Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Initial Testing Of An Online Security Prime Writing Intervention During Covid-19, Angie S Leroy, Andreas Weyland, Jade Kanemitsu, Arya Tsay-Jones, Vincent D Lai, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Nyla Vela, Amanda Perozo, Valentina I Maza, Sierra Wickline, Katherine Beach, Robert Suchting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we tested the efficacy of a one-week online security prime (SP) writing intervention in reducing distress among 254 adults (60+ years and/or having an underlying health condition). The efficacy of writing interventions can depend on several factors. Attachment orientations, characterized by dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, reflect individuals' tendencies in how they seek proximity to and rely on others for support, and influence how people experience and regulate their emotions.

Design and methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Security Priming (SP), where people wrote about what made them feel …

Entangled Transitions: How Covid-19 Widened Well-Being Gaps Among Youth In Singapore (2017–2022), Vincent Chua, Han Ei Chew, Isabelle Tan, Pamela Lee

Research Collection Office of Impact

COVID-19 was not merely a biomedical crisis but a deeply social phenomenon entangled with existing inequalities. Drawing on Peter Kelly's notion of entanglement, we conceptualise the pandemic as an intersectional crisis − where time, structural disadvantage and socio-emotional well-being became interwoven. Using six waves of longitudinal data (2017–2022) from Youth STEPS, a panel study of young people in Singapore, we track within-person changes in life satisfaction across key youth transitions before, during and after the pandemic. Our findings show that the negative effects of unemployment and insecure work on well-being were markedly more severe during the pandemic than in earlier …

Sectoral Shockwaves: Examining Bursa Malaysia's Sector Indices Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alyssa April Dellow, Hafizah Bahaludin

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is becoming a widespread concern, as it is causing a decline in economies and negatively impacting stock markets worldwide. As the Malaysian government implements the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of the deadly virus, the Malaysian stock market is rapidly impacted, becoming volatile and unpredictable throughout the pandemic phase. Thus, this study aims to analyse the structural correlation patterns of the Bursa Malaysia Sectoral Index Series using the threshold network approach. The data utilised in this study are the closing prices of all 13 sectoral indexes, spanning from January 1, 2019, …

Reassessing Residential Reits: Performance And Resilience After Covid-19, Donna Seapoe, Anne Keenaghan, Davinder Malhotra

School of Business Faculty Papers

This study analyzes the monthly returns of residential real estate investment trusts (REITs) from 2010 through 2025, assessing how these investments performed both during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Sharpe, Sortino, and Omega ratios and multi-factor asset pricing models, the study finds that residential REITs delivered stable risk-adjusted returns and improved downside protection relative to broad indices. Value-at-risk metrics confirmed their defensive nature, and portfolio optimization demonstrated diversification and volatility reduction when including residential REITs. Overall, residential REITs were shown to preserve capital and improve portfolio efficiency during market disruptions

Market Signals From Online Behavior, Nicole J. Olynk Widmar, Michael L. Smith, Erin Robinson

Purdue University Press Books

Market Signals From Online Behavior asks, What do social media trends, Google searches, and online chatter reveal about consumer behavior? It also poses the question, How can we interpret these signals without losing sight of the people behind the posts? This book examines the digital traces left by consumers and explores how these signals intersect with food, agriculture, retail, and beyond.

Drawing from real-time data and social-listening analysis, Market Signals connects the dots between what is trending online and what it means for markets in the real world. Whether it is the rise of plant-based eating, changing holiday shopping norms, …

Community Or Commodity? Nurse Perceptions Of Support From Healthcare Institutions And The Community, Jacqueline Christianson, Madaline Mccarthy, Bonnie Sommers-Olson, Jill Guttormson, Norah Louise Johnson

