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Our contribution draws on quantitative data from a longitudinal mixed‐methods study to uncover different patterns of social contacts of study abroad (SA) students and the relationship of these social contacts with (a) language use, (b) target language development, and (c) contextual variables. Data were obtained by means of online questionnaires pre, during, and post sojourn. English oral proficiency gains were measured using the Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc) test before and after the stay. Latent profile analysis yielded four profiles of social contacts, which differed in terms of the degree of integration into the community of locals or international students. Students with distinct profiles differ significantly with respect to language use but not in terms of language gains. Regression analyses indicate that comparable progress in oral proficiency was made by students across profiles of social contacts and also by those in an English as a lingua franca (ELF) context suggesting that different SA context and networking patterns are conducive to second language (L2) gains. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rehabilitation of patients after lower extremity injuries is focused on creating conditions for active participation in daily life by influencing their motor, mental and social skills. The aim is to analyze the recovery process in patients after lower limb injuries with impaired locomotor activity, which determines their social functioning. A survey was conducted among patients with impaired locomotor activity, which included five groups of questions assessed on a four-point scale. The ability to locomote in the environment, carrying out activities of daily life, emotional state and their social functioning are explored. 37 patients aged 18 to 88, divided into four groups by age and gender were included in the survey on a voluntary basis. After rehabilitation courses, at the end of the observed period, a significant improvement was noticed in the ability to walk without the use of aids on flat terrain, on stairs and outside the home. A maximal functional recovery was observed for carrying out the activities of daily life related to self-care as a result of improving the ability to locomote in the environment. Questions related to communication in a family and close friendship environment for all groups of respondents showed higher values, both at baseline (1,3 – 2,25) and at the end of the follow-up (2,43 – 3). Patients of all groups experience the greatest difficulty when it is necessary to use public transport. As a result of the rehabilitation, walking without aids is restored and the state of anxiety is overcome almost to degree 2,5. Despite the fact that the rehabilitation process is slow and prolonged, the results give reason to assume that the efforts of the multidisciplinary team lead to overcoming the negative aspects in the social functioning of patients after lower limb injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Migration often impacts the mental and emotional health of those needing to move from their home countries. Studies have focused on migrants’ levels of distress or well-being, and recent research looks at older migrants’ experience with loneliness. What has yet to be researched is how different migrant groups experience loneliness, and how these feelings are affected by the contexts of leaving one country and reception in another. Drawing on the theoretical framework of integration, this article asks whether newly arrived refugees in Germany differ in their perception of loneliness from other newly arrived migrants. It examines these perceptions as related to social contacts and the context—and interplay—of exit and reception. Using OLS regressions with data from the Recent Immigration Processes and Early Integration Trajectories in Germany (ENTRA) project, we find that Syrian refugees have higher levels of loneliness than migrant groups from Poland, Italy, and Turkey. The difference is largely attributable to Syrians not having local German contacts, surviving traumatic experiences at home, and migrating specifically for physical safety. We also find that discrimination and not being in the labor force are determinants of loneliness across all four groups, and that even when considering migrant origins and other effects, having local social contacts lowers levels of loneliness. Our results point to migration policies, such as those related to family reunification and labor market access, for producing inequalities in loneliness between Syrian refugees and other migrants in Germany.

Migration often impacts the mental and emotional health of those needing to move from their home countries. Studies have focused on migrants' levels of distress or well-being, and recent research looks at older migrants' experience with loneliness. What has yet to be researched is how different migrant groups experience loneliness, and how these feelings are affected by the contexts of leaving one country and reception in another. Drawing on the theoretical framework of integration, this article asks whether newly arrived refugees in Germany differ in their perception of loneliness from other newly arrived migrants. It examines these perceptions as related to social contacts and the context—and interplay—of exit and reception. Using OLS regressions with data from the Recent Immigration Processes and Early Integration Trajectories in Germany (ENTRA) project, we find that Syrian refugees have higher levels of loneliness than migrant groups from Poland, Italy, and Turkey. The difference is largely attributable to Syrians not having local German contacts, surviving traumatic experiences at home, and migrating specifically for physical safety. We also find that discrimination and not being in the labor force are determinants of loneliness across all four groups, and that even when considering migrant origins and other effects, having local social contacts lowers levels of loneliness. Our results point to migration policies, such as those related to family reunification and labor market access, for producing inequalities in loneliness between Syrian refugees and other migrants in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing rates of refugee and family reunion immigration have led to rising concern about integration in Europe. Previous studies point to the importance of social contacts for migrants' labour market integration but suggest that they play different roles for men and women. Yet, less attention has been paid to the potential factors shaping gender differences. Using the Swedish Level of Living Survey of foreign-born and their children, this study (1) establishes the gender-specific role of contacts at entry into employment among refugee and family reunion migrants, and (2) analyses how educational attainment and region of origin shape gender differences. Results reveal that social contacts promote entry into employment among migrant men. In contrast, contacts are not related to a shorter time to first job among migrant women. Findings further point towards gender differences in the role of social contacts by educational attainment and region of origin. In particular, migrant men appear to benefit from their contacts largely because social contacts assist low-educated men in securing work. Among women, the role of social contacts does not differ across educational attainment. Instead, educational attainment is directly associated with time to first job, suggesting that women rely more heavily on their formal education. The returns to social contacts are heterogeneous across regions of origin, and especially so among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comparative study of the oral English proficiency gains of two groups of students, namely mobility students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 26), who were matched for background variables such as pre-departure oral proficiency, duration of stay, accommodation, and destination. Oral proficiency was measured before and after the stay using the Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc). Results indicate that students staying abroad before the outbreak of the pandemic made significant progress while students staying abroad during the pandemic did not. Student comments suggest that this may be related to the measures taken to contain the pandemic, limiting opportunities for social networking and interaction. However, this impression could not be supported by statistical analyses of the self-reported number of social contacts or amount of English language use. The results point to the need for consideration of qualitative aspects of social interactions and language use and a more frequent and situated assessment of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines potential associations of loneliness with laboratory data and specific psychosocial and behavioral attitudes. The sample collection took place in an urban Primary Health Care unit between May and July 2023, consecutively, and once exclusion criteria were implemented. Participants were aged between 40 and 75 years. Routine laboratory test results upon study initiation and six months before were used. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Loneliness Scale (Version 3), blood glucose, serum lipids, Fibrosis-4 index, and Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) were assessed through hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis. Based on full model (3rd) analysis, those who were engaged in an individual sport or activity or had contacts with more friends presented significantly lower odds for increased loneliness levels (odds ratio (OR): 0.28 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.91], p = 0.034 and OR: 0.76 [95%CI 0.66–0.88], p < 0.001, respectively). The consumption of alcohol was associated with increased loneliness (OR: 5.55 [95%CI 1.42–21.63], p = 0.014). Elevated triglyceride levels were linked with moderate or no loneliness (OR: 0.20 [95%CI 0.05–0.83], p = 0.026), while an increased LDL/HDL atherosclerotic index was related to increased subjective loneliness (OR: 4.50 [95%CI 1.12–18.13], p = 0.035). The need for holistic approaches—involving primary care personnel—in understanding and addressing loneliness, recognizing its multifaceted nature as well as the diverse factors that contribute to this issue, is considered challenging.

