiative for student-owned ukuleles began during the COVID lockdowns and extended into periods of online learning and the return to in-person teaching. Data collection consisted of individual narratives, document analysis and reflective discussions. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify emergent themes. In this article, we report how the initiative built community and connection, supported confident and unselfconscious singing, using a pedagogy informed by participatory music making. The findings highlight the potential benefits to supporting generalist teacher skills and confidence to use music in their classrooms and the value of self-study to transform our practice as teacher-educator-researchers. The findings may be of interest to music teacher educators in similar circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic children and young people (CYP) mortality in England reduced to the lowest on record, but it is unclear if the mechanisms which facilitated a reduction in mortality had a longer lasting impact, and what impact the pandemic, and its social restrictions, have had on deaths with longer latencies (e.g., malignancies). The aim of this analysis was to quantify the relative rate, and causes, of childhood deaths in England, before, during, and after national lockdowns for COVID-19 and its social changes. Methods and findings: Deaths of all children (occurring before their 18th birthday) occurring from April 2019 until March 2023 in England were identified. Data were collated by the National Child Mortality Database. Study population size and the underlying population profile was derived from 2021 Office of National Statistics census data Mortality for each analysis year was calculated per 1,000,000 person years. Poisson regression was used to test for an overall trend across the time period and tested if trends differed between April 2019 to March 2021 (Period 1)) and April 2021 to March 2023 (Period 2: after lockdown restrictions). This was then repeated for each category of death and demographic group. Twelve thousand eight hundred twenty-eight deaths were included in the analysis. Around 59.4% of deaths occurred under 1 year of age, 57.0% were male, and 63.9% were of white ethnicity. Mortality rate (per 1,000,000 CYP per year) dropped from 274.2 (95% CI 264.8–283.8) in 2019−2020, to 242.2 (95% CI 233.4–251.2) in 2020−2021, increasing to 296.1 (95% CI 286.3–306.1) in 2022−2023. Overall, death rate reduced across Period 1 (Incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.96 (95% CI 0.92–0.99)) and then increased across Period 2 (IRR 1.12 (95% CI 1.08–1.16)), and this pattern was also seen for death by Infection and Underlying Disease. In contrast, rate of death after Intrapartum events increased across the first period, followed by a decrease in rate in the second (Period 1 IRR 1.15 (95% CI 1.00–1.34)) versus Period 2 (IRR 0.78 (95% CI 0.68–0.91), pdifference = 0.004). Rates of death from preterm birth, trauma and sudden unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood (SUDIC), increased across the entire 4-year-study period (preterm birth, IRR 1.03 (95% CI 1.00–1.07); trauma IRR 1.12 (95% CI 1.06–1.20); SUDIC IRR 1.09 (95% CI 1.04–1.13)), and there was no change in the rate of death from Malignancy (IRR 1.01 (95% CI 0.95–1.06)). Repeating the analysis, split by child characteristics, suggested that mortality initially dropped and subsequently rose for children between 1 and 4 years old (Period 1 RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.76–0.94) versus Period 2 IRR 1.31 (95% CI 1.19–1.43), pdifference < 0.001. For Asian, black and Other ethnic groups, we observed increased rates of deaths in the period 2021−2023, and a significant change in trajectory of death rates between Periods 1 and 2 (Asian (Period 1 IRR 0.93 (95% CI 0.86–1.01) versus Period 2 IRR 1.28 (95% CI 1.18–1.38), pdifference < 0.001); black (Period 1 IRR 0.97 (95% CI 0.85–1.10) versus Period 2 IRR 1.27 (95% CI 1.14–1.42), pdifference = 0.012); Other (Period 1 IRR 0.84 (95% CI 0.68–1.04) versus Period 2 IRR 1.45 (95% CI 1.20–1.75), pdifference = 0.003). Similar results were observed in CYP in the most deprived areas (Period 1 IRR 0.95 (95% CI 0.89–1.01) versus Period 2 IRR 1.18 (95% CI 1.12–1.25), pdifference < 0.001). There was no change in the trajectory of death rates for children from white (p = 0.601) or mixed (p = 0.823) ethnic backgrounds, or those in the least deprived areas (p = 0.832), between Periods 1 and 2; with evidence of a rise across the whole study period for children from white backgrounds (IRR 1.05 (95% CI 1.03–1.07), p < 0.001) and those in the least deprived areas (IRR 1.06 (95% CI 1.01–1.10), p < 0.001). Limitations include that the population at risk was estimated at a mid-point of the study, and changes may have biased our estimates. In particular, absolute rates should be interpreted with caution. In addition, child death in England is rare, which may further limit interpretation; particularly in the stratified analyses. Conclusions: In this study, overall child mortality in England after the national lockdowns was higher than before them. We observed different temporal profiles across the different causes of death, with reassuring trends in deaths from Intrapartum deaths after lockdowns were lifted. However, for all other causes of death, rates are either static, or increasing. In addition, the relative rate of dying for children from non-white backgrounds, compared to white children, is now higher than before or during the lockdowns. Author summary: Why was this study done?: We know that, during the national lockdowns initiated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children dying in England was lower than seen prior to the pandemic. The reduction in deaths appeared to be across most age groups, regions and areas of England, and in both boys and girls. The number of deaths increased once England returned to pre-pandemic rules, but we don't know what happened to the rate of death after this, and if rate of death varied according to child characteristics such as age, sex and ethnicity. What did the researchers do and find?: We identified all those children in England who died between April 2019 and March 2023 and calculated what the rate of death was for each year, for each group of children (e.g., infants or older children) and what they appeared to die of. Using a mathematical model we then tested if the rate of death was