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The Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Rural Virginia Secondary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Sherol L. Southerland

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for PK-12 education and exposed educators’ skill deficits. Teachers had to learn new approaches to doing their jobs while navigating the mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial impact of the pandemic on their personal lives. This undertaking was even more demanding for rural school divisions, which tend to lack the resources (e.g., personnel, technology, financial) that suburban and urban school divisions have. Schools reopened in fall 2020 offering fully remote, fully in-person, and hybrid modalities, however, there was no going back to teaching as it was before the pandemic. The present study sought to …

Bioanalytical Studies Of Disease Protein Profiles: Maldi-Tof Ms, Prajkta Satish Chivte

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has ravaged the world for the past 3 years. Even today, there still exists a need for rapid, accurate, economical and non-invasive diagnostic testing platforms that yield high specificity and sensitivity towards the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2. Research has consistently indicated saliva to be a more amenable specimen type for early detection of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the oral and nasopharyngeal swabs. Considering the limitations and high demand of the existing COVID-19 testing platforms, this dissertation work studies used MALDI-ToF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of …

Who Helps The Helper? A Phenomenology Of The Impact Of Secondary Trauma During Covid-19 On Student Affairs Professionals In Dean Of Students Offices, Case Management Roles, Residential Housing And Cultural Resource Centers, Jeffrey M. Salmon

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Student affairs professionals (SAPs) are no strangers to experiencing secondary trauma as their work in multiple fields brings them in close contact with students in crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education found its world turned upside down and students were facing heightened trauma due changing class modalities, problematic finances, disruptive living situations, lack of basic needs, as wells as virus-related death and sickness. This phenomenological research study examines the essence of secondary trauma specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by SAPs who work as Deans of Students, Case Managers, Housing Professionals, and Cultural Resource Center Professionals. This research interviewed …

Leveraging Informative Missing Data To Learn About Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome And Mortality In Long-Term Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients Throughout The Years Of The Pandemic, Emily Getzen, Amelia Lm Tan, Gabriel Brat, Gilbert S Omenn, Zachary Strasser, Qi Long, John H Holmes, Danielle Mowery

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Electronic health records (EHRs) contain a wealth of information that can be used to further precision health. One particular data element in EHRs that is not only under-utilized but oftentimes unaccounted for is missing data. However, missingness can provide valuable information about comorbidities and best practices for monitoring patients, which could save lives and reduce burden on the healthcare system. We characterize patterns of missing data in laboratory measurements collected at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital System from long-term COVID-19 patients and focus on the changes in these patterns between 2020 and 2021. We investigate how these patterns are associated …

Professional Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corrie Eggimann

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In the early spring of 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)1 pandemic spread across the planet, causing a scale of infection and fatalities that was unprecedented in modern times, and that was not well predicted by scientists, public health officials and government entities. Despite travel bans and quarantine requirements popping up across the globe, COVID-19 infections continued to spread. As of February 2023, more than 6.8 million people have died from COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2023). In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the growing number of deaths, schools and businesses began closing down throughout the world …

Non-Traditional Adult Learners After Covid-19: Applying National Standards For Online Teaching In Human Service Education, Chaniece Winfield, Kathryn Hughes, Jessica L. Huffman

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of higher education increased its attention on quality distance learning for traditional and non-traditional adult learners. While the world saw an increase in online education enrollment as a result of the pandemic, non-traditional adult learners have historically relied on this method of education delivery to support their success in the collegiate setting. As the field of human service education supports the offering of distance learning instruction, it is vital for human service educators to consider the National Standards for Quality Online Teaching when educating adult learners. The authors of this article provide an overview …

Assessing Pandemic Preparedness, Response, And Lessons Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic In Four South American Countries: Agenda For The Future, Andrea Ramírez Varela, Michael Touchton, J Jaime Miranda, Juliana Mejía Grueso, Rachid Laajaj, Gabriel Carrasquilla, Martha Vives Florez, Ana María Vesga Gaviria, Ana María Ortiz Hoyos, Esteban Orlando Vanegas Duarte, Alejandra Velásquez Morales, Nubia Velasco, Silvia Restrepo Restrepo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in a context that lacked adequate prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) activities, and global, regional, and national leadership. South American countries were among world's hardest hit by the pandemic, accounting for 10.1% of total cases and 20.1% of global deaths.

