Digital Commons Network^™

A Glimpse Into Classrooms: Teachers’ Experiences Pre- And Post-Covid, Sam Hilbert, Katherine Wheeler, Robin H. Lock, Janna Brendle, Kassi Gregory

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many schools to pause in-person learning. Prior research indicates that these closures affected overall mental health and student academic performance. Mental health concerns, particularly anxiety and depression, were exacerbated for many school-aged children during these closures. Research has linked disorders, such as anxiety and depression, with changes in behaviors. Academic gaps have also been linked with negatively displayed behaviors in school settings. COVID school closures resulted in a 25% increased global prevalence of anxiety and depression diagnoses and an estimated 1-year academic loss in student learning. Although both variables have been shown to contribute to changes …

Factors Related To Self-Care Behaviors Among Older Adults For Communicable Disease (Cd) Protection In The Eastern Economic Corridor (Eec) Of Thailand: A Case Study Of Covid-19, Surasingha Sombat Suranartwatchawong, Sane Saengngoen, Supaporn Sudnongbua

Journal of Health Research

Background: The impact of COVID-19 is particularly severe for older adults, who represent the most vulnerable demographic. Using COVID-19 as a case study, this research investigates the factors influencing self-care behaviors for preventing communicable diseases (CD) among older adults in the EEC.

Methods: The study with a cross-sectional design involving 387 older adults aged 60 years was conducted between January and March 2025. The questionnaire was valid and reliable based on objective congruence (IOC) index and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Data analysis utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics.  Frequency, percentage, standard deviation, and multiple linear regression analysis were employed …

Dilemmas And Prospects Of Infectious Disease Prevention In Long-Term Care: A Qualitative Study, Po-Jen Kung, Ching-Min Chen, Nancy Reynolds

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Aim: To explore the experiences of long-term care workers in preventing emerging infectious diseases, the challenges they faced during the pandemic, and how they were addressed.

Design: This study used an exploratory qualitative research design.

Methods: The study involved various long-term care institutions across Taiwan. Twelve interviewees, including four nurses, four nursing assistants, and four managers, were recruited via purposive sampling. All interviewees worked in the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, were actively involved in clinical care or institutional management, and were proficient in Mandarin. In-depth interviews were conducted face-to-face between July and August 2024, and data …

Restricted Social Engagement Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms In Older Chinese Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study, Zheng Guo, Yulu Zheng, Yahong Zhu, Huacheng Wang, Jian Geng, Hengrui Liu, Piyong Ma, Lois Balmer, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Aims: Social isolation has been linked to depressive symptoms in older adults. Previous studies have shown that greater engagement in social activities is associated with better mental health. However, it remains unclear whether restricted social engagement is related to poorer mental health outcomes. This study examined the association between reduced social activities/networking and the presence of depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older Chinese adults. Methods: During the COVID-19 pandemic, people chose to minimize going out to reduce the risk of infection, creating a natural setting that mimicked a passive intervention of restricted social engagement for community-based individuals. Data were …

Sensitivity Of Lung Point-Of-Care Ultrasound (Pocus) To Predict Oxygen Requirements In Emerging Viral Infections, Daniel L Theodoro, Di Coneybeare, Penelope Lema, Nicholas Renz, Laura Wallace, Enyo Ablordeppey, Sean Stickles, Alek Rosenthal, Ian Holley, Sirivalli Chamarti, Josie Acuña, James Patterson, Rachel Ancona, Srikar Adhikari

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: The prognostic characteristics of lung point-of-care ultrasound (L-POCUS) to predict respiratory decompensation in patients with emerging infections remains unstudied. Our objective was to examine whether scored lung ultrasounds predict hypoxia among a nonhypoxic, ambulatory population of patients with COVID-19.