This paper examines potential associations of loneliness with laboratory data and specific psychosocial and behavioral attitudes. The sample collection took place in an urban Primary Health Care unit between May and July 2023, consecutively, and once exclusion criteria were implemented. Participants were aged between 40 and 75 years. Routine laboratory test results upon study initiation and six months before were used. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Loneliness Scale (Version 3), blood glucose, serum lipids, Fibrosis-4 index, and Creatinine Clearance (CrCl) were assessed through hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis. Based on full model (3rd) analysis, those who were engaged in an individual sport or activity or had contacts with more friends presented significantly lower odds for increased loneliness levels (odds ratio (OR): 0.28 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.91], p = 0.034 and OR: 0.76 [95%CI 0.66–0.88], p < 0.001, respectively). The consumption of alcohol was associated with increased loneliness (OR: 5.55 [95%CI 1.42–21.63], p = 0.014). Elevated triglyceride levels were linked with moderate or no loneliness (OR: 0.20 [95%CI 0.05–0.83], p = 0.026), while an increased LDL/HDL atherosclerotic index was related to increased subjective loneliness (OR: 4.50 [95%CI 1.12–18.13], p = 0.035). The need for holistic approaches—involving primary care personnel—in understanding and addressing loneliness, recognizing its multifaceted nature as well as the diverse factors that contribute to this issue, is considered challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented changes in behaviour. To estimate if these persisted, a final round of the CoMix social contact survey was conducted in four countries at a time when all societal restrictions had been lifted for several months. We conducted a survey on a nationally representative sample in the UK, Netherlands (NL), Belgium (BE), and Switzerland (CH). Participants were asked about their contacts and behaviours on the previous day. We calculated contact matrices and compared the contact levels to a pre-pandemic baseline to estimate R0. Data collection occurred from 17 November to 7 December 2022. 7477 participants were recruited. Some were asked to undertake the survey on behalf of their children. Only 14.4 % of all participants reported wearing a facemask on the previous day. Self-reported vaccination rates in adults were similar for each country at around 86 %. Trimmed mean recorded contacts were highest in NL with 9.9 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 9.0–10.8) contacts per person per day and lowest in CH at 6.0 (95 % CI 5.4–6.6). Contacts at work were lowest in the UK (1.4 contacts per person per day) and highest in NL at 2.8 contacts per person per day. Other contacts were also lower in the UK at 1.6 per person per day (95 % CI 1.4–1.9) and highest in NL at 3.4 recorded per person per day (95 % CI 43.0–4.0). The next-generation approach suggests that R0 for a close-contact disease would be roughly half pre-pandemic levels in the UK, 80 % in NL and intermediate in the other two countries. The pandemic appears to have resulted in lasting changes in contact patterns expected to have an impact on the epidemiology of many different pathogens. Further post-pandemic surveys are necessary to confirm this finding.

Abstract This article examines the link between immigrants’ social capital and their labour market access (employment) and success (occupational status) in Germany and contributes to previous research in two ways. Firstly, based on insights from theories of social capital and immigrant integration, we overcome the mere distinction between inter- and intra-ethnic ties. Instead, we approximate resources immigrants can access and mobilize by considering both the ethnic and socioeconomic compositions of their networks. Secondly, by using autoregressive cross-lagged panel models, we properly deal with the methodological challenge of endogeneity inherent to studies concerned with the relationship between social capital and labour market outcomes. Based on longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel the empirical findings indicate the necessity of considering both the ethnic and socioeconomic compositions of immigrants’ networks—as both have independent effects on immigrants’ labour market integration. We conclude that future research on the relationship between immigrants’ social capital and their economic integration may benefit from approximating resources available through social contacts by considering not only the ethnic dimension but also the socioeconomic dimension of contacts.

The pro-social dimension of contemporary housing is one of the main postulates of sustainability. The work aims to draw attention to the residential environment created as a result of participatory design and to examine how and to what extent it supports the creation of social contacts and the identification of inhabitants with their place of residence. The study included three housing projects prepared by the communities: B.R.O.T Aspern, Seestern Aspern, and LiSA. They are part of one urban block located in Aspern, part of the 22nd district of Vienna—Donaudstadt. The case studies were analysed using the same ten evaluation criteria. They were established based on previously developed theories of sociologists, psychologists and architects on the features of architecture and spaces supporting the formation of neighbourly contacts and the identification of users with their place of residence. The research showed that although the same evaluation criteria were used, each design group found an individual way to meet them in their project such as innovative design elements, unique community spaces, or user-driven features. This is proof that not only the place where architecture is created, has its conditions, and the planners and architects creating the project give it an individual, pro-social character, but also the users who create it. However, it is important to create an appropriate organizational, legal architectural and urban framework for the participation process to be successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the Swiss government enacted restrictions on social contacts from 2020 to 2022. In addition, individuals changed their social contact behavior to limit the risk of COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in social contact patterns of the Swiss population. As part of the CoMix study, we conducted a survey consisting of 24 survey waves from January 2021 to May 2022. We collected data on social contacts and constructed contact matrices for the age groups 0–4, 5–14, 15–29, 30–64, and 65 years and older. We estimated the change in contact numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic to a synthetic pre-pandemic contact matrix. We also investigated the association of the largest eigenvalue of the social contact and transmission matrices with the stringency of pandemic measures, the effective reproduction number (Re), and vaccination uptake. During the pandemic period, 7084 responders reported an average number of 4.5 contacts (95% confidence interval, CI: 4.5–4.6) per day overall, which varied by age and survey wave. Children aged 5–14 years had the highest number of contacts with 8.5 (95% CI: 8.1–8.9) contacts on average per day and participants that were 65 years and older reported the fewest (3.4, 95% CI: 3.2–3.5) per day. Compared with the pre-pandemic baseline, we found that the 15–29 and 30–64 year olds had the largest reduction in contacts. We did not find statistically significant associations between the largest eigenvalue of the social contact and transmission matrices and the stringency of measures, Re, or vaccination uptake. The number of social contacts in Switzerland fell during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained below pre-pandemic levels after contact restrictions were lifted. The collected social contact data will be critical in informing modeling studies on the transmission of respiratory infections in Switzerland and to guide pandemic preparedness efforts.