METHODS: This study explores how pandemic PPR were affected by political, socioeconomic, and health system contexts as well as how PPR may have shaped pandemic outcomes in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. We then identify lessons learned and advance an agenda for improving PPR capacity at regional and national levels. We do this through a …

A Novel Bayesian Spatial-Temporal Approach To Quantify Sars-Cov-2 Testing Disparities For Small Area Estimation, Cici Bauer, Xiaona Li, Kehe Zhang, Miryoung Lee, Esmeralda Guajardo, Susan Fisher-Hoch, Joseph Mccormick, Maria E Fernandez, Belinda Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives. To propose a novel Bayesian spatial–temporal approach to identify and quantify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing disparities for small area estimation.

Methods. In step 1, we used a Bayesian inseparable space–time model framework to estimate the testing positivity rate (TPR) at geographically granular areas of the census block groups (CBGs). In step 2, we adopted a rank-based approach to compare the estimated TPR and the testing rate to identify areas with testing deficiency and quantify the number of needed tests. We used weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection and testing surveillance data from Cameron County, Texas, between March 2020 …

Pregnancy-Related Covid Worry, Depressive Symptom Severity, And Mediation Through Sleep Disturbance In A Low-Income, Primarily Latinx Population In California’S Central Valley, Jennifer N Felder, Patience A Afulani, Kimberly Coleman-Phox, Serwaa S Omowale, Charles E Mcculloch, Lauren Lessard, Miriam Kuppermann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study (1) assessed the psychometric properties of a pregnancy-related COVID worry scale, (2) explored variations in pregnancy-related COVID worry over the course of the pandemic, and (3) examined associations between pregnancy-related COVID worry and depressive symptom severity, and evaluated sleep disturbance as a mediator.

Methods: Data were drawn from an ongoing randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of two enhanced forms of prenatal care. The current analysis includes baseline pre-randomization data collected from participants who enrolled November 2020-November 2021 (n = 201). Participants were pregnant individuals with low income and primarily Latinx.

Results: Our 7-item scale was valid and …

From The National To The Local: Issues Of Trust And A Model For Community-Academic-Engagement, Olufunmilayo Chinekezi, Lauri Andress, Etsemaye P Agonafer, Susan Massick, Sarah Piepenbrink, Karey M Sutton, Philip M Alberti, Desiree De La Torre, Shannon Guillot-Wright, Marshala Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inequities in health and health care in the United States have persisted for decades, and the impacts on equity from the COVID-19 pandemic were no exception. In addition to the disproportionate burden of the disease across various populations, the pandemic posed several challenges, which exacerbated these existing inequities. This has undoubtedly contributed to deeply rooted public mistrust in medical research and healthcare delivery, particularly among historically and structurally oppressed populations. In the summer of 2020, given the series of social injustices posed by the pandemic and highly publicized incidents of police brutality, notably the murder of George Floyd, the Association …

Lived Experiences Of Job-Hopping Millennials During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dottie Dancy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millennials, also known as “the job-hopping generation,” are on the brink of becoming the largest generation in the workforce by 2025. In March 2020, a global pandemic was declared due to the spread of the virus known as COVID-19, which led to more than 5.3 million deaths globally. Prior research has been conducted concerning the job-hopping tendencies of Millennials, but previous studies have not incorporated the life-changing event of the global pandemic and how it may have changed the beliefs and attitudes of the Millennial generation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the voluntary job-hopping beliefs and …

Faculty-Student And Student-Student Connections Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fatma Ouled Salem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the shift toward distance education by forcing institutions to adapt to the limitations of social distancing mandates. This resulted in a general sense of disconnection and isolation, compounding the other adverse effects of the pandemic. Since faculty-student and student-student connections are consistently identified as best practices in distance counselor education, the aim of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of counselor educators during the COVID-19 pandemic relating to faculty-student and student-student connections. A phenomenological framework was used to suspend presuppositions of the phenomenon and to describe the lived experiences of participants. In-depth …

