Digital Commons Network^™

Covid-19'S Impact On Grocery Expenditure Amid The Rise Of Social Media's Unattainable Wellness Culture Within Beverage Products, Ava Hinz

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper explores post-pandemic consumption through two different lens: economics and media studies. First, I will focus on COVID-19’s impact on the expenditure of grocery goods. Then I will explore how today’s wellness culture is made unattainable through social media by examining an organic grocery store and two beverage products. By examining these two areas of consumption, it provides critical information on an individual’s consumption during the unique shocks of the pandemic and the cultural context behind those actions.

Exploring The Public Health Agency Of Canada’S And The Ontario Government’S Vaccine-Related Crisis Communication On X During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sheraza Burney, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Anita Kothari

Publications

Crisis communication strategies must be tailored to the unique nature of social media. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, public health agencies have widely used social media to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. This research utilized the social media pandemic communication model to describe the key themes disseminated through the Ontario government and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s vaccine-related crisis communication on X (formerly Twitter). Between 27 January 2020 and 6 April 2021, 1271 posts related to COVID-19 vaccination were collected from three official government X accounts——two from the province of Ontario and one from Canada. Posts were analyzed …

Forecasting Covid-19 Cases, Hospital Admissions, And Deaths Based On Wastewater Sars-Cov-2 Surveillance Using Gaussian Copula Time Series Marginal Regression Model, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Norou Diawara, Cynthia Jackson, Rekha Singh, Kyle Curtis, Raul Gonzalez, David Jurgens, Sasanka Adikari

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Modeling efforts are needed to predict trends in COVID-19 cases and related health outcomes, aiding in the development of management strategies and adaptation measures. This study was conducted to assess whether the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater could serve as a predictor for forecasting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths using copula-based time series modeling. SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in wastewater in Chesapeake, VA, was measured using the RT-qPCR method. A Gaussian copula time series (CTS) marginal regression model, incorporating an autoregressive moving average model and Gaussian copula function, was used as a forecasting model. Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 viral loads were correlated with …

Patient-Clinician Discussions On Lung Cancer Screening In The United States Before And After 2021 Guidelines, Timothy J. Williamson Phd, Mph, Whitney M. Brymwitt Ma, Mckenzie T. Reese, Erin A. Hirsch, Lisa Carter-Bawa

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Background Screening for lung cancer via low-dose computed tomography of the chest can promote early detection and reduce mortality. However, since the United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) issued lung cancer screening guidelines in 2013, uptake has been low. The USPSTF revised the guidelines in 2021 to expand eligibility. Purpose To determine whether patient-clinician discussions about lung cancer screening differs from 2017 to 2022 following 2021 revisions to the guidelines for lung cancer screening. Methods Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (2017, 2020, and 2022). Community-dwelling US adults (N = 2973) were in the eligible …

Multitec: A Data-Driven Multimodal Short Video Detection Framework For Healthcare Misinformation On Tiktok, Lanyu Shang, Yang Zhang, Yawen Deng, Dong Wang

Computer Science Faculty Works

With the prevalence of social media and short video sharing platforms (e.g., TikTok, YouTube Shorts), the proliferation of healthcare misinformation has become a widespread and concerning issue that threatens public health and undermines trust in mass media. This paper focuses on an important problem of detecting multimodal healthcare misinformation in short videos on TikTok. Our objective is to accurately identify misleading healthcare information that is jointly conveyed by the visual, audio, and textual content within the TikTok short videos. Three critical challenges exist in solving our problem: i) how to effectively extract information from distractive and manipulated visual content in …

The Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Student Engagement At A Historically Black University, John C. Travis

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined student engagement across three NSSE administrations at an HBCU—pre-COVID (2018), during COVID (2019), and post-COVID (2022). Engagement was analyzed across four themes: Academic Challenge, Learning with Peers, Experiences with Faculty, and Campus Environment. Results showed that Learning with Peers declined significantly over time, with the largest drop between 2018 and 2022, reflecting pandemic-related disruptions to peer interaction. No significant year effects emerged for the other themes. Two-way MANOVAs indicated that gender, first-generation status, and major did not significantly predict engagement, nor did they interact with year. In contrast, classification emerged as the most consistent predictor, with upper-division …

