Digital Commons Network^™

Blockchain Accelerators And An Application On Covid-19 Contact Tracing, Tao Lu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Blockchain technology has been an emerging technology in recent years. Its nature of decentralization and anonymity enables many applications to be built in a trustless environment but can still be validated and agreed upon by all the participants. Ever since the invention of blockchain technology, its concepts and forms are explored extensively, and it has shown the potential to be used in many industries. However, the low efficiency and the poor performance have prevented the technology to be adopted in practical largescale usage. In this dissertation, we present three major works around blockchain technology. The first one is BPU, an …

The Effect Of Lockdowns On The Status Of Women In The World, Angelika B. Magno

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious respiratory illness that causes moderate to severe symptoms that can be fatal to older people or those with other underlying health concerns. Considered a global pandemic, this disease spreads rapidly across the world, calling for a need for the implementation of lockdowns. This study examines the effects of lockdowns on joblessness among women, controlling for household conditions, namely, perceived household responsibility, hours allotted for household chores, and safety at home. Data for lockdowns were sourced from Google’s Community Mobility reports, whereas joblessness among women and household conditions were sourced from Facebook’s Survey on Gender …

2023-04-03_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

Taking Care Of Business: An Empirical Examination Of The Top S&P 500 Companies And Their Role As Public Health Regulators During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan M. O’Malley

University of Miami Business Law Review

Data from the top 15 constituents by weight on the S&P 500 is assembled to identify trends among the policies these companies implemented in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some policies were fairly consistent across the board, especially in regard to remote work opportunities and health and safety measures for essential and/or in-person employees. Other policies, including vaccination requirements and vaccine incentives, varied across and within industries. Some companies that were examined went beyond the relevant federal, state, or local requirements in effect at the time, while other companies pushed back against public health guidance.

The Value And Impacts Of Academic Public Health Departments, Paul C Erwin, Julie H Grubaugh, Stephanie Mazzucca-Ragan, Ross C Brownson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The academic health department (AHD) is a partnership between an academic institution and a governmental health agency. These partnerships are meant to provide mutual benefits that include opportunities for student field placements and internships, practice-informed curriculum, and practice-based research. The term academic health department dates back only to 2000, although there are several examples of academic-practice partnerships prior to that date. In addition to AHDs that have been established over the past two decades, other forms of academic-practice engagement provide similar mutual benefits, such as prevention research centers and public health training centers. Current research on AHDs explores how these …

Advanced Care Planning For Hospitalized Patients Following Clinician Notification Of Patient Mortality By A Machine Learning Algorithm, Stephen Chi, Seunghwan Kim, Matthew Reuter, Katharine Ponzillo, Debra Parker Oliver, Randi Foraker, Kevin Heard, Jingxia Liu, Kyle Pitzer, Patrick White, Nathan Moore

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Goal-concordant care is an ongoing challenge in hospital settings. Identification of high mortality risk within 30 days may call attention to the need to have serious illness conversations, including the documentation of patient goals of care.

OBJECTIVE: To examine goals of care discussions (GOCDs) in a community hospital setting with patients identified as having a high risk of mortality by a machine learning mortality prediction algorithm.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study took place at community hospitals within 1 health care system. Participants included adult patients with a high risk of 30-day mortality who were admitted to 1 …

Party Contacting, Group Identity, And Covid-19: An Analysis Of Asian American Voter Turnout In 2020, Suzy Yi

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

Many scholars have examined what affects voter turnout rates among racial minorities compared to that of White voters. Racial minorities consistently turn out to vote in elections at lower rates than White voters. One method of combating low voter turnout is through party contacting, in which political parties mobilize people who are most likely to vote through activities such as door-to-door canvassing or individualized contact through mail, phone calls, and texts (Huckfeldt and Sprague 1992; Wielhouwer and Lockerbie 1994). However, because political parties direct their efforts towards those who are most likely to vote, they are more likely to favor …

The Lived Experiences Of Icu, Med-Surg, And Er Nurses In The United States Attempting To Breastfeed During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Seay

Dissertations

Breastfeeding is important to promote the health of both mothers and babies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). Many mothers experience workplace barriers and stress which negatively impact breastfeeding duration (McCardel & Padilla, 2020; Nagel et al., 2022). However, a gap in the literature exists surrounding specific barriers and the impact of stress on U.S. nurses who breastfeed. Specifically, workplace challenges and stress among nurses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic lack exploration.

This interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of ICU, Med-Surg, and ER nurses who attempted to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roy’s adaptation model was …

The Influence Of Nature On Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Views From New England Island Residents, Nicole Kras

Publications and Research

Researchers are beginning to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on island populations, but little is known about the experiences of the residents of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in the Northeast region of the United States. In this study, islanders (N=41) provide insight into how spending time in nature influenced their well-being, especially their mental well-being, during this unprecedented time. For the majority of participants, the influence of nature on their well-being increased during the pandemic. Additionally, participants shared benefits of island living such as isolation from the mainland, as well as challenges such as food and supply shortages. …

Psychology University Students’ Mental Health Status During Covid-19 Pandemic In Karachi, Pakistan, Aisha Noorullah, Mubarak Mansoor, Ayesha Zahid

Department of Psychiatry

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges in various domains of life but for low and middle-income country university students very demanding situations have emerged. University students’ psychological well-being has always been an area of concern worldwide and higher rates of anxiety and depression have been extensively reported among this cohort.
Objective: To determine the frequency of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and quality of sleep and the association of sleep quality and personality traits with anxiety and depressive symptoms among university students in Karachi, Pakistan in the context of the pandemic COVID-19.
Method: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among …

How Well The Constructs Of Health Belief Model Predict Vaccination Intention: A Systematic Review On Covid-19 Primary Series And Booster Vaccines, Yam B. Limbu, Rajesh K. Gautam

Department of Marketing Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This systematic review synthesizes the findings of quantitative studies examining the relationships between Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs and COVID-19 vaccination intention. We searched PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and identified 109 eligible studies. The overall vaccination intention rate was 68.19%. Perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action were the three most frequently demonstrated predictors of vaccination intention for both primary series and booster vaccines. For booster doses, the influence of susceptibility slightly increased, but the impact of severity, self-efficacy, and cues to action …

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy And Vaccination Rate Among The Latino Population In South Carolina, Brynn E. Lynagh

Senior Theses

It is common knowledge that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Furthermore, these sects of the population exhibit increased vaccine hesitancy and lower vaccination rates as compared to the aggregated population of the United States, furthering the risk posed by COVID-19 to these communities. In particular, this study focuses on the Latino population in South Carolina, the vaccination rate among this community, and the perspectives which contributed to their vaccination decision. Two hundred Spanish and Portuguese speaking residents of South Carolina were interviewed using a paper survey conducted by pre-trained interviewers. The survey gathered data …

The Fitness, Rest, And Exercise For Strength And Health (Fresh) Study: Impact Of Covid-19 On Cardiorespiratory Fitness Of College Students, Catherine E. Alvaro, Kyle Levers, Jennifer Cook, Adelaide Feek, Lihi Kadosh, Annika Stadler, Jennifer Sacheck

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of How Student Goal-Setting For Improved Learner Behaviors Affects Intermediate Elementary Academic Achievement, Meghan Mcnulty

Dissertations

Education in the United States has changed significantly since its onset. Due to these changes, there is an increased need for social-emotional skills for success in school and in life. The study centered on how focusing intermediate elementary school students on improving their behavior could influence their academic achievement. Though there is much literature on social-emotional skills, self-efficacy, student agency, goal-setting, and academic achievement, few researchers have conducted studies to connect these concepts. In this study, students assessed their current behavioral skills using the mySAEBRS (Illuminate Education, n.d.). Using the results, students set improvement goals in one of three behavioral …

Utilizing The System Engineering Trade Study Analysis Method To Analyze Patient Aeromedical Evacuation, Sara Shaghaghi, Jeremy M. Slagley, Michael E. Miller, Gaiven Varshney

Faculty Publications

The US Air Force has gone through many aeromedical patient isolation transport system designs. The first designs were developed in response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. The trade study analysis part of the system engineering design method was used to analyze the historic and current aeromedical patient contamination control transport systems. A trade study is a process that evaluates alternatives based upon various “-ilities”, such as reconfigurability, flexibility, durability, cost, and more, and performs a systematic analysis to aid designers in producing a ‘good’ design alternative given the large set of possible solutions. …

Prevalence Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies In Liberty University Student Population, Emily Bonus

Senior Honors Theses

In 2020, the virus SARS-CoV-2 gained attention as it spread around the world. Its antibodies are poorly understood, and little research focuses on those with few COVID-19 complications yet large numbers of close contacts: university students. This longitudinal study recorded SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence in 107 undergraduate Liberty University students twice during early 2021. After extensive data cleaning and the application of various statistical tests and ANOVAs, the data seems to show that in the case of COVID-19 infections, SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibodies are immediately produced, and then IgG antibodies follow later. However, the COVID-19 vaccine causes the production of both IgM …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Cybersecurity And Securing A Post-Covid World, Ryan Pizzo

