Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Mask Mandate On Effective Communication Between Healthcare Providers And Deaf/Hoh Patients, Antonia J. Conti, Alexa Gingerich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries mandated the use of facial masks in public environments, especially in healthcare settings.[3] While this was beneficial in reducing the spread of the coronavirus disease, it created many challenges for the deaf/HoH community.[4] In particular, it limited effective communication between healthcare providers and deaf/HoH patients. It was found that masks limit word recognition for both deaf/HoH and non-deaf/HoH individuals. Additionally, both surgical and N95 masks hinder word recognition for deaf/HoH individuals and significantly impact communication during medical appointments.

Investigating Risk Factors Contributing To The High Incidence Of Covid-19 Among The Diné People Of The Navajo Nation, Elizabeth Lila Reynolds

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: COVID-19 became international news in December 2019 and subsequently impacted global health. The research shows that the Diné people of the Navajo Nation were one of the most severely impacted populations¹. The Navajo Nation is a region spanning Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah that is composed of North American indigenous people known as the Diné. Purpose: To explore the risk factors contributing to the increased rates of COVID-19 infection and severity of infection among the Diné people. Methods: This literature review research process utilized PubMed and JAMA to find scholarly articles on this topic. Search terms …

Expanding Health Professional Education In The Rio Grande Valley During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sabrina R. Orta, Samantha G. Alvarado, Shuchita Jhaveri

Research Symposium

Purpose: The COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted innovation in health professional education, such that learners are able to recognize and mitigate healthcare disparities in the outcomes of vulnerable populations. The objective of our project was to increase education on preventing, preparing for, and responding to COVID-19 and other locally prevalent infectious diseases that disproportionately affect RGV communities.

Description: This project had 3 goals: (1) provide learners with virtual patient-interaction simulations (2) provide interactive training modules on the identification, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases affecting South TX and strategies to increase child vaccinations, and (3) provide learners an opportunity to coordinate …

Exploring A Hispanic Community’S Well-Being During The Early Stage Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leyla Feize, Michael Machiorlatti, Enedina Enriquez

Research Symposium

Background: A crisis is a serious and stressful situation that brings instability and uncertainty. Although the COVID-19 crisis includes many characteristics of other crisis, it is unique in some respects. It is a worldwide life-threatening and long-term crisis with unknown consequences. The outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic are mostly under exploration and investigation. The effects of the pandemic on mental health are incontrovertible. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities has not been uniform. In the early stage of the pandemic, when the country and the RGV were exhausted with the numbers of those infected with COVID and the …

Examining The Effects Of Student Loan Forgiveness And The Christian Perspective, Sarah Rogers

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

On August 24, 2022, President Joe Biden announced his plan for federal student loan forgiveness. The program allows individuals who make less than $125,000 a year and families under $250,000 relieve up to $10,000 of their loan debt. Those who fall under the Pell Grant program are able to relieve up to $20,000 of their debt. The reactions to this “revolutionary” program were mixed. Typically, those who the program would directly affect were very enthusiastic about this idea while those, most notably Republicans, were less than thrilled. While the idea is good in theory, the execution of debt forgiveness will …

Mental Health Of Medical Students Regarding The Covid-19 Pandemic, Parth Patel, Richard Jermyn, Arvind Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mental health has taken a global priority as more realize that it is just as important as physical health in the overall health of a person. Medical students have faced mental health issues for decades and have been shown to suffer more than the general population. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only deteriorated this issue. Many primary databases such as PubMed were used. The results indicate that medical students have extremely high rates of depression, burnout, anxiety, and stress that can affect their education but also carry over into their professions. Although many interventions increase mental wellness in medical school, …

Trends In Opioid Usage And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Priya Brahmbhatt, Jeffery Powers

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected individuals in the United States in various capacities, and new avenues to reduce the harmful effects of both public health crises must be explored. It has been found that those with substance use disorders have an increased risk for COVID-19 (Wang 2021). There have been more visits to emergency rooms for substance overdose during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic (Holland 2021). This research project attempted to understand the trends amongst opioid users during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, in …

Breaking Down Barriers: Investigating Structural And Systemic Factors That Contribute To Covid-19 Disparities In African American Communities In New Jersey, Fazal Choudhary, Suraj Pothineni