Abstract Objective We measured contact patterns using social contact diaries for 157 U.S. long-term care facility employees from December 2020 - June 2021. These data are crucial for analyzing mathematical transmission models and for informing healthcare setting infection control policy. Results The median number of daily contacts was 10 (IQR 8–11). Household contacts were more likely partially masked than fully masked, more likely to involve physical contact, and longer in duration compared to facility contacts.

Purpose: Lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic may have had a disproportionate impact on the daily lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Many of them had to deal with limited social contacts for an extended period. This study explores in depth how people with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands experienced their daily lives, in particular due to lack of access to regular work activities. Materials and methods: Eight participants with intellectual disabilities were interviewed. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed in conducting and analysing interviews. Results and conclusions: Analysis yielded three overarching themes that are conceptually linked. Participants experienced a prolonged lack of social connections that resulted in experiences of social isolation and feelings of loneliness. This led to different kinds of struggles: either internal struggles involving negative thoughts or depressive feelings, or a perceived threat to their autonomous position in society. Meanwhile participants had to sustain their sense of self-worth in the absence of work activities. The findings emphasise the importance of social opportunities through the access to work activities for people with intellectual disabilities. Interventions are suggested to help reverse the increased social inequalities and enhance rehabilitation via work activities for people with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We measured contact patterns using social contact diaries for 157 U.S. long-term care facility employees from December 2020 - June 2021. These data are crucial for analyzing mathematical transmission models and for informing healthcare setting infection control policy. Results: The median number of daily contacts was 10 (IQR 8–11). Household contacts were more likely partially masked than fully masked, more likely to involve physical contact, and longer in duration compared to facility contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Tuberculosis is known as one of the principal health problems, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to visualize, statistically model, and describe the weighted networks to investigate the intensity of social contacts associated with tuberculosis. Methods In this case–control study, we applied weighted network analysis to assess the network of person-time spent in stores, workplaces, restaurants, mosques, Police bases, homes, hospitals, colleges, hairdressers, schools, contact homes, health centers, cinemas, parks, and markets. Modules will be determined based on the similarities between the variables in a topology overlap matrix. The most important variables will be found considering the association between each variable and module eigenvalues. Results The result shows the extracted modules of locations based on the connectivity followed by the person-time at each place. The correlation (p-value) between TB and the turquoise, blue, and brown modules was 0.058 (0.351), 0.004 (0.943), and 0.117 (0.039), respectively. The brown module is the most important one, demonstrating a significant connection between homes, contact homes, health centers, and hospitals. Therefore, an association was found between person-time in four places and the occurrence of TB. Conclusion The finding of this study showed that most transmission of tuberculosis infection occurs in homes, contact homes, health centers, and hospitals. These place evaluations allow the identification of people with more contact and in need of screening, so critically leading to the identification of more patients with active TB.

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted through person-to-person contacts. It is important to collect information on age-specific contact patterns because SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, transmission, and morbidity vary by age. To reduce the risk of infection, social distancing measures have been implemented. Social contact data, which identify who has contact with whom especially by age and place are needed to identify high-risk groups and serve to inform the design of non-pharmaceutical interventions. We estimated and used negative binomial regression to compare the number of daily contacts during the first round (April–May 2020) of the Minnesota Social Contact Study, based on respondent’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, and other demographic characteristics. We used information on the age and location of contacts to generate age-structured contact matrices. Finally, we compared the age-structured contact matrices during the stay-at-home order to pre-pandemic matrices. During the state-wide stay-home order, the mean daily number of contacts was 5.7. We found significant variation in contacts by age, gender, race, and region. Adults between 40 and 50 years had the highest number of contacts. The way race/ethnicity was coded influenced patterns between groups. Respondents living in Black households (which includes many White respondents living in inter-racial households with black family members) had 2.7 more contacts than respondents in White households; we did not find this same pattern when we focused on individual’s reported race/ethnicity. Asian or Pacific Islander respondents or in API households had approximately the same number of contacts as respondents in White households. Respondents in Hispanic households had approximately two fewer contacts compared to White households, likewise Hispanic respondents had three fewer contacts than White respondents. Most contacts were with other individuals in the same age group. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, the biggest declines occurred in contacts between children, and contacts between those over 60 with those below 60.