going up or down across the 4 years, and if the trend seen was different for the first two years (before and during the national lockdowns) compared to the second two (after the national lockdowns). Overall, children were less likely to die during the pandemic (April 2020–March 2021) than at any other time, with 377 fewer deaths than expected from the previous year. The number of deaths in the following year was similar to before the pandemic, but in 2022−2023, there were 258 more deaths than expected from the pre-pandemic period. While mortality in the most deprived areas, and in children of non-white ethnicities, did not drop during the pandemic, they demonstrated significant increases in the post-lockdown period, making the relative rate of dying for children from non-white backgrounds, compared to white children, higher than before or during the pandemic. What do these findings mean?: Overall, child mortality after the national lockdowns was higher than during, or preceding them. While deaths in most categories appear to have increased or remained the same, intrapartum Deaths appeared to increase during the national lockdowns, but then reduced afterwards. As the number of children in the population is based on census data, this work may not perfectly reflect the actual number of children in England and so the absolute rates of death have some uncertainty around them. Equally, the category of death (e.g., infection) is often based on early information and might change as more information is known through the Child Death Review process. David Odd and colleagues analyse rates and causes of childhood deaths in England before, during, and after the COVID pandemic, and assess temporal trends for categories of death and demographic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an ever-increasing number of people have died from the toxic drug supply in Canada. Emerging evidence suggests that reduced access to harm reduction services has been a contributing factor. However, the precise impacts of the pandemic on supervised consumption service (SCS) delivery have not been well characterized. The present study sought to explore the impacts of the pandemic on SCS delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada. Between October 2021 and March 2022, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from two SCS: SafePoint in Surrey (n = 12) and Insite in Vancouver (n = 9). Thematic analysis focused on key changes to SCS delivery after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on associated challenges and emergent staff responses. Participants described key challenges as: capacity restrictions hindering service access and compromising care quality; exclusion of frontline staff perspectives from evolving SCS policy and practice decision-making; intensified power dynamics between staff and service users; and modified overdose response procedures, combined with a rise in complex overdose presentations, undermining service accessibility and quality. Emergent staff responses to these challenges included: collective staff organizing for changes to policy; individual frontline staff non-compliance with emerging policies; and staff experiencing burnout in their roles. This study highlights how COVID-19-related changes to service delivery produced challenges for SCS staff and service users, while identifying strategies employed by staff to address these challenges. Additionally, the findings point to opportunities to improve care for people who use drugs during intersecting public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an urgent need to better understand the factors that predict mental wellbeing in vocationally active adults during globally turbulent times. Aim: To explore the relationship between psychological detachment from work (postulated as a key recovery activity from work) in the first national COVID-19 lockdown with health, wellbeing, and life satisfaction of working age-adults one year later, within the context of a global pandemic. Methods: Wellbeing of the Workforce (WoW) was a prospective longitudinal cohort study, with two waves of data collection (Time 1, April-June 2020: T1 n = 337; Time 2, March-April 2021: T2 = 169) corresponding with the first and third national COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK. Participants were >18 years, who were employed or self-employed and working in the UK. Descriptive and parametric (t-tests and linear regression) and nonparametric (chi square tests) inferential statistics were employed. Results: Risk for major depression (T1: 20.0% to T2: 29.0%, p =.002), poor general health (T1: 4.7% to T2: 0%, p =.002) and poor life satisfaction (T1: 15.4% to T2: 25.4%, p =.002) worsened over time, moderate-to-severe anxiety remained stable (T1: 26.1% to T2: 30.2%, p =.15). Low psychological detachment from work was more prevalent in the first wave (T1: 21.4% and T2: 16.0%), with a moderate improvement observed from T1 to T2 (t (129) = -7.09, p <.001). No differences were observed with work status (employed/self-employed), except for self-employed workers being more likely to report poor general health at T1 (16.1%, p =.002). Better psychological wellbeing, lower anxiety and higher life satisfaction at T2 were observed in those who reported better psychological detachment from work at T1 (β =.21, p =.01; β = -.43, p <.001; β =.32, p =.003, respectively), and in those who improved in this recovery activity from T1 to T2 (β =.36, p <.001; β = -.27, p <.001; β =.27, p =.008, respectively), controlling for age, gender and ethnicity. Conclusion: The ability to psychologically detach from work during the first pandemic lockdown, and improvement in this recovery activity over time, predicted better mental wellbeing and quality of life in vocationally active adults after one year of a global crisis, irrespective of work status. Interventions to encourage workers to psychologically detach from work may help to support employee wellbeing at all times, not only in the extreme circumstances of pandemics and economic uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thermal therapy represents a well-established therapeutic approach for chronic musculoskeletal and respiratory conditions. To date, no studies have investigated the clinical effects of treatment interruption in thermal medicine. We aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of COVID-19 lockdown-induced thermal therapy discontinuation through validated