Digital Commons Network^™

Covid-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among People Living With And Without Hiv In South Carolina, Usa: Protocol Of A Population-Based Cohort Study, Xueying Yang, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction Despite the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing severe COVID-19 outcomes, a small percentage of fully vaccinated persons will develop symptomatic or asymptomatic infections with SARSCoV-2, which is referred to as ‘breakthrough COVID-19’. People living with HIV (PLWH) appear to have an elevated risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, yet the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in this population remains unclear due to the limited research efforts in this population in the real world. This study aims to characterise and compare the breakthrough COVID-19 (eg, prevalence and disease severity) between PLWH and non-PLWH and then examine whether HIV markers play …

Global Investments In Pandemic Preparedness And Covid-19: Development Assistance And Domestic Spending On Health Between 1990 And 2026, Angela E. Micah, Kayleigh Bhangdia, Ian E. Cogswell, Dylan Lasher, Brendan Lidral-Porter, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph. D., Et Al.

Faculty Publications

Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in health surveillance systems, disease prevention, and treatment globally. Among the many factors that might have led to these gaps is the issue of the financing of national health systems, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as a robust global system for pandemic preparedness. We aimed to provide a comparative assessment of global health spending at the onset of the pandemic; characterise the amount of development assistance for pandemic preparedness and response disbursed in the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic; and examine expectations for future health spending and put …

Curating A Knowledge Base For Individuals With Coinfection Of Hiv And Sars-Cov-2: A Study Protocol Of Ehr-Based Data Mining And Clinical Implementation, Chen Liang, Sharon Weissman, Bankole Olatosi, Eric G. Poon, Michael E. Yarrington, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction Despite a higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease in individuals with HIV, the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV infections remain unclear. To delineate these interactions, multicentre Electronic Health Records (EHR) hold existing promise to provide fullspectrum and longitudinal clinical data, demographics and sociobehavioural data at individual level. Presently, a comprehensive EHR-based cohort for the HIV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection has not been established; EHR integration and data mining methods tailored for studying the coinfection are urgently needed yet remain underdeveloped. Methods and analysis The overarching goal of this exploratory/developmental study is to establish an EHR-based cohort for individuals with HIV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection and …

Analysis Of Residential Segregation And Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Severe Maternal Morbidity Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Peiyin Hung, Jihong Liu, Chelsea Norregaard, Yiwen Shih, Chen Liang, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi

Faculty Publications

Importance Persistent racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) in the US remain a public health concern. Structural racism leaves women of color in a disadvantaged situation especially during COVID-19, leading to disproportionate pandemic afflictions among racial and ethnic minority women.

Objective To examine racial and ethnic disparities in SMM rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether the disparities varied with level of Black residential segregation.

Design, Setting, and Participants A statewide population-based retrospective cohort study used birth certificates linked to all-payer childbirth claims data in South Carolina. Participants included women who gave birth between January …

The Global Burden Of Cancer Attributable To Risk Factors, 2010-19: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Khanh Bao Tran, Justin J. Lang, Kelly Compton, Rixing Xu, Alistair R. Acheson, Hannah Jacqueline Henrikson, Jonathan M. Kocarnik, Louise Penberthy, Amirali Aali, Qamar Abbas, Behzad Abbasi, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab Abbasi-Kangevari, Hedayat Abbastabar, Michael Abdelmasseh, Sherief Abd-Elsalam, Ahmed Abdelwahab Abdelwahab, Gholamreza Abdoli, Hanan Abdulkadir Abdulkadir, Aidin Abedi, Ismaeel Yunusa, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Background

Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally.

Methods

The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk–outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change …

Covid-19-Related Stressful Experiences And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among College Students In China: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Perceived Control Over The Future And Empathy, Zhi Ye, Chengbo Zeng, Xueying Yang, Cheuk-Chi Tam, Yuyan Wang, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Danhu Lin

Faculty Publications

The current study aims to investigate the mediating effect of perceived control over the future and the moderating effect of empathy on the association between stressful experiences and PTSD symptoms among college students in China in response to COVID-19. A sample of 1,225 college students (70.69% were female, M age=20.22 years, SD=2.02) were recruited using web-based surveys at wave 1 (W1) and wave 2 (W2) longitudinally. Results showed that COVID-19-related stressful experiences were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Perceived control over the future partially mediated the relationship between these two variables (indirect effect size=0.09, p < 0.01). Empathy significantly moderated the path from perceived control over the future to PTSD symptoms, suggesting that the association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of empathy. Findings suggest a protective effect of perceived control over the future on college students’ PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a protective effect was intensified by empathy. Future intervention to manage PTSD symptoms should be tailored to positive future expectations and empathy.