Abstract Background Vaccination is a key tool against COVID-19. However, in many settings it is not clear how acceptable COVID-19 vaccination is among the general population, or how hesitancy correlates with risk of disease acquisition. In this study we conducted a nationally representative survey in Pakistan to measure vaccination perceptions and social contacts in the context of COVID-19 control measures and vaccination programmes. Methods We conducted a vaccine perception and social contact survey with 3,658 respondents across five provinces in Pakistan, between 31 May and 29 June 2021. Respondents were asked a series of vaccine perceptions questions, to report all direct physical and non-physical contacts made the previous day, and a number of other questions regarding the social and economic impact of COVID-19 and control measures. We examined variation in perceptions and contact patterns by geographic and demographic factors. We describe knowledge, experiences and perceived risks of COVID-19. We explored variation in contact patterns by individual characteristics and vaccine hesitancy, and compared to patterns from non-pandemic periods. Results Self-reported adherence to self-isolation guidelines was poor, and 51% of respondents did not know where to access a COVID-19 test. Although 48.1% of participants agreed that they would get a vaccine if offered, vaccine hesitancy was higher than in previous surveys, and greatest in Sindh and Baluchistan provinces and among respondents of lower socioeconomic status. Participants reported a median of 5 contacts the previous day (IQR: 3–5, mean 14.0, 95%CI: 13.2, 14.9). There were no substantial differences in the number of contacts reported by individual characteristics, but contacts varied substantially among respondents reporting more or less vaccine hesitancy. Contacts were highly assortative, particularly outside the household where 97% of men's contacts were with other men. We estimate that social contacts were 9% lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions Although the perceived risk of COVID-19 in Pakistan is low in the general population, around half of participants in this survey indicated they would get vaccinated if offered. Vaccine impact studies which do not account for correlation between social contacts and vaccine hesitancy may incorrectly estimate the impact of vaccines, for example, if unvaccinated people have more contacts.

Abstract Background Most countries have enacted some restrictions to reduce social contacts to slow down disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly two years, individuals likely also adopted new behaviours to avoid pathogen exposure based on personal circumstances. We aimed to understand the way in which different factors affect social contacts – a critical step to improving future pandemic responses. Methods The analysis was based on repeated cross-sectional contact survey data collected in a standardized international study from 21 European countries between March 2020 and March 2022. We calculated the mean daily contacts reported using a clustered bootstrap by country and by settings (at home, at work, or in other settings). Where data were available, contact rates during the study period were compared with rates recorded prior to the pandemic. We fitted censored individual-level generalized additive mixed models to examine the effects of various factors on the number of social contacts. Results The survey recorded 463,336 observations from 96,456 participants. In all countries where comparison data were available, contact rates over the previous two years were substantially lower than those seen prior to the pandemic (approximately from over 10 to

Increasing rates of refugee and family reunion immigration have led to rising concern about integration in Europe. Previous studies point to the importance of social contacts for migrants’ labour market integration but suggest that they play different roles for men and women. Yet, less attention has been paid to the potential factors shaping gender differences. Using the Swedish Level of Living Survey of foreign-born and their children, this study (1) establishes the gender-specific role of contacts at entry into employment among refugee and family reunion migrants, and (2) analyses how educational attainment and region of origin shape gender differences. Results reveal that social contacts promote entry into employment among migrant men. In contrast, contacts are not related to a shorter time to first job among migrant women. Findings further point towards gender differences in the role of social contacts by educational attainment and region of origin. In particular, migrant men appear to benefit from their contacts largely because social contacts assist low-educated men in securing work. Among women, the role of social contacts does not differ across educational attainment. Instead, educational attainment is directly associated with time to first job, suggesting that women rely more heavily on their formal education. The returns to social contacts are heterogeneous across regions of origin, and especially so among women.

This study aims to assess the efficacy of a psychoeducational family intervention (PFI) to reduce the severity of depressive symptoms and to improve psychosocial functioning and to increase social contacts in a sample of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The degree to which PFI will reduce patients' relapses, hospitalizations, and self-stigmatization and will improve their quality of life will also be assessed. Other secondary outcomes include the improvement of relatives' coping strategies, family burden, expressed emotions and quality of life. This non-profit, unfunded, national, multicentric randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessments will be carried out in 24 Italian university outpatient units. Families will be assessed at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months post-randomization. Our working hypothesis is that the PFIs will reduce the patients' severity of depressive symptoms, their relapses, and their hospitalizations, and that they will improve their psychosocial functioning and quality of life. We expect these results to be maintained after 12 and 24 months, albeit with a reduction in magnitude. The sample will consist of 384 patients randomized at a 1:1 ratio and stratified according to center, age, gender, and educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle and social activities among older adults in Sweden, with a special focus on differences between the 'younger old' (aged 77–84) and 'older old' (aged 85–109). Methods: This study is based on a nationally representative sample of older adults (aged ⩾77 years) in Sweden (SWEOLD). Data were collected between May 2021 and April 2022, when many recommendations were removed but the virus was still classified as a public health disease. We studied occurrences and differences between the two age groups in several lifestyle factors and social activities. Results: The younger old displayed larger changes in lifestyles because of the pandemic than the older old. Most changes were found in social interactions with family. Conclusions: Our results highlight the large heterogeneity within the Swedish population aged ⩾77 years, and that the younger old experienced a bigger lifestyle change than the older old. Previous activity levels might be important to consider in order to understand how regulations may affect the older population. Finally, our findings indicate large age differences in Internet use, which require attention to prevent digital exclusion of an already vulnerable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Social animals become stressed upon social isolation, proactively engaging in affiliative contacts among conspecifics after resocialization. We have previously reported that calcitonin receptor (Calcr) expressing neurons in the central part of the medial preoptic area (cMPOA) mediate contact-seeking behaviors in female mice. Calcr neurons in the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala (MeApd) are also activated by resocialization, however their role in social affiliation is still unclear. Here we first investigated the functional characteristics of MeApd Calcr + cells; these neurons are GABAergic and show female-biased Calcr expression. Next, using an adeno-associated virus vector expressing a short hairpin RNA targeting Calcr we aimed to identify its molecular role in the MeApd. Inhibiting Calcr expression in the MeApd increased social contacts during resocialization without affecting locomotor activity, suggesting that the endogenous Calcr signaling in the MeApd suppresses social contacts. These results demonstrate the distinct roles of Calcr in the cMPOA and MeApd for regulating social affiliation.