patient-reported outcomes. Methods: This single-center observational, retrospective study (March 2020–June 2024) evaluated 97 patients receiving standardized thermal therapy at Saturnia Thermal Springs. Treatment protocols included balneotherapy, mud therapy, and inhalation treatments in cycles of 12–15 sessions, with maintenance protocols every 4–6 months. Primary outcomes were assessed through VAS and SF-36 PCS, with EQ-5D and PSQI as secondary outcomes. Results: Significant clinical deterioration occurred during treatment interruption (p < 0.001) in 77.7% of patients. Recovery patterns were duration-dependent, with the 6–7-year cohort showing faster recovery (mean time to baseline: 2.8 months) compared to the 3–5-year cohort (4.6 months). Effect sizes were substantial across all outcomes (Cohen's d > 1.0), with EQ-5D scores showing duration-dependent improvement (mean improvement in 6–7-year cohort: 0.27). Conclusions: Thermal therapy interruption precipitates quantifiable clinical deterioration, with recovery patterns significantly influenced by pre-existing treatment duration. These findings support the essential nature of treatment continuity in thermal therapy protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urine is an attractive biospecimen for nutritional status and population health surveys. It is an excellent non-invasive alternative to blood for appropriate biomarkers in young children and is suitable for home-based collection, enabling representative collections across a population. However, the bulk of literature in this population is restricted to collection in primary care settings. Feasibility of home-based collection at scale has not been tested. Here, we describe a mixed method approach to collect urine samples in a large cohort study with children under 5 years. Methods: The ORIGINS Project is an ongoing birth cohort investigating early life influences on child health outcomes in Perth, Australia. Recruitment began in 2017, with 3713 children consented by December 2022. Urine is collected longitudinally from children between 2 months and 5 years of age. Mixed methods for sample collection and return accommodates requirements across various ages and study timepoints. Uniquely, courier collection and postal kit deliveries were established in response to participant feedback regarding difficulty with in-person sample drop-offs with young children. Results: Over half of all eligible caregivers (1929/3713, 52%) returned a sample, 91% meeting quality standards. A third of all samples were returned by courier, with the highest uptake at 2–6 months of age, and increased uptake across all ages during COVID lockdowns. Caregivers cited being time-poor as the greatest barrier to sample completion and very few participants indicated difficulty with study methods. Conclusion: Our data suggests that home-based urine collection using a mixed method approach is acceptable to caregivers at a large scale, supporting the use of urine for biomarker studies and population surveys with young children. Key messages: • Urine from young children is an attractive non-invasive sample that has great potential for use in population-based health surveys and biomarker research. • Most researchers using child urine have performed the collections in a primary care setting, however, suitable methods for home collection must be developed to enable more widely representative sample collections across a population. • The ORIGINS Project has incorporated participant feedback to develop a mixed-methods strategy for urine collection and sample return in a large cohort of young children aged 2 months to 5 years. • More than half of all eligible children in The ORIGINS Project had caregivers return at least one child urine sample between 2017 and 2022. • To enable large scale urine home collections, particularly from children aged under 6 months, The ORIGINS Project recommends offering mixed methods and a courier service to increase compliance and allow continuity during periods of public health restrictions such as COVID lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020 in the United States to assess how liquidity constraints were related to loneliness among older adults. Data are from the COVID Impact Survey, which was used to collect data in April, May and June 2020 across the U.S. (n = 5,664). We use means comparison tests and linear regressions and find that emergency savings, rather than household income, predict loneliness among older adults during the initial COVID-19 wave. Emergency savings, especially enough to avoid using credit cards, was most predictive of older adult loneliness levels. Income and access to emergency savings did not influence the relationship between actions taken and personal plans changed as a result of COVID-19. Easing lockdown restrictions was unrelated to the relationship between loneliness and liquidity constraints, actions taken and personal plans changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that, in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness associated with the actions taken to avoid COVID-19 and personal plans changed was experienced across all socio-economic groups of older adults in this sample in similar ways, regardless of income levels and wealth. In addition, a better understanding of loneliness in older age during the COVID-19 pandemic may require a fuller analysis of households' financial situation beyond income, and points to the central role of credit card debt for loneliness in older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of supply chain resilience in the face of economic shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, global geopolitical tensions, and climate risks. It highlights how disruptions in supply chains can propagate and amplify shocks internationally, affecting firms, customers, and suppliers. Strategies to improve resilience, such as increasing input sources, inventory accumulation, and re-shoring production domestically or to "friendlier" countries, are being adopted by firms and policymakers. The article emphasizes the trade-offs associated with resilience investments, as they may raise input prices but are crucial for mitigating the effects of future disruptions. [Extracted from the article]

