Digital Commons Network^™

The “Politics Of Inclusion/Exclusion” In Times Of The Pandemic, Florian Freitag

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

As commercial enterprises that depend on attracting a maximum number of visitors in order to be economically successful, theme parks have generally been careful to avoid unpleasant, sensitive, or controversial themes (or aspects of a theme) that might offend or alienate potential customers. Due to official regulations concerning e.g. the wearing of masks in waiting lines and during rides, however, the pandemic cannot simply be “excluded” from the parks and remains constantly visually present, thus seriously undermining the companies’ efforts to keep the park grounds rigidly separated from the rest of the world. Particular operational decisions by some theme park …

“It Takes People To Make The Dream A Reality”: Disney’S Hr Strategy In Response To Covid-19, Jaime L. Williams, Allison A. Toth

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

From January 2020 to the beginning of fall 2021, theme parks around the world have been required to engage in abnormal, abrupt, and major shifts in operations caused by the ongoing global pandemic (COVID-19). Through the process of sensemaking, this paper will focus on the human resources related decisions made by The Walt Disney Company in an effort to better understand the organization’s responses to changes in the external environment and the resulting outcomes during the pandemic. The overall management of Cast Members in the United States during this time period with specific focuses on the layoff and re-hiring of …

Are European Theme Parks Likely To Suffer From Long Covid?, Pieter Cornelis

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

COVID-19 has had a major impact on the theme park industry. Visits to European parks were significantly lower in 2020 than the year before. This article discusses the short-term and long-term economic consequences of the pandemic for the theme park industry. Attitudinal loyalty, inertia effects of guest satisfaction on repeat visits, (deferred) reinvestments, and the difference between theme and amusement parks will be considered. To compensate for losses in 2020, many parks increased their visitor numbers in the 2021 season to the maximum permitted capacity, especially in the summer months. As a result, analysis of waiting times at 22 investigated …

Protecting A Woman’S Right To Abortion During A Public Health Crisis, San Juanita Gonzalez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

As COVID-19 infected our nation, states were quick to issue executive orders restricting various aspects of daily life under the pretense of public safety. It was clear at the outset that certain civil liberties were going to be tested. Among them, the constitutional right to an abortion.

This comment explores Texas’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitations it imposed on abortion access. It will attempt to address the legitimacy of the “public health concerns” listed in executive orders issued throughout numerous states and will discuss the pertinent legal framework and judicial scrutiny to apply.

According to the Fifth …

Farmers Markets And Social Cohesion In A Post-Covid-19 World, Daniel Falknor

Masters Projects

The sense of belonging to a community, or social cohesion, is established in food spaces enabled by three separate and unique mechanisms: proximity, frequency, and interactions. This study looks specifically at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids and the effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on the social benefits derived from the mechanisms of social cohesion, in an attempt to identify and discover new ways to leverage social cohesion in food spaces. Three populations were identified at the farmers market: customers, vendors, and market staff. Surveys and informal interviews provided evidence that proximity to and within the market, higher …

The Ethics Of Care And The U.S. Covid-19 Pandemic Response, Samantha Treveline Barrett

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Throughout the pandemic, many conservatives like President Donald Trump lacked emotional sensitivity in regards to the millions of lives affected by COVID-19. They believed themselves to be too strong for the virus to take them down, and viewed those who wore masks as weak and afraid. Unlike Democrats, Republican governors entrusted their constituents to take necessary safety precautions and avoided statewide mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and lockdowns. Their policies and rhetoric demonstrated the overlap in harmful masculine traits and the conservative values of self-sufficiency and independence. Using a case study method, this paper analyzes the role of gender in a …

An Analysis Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Students At The University Of South Dakota, Alexandra J. Buss

Honors Thesis

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly took over the United States (US) in the beginning of 2020. Nationally, damages to finances, housing, and mental health have impacted many. Despite being one of the least densely populated states, South Dakota quickly rose to some of the highest rates in the nation and was identified as a national hotspot. While there have been significant reports on the effects of COVID-19 on certain communities (healthcare workers, small business owners, parents), more research is needed on the effects on university students. In this report, I aim to assess damages based on financial status of students, mental …

A Survey-Based Analysis On Adult Community Esl Learners: Perceptions Of Challenges, Online Learning, Resources, And Skills, Adriana Reeve