The Impact Of Coping Strategies On The Perceived Stress And Well-Being Of People With Disabilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Angela G. Maccarrone

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly and negatively impacted those around the world, particularly marginalized groups such as people with disabilities (PWDs). What remains unclear from existing published research is the exact relationship between perceived stress of the pandemic, coping, and overall well-being in PWDs. Prior research and theoretical models of coping suggest that active coping processes are associated with more positive outcomes versus avoidant coping strategies, which have shown less favorable outcomes on well-being. Due to the varying ways in which the pandemic affected PWDs, coping might serve as a moderator, amplifying the negative relationship between perceived stress and well-being. Building …

Sars-Cov-2 Detection And Persistence In A Remote Amazonian Settlement, Glauco M. Silva, Roberto C. Ilacqua, Franciely G. Gonçalves, Carla M. Santana, Felipe T. Jordão, Paula R. Prist, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Andreia F. Brilhante, Marcia A. Sperança, Gabriel Z. Laporta

Faculty Publications

Background: COVID-19 continues to pose a major global health challenge. Despite its geographic distance from Brazil’s major urban centers, Acre state has experienced notable outbreaks. This study assessed the detection and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the rural settlement of Santa Luzia, located in the remote municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. Methods: In July 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at 40 sites from an ongoing environmental study, selected by deforestation patterns and proximity to health posts. Saliva samples were collected from residents aged 5–90 years, followed by nucleic acid extraction and multiplex RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Results: …

Association Between Primary Covid-19 Vaccine Type And Booster Uptake Among Incarcerated People In Connecticut: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Michael Condon Elhardt

Public Health Theses

Importance: Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are critical for maintaining protection against SARS-CoV-2, especially in high-risk settings such as correctional facilities. Understanding how initial vaccine type influences booster uptake can inform vaccination strategies in these and other underserved populations.Objective: To assess whether the type of COVID-19 vaccine received for the primary series—either viral vector (Janssen/Jcovden) or mRNA (Moderna/Spikevax or Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty)—was associated with timing or likelihood of booster completion among incarcerated individuals. Design: Retrospective cohort study using survival analysis methods. The study period spanned from February 2, 2021, to May 31, 2023. Setting: Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) facilities, including …

The Impacts Of Covid-19 Restrictions On Care-Givers Of People With Cognitive Impairment And Their Support Needs: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review, Loretta Baldassar, Thi N. M. Nguyen, Bronte Jones, Catriona Stevens, Lukasz Krzyzowski, Silvia Lozeva, Simone Marino, Maria G. C. Du Plooy, Johanne Eldridge, Osvaldo P. Almeida, Manonita Ghosh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions/lockdowns have caused significant physical and psychological consequences for people with cognitive impairment who are heavily dependent on their care-givers. However, little is known about the impact on care-givers, the factors that exacerbate their situation and what supports they need. The aims of this paper are threefold: (a) to examine the impact of COVID-19 physical restrictions on both formal and informal care-givers of people with cognitive impairment; (b) to identify attributing factors influencing this impact; and (c) to recognise their support needs. Further, this paper informs future research, policy and practice. Guided by the Joanna …

Effects Of Interventions For The Prevention And Management Of Maternal Anemia In The Advent Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, John Kyalo Muthuka, Diana Kageni Mbari-Fondo, Francis Muchiri Wambura, Kelly Oluoch, Japheth Mativo Nzioki, Everlyn Musanga Nyamar, Rosemary Nabaweesi

Faculty Publications

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic presented many unknowns for pregnant women, with anemia potentially worsening pregnancy outcomes due to multiple factors.

Objective:This review aimed to determine the pooled effect of maternal anemia interventions and associated factors during the pandemic.