To address the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide implemented mandatory restrictions. As an unintended consequence of these responses, significant air pollution reductions have been recorded across the world. We provide cross-national evidence on the causal impact of pandemic-induced lockdowns on air quality. Using daily air pollution data between 1 January and 31 December 2020, covering 596 major cities in 77 countries, we analyzed the data with a generalized difference-in-differences approach. The results show that lockdown restrictions reduced global concentrations of NO2 by 21~35%, PM10 by 14~26%, PM2.5 by 9~18%, CO by 6~16%, and SO2 by 5~16%, while the O3 concentrations increased by 15~29% under eight specific lockdown measures. Furthermore, a simultaneous equations model suggests that reductions in public and private mobility, measured by changes in public transportation and car ridership, partly explain the observed decreases in air pollution. These findings have significant implications for ongoing global efforts to mitigate air pollution and underscore the pivotal role of public transit in achieving this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prolonged confinement in enclosed environments has raised concerns about its effects on both physical and mental health. Although increased rates of depression or anxiety during COVID-19 lockdowns have been reported, the effects of short-term restrictions on social activities and physical on brain function and structure remain poorly known. Methods: This study explored longitudinal changes in brain gray matter volume (GMV) and functional connectivity (FC) immediately after and four months following a short-term lockdown in comparison to pre-lockdown conditions. MRI data were collected from 20 participants before the lockdown, from 29 participants (14 original, 15 new) two months post-lockdown, and from 27 out of the 29 participants four months post-lifting of the lockdown. Results: Results showed significant GMV reductions in the right gyrus rectus and cuneus post-lockdown, with further reductions observed four months after lifting the restrictions, affecting additional brain regions. Longitudinal FC trajectories revealed decreased connectivity between the default mode network (DMN) and sensorimotor/attention networks post-lockdown, and recovery after four months post-lifting of the lockdown. Conclusions: The observed plasticity in brain FC indicates substantial recovery potential with the potential long-term effect of structural changes. Our findings offer insights into the effects of isolation on the human brain, potentially informing rehabilitation mechanisms and interventions for individuals in similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To refer to Sweden as a good example of care and welfare reforms has been common among many US scholars all through the 1990s until today. In this article, the author tries to understand why the Swedish pandemic strategy during 2020–21 was met with surprise and confusion, most visible in the US where the political divide between for‐or‐against lockdown, that is, for or against free access to public spaces, made the right‐wing refer to Sweden in positive terms. In Sweden it was the extreme right‐wing party, the Swedish Democrats (founded by neo‐Nazis), that expressed an explicit belief in complete lockdowns, while in the United States it was the Democrats and the liberal left. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Proper analysis of the pandemic is vital for correctly managing future crises, predicting the problems encountered, reducing their effects, and taking appropriate precautions. In this study, we aimed to compare cases of emergency department (ED) in a tertiary care adult ED during the pandemic and the pre-pandemic periods to evaluate the effect of lockdowns and similar restrictive measures. Methods: "Pandemic period" was defined as the period between 11.03.2020 and 11.03.2021, and "pre-pandemic period" was defined as the period between the same dates in the previous year. Thousand cases (500 from each period) were selected by sampling method among 7137 medicolegal cases presented to the Adult ED in these two years. The total number of ED admissions and medico-legal cases' quality, frequency, and diversity were compared. Results: Total admissions to the adult ED decreased by 42.8% during the pandemic period compared with the pre-pandemic period. Although medico-legal cases also decreased, their proportion in all admissions increased by more than 50%. Leaving the hospital voluntarily reduced significantly (p<0.001). There was a significant decrease in the daily average number of medico-legal cases during the full-day lockdowns of the pandemic compared with all other periods (p<0.001). Medico-legal cases decreased on weekends when the lockdown was imposed more frequently (p<0.046). In the pandemic, traffic accidents increased due to motorcycle accidents (p<0.010). Conclusion: During the pandemic, the significant decrease in overall ED visits compared with the number of medico-legal cases and the decline in the behavior of leaving the hospital voluntarily can indicate the high number of unnecessary green zone admissions in ordinary times. The change in living and consumption habits caused by the pandemic may also have changed the frequency and epidemiological distribution of forensic cases, such as motorcycle accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to understand reported impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on maternal and child health and nutrition behaviours during the first 1000 days of life. This qualitative and participatory substudy was embedded within mixed methods formative research conducted during 2020–2022 across two urban, three rural and one estate sector site in Sri Lanka. Semi‐structured interviews among caregivers of children aged 6–23 months (n = 34), influencers of caregivers, such as health workers (n = 37), leaders (n = 10) and pregnant women (n = 20) were conducted. Participatory workshops (n = 14) triangulated interview findings. Interview data were analyzed to identify salient themes using Dedoose. Numerical data from voting conducted in workshops were summed and triangulated with interview data. Findings suggest that the COVID‐19 pandemic and imposed restrictions shaped maternal and child health and nutrition behaviours through a complex interplay of factors. Imposed restrictions and changes to the food system contributed to temporary unemployment for wage workers and reduced purchasing power to maintain food security for vulnerable households. While deciding whether