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Purpose: High stress, moral distress, and burnout are common in nursing workplaces and are associated with poorer patient and nurse outcomes. Research showed that excessive work-related stress was a growing problem for the nursing workforce prior to the Covid-19 pandemic (Bakhamis et al., 2019). However, working conditions became considerably more stressful because pandemic-related workplace changes made previous methods of caring, connecting empathetically with patients, and behaving altruistically difficult to impossible for nurses to achieve (Foli et al., 2021; McAndrew et al., 2023). Community connectedness and mutual social support may be buffers against the harmful effects of chronic occupational stress and …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Healthcare Workers: Risk Factors, Sources Of Infection, And Sickness Absenteeism, Ezgi̇ Gülten, Güle Çinar, İrem Akdemi̇r, Eli̇f Muki̇me Saricaoğlu, İlkay Taşdan, Emi̇ne Atmaca, Si̇bel Kaymakçi, Fatma Şanal, Di̇lek Sevi̇m Akdaş, Arzu Büyüm, Gülşah Kocaali̇, Safi̇ye Tarakçi, Ati̇lla Hali̇l Elhan, Mehmet Serhat Bi̇rengel, Kemal Osman Memi̇koğlu, Alpay Azap

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Healthcare workers (HCWs) face increased risks of COVID-19 infection due to occupational exposure. Understanding infection sources, risk factors, and workforce losses is crucial for mitigating these impacts in future pandemics. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors, infection sources, and sickness absenteeism among HCWs diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing insights to enhance infection control strategies.

Materials and methods: The study included 2153 HCWs diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 between March 2020 and February 2023 at a tertiary care hospital in Türkiye. Demographic, clinical, and professional characteristics, personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, infection sources, and vaccination data were analyzed. Statistical analyses …

Biomarkers Of Multiorgan Failure In Covid-19: A Predictive Framework For Disease Severity And Clinical Outcomes, Wesam A. Nasif, Mohammed H. Mukhtar, Mohammad Althubiti, Abeer Shaker El Moursy Ali

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of inflammatory, liver, renal, and cardiac biomarkers in relation to the progression of multiorgan failure (MOF) in COVID-19 patients. A primary goal was to identify which of these markers served as the most discriminative predictors of disease severity.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out between December 2020 and February 2023 to collect data from 1,803 COVID-19 patients from data records in different hospitals in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The ROC curve analysis evaluated the diagnostic and predictive performance of selected biomarkers.

Results: Inflammatory markers such as CRP and D-dimer were evaluated, but ferritin …

Infectious Causes Of Acute Febrile Illness In Belize, 2020-2022, Adrianna Maliga, Shannon E Ronca, Russell Manzanero, Roberto Melendez, Sarah M Gunter, Allison Lino, Joy Mackey, Andres Espinosa-Bode, Beatriz Lopez, Rafael Chacon-Fuentes, Freedom M Green, Oluwadara Okeremi, Sarah Strobel, Daniel P Rehm, Flor M Muñoz, Loren Cadena, Melissa Diaz-Musa, Francis Morey, Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez, Gerhaldine Morazan, Kristy O Murray

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Acute febrile illness (AFI) surveillance networks can play a key role in identifying emerging pathogens and promoting global health security, especially for vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries. In January 2020, the Belize AFI Surveillance network was formed, and 5,643 participants were enrolled over the first 3-year period across 11 participating public hospitals. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction testing for vector-borne pathogen detection and BioFire® diagnostic testing for respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens, the causes of illness were examined in relation to 54 pathogens in these participants. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, surveillance was expanded to detect …

Clinical Evaluation Of Nasal Swab Specimens In Vtm/Utm And Respdirect Estm Using The Panther Fusion Sars-Cov-2/Flu A/B/Rsv Assay., Salika M. Shakir, Robert K. Mccall, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Dithi Banerjee, Yitz Goldstein, Christine Lansang, Rachel Bogh, Carmelle V. Remillard, Respdirect Clinical Study Group

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Respiratory viral infections by SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B viruses, and RSV overlap in disease signs and symptomology, but differ in treatment modality. Nasal swab specimens have been shown to be an effective alternative specimen type for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the performance of the Panther Fusion® SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay in anterior nasal swab specimens (self- or healthcare professional [HCP]-) collected in either viral/universal (VTM/UTM) transport media or the Hologic® RespDirect® collection kit (RespDirect swab in enhanced specimen transport media [eSTM]).

STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter study was conducted from October 2022 to March 2024. A total of …

Examination Of Traffic Safety In Neighborhoods Associated With Active Commuting To School In Austin, Texas, Kathryn G Burford, Deborah Salvo, Harold W Kohl, Leigh Ann Ganzar, Cici X Bauer, Eugen Resendiz, Yuzi Zhang, Deanna M Hoelscher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Only 10% of US children participate in active commuting (walking and bicycling) to school (ACS). Parental concerns related to traffic are a primary barrier to ACS, yet no studies have assessed these concerns together with neighborhood traffic safety-related features. This study examined the associations between traffic safety-related features in neighborhoods and ACS among school-age children in Austin, Texas.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis utilized pre-COVID-19 baseline data (2019-2020) of parent-child dyads enrolled in the Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools study. ACS, traffic safety-related features in the neighborhood (sidewalk availability, safe road crossings, traffic safety, traffic speed, and safety …

Demographic And Other Correlates Of Non-Prescription Drug Use Among College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Subi Gandhi, Sidketa Fofana, Md Rafiul Islam, Tamer Oraby

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and objectives: Substance use among college students in the U.S. remains a pressing concern and may have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased stress, uncertainty, and academic disruptions. This study investigates the relationship between non-prescription drug use and various demographic, mental health, and behavioral factors among college students during the pandemic's early stages.

Methods: Data were collected through online and in-person surveys in the summer semester of 2021. Behavioral health was assessed using validated instruments: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression and the Drug Abuse Screening Test-20 (DAST-20) for substance use. Demographic and behavioral variables were …

Impact Of Treatment Interruption On Outcomes In Head And Neck Cancer: Nrg/Rtog Secondary Analysis, Laila A Gharzai, Emily Morris, Matthew J Schipper, Kelley M Kidwell, Phuc Felix Nguyen-Tân, David I Rosenthal, Maura L Gillison, Richard C Jordan, Adam S Garden, Shlomo A Koyfman, Jimmy J Caudell, Dukagjin M Blakaj, Neal E Dunlap, Greg A Krempl, John M Longo, Christopher U Jones, Michael F Gensheimer, Thomas J Galloway, Lyudmila Demora, Quynh-Thu Le, Jennifer L Shah, Krithika Suresh, Michelle Mierzwa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Historical evidence demonstrated that delays or interruptions in radiotherapy (RT) are associated with poorer oncologic outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Substantial concerns arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, when treatment schedules were frequently disrupted.

Objective: To determine the association of RT interruptions with locoregional failure (LRF) and overall survival (OS).

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective review and secondary analysis of 3 randomized clinical trials (NRG/RTOG 0129, 0522, and 1016) included patients enrolled in the trials who were treated with RT. Patients with HNSCC were grouped as (1) p16-positive oropharynx (p16+ OPSCC) and (2) p16-negative oropharynx …

Investigation Of Teratogenic Concerns In The Coronavirus Disease Of 2019 Era, Kate Richardson, Emily C Daykin, Kathleen Shields, S Shahrukh Hashmi, Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, Molly Daniels, Myla Ashfaq

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: MotherToBaby (MTB) is a teratogen information service that provides information about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding to the public and healthcare providers. During the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, MTB received an influx of queries regarding the teratogenicity of the virus and the vaccine. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and type of exposures asked about prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic through March 2022 and to evaluate the demographics of individuals who made inquiries.

Methods: Data from MTB contacts (2018-2022) were accessed through a data-sharing agreement. The data were cleaned and …

“Oh! It’S Fine, We’Re Not Even Counting This Anyways”: Remote Educational Experiences Of Rural Families With A Child With A Disability During The Early Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, A. Josephine Blagrave, Aubrey Newland

The Rural Educator

Disparities in rural areas regarding technology, internet access, and higher teacher turnover were amplified as a plurality of schools across the US moved to remote instruction in early 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While rural communities often show a greater resiliency and resourcefulness in the face of tragedy than their (typically) more affluent suburban or urban neighbors, regardless of location, the needs of children receiving educational accommodations are often not met effectively or are ignored altogether. To understand if those educational needs were met for rural families early in the COVID-19 pandemic, an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach …

Pandemic Mask Mandates And Closures Were Linked To Increased Gun Violence, Douglas A. Wolf, Emily W. Wiemers, Iliya Gutin, Jennifer Karas Montez, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Gun violence worsened substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief summarizes findings from a study using weekly gun violence casualty data from 2016-2021 for 304 U.S. counties from the Gun Violence Archive and COVID-19 policy data from county-level measures of activity restrictions and masking requirements. The authors find that policies requiring masking and activity restrictions were associated with significant increases in gun violence. Indoor masking requirements were linked to a 28% increase in gun violence, while activity restrictions were associated with a 4.2% increase.

