Digital Commons Network^™

Voices Of Leadership: The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of Principals Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jeri Johnson

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic created a crisis in schools. The purpose of this research is to explore the phenomenon and lived experiences of principals as they led their schools during COVID-19. This qualitative research will explore how principals navigated the complexity of leadership to sustain academic achievement. Principals will share how the three levels of crisis, danger and opportunity created a pathway for principal actions of effectiveness. Additionally, this research explored how principals made sense of the crisis to promote community, collaboration and compassion. Principals were asked to describe their perceptions of leadership and to share their lived experiences from March …

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

Publications

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

The Moderating Effect Of Political Ideology On The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Covid-19-Related Anxiety And Stress, Sarah Boomhower

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic created a mental health crisis within the United States. Previous research examining locus of control and mental health issues during the pandemic revealed that individuals with an external locus of control exhibited increased mental health symptoms. Research also found that political attitudes played a role regarding COVID-19 with liberal-leaning individuals and Democrats reporting higher levels of emotional distress during the pandemic. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, correlational study was to determine the extent to which political ideology moderates the relationship between locus of control and COVID-19-related anxiety and stress. Locus of control was the theoretical foundation …

Covid-19 And Related Adverse Neurological Complications, Hannah A. Wasson

Honors Thesis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world drastically, and its impact was monumental. COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, was the virus responsible for causing such mayhem. This contagious virus can enter the body via different routes, live on surfaces for hours, and be transmitted through the air, increasing infection risk. Once it enters the body, it can trick the body into replicating the virus. From this reaction within the body, signs and symptoms follow. While the name indicates a respiratory illness, the virus can inflict injury on other parts of the body. Due to the organ systems …

A Virtual Wellness Program To Enhance Well-Being For Pediatric Oncology Staff During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Karen Moody, Maria Swartz, Zachary Gresham, Martha Askins, Laura Cahalan, Pavilia Francis, Christine Geistkemper, Amy Heaton, Ruitao Lin, Melissa Melo, Alakh Rajan, Madeline Smith, Priti Tewari, Keyana R. Williams, Cheng-Han Yang, Rhonda Robert

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

In response to the COVID-19 global health crisis and mandated social isolation, Pediatric leadership at MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital was concerned for the psychological impact on its workforce and encouraged wellness programming. A grassroots wellness taskforce was assembled for the Division of Pediatrics. The task force’s primary mission was to promote the well-being of clinicians and non-clinical staff members through a broadly accessible, sustainable, and effective virtual wellness program. Guided by the Stanford Model for Professional Fulfillment, a virtual program entitled, “Weekly Wellness Webex” for Pediatrics staff was launched. Weekly Wellness Webex is a 1-hour live-streamed program with varied …

Covid-19 Infection History As A Risk Factor For Early Pregnancy Loss: Results From The Electronic Health Record-Based Southeast Texas Covid And Pregnancy Cohort Study, Micaela N Sandoval, Michelle R Klawans, Mackinsey A Bach, Jennifer Mikhail, Edward A Graviss, Tru Cao, Jacqueline G Parchem, Junaid Husain, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection before or during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes are still largely unknown. We hypothesized that COVID-19 in early pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly miscarriage.

Methods: We examined the relationship between COVID-19 and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and preterm delivery in a large, retrospective, electronic health record (EHR)-based cohort, from 2019 to 2023. Generalized estimating equation modeling was performed to identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study exposures included COVID-19 before pregnancy, COVID-19 during pregnancy, age, race/ethnicity, comorbidity burden, and neighborhood-level social vulnerability.

Results: In the …

Non-Ventilated Prone Positioning In The Covid-19 Population, Marie Delouche, Nishant Varghese, Christi Knapp, Jiangzhen Jenny Li, Michael Guffey, Danielle Guffey, Geraldine B. Jones

General Submissions: Clinical Settings Materials

In the population of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients on a telemetry unit, will proning every 2 hours result in a decreased length of stay for the intervention group (patients that prone) as opposed to the control group (patients that receive standard of care) over a period of 9 months (2021-2022)?