Methods:Eligible studies were observational and included reproductive-age women receiving anemia-related interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exclusion criteria comprised non-English publications, reviews, editorials, case reports, studies with insufficient data, sample sizes below 50, and those lacking DOIs. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified articles published between December 2019 and August 2022. Risk of bias was evaluated …

Association Of Non-Communicable Diseases With Severe Covid-19 Among People Living With And Without Diagnosed Hiv/Aids In New York State, Ravi Kumar Balu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: People living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) have a higher chance of co-infections and co-morbidities than the general population. When SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in China in December 2019 and later declared a pandemic, it was speculated that PLWDH might be more prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease outcomes given their increased vulnerability to other respiratory infections like influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia and tuberculosis. However, several facets of COVID-19 disease in PLWDH are incompletely understood, including whether non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are strong risk factors for severe disease outcomes and death as they are in the general population.

Methods: The data …

Metadata Makes Big Data Useful For Ai/Ml-Ready, Equitable Pandemic Response, Sudarshan Anand, Miae Lee, Seshadri S. Vasan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While genomic data helps understand the pathogen and its evolution, patient metadata is critical to get the host side of the picture, so that the pandemic response is effective and equitable.

Clinical Relevance: We highlight the importance of patient stratification and metadata to help develop diagnostics, therapies and vaccines as the pathogen (virus) evolves.

Risk Of Post-Acute Symptoms Among Adults: A Comparison Study Of Severe Covid-19, Pneumonia, And Influenza, Caroline M Schaefer, Trudy Millard Krause, George L Delclos, Raymond S Greenberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to assess the relationship between initial disease severity of COVID-19 and the risk of post-acute symptoms. The COVID-19 cohort was compared against influenza and pneumonia cohorts to assess whether risk of post-acute symptoms differed.

Methods: Administrative health claims data were obtained for commercially insured and Medicare Advantage covered adults (≥ 18 years) with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed in 2020 (n=121,205), and similar cohorts of influenza (n=20,844) and pneumonia (n=29,052) patients diagnosed prior to the pandemic. Post-acute symptoms were assessed at four weeks, three and six months following initial diagnosis.

Results: Among the patients …

Protective Effects Of Psychiatric Medications Against Covid-19 Mortality Before Vaccines, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Trudy M Krause, Gregory Jones, Antonio L Teixeira, Lokesh R Shahani, Scott D Lane, Jair C Soares, Chau N Truong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The coronavirus disease pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in the United States in late 2019 to early 2020 and quickly escalated into a national public health crisis. Research has identified psychiatric conditions as possible risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection and symptom severity. This study aims to determine whether specific classes of psychiatric medications could reduce the likelihood of infection and alleviate the severity of the disease. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between neuropsychiatric medication usage and COVID-19 outcomes before the widespread utilization of COVID-19 vaccines. This cross-sectional study used Optum's de-identified …

A Portrait Of Pawn Shops Loans As A Survival Strategy During Covid-19 Pandemic, Putri Kemala Dewi, Abdillah Ahsan, Krisna Puji Rahmayanti

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

This study investigates the impact of the number of financing loans before and after the pandemic and analyzes internal and external factors of PT Pegadaian on Outstanding Loans as the dependent variable by using data from PT Pegadaian during 2018–2020. The statistical method used for this analysis is the Generalized Least Squares (GLS). The result shows that the financing loan by PT Pegadaian has significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic, then macroeconomic characteristics, ceteris paribus. In addition, this study found an increase in the need for pawning in society, indicated by the increase in Outstanding Loan (OSL) in PT Pegadaian.