Statistical Analysis Of Log Transformation Effectiveness In Air Traffic Movement Forecasting During Covid-19 In South Africa, John Lehlaka Masekoameng

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

This study evaluates the effectiveness of log transformation in enhancing multiple regression models used to forecast air traffic movements (ATMs) in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using 60 monthly observations from October 2016 to September 2021, the analysis incorporates variables such as revenue, lockdown levels, COVID-19 metrics, exchange rates, gross domestic product, and population. Two models are compared: one using raw ATMs and another with log-transformed ATMs as the dependent variable.

While the untransformed model shows stronger explanatory power (R² = 0.904, adjusted R² = 0.891) compared to the log-transformed model (R² = 0.772, adjusted R² = 0.741), the …

Panic Learning Off (And On) The Covid Campus, Tara Brabazon, Jamie Quinton, Narelle Hunter

Fast Capitalism

Online learning has been flooded with platitudes, promises and possibilities for twenty years. Oversold and undertheorized, online learning reached its "moment' through the Covid lockdown. Underprepared staff and underfunded universities implemented online learning in a crisis. This was a zombie apocalypse of a context in which to summon innovation. This article activates Paul Virilio's University of Disaster to explore the COVID campus and classroom, entering panic learning.

Author Biographies

Tara Brabazon, Dean of Graduate Research / Professor of Cultural Studies Flinders University

Tara Brabazon is the dean of graduate research and professor of cultural studies at Flinders University, Australia, fellow …

Precarious Labor In Covid Times: The Case Of Musicians, David M. Arditi

Fast Capitalism

The coronavirus pandemic changed the way we think about work, the economy, and our everyday lives as governments shutdown all but the most essential public spaces. Workers who earn a living through precarious employment have faced unique barriers to securing wages. The impact of the pandemic shutdown was especially devastating on musicians' lives and many supporting workers in the entertainment industry. The structural insecurity of gig work became amplified as venues were forced to stop performances for a year or more. In this paper, I argue the current phase of capitalism that depends on precarious labor and unending consumption destroys …

The Academic Precariat Post-Covid-19, Aidan Cornelius-Bell, Piper A. Bell

Fast Capitalism

The nature of work has changed, in accelerated late-capitalism and as a result of the COVID-19 global health crisis. For academics, casualised and precarious, the sweeping institutional changes of contemporary neoliberal universities, the sharp rise in managerialism, and the political power plays of universities have created further untenable spaces for work and study. In this article we explore the relationship between doctoral studies, precarious academic employment, the pandemic, and the disproportionate effects of the changes in higher education on women. Through exploration of personal experience, as precarious academic workers, researchers, and doctoral students, we provide parallels to research literature across …

Front Matter, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Depression Among Doctors In General Hospitals Of Basrah City Center During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Riham Sabri Saleh, Amaleed Kadhum, Raya Habeeb Abdulimam

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Depression is the most common mental disorder in community settings and a major cause of disability worldwide. In 1999, it was the fourth most common cause of disability globally, and by 2020, it is projected to become the second most common cause. Doctors, as the primary workforce in hospitals, endure significant emotional and physical stress, which may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression among doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic and its risk factors. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to June 1, 2021. The …

Fda's New Approval Plan For Covid-19 Vaccines: An Inquiry Of "Benefit" Rather Than The Statutory Scope Of "Safety, Purity, And Potency"?, Henry Yat-Shing Kwan

Journal of Law and Health

This article analyzes the FDA's proposed policy plan issued in May 2025 regarding the approval of Covid-19 boosters for different groups of persons. It offers two constructive recommendations that will help prevent constitutionality challenge on impermissible intrusion of the freedom of health.