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of millions of Americans; however, minority communities have been hit the hardest as infection rates continue to sky rocket and new variants arise. As of October 5, 2021, the CDC reports that African Americans make up a similar share of cases relative to the overall population, at about 12%, but have a significantly higher rate of deaths compared to the population, at approximately14%. African American communities are being disproportionately affected because of higher incidence of chronic diseases, inadequate access to health care, and poorer living and working conditions, which increases their vulnerability …

Evaluating College Students’ Health Literacy And Its Effects On Their Perceptions Of Information Concerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah Ketchum

Scholar Week 2016 - present

BACKGROUND: Mask-wearing was a controversial and polarizing phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beliefs concerning mask-wearing differed, depending on sources of information concerning the pandemic, levels of health literacy, political leaning, demographics, or other factors. This project attempted to connect college students’ level of health literacy to their understanding of and adherence to mask-wearing in the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a gap in research connecting health literacy to understanding information concerning pandemics, and an even bigger lack of studies conducted that relate college students’ health literacy to their perception of illnesses or pandemics. It is important to understand the impact of …

Racial Inequalities In Booster Shot Uptake: Black Communities In The City Of Toronto, Anjali Bhaheeratha

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has posed a threat to the health and wellbeing of various marginalized communities, including Black communities. The booster shot in particular is not a mandatory vaccine, raising questions whether this would further vaccine inequity. I, along with Dr. Kate Choi of the Sociology Department at Western University, analyzed vaccination rates of the first booster shot across all 140 neighborhoods in the City of Toronto. Through stratifying neighborhoods based on the prevalence of Black residents and high/low socioeconomic status, it is clear to see that race, in tandem with similar socio-demographic characteristics, plays a significant …

A Study Of Canadian Bankruptcies, 2014-2022, Luis Guilherme Mazzali De Almeida

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This paper studies Canadian monthly bankruptcy data from January 2014 to February 2022 with an aim towards identifying the existence of underlying heterogeneity in the decision-making of firms across different industry sectors during periods of economic adversity. The data used include provincial two-digit NAICS bankruptcy level data, provincial pandemic-related data concerning the evolution of cases and stringency of adopted policies, and external factors pertaining to the domestic and foreign economies such as industry GDP, the overnight rate target, exchange rates, imports and exports, prices, and bond liquidity premium. The method is two-fold. First, we identify changes in bankruptcy trends caused …

Community Outreach And Engagement In A Time Of Crisis: The Peer Research Consultants Program, Lauren Fralinger, Shatha Baydoun

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

The Peer Research Consultants (PRC) program at the University of Miami Libraries (UML), was formed in 2016 as part of the Learning Commons initiative to collocate and centralize academic services at Richter Library. Although the program had a virtual component in the form of chat and phone services when founded, it was primarily a physical setup where library student workers assisted researchers using a peer-to-peer system. In this paper, we highlight the historical trajectory of the peer research consultant (PRC) program in academic libraries using Richter Library as a case study. We argue that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic …

Hired During Covid: Interviewing And Onboarding In A Pandemic, Roslyn Grandy, Lauren M. Fletcher, Rachel Whitney, Faythe Thurman

ACRL New England Chapter Annual Conference

No abstract provided.

Kuwentong Buhay: Mga Danas, Pagsubok, At Naratibo Ng Pag-Asa Ng Mga Ayta Sa Putingkahoy, Rosario, Batangas Sa Panahon Ng Covid-19, Moira Gerielle R. Agno, Xiana Lizette V. Flores, Chezka Monique S. Quiambao, Ashley Trish B. Soriano

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Ang papel na ito ay tinatalakay ang danas, pagsubok, karanasan, at pag-asa ng komunidad ng Ayta sa Putingkahoy, Rosario, Batangas, sa panahon ng paghihirap dulot ng pandemya na COVID-19. Itinatampok nito ang mga karanasan ng mga mag-aaral at mga naghahanapbuhay sa panahong ito. Ang mga tema tulad ng (1) mga hakbang sa banta ng pandemya, (2) hanapbuhay, (3) ayuda, (4) bakuna, (5) edukasyon, at (6) positibong dala ng pandemya, ay naging posible sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng paraan ng pagproseso ng datos ni Butina na nagsilbing gabay sa paggawa ng codes, snowball sampling upang magtipon ng mga kalahok, at pakikipagkuwentuhan …

Dude, Pantry Chong!: Perception Of First-Time Senior High School Voters Of A.Y. 2020-2021 From Universities In Metro Manila On The Abrupt Emergence Of Community Pantries During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Noelle Avril Y. Arreza, Justine Rane D. Lobo, Zeeriel Nathalie Joy S. Pejo, Jan Andrea P. Terre