Lived Experiences Of Icu Nurses Caring For Critically Ill Patients Infected With Covid-19: A Phenomenological Study In Thailand, Charuedee Putruttanamaneekun, Yaowarat Matchim, Thitiporn Pathomjaruwat, Thanyarat Boontoi, Itsari Srisupha-Olarn, Sukanya Thongbupa, Borwarnluck Thongthawee, Parinya Raetong

Journal of Health Research

Background: COVID-19 is an emerging disease that caused infections and a pandemic worldwide. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses played an important role in providing care for critically ill patients. Their experiences during the pandemic in Thailand were not well documented. This study explored the lived experiences of ICU nurses caring for critically ill patients infected with COVID-19 in Thailand.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative, phenomenological study guided by Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics. Data were collected between December 2021 and March 2023 among fifteen ICU nurses at a university hospital. The partcipants drew pictures reflecting their experiences; they participated in in-depth interviews …

How Did Women In India Fare During The Covid-19 Pandemic? A Study Of Work-Life Balance, Bigi Thomas

Journal of International Women's Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted women globally, resulting in numerous work-life balance (WLB) challenges. The intersection of paid employment and familial obligations inside the household has compelled Indian women to assume many tasks. Married women encounter heightened stress due to the specific gender roles that society imposes upon them within a patriarchal sociocultural context; these gender roles were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, hindering Indian women in their management of domestic duties and reconciliation of personal and professional disputes. The pandemic’s fusion of professional and familial domains disrupted Indian women’s transition between home and work environments, leading to indistinct …

How Adverse Childhood Trauma Affects Coping Behaviors And Anxiety In College Students During Covid-19: A Neurobiological Perspective, Harshita Yepuri, Amanda Gilmore, Laura Carruth, Ruschelle Leone

Research Day

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has uprooted college students from the traditional college environment and placed additional stressors on them, yet its effects are still emerging. In the present study, 329 college students (Mage=19.74, SDage= 1.96) completed measures of generalized anxiety, behavioral coping, and adverse childhood experiences between July 2020 and March 2021 of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is hypothesized that more adverse childhood experiences would be associated with more maladaptive behavioral coping strategies. In addition, less adaptive coping strategies would be positively associated with more anxiety among college students. Results indicated that negative coping behaviors were associated with more …

Elementary School Counselors Perceived Barriers To Service Delivery Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kimberly L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary school counselors are essential to shaping the foundation of academic, social, and emotional development of children which was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. ESCs were required to maintain the same level of engagement despite the pressing circumstances. No one has explored the lived experiences of ESCs as they faced extreme barriers and without this study, stakeholders would be ill-equipped to address their needs. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore ESCs perceived barriers to comprehensive service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Husserl’s descriptive phenomenological research approaches were used, including only ESCs who worked throughout the …

Spectrum Of Coronary Artery Involvement With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Versus Kawasaki Disease., Simon Lee, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, Geetha Raghuveer, Michael A. Portman, Arash A. Sabati, Michael Khoury, Nagib Dahdah, Marianna Fabi, Supriya S. Jain, Audrey Dionne, Kyle Runeckles, Frederic Dallaire, Nadine F. Choueiter, Tyler H. Harris, Matthew D. Elias, Anji T. Yetman, Balasubramanian Sundaram, Luis M. Garrido-Garcia, Nilanjana Misra, Cedric Manlhiot, Pedrom Farid, Brian W. Mccrindle

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: There is significant overlap in clinical features between multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD). We sought to compare the prevalence, severity, and associated factors for coronary artery (CA) involvement.