Tuberculosis (TB) is more prevalent in rural than urban areas in China, and delineating TB transmission patterns in rural populations could improve TB control. We conducted a prospective population-based study of culture-positive pulmonary TB patients diagnosed between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2020 in two rural counties in China. Genomic clusters were defined with a threshold distance of 12-single-nucleotide-polymorphisms, based on whole-genome sequencing. Risk factors for clustering were identified by logistic regression. Transmission links were sought through epidemiological investigation of genomic-clustered patients. Of 1517 and 751 culture-positive pulmonary TB patients in Wusheng and Wuchang counties, respectively, 1289 and 699 strains were sequenced. Overall, 624 (31.4%, 624/1988) patients were grouped into 225 genomic clusters. Epidemiological links were confirmed in 41.8% (196/469) of clustered isolates, including family (32.7%, 64/196) and social contacts (67.3%, 132/196). Social contacts were generally with relatives, within the community or in shared aggregated settings outside the community, but the proportion of clustered contacts in each category differed between the two sites. The time interval between diagnosis of student cases and contacts was significantly shorter than family and social contacts, probably due to enhanced student contact screening. Transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains was likely responsible for 81.4% (83/102) of MDR-TB cases, with minimal acquisition of additional resistance mutations. A large proportion of TB transmission in rural China occurred among social contacts, suggesting that active screening and aggressive contact tracing could benefit TB control, but contact screening should be tailored to local patterns of social interactions.

Abstract Background Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, countries adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdowns to limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Social contact studies help measure the effectiveness of NPIs and estimate parameters for modelling SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, few contact studies have been conducted in Africa. Methods We analysed nationally representative cross-sectional survey data from 19 African Union Member States, collected by the Partnership for Evidence-based Responses to COVID-19 (PERC) via telephone interviews at two time points (August 2020 and February 2021). Adult respondents reported contacts made in the previous day by age group, demographic characteristics, and their attitudes towards COVID-19. We described mean and median contacts across these characteristics and related contacts to Google Mobility reports and the Oxford Government Response Stringency Index for each country at the two time points. Results Mean reported contacts varied across countries with the lowest reported in Ethiopia (9, SD=16, median = 4, IQR = 8) in August 2020 and the highest in Sudan (50, SD=53, median = 33, IQR = 40) in February 2021. Contacts of people aged 18–55 represented 50% of total contacts, with most contacts in household and work or study settings for both surveys. Mean contacts increased for Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda and decreased for Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Tunisia between the two time points. Men had more contacts than women and contacts were consistent across urban or rural settings (except in Cameroon and Kenya, where urban respondents had more contacts than rural ones, and in Senegal and Zambia, where the opposite was the case). There were no strong and consistent variations in the number of mean or median contacts by education level, self-reported health, perceived self-reported risk of infection, vaccine acceptance, mask ownership, and perceived risk of COVID-19 to health. Mean contacts were correlated with Google mobility (coefficient 0.57, p=0.051 and coefficient 0.28, p=0.291 in August 2020 and February 2021, respectively) and Stringency Index (coefficient −0.12, p = 0.304 and coefficient −0.33, p=0.005 in August 2020 and February 2021, respectively). Conclusions These are the first COVID-19 social contact data collected for 16 of the 19 countries surveyed. We find a high reported number of daily contacts in all countries and substantial variations in mean contacts across countries and by gender. Increased stringency and decreased mobility were associated with a reduction in the number of contacts. These data may be useful to understand transmission patterns, model infection transmission, and for pandemic planning.