Senior Honors Theses

The world became hardly recognizable throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as the normal state of the world was disrupted. In addition to affecting everyday life, the pandemic touched every industry, especially that of cybersecurity. To properly remediate for the future of cybersecurity, the trends in cybercrime seen throughout the pandemic warrant further investigation. An overall increase in cybercrime was clearly observed with no signs of plateauing. This trend was paired with developing sophistication of cybercrime means and methods. In response to this, a defense-in-depth strategy focusing on a layered defense approach strengthens an organization’s security posture. Focusing on every policy and …

The Impact Of Covid-19, Mental Health Distress, And School-Based Sociocultural Protective Factors Among Elementary-Aged Children And Their Caregivers, Aijah K.B. Goodwin, Anthony J. Roberson, Ar’Reon Watson, Grace L. Chen, Anna C.J. Long

Faculty Publications

Given the individual and systemic stress endured by children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, research examining culturally responsive school experiences and supports to enhance resilience is critical. This study examined the relationship between caregivers’ perceptions of COVID-19 impact, mental health distress among children and caregivers, and school-based sociocultural protective factors, including culturally responsive practices in schools and the relationships between teachers and caregivers, concurrently and longitudinally. Data were collected from caregivers of elementary-aged children at two-time points from March to April 2020 (N = 174) and one year later in 2021 (N = 114). Regression analyses revealed that COVID-19 …

The Information Literacy And The Infodemic In Covid-19 Pandemic At Kampala International University, Justina E. Ogbonna Cln, Jackline Kiwelu

Libraries

Access to reliable information in times of emergency is important. However the quantum of information during emergency may cause infodemic. The study investigated the role of information literacy in mitigating infodemic in COVID 19 pandemic. A survey was conducted among educators and students in School of Mathematics and Computing (SOMAC), Kampala International University (KIU), Uganda. The findings reveal that: majority of the respondents (50%) either agreed or strongly agreed that they evaluated information before use; on the state of their emotions, respondents were confused, overwhelmed, alarmed and anxious; 50% were able to access the information with ease, while 50% could …

The Virtual Classroom: What Can Be Learned From The Covid-19 Lockdown, James L. Nations

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to examine the teaching practices utilized during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in higher education. This forced switch to the virtual classroom forced many professors to make innovative changes to adapt to this change in teaching modality. These changes can now be examined and evaluated for potential future application. By reviewing the current literature, performing an analysis of grades from Fall 2017 through Summer 2022, and interviewing select professors at the University of South Carolina, this paper seeks to illuminate some of the potential issues that arise when adapting in-person curriculums to the virtual classroom as well as …

The Economic, Mental Health, And Social Stressors During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans In South Dakota, Savannah E. Lukkes

Honors Thesis

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities test positive for COVID-19 and experience higher mortality than other racial and ethnic groups. These high rates of vulnerability could be connected to the systemic inequalities that have been experienced for centuries. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic stressors, concerns, and mental health experiences during the early COVID-19 pandemic between AI/AN and non-AIAN populations in South Dakota. The study sample (n=1,586) was grouped by AI/AN and non-AI/AN status based on self-identification of being AI/AN alone or in combination with another race/ethnicity. Participant responses to socioeconomic stressors and concerns (e.g., top concerns, level of concern, self-isolation, …

Covid-19, Olfactory Functioning, And Depressive Symptoms, Kevin Davis Psy.D.

Dissertations

The focus in this study was to investigate whether people who continue to experience a disordered sense of smell after recovering from COVID-19 are more likely to have higher levels of depressive symptoms. Data collection involved two questionnaires: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depressive symptoms and the Assessment of Self-Reported Olfactory Functioning and Olfaction-Related Quality of Life (ASOF) to assess olfactory functioning. Additionally, general survey questions were asked to evaluate physical and mental health outcomes related to COVID-19. Results showed individuals who did not subjectively return to their baseline sense of smell after recovering from COVID-19 had lower …

Women In Higher Education: A Brief Report On Stress During Covid-19, Dimple S. Johnson, Aaron D. Johnson, Kristen B. Crossney, Emily Devereaux

Public Policy & Administration Faculty Publications

Higher education institutions have evolved into a more stressful environment. Women have been experiencing higher levels of stress than their male counterparts. With higher education adopting to the onset of the pandemic, this brief report studied women’s perceived stress in relation to perceived organizational and supervisory support, and age during times of crisis. In an era of social distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns, the findings suggest that women’s perceived stress is negatively related to age, perceived organizational support, and perceived supervisory support. Society as we once knew it pre-pandemic will never be the same. Higher education is inevitably going to have …