METHODS: This was a diagnostic case-control study. Three academic emergency departments across the United States collected a convenience sample of nonhypoxic subjects with COVID-19, scored subjects' hemithorax at 7 locations using lung ultrasound, and followed outcomes for 40 days. We defined cases as hypoxia (≤91% by pulse oxygenation) from 2 hours after index presentation to day 40. Follow-up was by …

Vaccination As A Protective Factor Against Hospitalization For Sars-Cov-2 Infections: An Observational Study Using Surveillance Data, Chandrayani Simanjorang, Kristin Mutiara Tarigan, Diva Anita Churiana Sudrajat, Rana Zahra Raniyah Wangsawinangun, Asy Syifa Anwari Zahra

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Death due to SARS-CoV-2 generally occurs in patients requiring hospital care (hospitalization). However, it is still unclear whether vaccination acts as a protective factor against hospitalization in SARS-CoV-2 patients in Indonesia. This study examines the association between vaccination and hospitalization among SARS-CoV-2 patients. It employs a quantitative, cross-sectional design using secondary data from SARS-CoV-2 surveillance records at the Jakarta Health Agency (January–August 2021). Findings show that patients who received the 1st vaccine dose had a 0.34 times lower risk of hospitalization compared to unvaccinated individuals (aPOR=0.34; 95% CI=0.31–0.38). Those who received the 2nd dose had an even lower risk (aPOR=0.16; …

Older Women In The U.S. Were Lonelier Than Men During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qiyu Deng

Population Health Research Brief Series

Loneliness damages health and quality of life. The COVID-19 pandemic increased social isolation and loneliness among some groups in the U.S. This data slice uses data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study to examine gender and age differences in loneliness among older adults (50+) in the U.S. during the first year of the pandemic. The author finds that loneliness was more prevalent among women than among men, with the highest rate among women ages 80 and older.

Learning From Experience: What Is Successful Respite During And Post-Pandemic?, Jennifer A. Crittenden, Darlene Sansone, Kristina Brant, Jennifer Odum, Caitlin O'Brien, Lisa Mccormick

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic had immediate and long-lasting impacts on both kinship families and the organizations that serve them. During the pandemic, as families navigated health challenges, economic consequences, and school and daycare closures, relatives as parents programs (RAPPs) were challenged to surmount staffing and programming hurdles to meet family needs. Despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic, RAPPs developed creative solutions to offer respite programming. Some of these programs continue to be used today, over four years after the start of the pandemic. This article describes the presentations and discussions that took place during a 90-minute workshop at the 2023 …

Representative National Survey On Drug Use During The Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Order In The Usa, Soo-Hoon Lee, Bernadette Cullen, Alidon Athey, Calliope Holingue, Michelle R. Kaufman, Paul Nestadt, Jack Samuels, Tracy Vannorsdall, Phillip Phan

Management Faculty Publications

Objectives This study explores the drug use behaviour in the US general population in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on the relationship between sociopsychological factors, mobility restrictions from March to June 2020 and mental health conditions.

Design A retrospective anonymous online survey representing a cross-section of the US population in 2020.

Setting A qualified panel of 500 000 Qualtrics participants stratified by gender, race, age and geographical region to represent the US population.

Participants 3340 participants voluntarily consented to respond.

Measures Outcome measure for illicit and non-medical use of prescription drugs based on the National …

"The Perfect Storm": Weathering Black Racial Trauma Across The Lifespan And The Impact Of Covid-19, Taryne M. Mingo, Kiauhna Haynes

Adultspan Journal

Descendants of Africans Enslaved in the United States (DAEUS), who lived in the South prior to 1965 and experienced decades of legalized discrimination, were found to have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Arline Geronimus (1992) coined the term “weathering” to acknowledge the accumulation of racial trauma stored within the body over extended periods of time. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study, aligned by the tenets of Critical Race Theory, explores how continuous racial trauma impacted DAEUS citizens’ well-being and trust in the COVID-19 vaccine. Three Group Experiential Themes emerged during this study, all connected with the experiences …

Disability, Urban Influence, And Covid-19 Financial Hardships: Findings From A Predominantly Rural Sample, Mackenzie Brewer, Jodien Johnson, Kyra Davidson, Carson Mencken

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

This study examined the financial impacts of the early COVID-19 pandemic among households with children and compared outcomes based on disability status and urban influence. Survey data were collected in fall 2020 by the Urban Institute from mostly rural households participating in the Meals-to-You program, which delivered food to eligible households with children in the U.S. due to school closures. Relative risk contingency analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess financial hardship from the pandemic. Sampled households reporting at least one member with a disability had greater odds of food insecurity, delaying purchases, depleting savings, and difficulty paying …