Learning Dissemination Strategies: Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic In Training Healthcare Professionals In Disease Management, Kishan Vishanagra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges for global healthcare systems, requiring rapid training and dissemination of disease management strategies among healthcare professionals. This study conducts a systematic review of 37 studies to examine the learning dissemination methods created and utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on just-in-time training for disease management. This study identifies four core training topics: airway management, infection control, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and patient triage. This study also categorizes delivery methods into in-situ simulation-based training, online e-learning platforms, online simulation-based training, and hybrid training models. Findings highlight that simulation-based training methods proved effective for invasive high-risk procedures, while …

Myocardial Infarction Trends Following Covid-19 Vaccination: A Retrospective Investigation From India, Hema S. Pinnam, Hrithika Madhavan, Jagarlamudi Harshitha, Vikram Patil, Harshita Tiwari, Isha A. Kumthekar, Jampala Sri Mounya

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: The relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and the incidence of myocardial infarction remains a topic of debate. The study aimed to analyze the demographic, clinical, and outcome characteristics of MI patients post-vaccination in India, focusing on differences between Covishield and Covaxin recipients.

Methods: The retrospective observational study included 303 MI patients admitted to a tertiary care center. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, vaccination status, ICU admissions, and outcomes. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to assess disease severity. Statistical analyses evaluated the associations between vaccination status, clinical parameters, and mortality.

Results: Among the study population, 74.3% were males, …

The Impacts Of Trust In The Time Of Covid-19, Hannah Temes

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Over 350,000 Americans died from COVID-19 in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Federal health institutions such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Human Health Services (DHHS) established guidelines for the public to follow during the pandemic. However, trust in these institutions varied resulting in differing public response —some followed the COVID protocols while others did not. It has been argued that when someone’s self-interest is at risk, they need to trust the government to take care of them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when public health and self-interest were intertwined, …

Rbd Amplicon Sequencing And Evolutionary Analysis Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants From Wastewater Samples, Xingwen Chen, Chunfu Zheng, Fuqing Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is significantly limited by the presence of numerous variants with distinct behaviors driven by rapid evolution. Although the conventional clinical genome sequencing method provides comprehensive data, it has limitations in capturing the epidemiological dynamics of the variants circulating in the community. In this chapter, we describe a protocol using RBD amplicon sequencing of wastewater samples. We present the detailed experimental procedure for wastewater sample processing, robust nested-PCR-based amplification of the target RBD sequence, and library preparation. Moreover, we describe a general pipeline of sequencing data processing and interpretation, showing the epidemiological and evolutionary trends of SARS-CoV-2 …

Shifting Patterns In Primary Care Telehealth Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries And Providers, Yunxi Zhang, Lincy S Lal, Saurabh Chandra, John Michael Swint

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption, but disparities in its utilization persist. This study examines primary care patient sociodemographic characteristics, telehealth utilization patterns, and provider adoptions before and during the pandemic.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study analyzed data from Mississippi Medicare beneficiaries continuously enrolled in Parts A, B, and D who accessed primary care services from 2019 to 2021.

Results: Among 201 677 Medicare beneficiaries accessing primary care, 1364 used telehealth before the pandemic, compared to 73 994 during the pandemic. Telehealth utilization shifted during the pandemic to younger, female, White beneficiaries, and those enrolled in Medicare due to …

Phenotypic Variation In Disease Severity Among Hospitalized Pediatric Patients With Covid-19: Assessing The Impact Of Covid-19 In The Epico Study, María Camila Sossa-Alarcón, Mónica Paola Gutiérrez, Natalia Becerra, Luz Yessenia Ortegon, María Camila David, Melisa Naranjo Vanegas, Gabriela Friedrich, Pablo Vásquez-Hoyos, María Lucía Mesa-Rubio, Luis Miguel Navarro-Ramirez, Sergio Moreno-Lopez, Olga Lucía Baquero, Luz Marina Mejía, Juan Gabriel Piñeros, Sonia Restrepo-Gualteros, Carlos Álvarez-Moreno, Alejandro Díaz-Díaz, Iván Gutierrez-Tobar, Andrés Camilo Mesa, William Ricardo Bachiller Tuta, Clara Esperanza Galvis Diaz, Martha Africano, José Manuel Nieto, Paola Marsela Pérez Camacho, Claudia Beltrán-Arroyave, Rosalba Vivas Trochez, Irati Gastesi, Cinta Moraleda, Alfredo Tagarro García, Blanca Herrero, Lourdes Calleja, Carlos Grasa, Paula Rodriguez, Susana Melendo, Antoni Soriano-Arandes, Irene Gómez Pastrana, Sonsoles García García, Victoria Fumado, Andrea Ramírez Varela

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To characterize the clinical phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized children as part of the EPICO multicenter cohort study.