Three Dimensions Of Covid-19 Risk Perceptions And Their Socioeconomic Correlates In The United States: A Social Media Analysis, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhenlong Li Ph.D., Chen Liang Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Caroline Rudisill Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Social media analysis provides an alternate approach to monitoring and understanding risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 over time. Our current understandings of risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 do not disentangle the three dimensions of risk perceptions (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and negative emotion) as the pandemic has evolved. Data are also limited regarding the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on COVID-19-related risk perceptions over time. To address these knowledge gaps, we extracted tweets regarding COVID-19-related risk perceptions and developed indicators for the three dimensions of risk perceptions based on over502 million geotagged tweets posted by over 4.9 million Twitter users …

Three Dimensions Of Covid-19 Risk Perceptions And Their Socioeconomic Correlates In The United States: A Social Media Analysis, Shan Qiao, Zhenlong Li, Caroline Rudsill

Faculty Publications

Social media analysis provides an alternate approach to monitoring and understanding risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 over time. Our current understandings of risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 do not disentangle the three dimensions of risk perceptions (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and negative emotion) as the pandemic has evolved. Data are also limited regarding the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on COVID-19-related risk perceptions over time. To address these knowledge gaps, we extracted tweets regarding COVID-19-related risk perceptions and developed indicators for the three dimensions of risk perceptions based on over 502 million geotagged tweets posted by over 4.9 million Twitter …

Multilevel Determinants Of Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Severe Maternal Morbidity And Mortality In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Usa: Protocol For A Concurrent Triangulation, Mixed-Methods Study, Jihong Liu, Peiyin Hung Ph.D, Chen Liang Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Berry A. Campbell, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Myriam E. Torres Ph. D., Neset Hikmet, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities of colour the hardest. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic pregnant women appear to have disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 infection and death rates.

Methods and analysis We will use the socioecological framework and employ a concurrent triangulation, mixed-methods study design to achieve three specific aims: (1) examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial/ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM); (2) explore how social contexts (eg, racial/ethnic residential segregation) have contributed to the widening of racial/ethnic disparities in SMMM during the pandemic and identify distinct mediating pathways through maternity care and mental health; and …

Shining A Light On Marginal Food Insecurity In An Understudied Population Comment, Angela D. Liese

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining Social Determinants Of Health During A Pandemic: Clinical Application Of Z Codes Before And During Covid-19, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Brooks Yelton, Shujie Chen, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Recognition of the impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on healthcare outcomes, healthcare service utilization, and population health has prompted a global shift in focus to patient social needs and lived experiences in assessment and treatment. The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) provides a list of non-billable “Z codes” specific to SDoH for use in electronic health records. Using population-level analysis, this study aims to examine clinical application of Z codes in South Carolina before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study population consists of South Carolina residents who had a healthcare visit and had …

Social Capital, Urbanization Level, And Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake In The United States: A National Level Analysis, Shan Qiao, Zhenlong Li, Jiajia Zhang, Xiaowen Sun, Camryn Garrett, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Vaccination remains the most promising mitigation strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing literature shows significant disparities in vaccination uptake in the United States. Using publicly available national-level data, we aimed to explore if county-level social capital can further explain disparities in vaccination uptake rates when adjusting for demographic and social determinants of health (SDOH) variables, and if association between social capital and vaccination uptake may vary by urbanization level. Bivariate analyses and a hierarchical multivariable quasi-binomial regression analysis were conducted, where the regression analysis was stratified by urban–rural status. The current study suggests that social capital contributes significantly to …