Parallel Electrophysiological Abnormalities Due To Covid-19 Infection And To Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementia, Yang Jiang, Jennifer Neal, Pradoldej Sompol, Görsev Yener, Xianghong Arakaki, Christopher M. Norris, Francesca R. Farina, Agustin Ibanez, Susanna Lopez, Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi, Voyko Kavcic, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Mihály Hajós

Neurology Faculty Publications

Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting “brain fog” and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting-state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID-19 and to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID-19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in …

A Case Study: Do You Address Your Volunteers’ Well-Being Or Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic? If So, How?, Daniel J. Robotham, Suzanna R. Windon, Ann E. Echols

Journal of Extension

The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound negative impact on volunteer mental health and well-being. We surveyed local non-profit organizational leaders about their practices toward addressing volunteer well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study results indicated that while over a quarter of organizations did nothing to address volunteer well-being, other organizations utilized several approaches, including one-on-one and group meetings, program implementation, office culture investment, task assignment, and information dissemination. These findings provide valuable insight for Extension educators to develop community mental health and well-being programs to assist non-profit organizations' response to future uncertainty.

A Survey Of Early-Career Speech-Language Pathologists: Determining Perceived Readiness For Clinical Management Of Adults With Dysphagia After Completing Graduate School, Christine A. Lee, Ashwini Namasivayam-Macdonald, Zuleikha Wadhwaniya, Juliana Mclaren, Rebecca H. Affoo

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Several studies have identified a recurring trend that speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) in countries such as the United States (Caesar & Kitila, 2020), South Africa (Singh et al., 2015), and Malaysia (Kamal et al., 2012) report lower levels of confidence in dysphagia management, whether in comparison to other practice areas or in certain skill areas within the specialty of dysphagia. No data currently exists exploring self-perceptions of Canadian S-LP graduates with regards to clinical management of adults with dysphagia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the self-reported readiness of recently graduated Canadian S-LPs who manage dysphagia. Our survey …

Frailty Explains Variation In Emergency Department Use For Older Veterans During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Justine Seidenfeld, Karen M. Stechuchak, Valerie A. Smith, Catherine Stanwyck, Chelsea Perfect, Courtney Van Houtven, Susan Nicole Hastings

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Background: Older adults were critically vulnerable to disruptions in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is not known if changes in ED utilization varied based on patient characteristics. Using a cohort of older Veterans, we examined changes in ED visit rates based on four characteristics of interest: age, race, area deprivation index, and frailty

Methods: Participants were aged ≥65, with ≥2 visits in primary or geriatric clinics between 02/02/2018-05/07/2019. An adjusted negative binomial regression model was constructed for each characteristic. We report mean counts of all ED visits by quarter for subgroups separately, and report rate …

America Is Unprepared To Meet The Needs Of Its Growing Older Adult Population, Sierra Kaplan

Population Health Research Brief Series

In 2030, nearly 73 million Americans will be aged 65 years or older. As Americans continue to have fewer children than in the past, the number of older adults will outnumber children. Thus, fewer young adults will be around to support and care for the older adult population. Coupled with COVID-19 pandemic-driven disruptions to the healthcare industry, America’s health and aging care system is unprepared to support its large and growing older adult population. Over time, we will see increased health care scarcity and inequality in the distribution of elder care services, especially with continued healthcare worker shortages and drastic …

How Did Cognitive Status Impact Health Care Use Among Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Katarina Sako, Janet Wilmoth

Population Health Research Brief Series

Physical distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of older adults. Older adults experiencing dementia and other forms of cognitive decline have impaired executive functioning that made it even more difficult to contend with these disruptions. This brief presents findings from research that used data from the 2021 Health and Retirement Study to examine differences in health care delays and health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic among a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults (ages 50+) with versus without cognitive decline. Results show that most older adults did not delay getting health care and did not experience …

Avidity Maturation Of Humoral Response Following Primary And Booster Doses Of Bnt162b2 Mrna Vaccine Among Nursing Home Residents And Healthcare Workers, Oladayo A. Oyebanji, Nicholas Sundheimer, Vaishnavi Ragavapuram, Brigid M. Wilson, Jürgen Bosch, Christopher L. King, David H. Canaday