Methods: We included hospitalized children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from Colombian and Spanish institutions to assess disease evolution and outcomes. Cluster analysis was performed to identify clinical phenotypes.

Results: A total of 2318 patients were included (55% male, 36% infants). Five phenotype clusters emerged: Cluster 1 (26.5%): infants without comorbidities, low PICU admissions and mortality; Cluster 2 (18.5%): respiratory comorbidities, high microorganism co-detection and mortality; Cluster 3 (11.5%): fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, high PICU admissions; Cluster 4 (32%): mild unspecific symptoms, …

Co-Creation Of Staff Training To Address Health-Related Social Needs In Emergencies, Linda Highfield, Gayla Ferguson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Health-related social needs (HRSN), such as housing and transportation barriers, contribute to poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Patient navigators help connect patients to community resources, but workforce training gaps are a challenge. The Strengthening Peer AHC Navigation (SPAN) study aimed to enhance navigation training during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Methods: Using a stakeholder-driven peer planning approach, SPAN co-developed a quality improvement plan for patient navigation training. Training focused on housing and transportation navigation and included didactic sessions, hands-on case studies, and biweekly expert consultations. Self-efficacy surveys measured navigator confidence pre- and post-training, and changes in navigation …

Long Covid Risk Factors And Outcomes Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Micaela N Sandoval, Linda W Moore, Howard J Huang, Edward A Graviss

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are not only at increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to acute COVID-19 but may also experience poor long-term outcomes due to post-acute COVID-19 syndromes, including long COVID.

Methods: This retrospective, registry-based chart review evaluated graft failure and mortality among SOT recipients diagnosed with COVID-19 at a large, urban transplant center in Houston, Texas, USA. Patient populations were analyzed separately according to their long COVID status at the time of transplant to preserve the temporal relationship between the exposure (long COVID) and the outcome (graft failure or mortality).

Results: In total, 146 (5%, …

Association Between Trust In The Incumbent President And Covid-19 Preventive Behaviors During The Pandemic In Four Latin American Countries, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Gloria Isabel Niño-Cruz, Javiera Alarcón-Aguilar, Pablo Roa-Urrutia, Sergio Mauricio Moreno-López, Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino, Alexandre Augusto De Paula Da Silva, Fernando López, Deborah Salvo, Rodrigo Siqueira Reis, Guillermo Rosas, Andrea Ramírez-Varela

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed disparities in policy responses in Latin America. We examined the association between trust in the president and COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. We used data from the Collaborative COVID-19 Response Survey by the McDonnell Academy at Washington University in St. Louis (United States), from September 2020 to March 2021. Nonprobabilistic sampling included adult citizens from the four countries. Multivariate negative binomial regression models were applied. The study included 8,125 participants, with Brazil showing the lowest adherence to preventive behaviors (65.5%). Increased adoption of preventive behaviors was linked with ages 18-26 (aIRR = …

A Comparison Of Floating Catchment Area Parameters With Applications To A Dataset Of Clinics Enrolled In A Statewide Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Consultation Program, Jocelyn Hunyadi, Lara S Savas, Kehe Zhang, Jeanette E Deason, Ryan Ramphul, Melissa F Peskin, Erica L Frost, Cici Bauer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare resources are often crucial but limited, requiring careful consideration and informed allocation based on population needs and potential healthcare access. In resource allocation settings, availability and accessibility of resources should be examined simultaneously. The two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method has been previously used to evaluate spatial accessibility to healthcare resources and services, and to address health-related disparities. The 2SFCA methods have regained significant popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, as their application proved crucial in addressing priority public health data analysis, modeling, and accessibility challenges. However, comprehensive comparisons of the 2SFCA method input parameters in the context of …