to seek care, fears of infection prevented usual care‐seeking decisions. Also, reduced incomes and disrupted public transportation made transport to health care facilities for antenatal care services difficult. Once women reached facilities, medical services and quality of care were negatively impacted. Implementing expanded community‐based services during home visits focused on the first 1000 days and beyond was one effective strategy to maintain maternal and child health and nutrition during the early pandemic in Sri Lanka. Key messages: The effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic, coupled with the consequences of national‐level restrictions put into place during 2020–2021, made usual maternal and child health and nutrition behaviours more challenging during the first 1000 days of life throughout Sri Lanka.The Sri Lankan health system adapted quickly during 2020–2021 to help ensure little disruption to usual services needed during the antenatal period through effective expansion of community‐based health care provided by its existing Public Health Midwifery workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the extent to which general and substantive accountability is integrated into the language used by key actors involved in nursing home services. Particularly, we investigate the messages used by the supply side, which includes public and private organizations involved in residential care for older adults, and the demand side, which comprises organizations representing service beneficiaries. Moreover, we explore the alignment between the messages used by both sides of the accountability relationship. In the context of Spanish nursing homes, we analyzed a corpus of tweets by organizations from both sides of the accountability relationship, from one year before the outbreak of COVID-19 restrictions to after their implementation. Using text analysis techniques, we found that messages related to general and substantive accountability had a low priority before and after the outbreak. Public organizations were slightly more likely to employ general accountability terms than private organizations. This is particularly in non-crisis situations, although less frequently than organizations representing beneficiaries. Our analysis demonstrates a lack of convergence between the messaging on the supply and demand sides, indicating a communication breakdown between the two sides in the accountability relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a significant disruption of all healthcare services. Tuberculosis (TB) services were also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic policies. Therefore, this study was planned to observe whether TB services and treatment outcome were affected in pre-COVID, COVID, and post-COVID eras among TB patients. Materials and Methods: Secondary data analysis was carried out from the data obtained from District Tuberculosis Centre. Comparison of TB care data includes notification, diagnosis, treatment services, and outcome for the pre-COVID, COVID, and post-COVID periods. Results: TB notifications and diagnostic services were significantly hampered during the COVID-19 period as compared to pre-COVID and post-COVID periods (P < 0.05). However, in those diagnosed with TB, treatment was initiated timely and regular follow-up was done by health care workers to ensure treatment adherence, and hence, more cure rate was reported in the study. High mortality during COVID-19 period was found. Conclusion: TB care was significantly restrained during COVID-19 pandemic, and further reclamation of services occurred during the declining phase of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This integrative review aims to analyze and synthesize existing literature to inform our understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of domestic violence during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a holistic and ecological framework. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) study design, searches were conducted on six databases, yielding a final sample of 58 articles. The study comprehensively overviews North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and worldwide research. The literature reveals an alarming increase in domestic violence victimization during the pandemic in most regions and studies, exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities. The increase in domestic violence during the pandemic is linked to ecological factors such as lower physical and mental health, rising substance use, and financial stress, which heightened individuals' vulnerability. Lockdowns exacerbated these issues by increasing confinement in homes, disrupting support services, and limiting victims' access to help. Barriers to help-seeking and amplified personal and professional stressors at the care level are identified. Advocacy for improved awareness, cooperation, and inclusive national and institutional policies emerges. This study underscores the urgency of empirical research to generate reliable data on the pandemic's impact on domestic violence. The findings of this study highlight the importance of understanding unique factors affecting specific groups, as well as informing prevention efforts and targeted interventions. Recognizing the mutual benefit of research–practice partnerships is crucial in addressing and preventing domestic violence. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of domestic violence during the pandemic's first year, guiding empirically informed interventions and policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Self-poisoning is the most common form of hospitalised self-harm in young people and has been increasing over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with further increases in self-harm in adolescents. There are limited data on changes after pandemic restrictions ended. This study aimed to describe recent trends in self-poisoning in young people. Setting: Australia 2018–2023. Methods: A retrospective analysis of self-poisoning calls to Australia's poisons information centres. Intentional poisoning exposures in people aged 5–19 years were included in the main analysis. We also examined intentional poisonings in people aged 20 and over for comparison. We used interrupted time-series analysis to estimate the impact of COVID-19 (March 2020) and 're-opening' (December 2021), when many restrictions were lifted in Australia. We compared