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

The Philippines has been no exception to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In counteracting the transmission of the virus, rigorous statewide lockdowns were enforced; however, this resulted in the decline of economic activity. In the face of this hardship, Filipinos established “community pantries” — food banks established to alleviate the crisis of the ordinary Filipino. Some accuse it as an anti-government act and others claim it as a demonstration of Bayanihan spirit. With that, this study aimed to understand the characterization of the perceptions of the first-time SHS voters in Metro Manila regarding the abrupt emergence of the community …

Trends In Pediatric Obesity Of School-Aged Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Maryanna Schweininger, Amaani Faizal, Suzanna Hosein

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, children have been more sedentary due to nationwide school closures resulting in classes being held virtually. Due to restrictions, children could no longer participate in physical education classes and after school activities at the same frequency. The pandemic also placed a disproportionate burden on low-income families thus, potentially amplifying food insecurity. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood obesity.

The Effect Of Covid-19 On Depression In Hispanic Vs. Non-Hispanic Populations In South Jersey, Rana Cheikhali, Daniel Casal

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for Americans and the world as a whole. It has especially taken a toll on mental health. Studies show that the incidence of depression in the United States was three times greater during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic times. One specific community in the United States that has been greatly affected by the pandemic is the Hispanic American community. Many Americans across the country have received federal surveys that aim to determine the social and economic impacts of COVID-19. Results revealed that the Hispanic population had the greatest rise in mental illness, with 40% …

Identifying Motivators For Getting Vaccinated Against Sars-Cov-2 In Those Who Have Been Vaccinated. A Single Center Cross-Sectional Study, Nicole Lacap, Suzanna Hosein

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The purpose of this study is to explore the primary motivations of patients getting vaccinated against SARS-Cov-2 as well as to determine any correlations between demographic information and specific motivators. We hypothesized that generally internal motivators (being in the best interest of oneself) will predominate as the reason for vaccination. The sample consisted of 227 patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 at the Rowan Medicine Vaccine Clinic during the month of June 2021. Patients were given an online questionnaire collecting demographic information as well as primary reason for getting vaccinated. Preliminary analysis shows that 63% of participants were motivated by reasons that …

Veterinary End-Of-Life Care And Euthanasia In The Age Of Covid-19: A Qualitative Study Of Provider Perspectives, Elizabeth Chalmers, River Hodgdon

Thinking Matters Symposium

Veterinary staff experience job-specific psychological stress from both providing medical care to pets and supporting pet-owner clients through end-of-life care and the euthanasia process. COVID-19 has impacted the provision of veterinary care and substantially affected communication between providers and pet owners. This phenomenological research project explores the experiences of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research question is, what is the lived experience of veterinary staff who provide end-of-life care and perform euthanasia in the age of COVID-19? Participants for this qualitative study were recruited and interviewed using criterion sampling from four …

Russian Disinformation: A Threat To Unity In America, Nicole Wellington

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

No abstract provided.

Community Responses To Food Insecurity During Covid-19: A Case Study In Sheffield, England, Nicole Kennard

Urban Food Systems Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to a group of newly food insecure people and deepened hardship for those already food insecure. The crisis disrupted national food supplies and created challenges to accessing and utilizing the food that was available. As financial struggle deepened for people, and some became unable to shop for food or cook due to isolation requirements and illness, many turned to community organizations to obtain food. In Sheffield, England, small community food organizations soon became the leaders of the city’s emergency food response. One such organization is the Foodhall Project, a community food organization which had previously …

Bodily Autonomy And Anti-Vaccine Discourse During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Haley Sherman

Capstone Showcase

This paper explores the relationship between anti-vaccine discourse and ideas about bodily autonomy. I analyze the cyclical nature of vaccine hesitancy and show that it can lead to misinformation and harmful narratives. This paper uses theories of bodily autonomy that identify a concept called moral obligation. This concept, as explored by Alberto Giubilini, is a utilitarian approach in which citizens have a responsibility to their governments to get vaccinated so that, in turn, their governments can fulfill their obligation of protecting other individuals’ health (Giubilini 2020, 54). A discourse analysis of four key players in the anti-vax movement shows that …

Does Human Rights Derogation Limit Covid-19 Infections?, Brian K. Gran, Reema Sen