METHODS AND RESULTS: From January 1, 2020 through January 31, 2023, 1191 patients with MIS-C and 554 patients contemporaneously diagnosed with KD were enrolled into the International Kawasaki Disease Registry. Demographic and clinical features, laboratory values, maximum Z score in any CA branch +2.5 or greater) were determined separately for each diagnosis using multivariable logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of CA aneurysms was lower for MIS-C …

Parental Vaccine Hesitancy And The Decision To Vaccinate Children Against Covid-19, Jessica Mckee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is a significant body of literature regarding vaccine hesitancy, there is a gap in the literature on its impact to parents’ decisions to vaccinate their children against a pandemic pathogen. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parental vaccine hesitancy, measured using the health belief model (HBM) theoretical framework constructs of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS; the degree to which an individual trusts in vaccine efficacy, safety, the reliability and trustworthiness of vaccine programs, community impact, perceived risks, and the importance of childhood vaccinations), and parents’ decision to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 with …

Covid 19 And Its Widespread Effects On Autoimmune Disease, Jessica Ngo, Michelle Jankowski, Matthew Sims, Dwayne Baxa

Conference Presentation Abstracts

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority groups and immunocompromised groups, including those with autoimmune diseases. Studies have shown that African American, Hispanic, and Asian American individuals have higher risk of COVID-19 positivity and ICU admissions. SARS-CoV-2 shares numerous similarities with autoimmune diseases in its symptomology and ability to dysregulate the immune response. This study seeks to investigate differences in COVID-related outcomes between patients with autoimmune diseases and the general population. Methods A multi-center retrospective study was conducted with data from the EPIC database at Corewell Health System in Michigan from December 2019 to November 2021. Variables collected included …

Time And Location: Physical Activity Trends In Parents And Children In A Rural Region During Covid-19, Brooke C. Towner, Robert Broce, Rebecca A. Battista

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: COVID-19 restrictions altered the structure of the school and workday for families with children and led to changes in active transportation. Continued restrictions impacted access to many community locations and led to changes in physical activity (PA) behavior.

Purpose: The objectives of the study were to describe the changes in the 1) amount of PA time per day, 2) frequency of PA, and 3) sitting time. Information about how PA changed for parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic will have potential implications for education, public health, and recreation management.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enlisted participants via an online …

Doctor Of Physical Therapy Student Performance On The National Physical Therapy Examination And Qualitative Feedback Of Dpt Program Administrators About The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Appalachian Region, Timothy Logan Yost

Ed.D. Dissertations

In this qualitative case study, I aimed to discern the presence of a downward trend in the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and receive valuable qualitative feedback from Doctor of Physical Therapy program administrators concerning the effects of COVID-19. I first reviewed the available literature, followed by an examination of first-time scores via publicly available data from the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). This was followed by the development of a qualitative research methodology, which included a targeted qualitative questionnaire with Doctor of Physical Therapy program administrators within the Appalachian region to gain …

Maternal Depression And Covid-19: A Secondary Analysis Comparing Postnatal Depression Rates During And Before The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amanda A. Berney

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The COVID-19 pandemic created increased psychological vulnerability across the globe through isolation, fear of infection, and misinformation from various sources, including social media. Women giving birth during the pandemic, therefore, may be extremely vulnerable psychologically. Per the World Health Organization, the years 2020 to mid 2021were designated as an intense time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the objective of this secondary analysis was to compare depression scores among women giving birth during these intense years and women giving birth before 2020. However, due to a small window of time and sample size, statistical analysis failed to find a correlation between …

The Value Of Home: The Covid-19 Pandemic’S Influence On Living Space, Mental Well-Being, And Design Adaptability, Grace E. Woodall

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Grace Woodall, Architecture

Title: The Value of Home: The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Influence on Living Spaces, Mental Well-Being, and Design Adaptability

Faculty Mentor: Marisa Gomez Nordyke

The COVID-19 pandemic redefined how people worked, learned, socialized, and lived. This study examines how American young adults’ perceptions of home evolved during and after the isolating lockdowns. This work addressed how the COVID-19 experience altered home’s value in young adults, the spatial, mental, and experiential challenges of confined spaces during the lockdowns, and the architectural elements that responded to these shifts. By analyzing post-pandemic housing trends, a literature review of architecture, psychology, home design, …

Examining The Lasting Impacts Of Covid-19 On College Students And Professors, Honor S. Luna, Alexia Angton