Parent Perspectives On How The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder In Their Children, Desiree Marie Vanderlick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism is a disorder that is characterized by struggles with socialization anddevelopmental delays that often involve much guidance and support. The purpose of this study was to explain the experience of parents as they attempted to manage behaviors related to symptoms of autism during the worldwide quarantine prompted by COVID-19. This study aimed to close the gap in literature and explore to see if there were any concerns that could be addressed by future studies. The study was framed around Bowen’s theory, which addresses emotions within a family unit, and the interdependence theory, which addresses how humans thrive to be …

Covid-19 Social Isolation And Young Adult Mental Well-Being And Socioeconomic Status As A Moderator, Falescia Ware Matlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIt is not currently known how social distancing guidelines impact mental health for emerging adults and whether socioeconomic status moderates this relationship. The psychosocial development theory states that emerging adults experience a psychological conflict—intimacy versus isolation—where the goal is to seek connections. Without connection, emerging adults are likely to experience impaired psychological well-being, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perceived social distancing guidelines on the mental health of emerging adults and if this relationship is moderated by socioeconomic status. This study followed a quantitative comparative design of emerging …

Foster Youth's Experience With Visitation During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Carrie Player Sexton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Much has been learned about how the shelter-in-place (SIP) orders imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected children socially and emotionally. However, less was known about how the youths in foster care settings experienced visitation with their approved visitors because of the shelter-in-place order. In this phenomenological study, the lived experiences of 10 foster youths between the ages of 16 and 18 years during the COVID-19 SIP were explored using semi structured interviews. The theory that grounded this study was Ainsworth and Bowlby's attachment theory. Evernote was used to guide, store, observe, and record the data in one …

Food Insecure Single Mothers’ Perceptions In Accessing School Nutrition Programs During Covid-19, Deshona Williams Liburd Audain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Global pandemics and natural disasters can cause basic human needs hardships. Being able to access adequate nutritious food is a fundamental basic human need. Food insecurity remains a dominant concern in underdeveloped countries prior to natural disaster and global pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 low-income United States Virgin Islands single mothers’ dilemma was accessing available nutritious foods for their school-aged children through nutrition assistance programs. An interpretative phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to explore the types of lived experiences these single mothers faced. The social ecological model (SEM) was used as the conceptual framework for the study. The …

Perceived Teacher Self-Care Influence On Beliefs About Teacher Persistence During Covid-19, Tamarah Lishawn Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teaching has never been an easy profession, but the swift transition from in-person to digital instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic made it significantly more difficult. Between a global pandemic and a nation's racial reckoning, teachers were forced to juggle work, family, and student responsibilities. While there were suggested tips on how to practice self-care, the findings on self-care have been conflicting, and there is a scarcity of research on the role that teacher self-care played in persistence for classroom teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore reported teacher self-care practices and how …

Occupational Stress In Long Term Care In Georgia And Virginia During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lacountess Renee Hooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing staff working in long-term care settings experience high levels of occupational stress related to many factors that can lead to poor outcomes for the nursing staff and the residents. In 2020, the World Health Organization declared severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, a pandemic which over the course of 3 years, has added an additional source of work-related stress for long-term care nursing staff. This quantitative cross-sectional study was guided by the job demand-control-support model to explore perceived stress and nursing stress among nursing staff working in the long-term care setting in Georgia and …

Age, Race/Hispanic Origin, And Covid-19 Mortality Among Sickle Cell Disease Patients In The United States, Joe Lamont Ndula

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a global health challenge, with 6.7 million deaths worldwide as of January 2023. It has illuminated the health iniquities in underserved communities and populations like those with sickle cell disease (SCD). Researchers have associated the COVID-19 outcome among SCD patients in other regions of the globe. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional observational study was to investigate the relationship between age, race/Hispanic origin, and COVID-19 mortality among persons with SCD in the United States from January 2020 to March 2021. The Krieger ecosocial theory of disease distribution framed the study. Data were drawn from an existing …