Theses and Dissertations

"One thing cannot be disputed: immigrants from all backgrounds and levels of cultural capital are drawn to noncredit ESL programs with high hopes of a brighter future and the attainment of the American dream" (Becker 2011). Adult ESL community learners are a fast-growing and diverse group of individuals. Previous studies demonstrate the many challenges this group faces in attending English classes (Tan, Nabb, Aagard, and Kim 2010; Tucker 2007) and the need for more online learning to better meet their needs (Eyring 2014; Reynard 2003). A survey was administered to 136 adult community ESL learners enrolled at the Provo, Utah …

Social Media, Humor, And Crisis Health Communication: Humor Used To Inform Over Social Media During Covid-19, Sally Burkley

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

With the recent events of COVID-19, it is necessary to examine how everyday citizens responded to the public health messages delivered by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. government and how these responses revealed and impacted the effectiveness of the organization’s messages. Furthermore, it is important to consider the potential humor has as an information spreading tool within the collaborative medium of social media. This study analyzes three different digital humor artifacts using a chronological rhetorical analysis in order to understand how we communicate health crisis initiatives over social media. The research findings show the change …

Public Health Policy On The Covid-19 Pandemic And Its Impact On The Behavior Patterns Of Families, Fakir Al Gharaibeh, Laura Gibson

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study examined the public health measures adopted by the Jordanian government that contributed to stemming the spread of the pandemic and the impact of these measures on the behavior patterns of families. Content analysis was used with 117 news briefs, and interviews were conducted with 20 families identified through snowball sampling. Ecological systems theory and a public health model are used to frame our understanding of the results. We found themes from interviews that included a shift to online education, use of social media, changes in consumer behavior, and social initiatives.

Covid Diplomacy In The Era Of Pandemic Response: The Case Of United Arab Emirates, Osman Antwi-Boateng

Journal of International Women's Studies

As the world grapples with the appropriate response against the COVID-19 pandemic with mixed results, a new opportunity for soft power influence in the form of COVID diplomacy has emerged. Countries such as the UAE that have embraced soft power as a foreign policy tool and have done relatively better in combating the pandemic have seized the initiative to provide bilateral and multilateral support in the form of COVID-19 related aid to struggling countries and international agencies, dubbed COVID-diplomacy. The UAE can engage in COVID diplomacy due to the following internal attractions: a long commitment to humanitarianism, a resilient economy, …

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 …

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 …

A Mixed-Methods Assessment Of Human Well-Being Related To The Presence Of Companion Animals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bindi Bennett, Suzie Cosh, Jack Thepsourinthone, Amy Lykins

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

COVID-19 and the measures used to curb the pandemic (e.g., lockdowns, isolation) have significantly impacted mental health and well-being. This study sought to investigate the role of companion animals in alleviating stress and improving mental health during the pandemic. In this study, 250 Australian adults completed measures of well-being and life satisfaction, animal dependency, perceived emotional support from animals, and animals’ effect on mood. Employment and living with others were the strongest predictors of positive life satisfaction and well-being, while greater dependency on companion animals for emotional support and companion animals’ negative effects on mood were associated with reduced life …

Shifting Identities: Professorial Identification During Covid-19, Anthony Survance

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Building on existing studies of identification, this paper melds crisis research with studies of identity to understand how crises influence workplace identities. To accomplish this, the study addresses two research questions: (a) How are professors’ identities enacted during the COVID-19 crisis? And, how, if at all, does university rhetoric shape the enactment of identity during the COVID-19 crisis? This paper uses qualitative methods to get rich descriptions of professorial identities allowing research to get at the heart of how changes during the pandemic affected professors’ organizational, personal, professional, and workgroup identities. Overall, this study shows the pandemic encouraged professors to …

Heparanase Blockade As A Novel Dual-Targeting Therapy For Covid-19, Jingyu Xiang, Mijia Lu, Min Shi, Xiaogang Cheng, Kristin A Kwakwa, Jennifer L Davis, Xinming Su, Suzanne J Bakewell, Yuexiu Zhang, Francesca Fontana, Yalin Xu, Deborah J Veis, John F Dipersio, Lee Ratner, Ralph D Sanderson, Alessandro Noseda, Shamim Mollah, Jianrong Li, Katherine N Weilbaecher