Social Capital, Urbanization Level, And Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake In The United States: A National Level Analysis, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhenlong Li, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Xiaowen Sun, Camryn Garrett, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Vaccination remains the most promising mitigation strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing literature shows significant disparities in vaccination uptake in the United States. Using publicly available national-level data, we aimed to explore if county-level social capital can further explain disparities in vaccination uptake rates when adjusting for demographic and social determinants of health (SDOH) variables, and if association between social capital and vaccination uptake may vary by urbanization level. Bivariate analyses and a hierarchical multivariable quasi-binomial regression analysis were conducted, where the regression analysis was stratified by urban–rural status. The current study suggests that social capital contributes significantly to …

Do We Trust The Government? Attributes Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy And Acceptance In Nigeria, Osmond C. Ekwebelem, Helen Onyeaka, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph. D., Taghi Miri, Yahwedalu M. Onwuneme, Ayeni T. Eunice, Amara Anyogu, Bright Obi, Ngwogu Ada Carol

Faculty Publications

Objectives:

A significant percentage of the population must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Therefore the success of a vaccination program relies on the level of acceptance. This present study seeks to understand COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Nigeria by assessing the public's willingness to get vaccinated.

Study design:

This is a population-based cross-sectional study. Data were derived through a structured online survey.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult residents in Nigeria in March 2021 using a structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire surveyed participants' demographic characteristics and perception of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine. Descriptive statistics and …

Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years Of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, And Disability-Adjusted Life Years For 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 To 2019 A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Jonathan M. Kocarnik, Kelly Compton, Frances E. Dean, Weijia Fu, Brian L. Gaw, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Importance The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden.

Objective To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019.

Evidence Review The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 and over the past decade. Estimates are also provided by quintiles of the SDI, a composite …

Trends In Insulin Prescribing For Patients With Diabetes During The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Us, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Bryan L. Love Pharm D., Chao Cai, Tessa Hastings, Claiborne E. Reeder, Elizabeh W. Blake, Cynthia Phillips

Faculty Publications

Introduction

For the approximately 7 million US individuals with diabetes who rely on insulin,¹ the number of insulin prescriptions rose steadily in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic.² Reduced access to medical care and disruptions in supply related to the pandemic may have decreased access to insulin,³ with possible adverse consequences for diabetes control.⁴ Conversely, emergency Medicaid expansions that increased capacity for telemedicine services during the pandemic may have been associated with improved access to treatment.⁵ Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether changes to insulin prescription claims occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

In …

Tracking Development Assistance For Health And For Covid-19: A Review Of Development Assistance, Government, Out-Of-Pocket, And Other Private Spending On Health For 204 Countries And Territories, 1990–2050, Angela E. Micah, Ian E. Cogswell, Brandon Cunningham, Satoshi Ezoe, Anton C. Harle, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph. D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Methods

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Uptake Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Bmsm) In The Southern U.S, Oluwafemi Adeagbo, Sayward Elizabeth Harrison, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) living in the United States (U.S.) South are disproportionately affected by HIV and experience significant disparities in HIV incidence, access to HIV care, and prevention across ages and socio-economic statuses. The aim of this commentary is to critically review current literature on the state of PrEP use among BMSM in the U.S. South, including identifying barriers and facilitators to PrEP use in order to inform intervention development. Extant literature shows that despite the documented benefits of PrEP as an effective HIV-prevention method, its uptake among BMSM is limited across the U.S. South. …

Temporal Geospatial Analysis Of Covid-19 Pre-Infection Determinants Of Risk In South Carolina, Tianchu Lyu, Nicole L. Hair, Nicholas Yell, Zhenlong Li, Shan Qiao, Chen Liang, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Disparities and their geospatial patterns exist in morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. When it comes to the infection rate, there is a dearth of research with respect to the disparity structure, its geospatial characteristics, and the pre-infection determinants of risk (PIDRs). This work aimed to assess the temporal–geospatial associations between PIDRs and COVID-19 infection at the county level in South Carolina. We used the spatial error model (SEM), spatial lag model (SLM), and conditional autoregressive model (CAR) as global models and the geographically weighted regression model (GWR) as a local model. The data were retrieved from multiple sources including …

Temporal Geospatial Analysis Of Covid-19 Pre-Infection Determinants Of Risk In South Carolina, Tianchu Lyu, Nicole Hair, Nicholas Yell, Zhenlong Li, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Disparities and their geospatial patterns exist in morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. When it comes to the infection rate, there is a dearth of research with respect to the disparity structure, its geospatial characteristics, and the pre-infection determinants of risk (PIDRs). This work aimed to assess the temporal-geospatial associations between PIDRs and COVID-19 infection at the county level in South Carolina. We used the spatial error model (SEM), spatial lag model (SLM), and conditional autoregressive model (CAR) as global models and the geographically weighted regression model (GWR) as a local model. The data were retrieved from multiple sources including …