Faculty Scholarship

Infections, despite vaccination, can be clinically consequential for frail nursing home residents (NHR). Poor vaccine-induced antibody quality may add risk for such subsequent infections and more severe disease. We assessed antibody binding avidity, as a surrogate for antibody quality, among NHR and healthcare workers (HCW). We longitudinally sampled 112 NHR and 52 HCWs who received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine after each dose up to the Wuhan-BA.4/5-based Omicron bivalent boosters. We quantified anti-spike, anti-receptor binding domain (RBD), and avidity levels to the ancestral Wuhan, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 & 4/5 strains. The primary vaccination series produced substantial anti-spike and RBD levels …

Transformation Of Korean Higher Education In The Digital Era: Achievements And Challenges, Haejoo Lee, Romee Lee

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Special Issue

A Phenomenological Multi-Case Study Of Perceptions Of Older Adults’ Loneliness During Covid-19 Within Selected Online Churches, Bethney Wright Sikes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological multi-case study was to understand the perceptions of older adults regarding their feelings of loneliness related to the lockdown during COVID-19 and to discover if online church platforms for the older adult Christian population at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida, Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas, and Community Life Church in Gulf Breeze, Florida, minimized those feelings of loneliness which may have caused mental, physical, and emotional concerns. Isolation from the church body was generally defined as nonattendance via traditional means or online platforms. The theory guiding this study was Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. …

Profiles Of Activity Engagement And Depression Trajectories As Covid-19 Restrictions Were Relaxed, Jonathan L. Chia, Andree Hartanto, William Tov

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Given elevated depression rates since the onset of the pandemic and potential downstream implications, this research examined the association between activity engagement and depression among middle-aged and older adults postlockdown. This study aimed to (a) identify activity engagement profiles among middle-aged and older adults, (b) understand factors associated with profile memberships, and (c) compare depression trajectories across profiles as COVID-19 restrictions eased over 16 months in Singapore. This longitudinal study involved 6,568 middle-aged and older adults. Latent growth analysis was first conducted to obtain estimates of depression trajectories for each individual. Latent profile analysis was then conducted to identify different …

Systemic Racism And Covid-19: Vulnerabilities With The U.S. Social Safety Net For Immigrants And People Of Color, Adam M. Butz, Jason E. Kehrberg

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

America has a mythologized reputation as an accommodative “melting pot” nation that welcomes individuals from all races and countries seeking improved quality of life and reduced material hardship. However, our U.S. social welfare system is more broadly characterized as underdeveloped, restrictive, and exclusionary, especially toward immigrants and people of color. Public health benefits (e.g., Medicaid), food assistance programs (e.g., SNAP), rental assistance (e.g., HCV/Section 8), and cash assistance (e.g., TANF) are oftentimes restricted for immigrants and racial minorities, making them more vulnerable to material hardship and more exposed to pandemic conditions under COVID-19. Moreover, these welfare restrictions are oftentimes rooted …

Unpacking The Influencing Factors Of Telehealth Usage Among Older Consumers, Xiaojing Sheng, Yuri Martirosyan, Khondoker Sayeed Hossain, Reto Felix, Arjun Singh

Marketing Faculty Publications

This research unpacks the challenges and motivations of telehealth usage among older consumers—an understudied population in the extant telehealth literature. Through surveying a sample of older consumers who regularly migrate to winter in the southern areas of the United States, our qualitative analysis uncovers motivations (i.e., convenience, ease of use, efficiency, and a forced option) and challenges (i.e., telehealth limitations, privacy concerns, and lack of trust, access, and skills) of older consumers’ telehealth usage. Further, logistic regression identifies attitude toward telehealth, gender, and health status as significant predictors of telehealth usage behavior. Contributions to theory and practice are also discussed.