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health, academic performance, and socialization of college students, as well as college professors’ perceptions of their own mental health, workload, and observed changes in students. University of Arkansas undergraduate students were surveyed online about their pandemic experiences, and faculty members were interviewed on similar topics. Students reported a noticeable decline in mental health, primarily due to isolation, being confined to their homes, and reduced contact with friends. Faculty faced stress from the rapid shift to virtual learning, decreased student engagement, and the challenge of balancing work and family while maintaining …

An Intranasal Subunit Vaccine Induces Protective Systemic And Mucosal Antibody Immunity Against Respiratory Viruses In Mouse Models., Aina Karen Anthi, Anette Kolderup, Eline Benno Vaage, Malin Bern, Sopisa Benjakul, Elias Tjärnhage, Fulgencio Ruso-Julve, Kjell-Rune Jensen, Heidrun Elisabeth Lode, Marina Vaysburd, Jeannette Nilsen, Marie Leangen Herigstad, Siri Aastedatter Sakya, Lisa Tietze, Diego Pilati, Mari Nyquist-Andersen, Mirjam Dürkoop, Torleif Tollefsrud Gjølberg, Linghang Peng, Stian Foss, Morten C Moe, Benjamin E. Low, Michael V. Wiles, David Nemazee, Frode L Jahnsen, John Torgils Vaage, Kenneth A Howard, Inger Sandlie, Leo C James, Gunnveig Grødeland, Fridtjof Lund-Johansen, Jan Terje Andersen

Faculty Research 2025

Although vaccines are usually given intramuscularly, the intranasal delivery route may lead to better mucosal protection and limit the spread of respiratory virus while easing administration and improving vaccine acceptance. The challenge, however, is to achieve delivery across the selective epithelial cell barrier. Here we report on a subunit vaccine platform, in which the antigen is genetically fused to albumin to facilitate FcRn-mediated transport across the mucosal barrier in the presence of adjuvant. Intranasal delivery in conventional and transgenic mouse models induces both systemic and mucosal antigen-specific antibody responses that protect against challenge with SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A. When benchmarked …

School Counselors’ Lived Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katie M. Guzman Dunn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how school counselor perceptions of their roles may have been permanently impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, which relates to the interactions of an individual and the environment around them, guided the study. The study’s central research was: What are public school counselors’ lived experiences regarding their role perception during the COVID-19 pandemic? Data was collected through virtual semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation with 10 school counselors who were members of the Kentucky School Counselor Association. The data collected from the interviews was analyzed using bracketing to …

The Burden Of Care: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Lived Experiences Of Homeless Shelter Administrators Leading Through The Pandemic And Lasting Implications On Program Operations, Marie Adele Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The theories guiding this study are Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, conflict theory, and complex systems theory, which explain the relationship between the theory and resource limitations and acquisition, systems, and nature of acquiring human needs. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe homeless shelter administrators'/directors' experiences delivering services during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Eastern Coast of the United States and Texas. It further seeks to unravel how the pandemic informed the delivery of services and program administration related to homeless shelters and its impacts. The research questions sought to understand the impact of COVID-19 on delivering services …

Maternal Drinking, Stress And Use Of Aggressive Parenting Over The Course Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Price Wolf, Bridget Freisthler

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic had a demonstrated impact on parenting but little is known about how parental drinking, stress, and use of aggressive discipline (a parenting behavior associated with abusive parenting and negative outcomes for children) have changed over time. We examine rates of alcohol use, stress, and aggressive discipline at three time points during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate what maternal, child, and time-varying factors predict weekly use of aggressive parenting. Methods: We use longitudinal data from the Central Ohio Family Study (COFLS), including women (n = 234) with a child between the ages of 0–12 and recruited via …

Mental Health Crisis Of Medical Staffs During The Pandemic – How Has The Covid-19 Impacted Health Care Workers’ Mental Status, Yue Chen

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The COVID-19 pandemic has waged a relentless battle against humanity, but amidst the physical toll lies a hidden front: the war on the mental health of our healthcare workers (HCWs).