Background: Tuberculosis is known as one of the principal health problems, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to visualize, statistically model, and describe the weighted networks to investigate the intensity of social contacts associated with tuberculosis. Methods: In this case–control study, we applied weighted network analysis to assess the network of person-time spent in stores, workplaces, restaurants, mosques, Police bases, homes, hospitals, colleges, hairdressers, schools, contact homes, health centers, cinemas, parks, and markets. Modules will be determined based on the similarities between the variables in a topology overlap matrix. The most important variables will be found considering the association between each variable and module eigenvalues. Results: The result shows the extracted modules of locations based on the connectivity followed by the person-time at each place. The correlation (p-value) between TB and the turquoise, blue, and brown modules was 0.058 (0.351), 0.004 (0.943), and 0.117 (0.039), respectively. The brown module is the most important one, demonstrating a significant connection between homes, contact homes, health centers, and hospitals. Therefore, an association was found between person-time in four places and the occurrence of TB. Conclusion: The finding of this study showed that most transmission of tuberculosis infection occurs in homes, contact homes, health centers, and hospitals. These place evaluations allow the identification of people with more contact and in need of screening, so critically leading to the identification of more patients with active TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted through person-to-person contacts. It is important to collect information on age-specific contact patterns because SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, transmission, and morbidity vary by age. To reduce the risk of infection, social distancing measures have been implemented. Social contact data, which identify who has contact with whom especially by age and place are needed to identify high-risk groups and serve to inform the design of non-pharmaceutical interventions. We estimated and used negative binomial regression to compare the number of daily contacts during the first round (April–May 2020) of the Minnesota Social Contact Study, based on respondent's age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, and other demographic characteristics. We used information on the age and location of contacts to generate age-structured contact matrices. Finally, we compared the age-structured contact matrices during the stay-at-home order to pre-pandemic matrices. During the state-wide stay-home order, the mean daily number of contacts was 5.7. We found significant variation in contacts by age, gender, race, and region. Adults between 40 and 50 years had the highest number of contacts. The way race/ethnicity was coded influenced patterns between groups. Respondents living in Black households (which includes many White respondents living in inter-racial households with black family members) had 2.7 more contacts than respondents in White households; we did not find this same pattern when we focused on individual's reported race/ethnicity. Asian or Pacific Islander respondents or in API households had approximately the same number of contacts as respondents in White households. Respondents in Hispanic households had approximately two fewer contacts compared to White households, likewise Hispanic respondents had three fewer contacts than White respondents. Most contacts were with other individuals in the same age group. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, the biggest declines occurred in contacts between children, and contacts between those over 60 with those below 60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccination is a key tool against COVID-19. However, in many settings it is not clear how acceptable COVID-19 vaccination is among the general population, or how hesitancy correlates with risk of disease acquisition. In this study we conducted a nationally representative survey in Pakistan to measure vaccination perceptions and social contacts in the context of COVID-19 control measures and vaccination programmes. Methods: We conducted a vaccine perception and social contact survey with 3,658 respondents across five provinces in Pakistan, between 31 May and 29 June 2021. Respondents were asked a series of vaccine perceptions questions, to report all direct physical and non-physical contacts made the previous day, and a number of other questions regarding the social and economic impact of COVID-19 and control measures. We examined variation in perceptions and contact patterns by geographic and demographic factors. We describe knowledge, experiences and perceived risks of COVID-19. We explored variation in contact patterns by individual characteristics and vaccine hesitancy, and compared to patterns from non-pandemic periods. Results: Self-reported adherence to self-isolation guidelines was poor, and 51% of respondents did not know where to access a COVID-19 test. Although 48.1% of participants agreed that they would get a vaccine if offered, vaccine hesitancy was higher than in previous surveys, and greatest in Sindh and Baluchistan provinces and among respondents of lower socioeconomic status. Participants reported a median of 5 contacts the previous day (IQR: 3–5, mean 14.0, 95%CI: 13.2, 14.9). There were no substantial differences in the number of contacts reported by individual characteristics, but contacts varied substantially among respondents reporting more or less vaccine hesitancy. Contacts were highly assortative, particularly outside the household where 97% of men's contacts were with other men. We estimate that social contacts were 9% lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Although the perceived risk of COVID-19 in Pakistan is low in the general population, around half of participants in this survey indicated they would get vaccinated if offered. Vaccine impact studies which do not account for correlation between social contacts and vaccine hesitancy may incorrectly estimate the impact of vaccines, for example, if unvaccinated people have more contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most countries have enacted some restrictions to reduce social contacts to slow down disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly two years, individuals likely also adopted new behaviours to avoid pathogen exposure based on personal circumstances. We aimed to understand the way in which different factors affect social contacts – a critical step to improving future pandemic responses. Methods: The analysis was based on repeated cross-sectional contact survey data collected in a standardized international study from 21 European countries between March 2020 and March 2022. We calculated the mean daily contacts reported using a clustered bootstrap by country and by settings (at home, at work, or in other settings). Where data were available, contact rates during the study period were compared with rates recorded prior to the pandemic. We fitted censored individual-level generalized additive mixed models to examine the effects of various factors on the number of social contacts. Results: The survey recorded 463,336 observations from 96,456 participants. In all countries where comparison data were available, contact rates over the previous two years were substantially lower than those seen prior to the pandemic (approximately from over 10 to < 5), predominantly due to fewer contacts outside the home. Government restrictions imposed immediate effect on contacts, and these effects lingered after the restrictions were lifted. Across countries, the relationships between national policy, individual perceptions, or personal circumstances determining contacts varied. Conclusions: Our study, coordinated at the regional level, provides important insights into the understanding of the factors associated with social contacts to support future infectious disease outbreak responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDuring the first pandemic phase of COVID-19, an epidemiological study, named First survey, was conducted on the population of a small rural area in northern Italy. In spring 2020, the results showed how a prolonged lockdown slowed down the spread of the virus.MethodsAfter contacting positive First Survey subjects and their families, those who decided to join voluntarily underwent a blood test to assess the presence of qualitative lgG about 2 months after the previous one. This was to determine if IgG persisted in individuals who tested positive in the First Survey as well as to assess the antibody status of their close family members, to determine if they were unintentionally infected.ResultsBased on serological analysis, 35.1% of the samples contained blood IgG. In subjects who tested positive during the First Survey, 62.5% remained IgG positive more than 2 months later. Among family members who were exposed to a positive relative, 23.7% were infected. Linear regression analysis showed that the presence of an infected person within a household resulted in the infection spreading to the others, but not excessively. Induced isolation extinguished the infection regardless of the extent of the contagion (intra-family or extra-family). Micro-outbreaks of SARS-Cov-2 infection which arose in the same household from extra-familial infections played a decisive role on the statistical significance of IgG-positive subjects (p

Abstract Background Most mass gathering events have been suspended due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, with vaccination rollout, whether and how to organize some of these mass gathering events arises as part of the pandemic recovery discussions, and this calls for decision support tools. The Hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, was substantively scaled down in 2020 and 2021 and it is still unclear how it will take place in 2022 and subsequent years. Simulating disease transmission dynamics during the Hajj season under different conditions can provide some insights for better decision-making. Most disease risk assessment models require data on the number and nature of possible close contacts between individuals. Methods We sought to use integrated agent-based modeling and discrete events simulation techniques to capture risky contacts among the pilgrims and assess different scenarios in one of the Hajj major sites, namely Masjid-Al-Haram. Results The simulation results showed that a plethora of risky contacts may occur during the rituals. Also, as the total number of pilgrims increases at each site, the number of risky contacts increases, and physical distancing measures may be challenging to maintain beyond a certain number of pilgrims in the site. Conclusions This study presented a simulation tool that can be relevant for the risk assessment of a variety of (respiratory) infectious diseases, in addition to COVID-19 in the Hajj season. This tool can be expanded to include other contributing elements of disease transmission to quantify the risk of the mass gathering events.