“I Know A Lot Of People Just Gave Up And Died, Out Of Loneliness”: Family Members Experiences Of Covid-19 Visitation Restrictions In Irish Nursing Homes, Emily Egan, Sarah Robinson, Erin Nic An Bhaird, Graham Gillespie

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on older adults, particularly those living in nursing homes (NH) globally and in Ireland, the site of our study. Whilst NH residents were at increased risk of serious illness from the virus, visitation bans and restrictions also impacted residents' quality of life. Family members' (FMs) essential caring role was recognised in contexts like the Netherlands, parts of the United States and Ontario, Canada, but were not in Ireland. The current study explored the experiences of FMs of residents who experienced visitation bans during the first four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. Eight …

Impact Of A Covid-19 Related Lockdown On The Experience Of Informal Caregiving In Singapore, Vicky Mengqi Qin, Abhijit Visaria, Rahul Malhotra

ROSA Journal Articles and Publications

Introduction: Lockdowns, while limiting COVID-19 transmission, can affect provision of care by informal caregivers and their caregiving experience. We assessed, among informal caregivers in Singapore, (a) the perceived impact of a 2-month (April to May 2020) nationwide lockdown on their care provision, (b) correlates of different perceptions of the impact of the lockdown on care provision, and (c) association of different perceptions of the impact with negative and positive experiences of caregiving. Methods: In the August 2020 wave of the Singapore Life Panel (SLP; nationally representative, longitudinal monthly survey of Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 50-70 years at baseline), …

Do Generations Matter? The Moderating Role Of Media In Adherence To Covid-19 Quarantine Protocol, Luz Suplico Jeong, Reynaldo Bautista Jr., Nelson B. Guillen Jr., Solomon Oluyinka

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study examined the perceptions of Filipinos from Generations X, Y, and Z towards adherence to COVID-19 quarantine protocol. Of the 400 Filipino respondents, 55 were Generation Xers, 86 were from Generation Y, whereas 259 were from Generation Z. Using the theory of planned behavior, the results suggest that there were no significant differences in how Generations X, Y, and Z responded to the quarantine protocol even if media moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and adherence to quarantine protocol. Thus, marketers can use a standardized campaign to encourage Generations X, Y, and Z to adhere to the quarantine protocol.

Fostering A Culture Of Belonging Within Women Working In A Hybrid Environment, Jam Narte Harley

Theses and Dissertations

This research discusses the opportunity presented by the post-pandemic return to work to support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives by creating a new belonging framework for women working in a hybrid environment. The transition to remote and hybrid work arrangements amid the pandemic highlighted the importance of leaders tackling ongoing challenges in leadership and management, such as digital transformation and remote management, which led to rapid change, anxiety, and uncertainty. The lack of daily contact has significantly impacted workplace relationships and highlighted the importance of belongingness for employees' well-being and retention. Hybrid work arrangements are likely to become a …

Vulnerable, Recalcitrant And Resilient: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis Of Risk And Older People Within The Context Of Covid-19 News Media, Marjorie Skoss, Rachel Batten, Patricia Cain, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Risk is an innate and integral part of everyday life and is present in simple, everyday occupations and complex actions. Age-related stereotypes can mean older people have little opportunity to engage in activities that present some degree of risk. The present study explores the discourse around risk and older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated news media as a reflection of the dominant public discourse around older people's behaviour to identify how risk is represented in relation to occupational engagement. Texts relating to older people and COVID-19 were sourced from the West Australian newspaper for a …

Happy To Zoom: A New Frontier In Online Delivery Of Day-Care For Older People During Covid-19, Suzanne C. Smith Msc, Holly O'Brien, Darragh Mccashin Phd

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

From early in the COVID-19 pandemic, community day-care centres sought to find ways to deliver services remotely using digital tools, but older people are often presumed resistant to using digital technologies. This study sought to examine the delivery of community day-care services at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the willingness of older service users to participate in day-care activities remotely while in-person services were unavailable. Community day-care services are essential to ensuring social participation and overall wellbeing for many older people who remain living at home. On March 16^th, 2020, like many other services, …

Social Connectedness Between Family Caregivers And Older Adults Living In Long-Term Care Homes In The Context Of Covid-19, Anna Garnett, Hannah Pollock, Natalie Floriancic, Kristin Prentice, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Carri Hand, Abe Oudshoorn, Yolanda Babenko-Mould, Cheryl Forchuk

Publications

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting restrictions on physical access to long-term care homes culminated in health declines for older adults living there and their families. Knowledge gaps exist regarding maintaining social connectedness when physically separated. The study aimed to explore family members' perceptions of the impact that restrictions on physical access to long-term care homes had on the experience of social connectedness between family members and older adults living in long-term care. The method used was a qualitative description, using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Themes arising from inductive qualitative content analysis of 21 interviews with family members included: (a) …