Evaluating U.S. Household Telemedicine Use In Primary Care Settings, Robert Osobase

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic's arrival in the United States restricted access and use of telemedicine in primary care providers (PCPs) settings. Addressing this issue is crucial since telemedicine is a confirmed method of encouraging patients and PCPs to promote quality health care. This quantitative study investigated the association between age, gender, and race, and PCPs offering telemedicine and U.S. household adults using telemedicine during COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The Donabedian framework, which considers aspects of an organization's structure, process, and outcome, served as the study's foundation, incorporating age, race, and gender as independent variables, and PCPs and US adults as dependent …

Adult Learners With Learning Disabilities’ Motivation To Succeed In Higher Education Online Learning During Covid19, Sara Michelle Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students had to transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic while other students were already enrolled in online education. Online study may hold additional struggles for students with learning disabilities. The problem addressed in this qualitative, phenomenological study was the motivating factors of online higher education students who have a learning disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical foundation was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data were gathered through 10 semistructured interviews and then analyzed through the thematic analysis yielding five themes: (a) lack of professional support, (b) resources, (c) support system, (d) consistent motivation, and (e) low …

The Self-Efficacy Of Counselors Providing Telemental Health Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chelsea Threadgill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, counselors have had to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of clients and the growing need for mental health services. In addition to a lack of experience providing telemental health (TMH) services, many counselors had received little or no TMH training or continuing education prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Counselor self-efficacy (CSE) may be an important factor in determining how counselors have been impacted by the increase in provision of TMH services, and the areas where they are needing more support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to …

A Leadership Perspective On Preventing Counselor Burnout In A Behavioral Health Setting During Covid-19, Claudia P. De La Torre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a high need for mental health services, which resulted in a shortage of mental health clinicians. This shortage of mental health clinicians then resulted in a high burnout rate due to client intake. This doctoral case study was grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework and focused on how a behavioral health organization in South Texas managed burnout in clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to help behavioral health leaders find a solution to preventing burnout during a high demand pandemic. This doctoral study had several data sources, including semistructured interviews with three …

Lockdowns During The Covid-19 Pandemic And Domestic Violence Among Virginians, Kenneth G. Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe domestic violence (DV) dilemma spans millennia and has devastated individuals, families, and societies. DV prevalence rose between 20% and 50% worldwide and over 5% among Virginians since early 2020 during COVID-19. Abuse victims’ vulnerability increased during the lockdown periods due to the extended time spent with perpetrators. DV victims visited emergency departments for their nonfatal physical injuries. The purpose of the study was to examine COVID-19-related lockdown effects on DV prevalence, perpetrator characteristics, and hospitalizations among Virginians. Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model served as the theoretical foundation. Descriptive analyses showed that DV prevalence among Virginians rose from 37.5% in 2019 to …

An Exploration Of Practitioners’ Experiences Of Delivering Digital Social Care Interventions To Children And Families During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study, Grainne Hickey, Claire Dunne, Lauren Maguire, Niamh Mccarthy

Articles

Digital technology is an increasingly prominent feature of health care delivery; however, social care has remained less digitized than other systems [1]. As an allied health profession, child and family social care practice is aimed at supporting the welfare and safety of vulnerable children and families. Similar to many other health professionals, social care practitioners develop an understanding of clients’ needs and provide support through the development of interpersonal relationships [2]. Traditionally, this involves physical proximity and face-to-face interaction, often in the context of the home environment [3]. Digital technologies, however, have crept into the delivery of social care interventions …

Hospital Outcomes In Patients Hospitalized For Covid-19 Pneumonia: The Effect Of Sars-Cov-2 Vaccination And Vitamin D Status, Martyna Sanecka, Modar Youssef, Mohammad Abdulsalam, Syed F. Raza, Abdul Qadeer, Julia Ioana, Alya Aldoresi, Syed I. Shah, Abdul Al Lawati, Joseph Feely, William P. Tormey, Eoghan O'Neill, Liam J. Cormican, Eoin P. Judge, Daniel Mccartney, John L. Faul