This research uses a sample of Muslim adults (n = 569) living in the United Arab Emirates to investigate the association between Islamic religiosity and subjective well-being (SWB), with a particular focus on how gender, social contacts (both religious and secular), and religious social support affect this relationship. The findings of this research demonstrate that higher Islamic religiosity predicts higher levels of SWB for both men and women equally. Individually, the frequency of social contact (with religious contacts, family, and friends) was associated with higher SWB for both men and women, but only religious and family (but not friends) contact partially mediated the religiosity-SWB association. A mediation analysis showed that the frequency of contact with religious community members was associated with better SWB, in part, because of the religious social support these contacts provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social animals become stressed upon social isolation, proactively engaging in affiliative contacts among conspecifics after resocialization. We have previously reported that calcitonin receptor (Calcr) expressing neurons in the central part of the medial preoptic area (cMPOA) mediate contact-seeking behaviors in female mice. Calcr neurons in the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala (MeApd) are also activated by resocialization, however their role in social affiliation is still unclear. Here we first investigated the functional characteristics of MeApd Calcr + cells; these neurons are GABAergic and show female-biased Calcr expression. Next, using an adeno-associated virus vector expressing a short hairpin RNA targeting Calcr we aimed to identify its molecular role in the MeApd. Inhibiting Calcr expression in the MeApd increased social contacts during resocialization without affecting locomotor activity, suggesting that the endogenous Calcr signaling in the MeApd suppresses social contacts. These results demonstrate the distinct roles of Calcr in the cMPOA and MeApd for regulating social affiliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Canada, have adopted unprecedented physical distancing measures such as closure of schools and non-essential businesses, and restrictions on gatherings and household visits. We described time trends in social contacts for the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in Quebec, Canada. Methods CONNECT is a population-based study of social contacts conducted shortly before (2018/2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 – February 2021), using the same methodology for both periods. We recruited participants by random digit dialing and collected data by self-administered web-based questionnaires. Questionnaires documented socio-demographic characteristics and social contacts for two assigned days. A contact was defined as a two-way conversation at a distance ≤ 2 m or as a physical contact, irrespective of masking. We used weighted generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and robust variance (taking possible overdispersion into account) to compare the mean number of social contacts over time and by socio-demographic characteristics. Results A total of 1291 and 5516 Quebecers completed the study before and during the pandemic, respectively. Contacts significantly decreased from a mean of 8 contacts/day prior to the pandemic to 3 contacts/day during the spring 2020 lockdown. Contacts remained lower than the pre-COVID period thereafter (lowest = 3 contacts/day during the Christmas 2020/2021 holidays, highest = 5 in September 2020). Contacts at work, during leisure activities/in other locations, and at home with visitors showed the greatest decreases since the beginning of the pandemic. All sociodemographic subgroups showed significant decreases of contacts since the beginning of the pandemic. The mixing matrices illustrated the impact of public health measures (e.g. school closure, gathering restrictions) with fewer contacts between children/teenagers and fewer contacts outside of the three main diagonals of contacts between same-age partners/siblings and between children and their parents. Conclusion Physical distancing measures in Quebec significantly decreased social contacts, which most likely mitigated the spread of COVID-19.

Abstract Background As we are confronted with more transmissible/severe variants with immune escape and the waning of vaccine efficacy, it is particularly relevant to understand how the social contacts of individuals at greater risk of COVID-19 complications evolved over time. We described time trends in social contacts of individuals according to comorbidity and vaccination status before and during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada. Methods We used data from CONNECT, a repeated cross-sectional population-based survey of social contacts conducted before (2018/2019) and during the pandemic (April 2020 to July 2021). We recruited non-institutionalized adults from Quebec, Canada, by random digit dialling. We used a self-administered web-based questionnaire to measure the number of social contacts of participants (two-way conversation at a distance ≤2 m or a physical contact, irrespective of masking). We compared the mean number of contacts/day according to the comorbidity status of participants (pre-existing medical conditions with symptoms/medication in the past 12 months) and 1-dose vaccination status during the third wave. All analyses were performed using weighted generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and robust variance. Results A total of 1441 and 5185 participants with and without comorbidities, respectively, were included in the analyses. Contacts significantly decreased from a mean of 6.1 (95%CI 4.9–7.3) before the pandemic to 3.2 (95%CI 2.5–3.9) during the first wave among individuals with comorbidities and from 8.1 (95%CI 7.3–9.0) to 2.7 (95%CI 2.2–3.2) among individuals without comorbidities. Individuals with comorbidities maintained fewer contacts than those without comorbidities in the second wave, with a significant difference before the Christmas 2020/2021 holidays (2.9 (95%CI 2.5–3.2) vs 3.9 (95%CI 3.5–4.3); P

Despite the growing recognition of the impact of urban environments on social health, limited research explores the combined associations of multiple urban exposures, particularly in dense cities. This study examines the interplay between greenspace, air pollution, and social health as well as the underlying pathways and population heterogeneity in Hong Kong using cross-sectional survey data from 1977 adults and residential environmental data. Social health includes social contacts, relations, and support. Greenspace used street-view greenness (SVG), park density, and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). 100-m daily ground NO 2 and O 3 , indicative of air pollution, were derived using a spatiotemporal deep learning model. Mediators involved physical activity and negative emotions. Main analyses were performed in a 1000-m buffer with multivariate logistical regressions, stratification, interaction, and Partial Lease Square - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Multi-exposure models revealed positive associations between park density/SVG and social contacts, as well as between SVG and social relations, while O 3 was negatively associated with social relations/support. Significant moderators included age, birthplace, employment, and education. PLS-SEM indicated direct positive associations between SVG and social contacts/relations and significant indirect negative associations between NO 2 /O 3 and social health via negative emotions. This study adds to urban health research by exploring complex relationships between greenspace, air pollution, and social health, highlighting the role of the environment in fostering social restoration. [Display omitted] • Park density was positively associated with social contacts. • Street-view greenness showed positive associations with both social contacts and social relations. • NDVI was indirectly associated with social relations through O 3. • NO 2 and O 3 were indirectly linked to poorer social health via negative emotions with O 3 also directly linked to negative social relations. • These associations were moderated by factors such as age, birthplace, employment, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts to control the current pandemic through public health interventions have been driven by predictions based on modelling, thus bringing epidemiological models to the forefront of policy and public interest. It is almost inevitable that there will be further pandemics and controlling, suppressing and ameliorating their effects will undoubtedly involve the use of models. However, the accuracy and usefulness of models are highly dependent on the data that are used to calibrate and validate them. In this article, we consider the data needed by the two main types of epidemiological modelling (compartmental and agent-based) and the adequacy of the currently available data sources. We conclude that at present the data for epidemiological modelling of pandemics is seriously deficient and we make suggestions about how it would need to be improved. Finally, we argue that it is important to initiate efforts to collect appropriate data for modelling now, rather than waiting for the next pandemic.