Trends In Contacts Made By Immigrants To The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Treves-Kagan, Vi D Le, Liris S Berra, Colleen M Ray, Yanet Ruvalcaba, Leila Wood, Denise V D'Angelo, Tatiana M Vera, Lianne Fuino Estefan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Immigrants in the United States are more likely than nonimmigrants to experience risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and problems in getting support. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent incidents of xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment may have exacerbated exposure to IPV risk factors. We examined immigrant experiences of IPV before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study identified changes in characteristics of abuse, services used, referrals, and barriers to services among those who contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and identified as immigrants, reported immigration status as a concern, needed immigration support, and/or identified immigration status as …

Quantitatively Assessing The Impact Of The Quality Of Snomed Ct Subtype Hierarchy On Cohort Queries, Xubing Hao, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Jay Shi, Rashmie Abeysinghe, Cui Tao, Kirk Roberts, Guo-Qiang Zhang, Licong Cui

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: SNOMED CT provides a standardized terminology for clinical concepts, allowing cohort queries over heterogeneous clinical data including Electronic Health Records (EHRs). While it is intuitive that missing and inaccurate subtype (or is-a) relations in SNOMED CT reduce the recall and precision of cohort queries, the extent of these impacts has not been formally assessed. This study fills this gap by developing quantitative metrics to measure these impacts and performing statistical analysis on their significance.

Material and methods: We used the Optum de-identified COVID-19 Electronic Health Record dataset. We defined micro-averaged and macro-averaged recall and precision metrics to assess the …

Long-Term Symptom Burden In A Young, Ambulatory Cohort After The Omicron Outbreak In China, Simeng Ren, Yumeng Tan, Hongkun Xu, Mian Wang, Rumei Xiang, Jiayue Jin, Baojin Han, Jiaheng Shi, Jingyu Zhang, Jinliang Yang, Xin Tian, Ying Li, Jiaojiao Chen, Wenzheng Zhang, Jingqi Yang, Xin Shelley Wang, Qiuling Shi, Jie Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: At the end of 2022, an outbreak of the Omicron BF.7 and BA.5.2 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 occurred in China. In this prospective cohort study, we investigated the pattern of development of major symptom burden and influencing factors in infected Chinese patients.

Methods: First-time infected outpatients were enrolled from December 7, 2022, to January 11, 2023 (N = 355). The prevalence of symptoms was monitored by a repeated patient-reported quantitative symptom survey over nine months.

Results: At the onset of the infection, the most prevalent symptoms (score ≥1 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale) were fatigue (91.8%), cough (91.8%), …

Empathy Unmasked: Patient Perception Of Physician Empathy In An Oncologic Emergency Setting A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Personal Protective Equipment Wear Versus Unmasked Video Communication, Kathryn J Burk, John J Stroh, Kelly Larkin, Patrick Chaftari, Denise M Langabeer, Jazmin R Menendez, Jeanie F Woodruff, Jan Hargrave, Hongxu Zhu, James P Long, Sai-Ching J Yeung, Kumar Alagappan, Aiham Qdaisat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine emerged as an important option that supports and facilitates clinical practice, however, its usefulness in emergency settings that treat patients with cancer is unclear.

Objective: To evaluate patient perception of physician empathy in an emergency oncology setting, comparing video interaction to an in-person with personal protective equipment (PPE) approach.

Methods: In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, survey-based randomized controlled trial, patients were randomized 1:1 for the concluding conversation done in-person which included either interacting with physicians wearing PPE or video interaction with physicians without PPE (virtual). Patients' perceptions of the physicians' relational empathy were assessed …