Previous reviews have demonstrated a potential prevalence of mental health problems among HCWs, but these reviews necessitate updating and inclusion of more studies, along with a comparative analysis of pre- and post-pandemic backgrounds. Therefore, the aim of my study is to deliver updated prevalence estimates for mental health concerns among HCWs in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results show not only a drastic increase in the percentage of …

Is Increased Screen Time Associated With A Higher Prevalence Of Myopia In Elementary-Aged Children Globally?​, Katerina Kasatkin, Sree Gowri Sudharshan, Lakumi Dias, Adira Brenner, Emily Reilly, Maikel Mansour

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The onset of myopia in children has emerged as a significant public health concern, especially with increased screen time and reduced outdoor activity following the COVID-19 pandemic. The global prevalence of myopia is expected to rise significantly, with children being particularly vulnerable. Various studies have explored how screen time, near-work activities, and outdoor exposure influence the increasing prevalence of myopia in pediatric populations worldwide.

Hypothesis: This paper aims to evaluate whether increased screen time, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, is associated with a higher prevalence of myopia in young children, providing a more robust understanding of this relationship across …

Assessing The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Literacy In Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic, Sabah Iqbal, Kirsten Carlberg, Krisha S. Patel, Ashlyn Mcclelland, Sarah Marotta, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Health literacy as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), refers to an individual’s ability to find, understand, and use health information and services1. This definition has evolved with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing emphasis on preventative healthcare. We aimed to observe the impact of the pandemic on the health literacy of patients in a free community clinic run by medical students.

Hypothesis

This study aims to assess the effect of various demographic and socioeconomic factors and the COVID-19 pandemic on health literacy levels estimated by the NVS assessment in the patient population …

Identifying Barriers To Covid-19 Vaccination In Hispanic Populations, Saul O. Castillo, Kurt R. Wharton

Posters

Vaccination hesitancy has always been an issue within marginalized communities. This is why it came as no surprise when the COVID-19 vaccine was met with resistance upon its release1. However, it has been many years since the FDA approved the first COVID19 vaccine and on some level, COVID-19 has become a part of our daily lives. This means that people have had time to determine how they feel about the COVID19 vaccine and reflect on their decisions to receive or decline the vaccine.

There are many reasons as to why people choose to receive or decline the COVID-19 vaccine. This …

Assessing The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Mental Health In Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic, Sabah Iqbal, Kirsten Carlberg, Emily Reilly, Jessica Ivanov, Victoria Youssef, Lily Roessler, Maikel Monsour, Nils Brolis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Mental health is an important part of patient care, therefore it is imperative to understand how it’s recognized and treated. Socioeconomic status and the COVID19 pandemic contribute to disproportionate incidences of mental illness^{1, 2, 10, 11, 12}. This study uses data from a student-run clinic, the Rowan-Virtua Community Health Center (RVCHC), to examine disparities in mental health needs and screenings among the local population.

Hypothesis

It was hypothesized that underserved populations are at a disadvantage when it comes to both mental health screenings and treatment due to restricted access to healthcare and other unmet needs. Additionally, the …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Transit In The San Francisco Bay Area, Richard W. Lee, David B. Reinke, Christopher E. Ferrell, Charles Rivasplata, John M. Eells, Luana Chen

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report presents the findings from our study for the California State Assembly Transportation Committee on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Bay Area Transit. The study consisted of a review of the literature on the effects of the pandemic on transit in the US, a detailed look at changes in ridership and economics for Bay Area transit agencies, comparisons of Bay Area transit ridership changes to those in similar US metropolitan areas, and analysis of possible remedies to restore the financial health of Bay Area transit agencies. Bay Area transit ridership has recovered somewhat from the depths of …

The Switch: Determinants Of Family School Modality Choices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steicy Dorfi Lopez

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The K-12 system in the United States experienced substantial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to give an overview of public, private, and homeschooling enrollment decisions during the pandemic, the changes families made between types of schooling and identify familial characteristics associated with the probability of switching in and out of public education. Knowing more about the groups exiting and returning to the public school system can help public school districts better tailor policies to attract and retain their students. Socioeconomic factors influencing a change could be signs of increasing segregation. Using a discrete choice duration model, a …