effects in the jurisdictions with most disruptions and lockdowns with other jurisdictions. Results: There were 201,755 self-poisonings documented, 64% female, with 19,946 children (aged 5–14, 9.9%) and 44,388 adolescents (aged 15–19, 22.0%). There was a steep increase in the rate of poisoning in female children and adolescents – with the annual increase being 1.361 (95% confidence interval = [1.074, 1.735]) and 1.154 (95% confidence interval = [1.049, 1.283]) times faster than pre-pandemic trends in these two groups between March 2020 and December 2021. Following relaxation of restrictions, there was a sudden drop and then slow decline in self-poisonings (despite rising COVID-19 infection rates). There was an overall 29.6% increase in intentional poisonings in young people over the study period. This is markedly more pronounced among young females (37.0%) vs males (11.2%). There were substantial jurisdictional variations, with larger increases in Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Conclusion: There has been a marked increase in child and adolescent female self-poisonings over the last 6 years, with increases strongly associated with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions but persisting after their removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of plant growth dynamics is essential where constraints such as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have limited its field establishment. Thus, modeling can be used to predict plant performance where field planting/monitoring cannot be achieved. This study was conducted on the growth dynamics of rubber planted on two acid soils treated with either dolomitic limestone (GML), kieserite or Mg-rich synthetic gypsum (MRSG) to supply the Mg required by rubber seedlings. To understand the effect of applied treatments on the changes in rubber growth, data on plant height, stem diameter and biomass were regressed against months after transplanting (MAT) using the equation y = A/ (1+be-ct), and its derivative dydt=Abce−ct(1+be−ct)z was utilized for estimating the growth rate of the parameters. The dynamics in plant height, stem girth and plant biomass were modelled using an exponential function of y = Aebt and their rate of change was derived using dx/dy = Abebt. The experiment indicated that the logistic growth curve model expressed as y = A/ (1+be-ct), closely described the growth in terms of each parameter against months after transplanting. A high probability level (a = 0.0001) was recorded in the model for all the treatments in the study. The growth of rubber seedlings in the glasshouse was improved by MRSG treatment in the two studied soils (Ultisol and Oxisol), giving comparable results to other Mg fertilizer treatments. The plant performed better on the Ultisol compared to the Oxisol. The results indicate the potential of using MRSG to replace conventional Mg-fertilizers to sustain rubber seedling growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected working women's well-being in different ways due to contrasting national responses. This article focuses on the specific context of Singapore, which implemented differentiated rules for workers: essential workers continued to report to workplaces, while non-essential workers were required to work from home. This policy had far-reaching implications for working women, who are more likely than husbands to juggle paid work and household duties. The article uses longitudinal data collected in 2018 and during the pandemic in 2020, specifically during Singapore's lockdown period, to measure changes in 287 working women's self-reported levels of stress, fatigue, and quality of interpersonal relationships by essential worker status. While all workers were affected by the pandemic, female essential workers were more likely than their non-essential peers to report declines in stress levels from 2018 to 2020, and less likely to report changes in spousal relationships, both positive and negative. Findings suggest that the differences were driven by exposure to quarantine conditions faced by non-essential workers. Our results highlight the importance of policies supporting frontline workers and more gender-equitable labour market policies to support married women juggling the twin demands of employment and household responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We collected social contact data in Greece to measure contact patterns before (January 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-October 2021) and assess the effects of social distancing over time. During lockdowns, mean daily contacts decreased to 2.8-5.9 (mean prepandemic 20.4). Persons >65 years of age retained the fewest contacts during the pandemic (2.1-4.1). Compared with the first lockdown (March-April 2020), the second lockdown (November-December 2020) and third lockdown (April 2021) showed higher numbers of contacts (incidence rate ratio 1.50 [95% CI 1.27-1.76] in second lockdown and 2.19 [95% CI 1.86-2.58] in third lockdown). In 2021, an increase in contacts was apparent, which persisted during the April 2021 lockdown among persons 18-64 years of age. Our study provides evidence of the waning observance of physical distancing. Effective risk communication alongside targeted social distancing could offer alternatives to repeated lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flashbulb memories (FBM) refer to the vivid and detailed retrieval of the reception context of a highly salient event. We examined FBMs and personal memories for one college's sudden transition to remote learning due to COVID-19. We explored whether the announcement of the campus' closure resulted in FBMs, how respondents felt about the decision, and the impacts of the decision. Employing a two-wave longitudinal survey conducted in March and May 2020, participants responded to questions regarding learning about the campus' closure and a control memory (an event from the same week chosen by participants). Participant reports suggested they did form FBMs, and FBMs were more consistent over time than control memories. Confidence did not differ across memory types. Additionally, we observed an initial strong positive response to the decision to close the campus – a sentiment that intensified over time. Lastly, participants' emotional responses transitioned from negative feelings in the first wave of testing to more neutral feelings in the second. This work offers a unique exploration