The first is to avoid using the confusing term "benefit" but instead focus on the statutory parameters of "safety, purity, and potency." The affected group can make a strong case that their free choice of vaccination should not be deprived, as long as the vaccine qualifies for the statutory thresholds of being safe, pure, and potent. They are …

Evaluation Of D-Dimer Level In Covid-19 Patients, Amal Malik, Noor Kadhim Mohamed-Jawad, Hiba Dawood, Ali Adnan Mohsin

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with prothrombotic complications, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product, serves as a biomarker for coagulation abnormalities. This study evaluates the role of D-dimer in predicting disease severity and hospitalization in COVID-19 patients. Aim: To assess correlations between D-dimer levels and age, gender, comorbidities, disease severity, and hospitalization needs in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 78 COVID-19-positive patients admitted to an outpatient clinic was conducted. Data on demographics, comorbidities, vaccination status, disease severity, and admission D-dimer levels were analyzed using statistical tests (t-tests, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U). Results: The …

A Hermeneutic Exploration Of Professional Place-Based Belonging Experienced By Faculty In Covid-19 Informed Undergraduate Formal Learning Places, Jennifer Ryley Welsh

Educational Studies Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the rhythms of higher education and redefined the ways faculty experienced connection, identity, and purpose within formal learning places. This study examined professional belonging by exploring the question: What was the lived experience of belonging for teaching faculty in a COVID-informed undergraduate formal learning place? The aim was to investigate how belonging was constructed, challenged, and reimagined during a period of collective disruption. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology and framed as a scholarly imram – a journey of wandering and insight drawn from Irish mythology – the research engaged nine faculty participants through semi-structured interviews. Data …

Socioecological Stressors During Covid-19 Among Urban Refugee Youth In Kampala, Uganda: A Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, Sikky Shiqi Chen, Carmen H. Logie, Frannie Mackenzie, Moses Okumu, Robert Hakiza, Brenda Katisi, Daniel Kibuuka Musoke, Aidah Nakitende, Isha Berry, Bay Bahri, Peter Kyambadde

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Limited studies have examined pandemic-related stressors among urban refugee youth in low and middle-income humanitarian countries (LMICs), such as Uganda. We explored the lived experience of COVID-19-related stressors among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. We analyzed qualitative data (text messages, WhatsApp chats, photos) collected in an interactive mobile health intervention with 346 refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala. Findings revealed stressors across socioecological levels: individual (e.g., financial-related distress), social (e.g., limited social interactions), community (e.g., food insecurity), and policy (e.g., unprecedented lockdowns). Findings can inform social work organization pandemic preparedness strategies for economic empowerment and social cohesion with youth.

Tanzania's Compliance To International Covid-19 Standards: Determinants And Extent, Maria Joseph Tairo, Boniphace Shimba Francis

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

This article assesses Tanzania’s level of compliance to international COVID-19 preventive measures, with a focus on the political, economic, and socio-cultural factors that influenced the adherence. A qualitative research approach with descriptive design were adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 purposively selected participants, including healthcare workers and government officials from Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. Moreover, relevant documents from health sector were reviewed. Thematic analysis was performed using Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS). The findings revealed that political leadership played a pivotal role in shaping compliance levels. The 5th regime demonstrated skepticism toward WHO guidelines and …

Unravelling Impact Of Comorbidities On Mortality Risks In Ckd Patients During The Covid-19 Pandemic: An Explainable Ai-Driven Study, Zeinab Abdollahi, Lin Huo, Donald Fraser, Shang-Ming Zhou

School of Nursing and Midwifery

ObjectivesThe chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients were at high risk for severe clinical complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives were to evaluate comorbidity prevalence; predict mortality risks for CKD patients during the pandemic; assess how various health factors interact to influence mortality; and provide insights for targeted prevention strategies.MethodWe analysed data from 186,396 CKD patients in Mexico during the entire pandemic (Jan 2020- May 2023). Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods with extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) were developed to predict mortality for CKD patients with model interpretations. Different metrics were used to comprehensively evaluate …

Covid-19 Infection And Hypertension In Correlation With Race, Elizabeth Durkin

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Healthcare disparities exist in the U.S. between different races. This study investigated the frequency of COVID-19 infections and hypertension cases among five different racial groups (White, Black, Asian, Native American, and Native Hawaiian). The study also examined the correlation between COVID-19 infections and hypertension with the hypothesis that because of disease predisposition and socioeconomic barriers, Black populations would have the highest rates of COVID-19 infections and hypertension. We used data from the Kaiser Family Foundation regarding COVID-19 cases and race in conjunction with Census population data to determine whether COVID-19 case frequency means differed by race. Data on hypertension and …