Articles

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination promises to improve outcomes for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (most notably those with advanced age and at high risk for severe disease). Here, we examine serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status and outcomes in both old (>70 years) and young vaccinated (n = 80) and unvaccinated (n = 91) subjects, who were hospitalized due to COVID- 19 pneumonia in a single center (Connolly Hospital Dublin). Outcomes included ICU admission and mortality. Serum 25(OH)D levels were categorized as D30 (/L), D40 (30–49.99 nmol/L) and D50 (50 nmol/L). In multivariate analyses, D30 was independently associated with ICU admission (OR: 6.87 …

Using Wearable Technology To Quantify Physical Activity Recovery: Secondary Report From The After (App-Facilitated Tele-Rehabilitation) Program For Covid-19 Survivors Randomized Study, Laura Churchill, Mary Morrow, Jacob J. Capin, Sarah Jolley, Kristine Hare, Samantha Mawhinney, Jennifer E. Stevens-Lapsley, Kristine M. Erlandson

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Knowledge on physical activity recovery after COVID-19 survival is limited. The AFTER (App-Facilitated Tele-Rehabilitation) program for COVID-19 survivors randomized participants, following hospital discharge, to either education and unstructured physical activity or a telerehabilitation program. Step count data were collected as a secondary outcome, and we found no significant differences in total step count trajectories between groups at 6 weeks. Further step count data were not analyzed.

Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to examine step count trajectories and correlates among all participants (combined into a single group) across the 12-week study period.

Methods: Linear mixed …

Power, Stress, And Uncertainty: Experiences With And Attitudes Toward Workplace Surveillance During A Pandemic, Jessica Vitak, Michael Zimmer

Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

There is a rich literature on technology’s role in facilitating employee monitoring in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for employers, and many companies turned to new forms of monitoring to ensure remote workers remained productive; however, these technologies raise important privacy concerns as the boundaries between work and home are further blurred. In this paper, we present findings from a study of 645 US workers who spent at least part of 2020 working remotely due to the pandemic. We explore how their work experiences (job satisfaction, stress, and security) changed between January and November 2020, as well …

Experiences Of Sex Workers In Chicago During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study, Randi Beth Singer, Sarah Abboud, Amy K. Johnson, Jessica L. Zemlak, Natasha Crooks, Sangeun Lee, Johannes Wilson, Della Gorvine, Jahari Stamps, Douglas Bruce, Susan G. Sherman, Alicia K. Matthews, Crystal L. Patil

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

COVID-19 exacerbated health disparities, financial insecurity, and occupational safety for many within marginalized populations. This study, which took place between 2019 and 2022, aimed to explore the way in which sex workers (n = 36) in Chicago were impacted by COVID-19. We analyzed the transcripts of 36 individual interviews with a diverse group of sex workers using thematic analysis. Five general themes emerged regarding the detrimental impact of COVID-19 on sex workers: (1) the impact of COVID-19 on physical health; (2) the economic impact of COVID-19; (3) the impact of COVID-19 on safety; (4) the impact of COVID-19 on …

Sprinting In A Marathon: Nursing Staff And Nurse Leaders Make Meaning Of Practicing In Covid-19 Devoted Units Pre-Vaccine, Natalie S. Mcandrew, William E. Rosa, Kaylen M. Moore, Jacqueline Christianson, Tala Abuzahra, Megann Mussatti, Colleen Mccracken, Amy R. Newman, Kelly Calkins, Susan Breakwell, Katie Klink, Jill L. Guttormson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To describe the lived experience of nursing staff and nurse leaders working in COVID-19 devoted units (intensive care or medical unit) prior to vaccine availability.

Research Design

Qualitative phenomenological design with a focus group approach.

Methods

The study team recruited a convenience sample of nursing staff (nurses, and nursing assistants/nurse technicians) and nurse leaders (managers, assistant nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse educators) at an academic medical center in the midwestern United States. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to encourage participants to describe their (1) experiences as nursing professionals, (2) coping strategies, and (3) perspectives about …