of FBMs within the broader context of a global health crisis that intruded into daily life, effectively merging the typically public and distant nature of flashbulb events with first-hand, personal experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have reported an increase in mental health disorders during the perinatal period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine restrictions imposed. The effects of untreated maternal mental health have an adverse impact on the mother, the development of the baby, and the family system. Determinants of health, recent natural disasters, and disparities in perinatal care that impact perinatal women in Puerto Rico place them at a higher risk of mental health difficulties. Aim: It is therefore, of extreme importance, to evaluate the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on this vulnerable population. Design: This is a cross-sectional observational study that interviewed 100 women in the perinatal period during the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Puerto Rico. Participants completed the Spanish version of the COVID-19 Perinatal Experiences (COPE-IS) questionnaire and assessments of clinical depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). Results: The prevalence of moderate to severe risk of depression in this sample is 14%, while 17% showed clinical signs of anxiety. Concerns about social impact and the quarantine mandate were the most common stressors reported. Additionally, our sample reported concerns about the impact the pandemic would have on future employment and finances. Conclusion: Perinatal women showed significantly higher prevalence of depression and anxiety during the COVID −19 pandemic when compared to the mental health prevalence of the general population pre-pandemic in Puerto Rico. The concerns identified during the pandemic provide information on the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to perinatal mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in emotions experienced during the pandemic and their effects on children's well‐being remain a significant issue. This study analyses 86 drawings created by children aged 5–13, collected in fieldwork conducted through workshops across various regions of Spain. The main objective was to describe how children portray their emotional changes and the resulting impact on their lives within the context of the pandemic. We employed qualitative bottom‐up logic to code the drawings using CAQDAS. Findings revealed a discernible emotional impact, expressed more explicitly by girls, as well as lasting elements concerning the pandemic and the enduring restrictions on social interactions, even beyond the widespread lockdowns of 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the support received from key agents in children's lives, family and school, from the point of view of the children themselves, will allow us to be better prepared to guide them in a post‐pandemic scenario. The main objective is to study the perceptions and evaluations of students between the ages of 9 and 17 regarding the guidance and support they received during the pandemic, and more specifically the help they received from their family and school. With a quantitative design, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1216 children (M = 14.3; SD = 2.468), from five geographical areas in Catalonia, Spain. Two multiple regression models were built with a good fit (p <.001) and explanatory capacity (adjR2 = 0.42 and adjR2 = 0.45). One of the outstanding results is the huge difference between the children's satisfaction with the help received from their family (very high) and from school (very low). In addition, children who identify as non‐binary as well as secondary school students show much lower average levels of satisfaction with the support they receive. The ultimate purpose of this article is to make proposals to strengthen personalization and support from the perspective of community socio‐educational resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the process of breastfeeding relationships among stay‐at‐home mother and infant dyads at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months. Design: A longitudinal qualitative online survey design was used. Methods: Data were obtained at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months from 26 breastfeeding mothers who stayed home with their infants and directly breastfed at least once a day for the first 6 months between June 2022 and August 2023. Mothers' written responses to 3 open‐ended questions were analysed to assess breastfeeding experiences at home, thoughts/comments while directly breastfeeding and breastfeeding concerns/problems and strategies they used. Based on grounded theory, inductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. Trustworthiness of results was established by coding to consensus, formal peer debriefing and maintaining an audit trail. Results: 'Breastfeeding Relationships at Home,' the core construct, was identified and organized the process of breastfeeding relationships into 5 domains: (1) mothers' emotional well‐being while breastfeeding, (2) infant‐led feeding, (3) alternatives to breastfeeding, (4) evaluation of breastfeeding and (5) changes in breastfeeding as infants grow older. Conclusion: Breastfeeding is not simply about feeding breast milk but also involves nurturing and developing a relationship between mother and infant. Across the domains, mutual responsiveness, a central element of the breastfeeding relationship was clear. Mothers who were committed to breastfeeding with embedded infant suckling reached emotional well‐being in return for their engagement which has potential to reduce maternal stress and prevent postpartum depression. Impact: Findings from the current study add to nurses' knowledge about the relationship building process between stay‐at‐home mothers and their infants in the first 6 months of breastfeeding during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Nurses must remain sensitive to aid the development of breastfeeding relationships in the home environment to maximize mutual responsiveness. Patient or Public Contribution: No patients or public involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-care is a beneficial practice for social workers to both maintain their general wellbeing and to perform their professional role efficaciously. For students, field education is a prime