Covid-19 Disrupted Provision And Utilization Of Health And Nutrition Services In Uttar Pradesh, India: Insights From Service Providers, Household Phone Surveys, And Administrative Data, Phuong H. Nguyen, Shivani Kachwaha, Anjali Pant, Lan M. Tran, Monika Walia, Sebanti Ghosh, Praveen K. Sharma, Jessica Escobar-Alegria, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Purnima Menon, Rasmi Avula

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may substantially affect health systems, but little primary evidence is available on disruption of health and nutrition services. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to 1) determine the extent of disruption in provision and utilization of health and nutrition services induced by the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh, India; and 2) identify how adaptations were made to restore service provision in response to the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted longitudinal surveys with frontline workers (FLWs, n = 313) and mothers of children < 2 y old (n = 659) in December 2019 (in-person) and July 2020 (by phone). We also interviewed block-level managers and obtained administrative data. We examined changes in service provision and utilization using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. RESULTS: Compared with prepandemic, service provision reduced substantially during lockdown (83-98 percentage points, pp), except for home visits and take-home rations (∼ 30%). Most FLWs (68%-90%) restored service provision in July 2020, except for immunization and hot cooked meals (< 10%). Administrative data showed similar patterns of disruption and restoration. FLW fears, increased workload, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and manpower shortages challenged service provision. Key adaptations made to provide services were delivering services to beneficiary homes (∼ 40%-90%), social distancing (80%), and using PPE (40%-50%) and telephones for communication (∼ 20%). On the demand side, service utilization reduced substantially (40-80 pp) during the lockdown, but about half of mothers received home visits and food supplementation. Utilization for most services did not improve after the lockdown, bearing the challenges of limited travel (30%), nonavailability of services (26%), and fear of catching the virus when leaving the house (22%) or meeting service providers (14%). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 disrupted the provision and use of health and nutrition services in Uttar Pradesh, India, despite adaptations to restore services. Strengthening logistical support, capacity enhancement, performance management, and demand creation are needed to improve service provision and utilization during and post-COVID-19.

Increased Risk Of Death Triggered By Domestic Violence, Hunger, Suicide, Exhausted Health System During Covid-19 Pandemic: Why, How And Solutions, Kenneth Bitrus David, Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Damilola Quazeem Olaoye, Ndikpongkeabasi Victor Enang, Aboaba Kazeem Oriyomi, Ismaeel Yunusa

Faculty Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, just like many other public health emergencies, is a well-established global health burden that has resulted in several changes in routines and lifestyles of people globally. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has directly or indirectly involved in the loss of lives of more than 3.24 million as of 6th May, 2021. The increasing threats posed by this pandemic were subsided by the swift and drastic measures put in place by different countries. As other causes of death before the emergence of COVID-19 still exist, the pandemic has further worsened …

Repurposing Of Antibiotics For Clinical Management Of Covid-19: A Narrative Review, Abdourahamane Yacouba, Ahmed Olowo-Okere, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Drug repurposing otherwise known as drug repositioning or drug re-profling is a time-tested approach in drug discovery through which new medical uses are being established for already known drugs. Antibi‑ otics are among the pharmacological agents being investigated for potential anti-SARS-COV-2 activities. The antibiot‑ ics are used either to resolve bacterial infections co-existing with COVID-19 infections or exploitation of their potential antiviral activities. Herein, we aimed to review the various antibiotics that have been repositioned for the manage‑ ment of COVID-19.

Methods: This literature review was conducted from a methodical search on PubMed and Web of Science regarding antibiotics …

Spatial-Temporal Relationship Between Population Mobility And Covid-19 Outbreaks In South Carolina: Time Series Forecasting Analysis, Chengbo Zeng, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Zhenlong Li Ph.D., Xiaowen Sun, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Population mobility is closely associated with COVID-19 transmission, and it could be used as a proximal indicator to predict future outbreaks, which could inform proactive nonpharmaceutical interventions for disease control. South Carolina is one of the US states that reopened early, following which it experienced a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.