Parents and teachers have identified the social inclusion of students with complex support needs as one of the most important components of school participation. Previous research has found that the opportunities for, and importance of, social contacts for students with complex support needs vary by educational placement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a national sample of 92 elementary-aged students with complex support needs to determine whether placement predicts the number and importance of social contacts. We used multilevel regression analysis to measure the extent to which placement predicts the number of social contacts and teachers' ratings of importance. Students in inclusive placements had almost 50% more social contacts than students in a segregated school. Furthermore, teachers' perceptions of the social significance of the contacts experienced by students with complex support needs were notably higher in inclusive settings. Given these findings, we suggest implications for practice and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of school closure on the spread of COVID‐19 has been discussed intensively in the literature and the news. To capture the interdependencies between children and adults, we consider daily age‐stratified incidence data and contact patterns between age groups which change over time to reflect social distancing policy indicators. We fit a multivariate time‐series endemic–epidemic model to such data from the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland and use the model to predict the age‐specific incidence in a counterfactual approach (with and without school closures). The results indicate a 17% median increase of incidence in the youngest age group (0–14 year olds), whereas the relative increase in the other age groups drops to values between 2% and 3%. We argue that our approach is more informative to policy makers than summarising the effect of school closures with time‐dependent effective reproduction numbers, which are difficult to estimate due to the sparsity of incidence counts within the relevant age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system with insidious onset and chronic progression. The pathogenesis of AD is complex, which is currently considered to be the result of the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The APOE ɛ4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic AD and a risk factor for progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. So far, no effective drugs have been found for the progression of MCI. However, the effects of nonpharmacological interventions such as nutrition, cognitive, and physical exercises on early AD have received increasing attention. We followed up cognitive assessment scales, Aβ-PET and MRI examination of a patient with MCI for 4 years, who carried APOE ɛ4 homozygous with a clear family history. After 4 years of multi-domain lifestyle interventions including nutrition, socialization, and physical exercises, the patient's cognitive function, especially memory function, improved significantly. Intracerebral amyloid deposition was decreased, and hippocampal atrophy improved. Based on this case, this study reviewed and discussed the interaction of APOE ɛ4 with the environment in AD research in recent years, as well as the impact and mechanisms of non-pharmaceutical multi-domain lifestyle interventions on MCI or early AD. Both the literature review and this case showed that multi-domain lifestyle interventions may reduce the risk of disease progression by reducing Aβ deposition in the brain and other different pathologic mechanisms, which offers promise in brain amyloid-positivity or APOE ɛ4 carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, countries adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdowns to limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Social contact studies help measure the effectiveness of NPIs and estimate parameters for modelling SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, few contact studies have been conducted in Africa.Methods: We analysed nationally representative cross-sectional survey data from 19 African Union Member States, collected by the Partnership for Evidence-based Responses to COVID-19 (PERC) via telephone interviews at two time points (August 2020 and February 2021). Adult respondents reported contacts made in the previous day by age group, demographic characteristics, and their attitudes towards COVID-19. We described mean and median contacts across these characteristics and related contacts to Google Mobility reports and the Oxford Government Response Stringency Index for each country at the two time points.Results: Mean reported contacts varied across countries with the lowest reported in Ethiopia (9, SD=16, median = 4, IQR = 8) in August 2020 and the highest in Sudan (50, SD=53, median = 33, IQR = 40) in February 2021. Contacts of people aged 18-55 represented 50% of total contacts, with most contacts in household and work or study settings for both surveys. Mean contacts increased for Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda and decreased for Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Tunisia between the two time points. Men had more contacts than women and contacts were consistent across urban or rural settings (except in Cameroon and Kenya, where urban respondents had more contacts than rural ones, and in Senegal and Zambia, where the opposite was the case). There were no strong and consistent variations in the number of mean or median contacts by education level, self-reported health, perceived self-reported risk of infection, vaccine acceptance, mask ownership, and perceived risk of COVID-19 to health. Mean contacts were correlated with Google mobility (coefficient 0.57, p=0.051 and coefficient 0.28, p=0.291 in August 2020 and February 2021, respectively) and Stringency Index (coefficient -0.12, p = 0.304 and coefficient -0.33, p=0.005 in August 2020 and February 2021, respectively).Conclusions: These are the first COVID-19 social contact data collected for 16 of the 19 countries surveyed. We find a high reported number of daily contacts in all countries and substantial variations in mean contacts across countries and by gender. Increased stringency and decreased mobility were associated with a reduction in the number of contacts. These data may be useful to understand transmission patterns, model infection transmission, and for pandemic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who feel lonely and those who are socially isolated have higher mortality risks than those who are not lonely or socially isolated. However, the importance of loneliness and social isolation for survival is rarely analysed in the same study or with consideration of gender differences. The aim was to examine the separate, mutually adjusted, and combined effects of loneliness and social isolation with mortality in older women and men. Data from the SWEOLD study, a nationally representative sample of people aged 69+ years living in Sweden, was combined with register data on mortality and analysed using Cox regressions. Mortality was higher among older women and men with higher levels of loneliness or social isolation. Social isolation was more strongly associated with mortality than loneliness and the association remained when controlling for health. The combined effects of loneliness and social isolation did not surpass their independent effects. Loneliness and social isolation is associated with an increased mortality risk, and social integration should be a prioritised target for activities and services involving older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most mass gathering events have been suspended due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, with vaccination rollout, whether and how to organize some of these mass gathering events arises as part of the pandemic recovery discussions, and this calls for decision support tools. The Hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, was substantively scaled down in 2020 and 2021 and it is still unclear how it will take place in 2022 and subsequent years. Simulating disease transmission dynamics during the Hajj season under different conditions can provide some insights for better decision-making. Most disease risk assessment models require data on the number and nature of possible close contacts between individuals. Methods: We sought to use integrated agent-based modeling and discrete events simulation techniques to capture risky contacts among the pilgrims and assess different scenarios in one of the Hajj major sites, namely Masjid-Al-Haram. Results: The simulation results showed that a plethora of risky contacts may occur during the rituals. Also, as the total number of pilgrims increases at each site, the number of risky contacts increases, and physical distancing measures may be challenging to maintain beyond a certain number of pilgrims in the site. Conclusions: This study presented a simulation tool that can be relevant for the risk assessment of a variety of (respiratory) infectious diseases, in addition to COVID-19 in the Hajj season. This tool can be expanded to include other contributing elements of disease transmission to quantify the risk of the mass gathering events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]