Open Access Publications

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused over 5 million deaths worldwide. Pneumonia and systemic inflammation contribute to its high mortality. Many viruses use heparan sulfate proteoglycans as coreceptors for viral entry, and heparanase (HPSE) is a known regulator of both viral entry and inflammatory cytokines. We evaluated the heparanase inhibitor Roneparstat, a modified heparin with minimum anticoagulant activity, in pathophysiology and therapy for COVID-19. We found that Roneparstat significantly decreased the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and retroviruses (human T-lymphotropic virus 1 [HTLV-1] and HIV-1)

Community College Students' Sense Of Belonging And Care During Covid-19: A Grounded Theory Study, Lisa A. Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative constructivist grounded theory research study was to understand and develop a theory about the experiences of community college students accessing online student support services, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when colleges were forced to close their in-person services. Interviews with seventeen students and a review of 57 email communications from the College yielded the data to construct a theory that extends the theories of sense of belonging and ethic of care to virtual student services – the Virtual Caring Campus Theory.

In the absence of a physical campus, colleges can create a virtual caring campus by …

Alignment Of Leadership To Constructs Of Governance In Independent Schools, Damian Kavanagh

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenographic study articulates the different perceptions of independent school heads of school and executive board leaders in their understanding of key constructs of independent school governance, especially as the understanding may change during a crisis. The five constructs of independent school governance are the separation of governance and management activities, maintaining the confidentiality and trust of the board room, the relationship between the board and the head of school, maintaining a strategic mindset, and general board operations. The review of the literature examines the dynamics of leadership through historical crises of an economic nature, endogenous crises, world health …

Digital Skills Profile And Academic Staff Service Delivery During Covid-19 Pandemic Lock Down In Universities In Cross River State, Garieth Omorobi Omorobi, Winifred Emu Harry Ph.D, Francisca Alah Kenn-Aklah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study assessed the academic staff digital skill profile and service delivery during COVID-19 pandemic lock down in universities in Cross River State. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2427 academic staff of the university of Calabar and University of Cross River State. The sample for the study was 755 academic staff who were drawn through the simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was the researchers’ made Academic Staff Digital Skill Profile and Service Delivery Questionnaire (ASDSPSDQ). The instrument was validated by three experts from Educational Management and …

Is There A Lesson From Comparing The Covid-19 Pandemic To The Experience Of Disability? A Response To Carol Rogers-Shaw’S “Disabled Lives & Pandemic Lives: Stories Of Human Precarity”, Tonette Rocco, Debaro Huyler

Occasional Paper Series

In “Disabled Lives & Pandemic Lives: Stories of Human Precarity,” Carol Rogers-Shaw narrates several stories that convey the anguish, trauma, loss, and horror experienced by many during the pandemic. Through storytelling, she demonstrates that “the pandemic experiences we shared might provide a foundation to build … parallels between living with a disability and living in a pandemic.” Even so, Rogers-Shaw cautions us not to get distracted by pandemic-related issues or inspirational stories. Instead, she correctly points out that COVID-19 pandemic experiences mirror the unpleasant aspects of daily life for people with disabilities.

On Turning Tables, Hubris, And Humility: Reflecting Upon Carol Rogers-Shaw’S “Disabled Lives & Pandemic Lives: Stories Of Human Precarity”, David J. Connor

Occasional Paper Series

What can be learned about the pandemic through the lens of disability, and conversely, what can we come to know about disability through the Covid-19 pandemic? Rogers-Shaw contemplates these reciprocal questions in a highly original essay that is wide in scope. After thinking about how to best describe the experience of reading her work, the word “wondrous” came to mind, as the essay is both delightful and powerful. Why? Because she examines and explores what has recently concerned many of us in education, that is, the pandemic’s impact upon the lives of both teachers and students with and without disabilities. …

Learning To Navigate The Unknown: The Importance Of Critical Reflection And Collaboration For Community College Faculty During A Pandemic, Karen Ann Ladley

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused sudden and dramatic shifts in educational systems worldwide, including colleges and universities. Students, faculty, and service staff found themselves navigating uncertain times and addressing challenges they had not faced previously. The use of critical reflection and collaboration became crucial for faculty as they struggled to engage students in different ways. Understanding students’ needs and addressing them effectively became priorities with reflection and collaboration both cost-effective and convenient methods. Following this time of uncertainty, faculty can continue using reflection and collaborative learning communities to address new challenges and obstacles, especially at community colleges where money, time, and …