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

The purpose of this project is to model and understand socio-legal responses to the spread of COVID-19—in particular, emergency measures that derogate from states’ human rights commitments. Derogation of human rights in response to COVID-19 is unprecedented, according to some experts (Scheinin 2020). This project investigates whether combinations of conditions, such as moderate human rights derogation in combination with strong health infrastructures, reduce degrees of virus transmission and promote prevention. Its preliminary findings indicate that suspension of some rights appears crucial to limiting COVID-19 infections, but suspension of many rights has limited impacts, raising questions for practices of human rights …

Exploring Optimal Lockdown Policies During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cameron Bundy

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

COVID-19 has impacted public and economic health worldwide. To bolster the economy and maintain human life, economic and epidemiological research is vital. Nations have implemented lockdowns intent on slowing the spread of the virus. This research examines how lockdown parameter adjustments can help control a nations fatalities. The study incorporated an SIRD disease model that is simulated over a 200 day period. The goal of the research is to take the SIRD model and use it to create a minimization function that analyzes dynamics that best produce minimal loss of GDP as well as low loss of life in a …

Mitacs Female Ngos Use Of Twitter During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Riley M. Mclaughlin

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This study analyzes how female-run NGOs have used Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. It assesses the themes they discuss, as well as the functions of the tweets collected. Using a framework by Lovejoy and Saxton (2012), tweets were coded based on whether or not they had the purpose of spreading information, building community, or encouraging action. Data from five different organizations was collected for analysis. Researchers pose questions about how organizations discuss women's concerns during the pandemics, which concerns they discuss most often, and how they use the three functions outlined above. Preliminary findings are discussed, however further analysis of …

The Parallel Pandemic: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Eating Disorders And Ocd In Children And Adolescents, Nasong A. Luginaah

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In January 2021, Covid-19 had already been diagnosed in over 100 million individuals¹. Due to the high degree of infectivity, many countries all over the globe attempted to counter the virus by instituting nation-wide lockdowns. The effects of the lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents have drawn a lot of public health attention with many calling for an increased in the understanding of the potential effects the youth of today may have to endure. Two specific mental health illnesses have seemingly worsened are OCD and eating disorders.

Choosing Readings: Portuguese Academic Library Users' Preferences For Printed Books Or E-Books, Tatiana Sanches, Luiza Baptista Melo, Isabel Sá, Célia Cruz

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

The emergence of e-books as resources of scientific information in university libraries has been imposing at the pace of technology, with advantages such as portability, cost or accessibility, assuming that e-reading is being well received and appropriated by library users, who can access scientific information from anywhere. However, recent studies from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, pointed to the resurgence of paper reading preferences. This study analyses the behavioural trends in the use of scientific information from these two media: printed books and e-books and the way university libraries users choose to use it, particularly in the pandemic context. To …

The Effect Of State Level Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders On Death Rates, Stephen A. Langeland, Jose Marte, Kyle Connif

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

This paper attempts to examine a correlation between lockdown length and COVID-19 case rate, death rate and fatality rate. In March of 2020, the publishing of alarmist epidemiological models prompted government officials to enact sweeping emergency measures (Miltimore 2020). Notably, the Imperial College London model published by epidemiologist Neil Ferguson predicted a “best-case scenario” of 1.1 million COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. by August 2020. This model heightened concern that the hospital system would be overwhelmed, a reason cited by President Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force members, Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci, as justification for the “15 Days to Flatten the …

Perspectives On Covid, Glenn Bass

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

The purpose of this paper is to delve further into the topic of Culture & Crisis: Reconciling Constitutionalism & Federalism in a Time of Crisis through Liberty University’s Helms School of Government & Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy. The United States of America is currently under siege by the COVID-19 virus. This virus has steadily killed hundreds of individuals and consequently nearly shutdown the American socio-economic system. Through a constitutional government and federal principles, the executive functions have been able to address this time of crisis. However, there are different views referencing exactly how to address the needs of …

The Impact Of Covid-19 For Mid-Career Women Seeking Leadership Positions In The Workplace, Emily Marczak

Thinking Matters Symposium

This research explores ways women in their mid-career seeking leadership roles are being affected in the workplace by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is targeted to organizations and leaders committed to gender equity in their workplaces particularly as they are developing new policies in response to COVID-19. Additionally, this research benefits women generally by providing tools for navigating the system and seeking the potential positive outcomes in the workplace. This system includes: work environment, social status, organizational culture, political environment, and policies. This phenomenological study analyzes qualitative data through interviews. It also includes extensive research of peer reviewed journal articles referencing …