Objective: The aims of this study are to examine the spatial-temporal relationship between population mobility and COVID-19 outbreaks and use population mobility data to predict daily new cases at both the state and county level in South Carolina.

Methods: This longitudinal study used disease surveillance …

Public Opinion Regarding Government Response To Covid-19: Case Study Of A Large Commercial City In Nigeria, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Sorochi Iloanusi, Osaro Mgbere, Nchebe-Jah Raymond Iloanusi, Anthony Idowu Ajayi, Ekere James Essien

Faculty Publications

Introduction: government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be effective without widespread compliance by the public. A greater understanding of citizens' perceptions of these measures can help government agencies adapt their strategies to boost compliance. We examined citizens' perceptions of government's measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on compliance using data from Onitsha city, Anambra State Nigeria.

Methods: data was obtained through in-person interviews of 140 consenting adults in March 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the data.

Results: most participants (84.7%) doubted government's ability to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, raising concerns about …

Psychiatric Symptoms, Risk, And Protective Factors Among University Students In Quarantine During The Covid-19 Pandemic In China, Shufang Sun, Simon B. Goldberg, Danhua Lin, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Don Operario

Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has made unprecedented impact on the psychological health of university students, a population vulnerable to distress and mental health disorders. This study investigated psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress) during state-enforced quarantine among university students in China (N = 1912) through a cross-sectional survey during March and April 2020. Results: Psychiatric symptoms were alarmingly prevalent: 67.05% reported traumatic stress, 46.55% had depressive symptoms, and 34.73% reported anxiety symptoms. Further, 19.56% endorsed suicidal ideation. We explored risk and protective factors of psychological health, including demographic variables, two known protective factors for mental health (mindfulness, perceived social …

Nutritional Approach For Increasing Public Health During Pandemic Of Covid-19: A Comprehensive Review Of Antiviral Nutrients And Nutraceuticals, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh-Attari, Ghodratollah Panahi, James R. Hébert Scd, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Maryam Saghafi-Asl, Neda Lotfi-Yaghin, Behzad Baradaran

Faculty Publications

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is considered as the most life-threatening pandemic disease during the last decade. The individual nutritional status, though usually ignored in the management of COVID-19, plays a critical role in the immune function and pathogenesis of infection. Accordingly, the present review article aimed to report the effects of nutrients and nutraceuticals on respiratory viral infections including COVID-19, with a focus on their mechanisms of action.

Methods: Studies were identified via systematic searches of the databases including PubMed/ MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2000 until April 2020, using keywords. All relevant clinical and experimental studies …

Information Uncertainty: A Correlate For Acute Stress Disorder During The Covid-19 Outbreak In China, Danhua Lin, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Cheuk Chi Tam, Xiaoyan Li, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Individuals’ stress in responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic may be exacerbated by information uncertainty driven by inconsistent, unverified, and conflicting news from various sources. The current study aims to test if information uncertainty during the COVID-19 outbreak was related to acute stress disorder (ASD) over and above other psychosocial stressors.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted with 7800 college students throughout China from January 31 through February 11, 2020. Existing scales were modified to measure ASD and six potential stressors including information uncertainty during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to assess the unique association …

A Letter To Reconsider The Conditions For Testing Decontaminated N95 Respirators For Emergency Reuse To Address Shortage, Eric P. Vejerano, Jeonghyeon Ahn

Faculty Publications

The battle with COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the shortage of personal protective equipment, particularly, N95 respirators. Healthcare workers who reused N95 respirators may resort to unproven methods of cleaning/sterilization that can severely compromise the respirators’ filtration efficiency. A recently issued guideline will test decontaminated N95 respirators against particles with a median diameter of 0.075 ± 0.020 µm at a flow rate of 85 L min–1. For emergency reuse, these conditions may be too stringent. N95 respirators tested at this flow rate had predicted efficiencies of < 69%, assuming complete degradation of their electrostatic coating. Experimental efficiencies were ~15% lower. For emergency reuse, we recommend to either adjust the flow rate closer to normal breathing, or the size of the test particle should reflect that of virus-laden respiratory aerosols (~> 0.5 µm). By reconsidering the test conditions, a substantial fraction of used/decontaminated respirators can …