opportunity to put their newly acquired skills and knowledge of social worker self-care into practice. This article reports from a broader study on the ways social work students construct and practice self-care, with the focus of this article on a student cohort who completed placement during Covid-19 restrictions. To explore how Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students at an Australian university situated their understanding and practice of self-care within their final year placement, a textual analysis of 26 BSW student assessments, a 600-word critical reflection, was conducted. Two themes emerged from the student reflections. First, while engagement with Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) proved crucial for students to participate in student placement, it also created fresh challenges for their self-care practice. Second, students' understanding and practice of self-care were critically shaped by their professional and academic peer environments. Knowledge of how social work students understand, and practice self-care is vital for social work educators to critically support student development during field education. IMPLICATIONS Social work students' self-care requires further nuanced conceptualisations, including addressing the role of ICTs in contemporary student field education placements. The use of peer groups supports student understanding of self-care during field education. Higher education providers can create further opportunities for formal peer connection during placements to embed self and collective care into students' emerging practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study examined age‐ and gender‐related differences in autobiographical memory about the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdowns and whether the content of these memories predicted psychological adjustment over time. A sample of 247 students (Mage = 11.94, range 8–16 years, 51.4% female, 85.4% White) was recruited from public and private schools in Denmark and assessed three times from June 2020 to June 2021. The findings showed that memories weakened over time in detail and emotional valence. Additionally, psychological well‐being decreased over time, with adolescent females faring the worst. Critically, memories including higher levels of negative affect and factual information about COVID‐19 and the lockdown predicted worse psychological well‐being over time, underscoring aspects of autobiographical memory that might help attenuate the negative consequences of the lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study examined the extent to which pandemic-specific psychological distress symptoms and perceived stress were associated with sleep difficulties among college students. Participants: Participants included 203 full-time undergraduates from a medium-sized university located in the U.S. Methods: A survey was administered online in December of 2020. Results: Regression analyses showed pandemic-specific psychological distress was associated with the three sleep difficulties. Perceived stress was also associated with these three sleep difficulties of falling asleep (B = 0.078, SE = 0.013, p =.000), difficulty staying asleep (B = 0.080, SE = 0.014, p =.000), and with waking too early (B = 0.043, SE = 0.014, p =.003), and mediated the relationship between psychological distress and each of the sleep difficulties. Conclusions: During public health emergencies health promotion strategies to promote sleep health should include psychoeducational strategies specifically addressing pandemic-specific psychological distress symptoms and perceived stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book review discusses "Meaningful Language Test Scores: Research to Enhance Score Interpretation," edited by Spiros Papageorgiou and Venessa F. Manna, which focuses on improving the interpretability of English language test scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Family of Assessments. The book is organized into three parts, covering vertical linking research, methodologies for improving test score interpretability, and challenges in enhancing score interpretation. It provides valuable insights into developing vertical scales for language tests and standard setting, making it useful for researchers, practitioners, and test score users interested in test equating and standard setting, particularly those using TOEFL products. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents a case study of a recent increase in invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections in children, observed at Ege University Children's Hospital in Turkey, involving six pediatric patients aged 6 months to 10 years. Topics discussed include the clinical presentations of iGAS infections, treatment protocols, and the potential link between the rise in infections and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Besides the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) itself, the indirect and unprecedented effects of mitigation strategies including shelter-in-place orders and social distancing combined with the widespread COVID "infodemic" disseminated by media interacted synergistically to worsen already compromised mental health outcomes of Latino people living with HIV (PLWH). This funded project directly addresses the sources of health disparity in Miami Dade County: mental health and misinformation by developing a culturally tailored resilience and media literacy intervention for Latinos living with HIV. Extant research on resilience strategies and media literacy skills have documented their effectiveness in assisting individuals make realistic appraisals and informed decisions that could benefit their health outcomes and improve health-related challenges. We utilized a community-based approach by collaborating with two local community partners (Open Arms and Borinquen) and conducting 27 qualitative interviews with Latino PLWH, infectious disease providers, and community health workers who directly informed content of the Latino Unidos microgame intervention. This article describes the formative research process guiding the Latinos Unidos microgame intervention—a three-module gamified intervention. Study outcomes provide the foundation for media and educational strategies that increase adherence to health guidance and enhance mental health responses to adversity as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]