Online Special Education In The United States And Peru: A Comparison Of Responses To Covid-19, Maria Berrocal

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Public special education systems have distinct levels of economic resources at the international and local levels, as well as different social-cultural attitudes toward students with disabilities. This study is an in-depth exploration of those differences as they apply to the special education systems of Peru and the United States within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. I give particular focus to Aprendo en casa, a Peruvian multichannel distance education service for television, radio, and the Internet that was launched in April of 2020 because of the state emergency. I examine lessons from Aprendo en casa to identify the learning strategies …

Masked Emotions: Studying The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Emotional Regulation In College Students And Beyond, Sara K. Taft

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Studies regarding the socioemotional selectivity theory have found that upcoming endings lead to a positivity bias in individuals’ executive functioning. The current study seeks to expand upon this theory by studying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students and graduates. It was predicted that (a) current students would demonstrate more negative emotionality than pre-COVID students, (b) current students would demonstrate a greater positivity bias than pre-COVID students, and (c) this bias would be more pronounced in current seniors and weaker in current freshmen and college graduates. Participants responded to several scales regarding personality (neuroticism, shyness) and emotional factors …

Making Covid-19-Related Decisions: A Qualitative Study Of University Students, Jamie Methvin, Antonio J. Gardner, Leah B. P. Pylate, Barry P. Hunt, Holli H. Seitz, Regina Young Hyatt

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: SARS-Cov-2 (Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19) has impacted society greatly since its arrival to the United States. More specifically, college students have had to modify their behaviors on campus to minimize the spread of the virus.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify benefits and barriers to testing, reporting, and quarantining of undergraduate college students attending a large southeastern university.Methods: Undergraduate students were asked to complete an open-ended Qualtrics survey to share their perceived benefits and barriers to engage in behaviors to detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Data was analyzed via Grounded Theory techniques to determine codes …

Launching A Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (Hpv) Campaign On A College Campus During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Eric Pittman, M. Allison Ford, Marie Barnard, Emily Tschumpter, Sally Earl, Joshua Gautreaux

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

No abstract provided.

Influencers Of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance In The Deep South, Katie C. Hall, Angela Duck, Tara Price

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Within the Deep South, vaccine ratings fall between 48.5-58% of the state’s population being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Therefore, half of the population is at risk for the negative mortality and morbidity outcomes associated with COVID-19.Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe key influencers for accepting the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals living within the Deep South region of the US.Methods: A descriptive, secondary analysis of quantitative data was conducted from an online survey entitled COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Survey. A total of 421 participants identified as living in the Deep South, were ≥ 18 years of age, and …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

A Mixed Method Study Of Teachers’ Appraisals Of Student Wellness Services And Supports During Covid-19, Tasha M. Childs, Elizabeth Levine Brown, Naomi Brown, Aidyn Iachini Ph.D., Kate Phillippo, Linda Galib, Audra Parker, Ken Fujimoto

Faculty and Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Understanding teachers' appraisals of student wellness services and supports during COVID-19 is essential to strengthening services and improving student health outcomes. This mixed-method study aimed to examine US PK-12 teachers' appraisals of student wellness services and supports during COVID-19.

METHODS: This study focuses on qualitative data from 291 teachers' open-ended responses to the question: “What do you wish your school leaders knew about this (wellness support) aspect of your work?” and whose responses described wellness services and supports. A qualitative content analysis was conducted by an interdisciplinary research team using open- and axial coding.

RESULTS: Three …

Safety And Efficacy Of Colchicine In Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Control Trials, Farah Yasmin, Hala Najeeb, Abdul Moeed, Wardah Hassan, Mahima Khatri, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Ahmed Kunwer Naveed, Waqas Ullah, Salim Surani

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Colchicine has been used an effective anti-inflammatory drug to treat gout diseases. Owing to its pharmacodynamic of inhibiting interleukins, it has been repurposed to target the cytokine storm post-SARS-CoV-2 invasion. The goal of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the safety profile of colchicine in COVID-19 patients using the gold-standard randomised-control trials.

Methods: Electronic databases (Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane) were systematically searched until June 2021 and RCTs were extracted. Outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, COVID-19 severity, mechanical ventilation, C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels. Using a random-effects model, dichotomous outcomes were pooled using odds ratios (OR) through the generic …