Post-Pandemic Finra Arbitration: To Zoom Or Not To Zoom?, Jill I. Gross

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

This Article contributes to the literature exploring the impact of the pandemic on arbitration and explores whether parties arbitrating their disputes during the pandemic have had access to justice equivalent to the justice that was available pre-pandemic. Though it is difficult to draw any conclusions about FINRA arbitration due to the confidential and non-reasoned nature of awards, the Article focuses on arbitration of securities industry disputes at one forum, FINRA DRS. In particular, the Article analyzes data about FINRA customer arbitrations over the course of the pandemic, from onset in March 2020 through mid-2022, when most municipalities had lifted COVID-19 …

Effect Of Thromboprophylaxis On Clinical Outcomes After Covid-19 Hospitalization, Tracy Y Wang, Abdus S Wahed, Alison Morris, Lisa Baumann Kreuziger, John G Quigley, Gervasio A Lamas, Alexandra J Weissman, Jose Lopez-Sendon, M Margaret Knudson, Deborah M Siegal, Raj S Kasthuri, Andrew J Alexander, Lana Wahid, Bassel Atassi, Peter J Miller, Janice W Lawson, Bela Patel, Jerry A Krishnan, Nancy L Shapiro, Deborah E Martin, Andrei L Kindzelski, Eric S Leifer, Jungnam Joo, Lingyun Lyu, Annie Pennella, Brendan M Everett, Mark W Geraci, Kevin J Anstrom, Thomas L Ortel, Activ-4c Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have an increased incidence of thromboembolism. The role of extended thromboprophylaxis after hospital discharge is unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether anticoagulation is superior to placebo in reducing death and thromboembolic complications among patients discharged after COVID-19 hospitalization.

DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04650087).

SETTING: Done during 2021 to 2022 among 127 U.S. hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 18 years or older hospitalized with COVID-19 for 48 hours or more and ready for discharge, excluding those with a requirement for, or contraindication to, anticoagulation.

INTERVENTION: 2.5 mg of apixaban versus placebo twice daily for …

Risk Of Maternal And Fetal Outcomes Associated With Covid-19 Variants Of Concern: A Sequential Prospective Meta-Analysis, Fouzia Farooq

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

The Future Of People Becoming The Church: Multiplying Disciples, Leaders, And Campuses In A Post-Christian, De-Churched, And Unchurched Region Of The United States, Wesley D. Davis

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The church is losing influence in America. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the decline in the American church. Polarized on issues of race, politics, masks, and vaccines, church leaders struggled to unite the people of God. Post-pandemic, how do churches and church leaders make more disciples, develop more leaders, and plant more churches in a post-Christian, de-churched, and unchurched culture? The focus of this doctoral dissertation is to present the philosophy of people becoming the church as a solution to the decline of the American church. I discovered the philosophy of people becoming the church over twenty years ago when …

Effect Of Covid-Protocols On Athletic Training Burnout, Harrison C. Garcia

All NMU Master's Theses

Burnout is a psychological condition consisting of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment and identity. Since the start of the pandemic, a significant increase in burnout has been reported by healthcare professionals, however, there is little known regarding the experiences of athletic trainers (ATs). PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between burnout and COVID-19 related factors among ATs. METHODS: An electronic survey grouped by the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey, COVID-19 related workplace policies, and demographics was sent to 1,000 ATs through the National Athletic Trainer’s Association email listserv; …

An Investigation Of How Interior Design Elements Can Enhance Customer’S Interest In Fast Fashion Retail Stores In-Person Experience After The Covid-19, Qianyue Tu

Theses

The goal of this capstone project is to investigate how interior design elements can enhance customers’ interest in fast fashion retail stores’ in-person experience after the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer the research question, this capstone is organized into three parts which are the literature review, research agenda, and creative agenda. First, the literature review section of this manuscript examines consumer behavior and changes in fast fashion brands before and after the pandemic. The goal of the literature review is to understand four questions: 1) What are changes in consumer behavior after COVID-19? 2) Why are fast fashion brands retailing being …

Are The Teachers Alright?: High School Teachers’ Use Of Emotional Labor Strategies In The Covid-19 Context And Its Effect On The Profession’S Sustainability, Nina C. Benegas

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Teacher burnout during the pandemic has resulted in a mass exodus of teachers that, compounded with consistently low enrollment in teacher preparation programs, has caused a severe and catastrophic teacher shortage. This qualitative study investigated teacher perceptions of pandemic-related workload and emotional stress and their effects on job satisfaction and burnout. The dissertation study consisted of semi-structured interviews of sixteen current or former high school educators who taught before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest a wide range of disruptions to teachers’ preexisting professional responsibilities and additions to what has been considered to constitute a teacher’s typical workload, particularly: …