Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Life In A Time Of Covid: Retrospective Examination Of The Association Between Physical Activity And Mental Well-Being In Western Australians During And After Lockdown, Ben Piggott, Paola Chivers, Kiira Karoliina Sarasjärvi, Ranila Bhoyroo, Michelle Lambert, Lynne Millar, Caroline Bulsara, Jim Codde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The aim of this study was to examine physical activity and sedentary behaviours during Western Australia’s COVID-19 lockdown and their association with mental well-being. Methods: Participants completed activity related questions approximately two months after a three-month lockdown (which formed part of a larger cross-sectional study from August to October 2020) as part of a 25-minute questionnaire adapted from the Western Australia Health and Well-being Surveillance system. Open-ended questions explored key issues relating to physical activity behaviours. Results: During the lockdown period, 463 participants (female, n = 347; 75.3%) reported lower number of active days (W = 4.47 p < .001), higher non-work-related screen hours per week (W = 11.8 p < .001), and higher levels of sitting time (χ2=28.4 p <. 001). Post lockdown body mass index was higher (U = 3.0 p =.003), with obese individuals reporting the highest non-work-related screen hours per week (Wald χ2= 8.9 p =.012). Inverse associations were found for mental well-being where higher lockdown scores of Kessler-10 (p =.011), Dass-21 anxiety (p =.027) and Dass-21 depression (p =.011) were associated with lower physical activity levels. A key qualitative message from participants was wanting to know how to stay healthy during lockdown. Conclusions: Lockdown was associated with lower physical activity, higher non-work-related screen time and more sitting time compared to post lockdown which also reported higher body mass index. Lower levels of mental well-being were associated with lower physical activity levels during lockdown. Given the known positive affect of physical activity on mental well-being and obesity, and the detrimental associations shown in this study, a key public health message should be considered in an attempt to maintain healthy activity behaviours in future lockdowns and similar emergency situations to promote and maintain positive well-being. Furthermore, consideration should be given to the isolation of a community due to infectious disease outbreaks and to recognise the important role physical activity plays in maintaining weight and supporting good mental health.

Outbreak Communication: Exploring The Relationships Between Health Information Seeking Behaviors, Vested Interests, And Covid-19 Knowledge In U.S. Midwest Populations, Alicia Mason, Josh Compton, Elizabeth Spencer, Kaitlin Barnett

Faculty Submissions

On February 15, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director, General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated at a Munich Security Conference, “We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic,” (Zarocostas, 2020, p. 676). The term ‘infodemic’ refers to the onslaught of both accurate and inaccurate health information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of an ‘infodemic’ was quickly integrated into mass media, popular culture (i.e., documentaries, podcasts), and eventually scholarly literature. In response to COVID-19, health communication scholars have centered on understanding specific messaging strategies such as the use of fear appeals (Stolow et al., 2020), nature of advertising …

Refugee Women’S Receptiveness For Virtual Engagement On Reproductive Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heike Thiel De Bocanegra, Zahra Goliaei, Nossin Khan, Sereen Banna, Rawnaq Behnam, Sheila K Mody

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC Public Health Program

BACKGROUND: Refugee women who leave their country due to persecution and violence have multiple barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The COVID-19 pandemic added an additional barrier to in-person reproductive health education, dialogue, and clinical care. This study aimed to assess the potential of using virtual group meetings as a forum for refugee women to learn about and discuss reproductive health concerns such as cervical cancer screening, family planning, childbirth, and postpartum care.

METHOD: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 refugee women and stakeholders to assess factors that impact refugee women's receptiveness for virtual platforms to obtain information …

“Community Members Have More Impact On Their Neighbors Than Celebrities”: Leveraging Community Partnerships To Build Covid-19 Vaccine Confidence, Maria Tjilos Mph, Autumn L. Tamlyn, Elizabeth J. Ragan Mph, Sabrina A. Assoumou Md, Mph, Katherine Gergen Barnett Md, Petrina Martin Mba, Rebecca Perkins Md, Msc, Benjamin P. Linas Md, Mph, Mari-Lynn Drainoni Phd, Med

Medical Student Research Symposium

Vaccines are a strong public health tool to protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Still, inequities in COVID-19 vaccination rates and health outcomes continue to exist among Black and Latino populations. Boston Medical Center (BMC) has played a significant role in vaccinating medically underserved populations, and organized a series of community-engaged conversations to better understand community concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. We accessed and analyzed nine publicly available recordings of the community-engaged conversations which were held between Mar 2021-Sep 2021 (n=8-122 attendees). We employed a Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research-driven codebook to code our data and utilized …

Covid-19, Nutrition, And Gender: An Evidence-Informed Approach To Gender-Responsive Policies And Programs, Anna Kalbarczyk, Noora-Lisa Aberman, Bregje S M Van Asperen, Rosemary Morgan, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Bianca Carducci, Rebecca Heidkamp, Saskia Osendarp, Neha Kumar, Anna Lartey

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

In addition to the direct health impacts of COVID-19, government and household mitigation measures have triggered negative indirect economic, educational, and food and health system impacts, hitting low-and middle-income countries the hardest and disproportionately affecting women and girls. We conducted a gender focused analysis on five critical and interwoven crises that have emerged because of the COVID-19 crisis and exacerbated malnutrition and food insecurity. These include restricted mobility and isolation; reduced income; food insecurity; reduced access to essential health and nutrition services; and school closures. Our approach included a theoretical gender analysis, targeted review of the literature, and a visual …

Emerging Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic About The Decisive Competencies Needed For The Public Health Workforce: A Qualitative Study, Osnat Bashkin, Robert Otok, Lore Leighton, Kasia Czabanowska, Paul Barach, Nadav Davidovitch, Keren Dopelt, Mariusz Duplaga, Leah Okenwa Emegwa, Fiona Macleod, Yehuda Neumark, Maya Peled Raz, Theodore Tulchinsky, Zohar Mor

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

The global COVID-19 crisis exposed the critical need for a highly qualified public health workforce. This qualitative research aimed to examine public health workforce competencies needed to face COVID-19 challenges and identify the gaps between training programs and the competency demands of real-world disasters and pandemics. Through a sample of thirty-one participant qualitative interviews, we examined the perspectives of diverse stakeholders from lead public health organizations in Israel. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged from the content analysis: public health workforce's low professional status and the uncertain future of the public health workforce; links between …

Three Dimensions Of Covid-19 Risk Perceptions And Their Socioeconomic Correlates In The United States: A Social Media Analysis, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhenlong Li Ph.D., Chen Liang Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Caroline Rudisill Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Social media analysis provides an alternate approach to monitoring and understanding risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 over time. Our current understandings of risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 do not disentangle the three dimensions of risk perceptions (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and negative emotion) as the pandemic has evolved. Data are also limited regarding the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on COVID-19-related risk perceptions over time. To address these knowledge gaps, we extracted tweets regarding COVID-19-related risk perceptions and developed indicators for the three dimensions of risk perceptions based on over502 million geotagged tweets posted by over 4.9 million Twitter users …

Three Dimensions Of Covid-19 Risk Perceptions And Their Socioeconomic Correlates In The United States: A Social Media Analysis, Shan Qiao, Zhenlong Li, Caroline Rudsill

Faculty Publications

Social media analysis provides an alternate approach to monitoring and understanding risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 over time. Our current understandings of risk perceptions regarding COVID-19 do not disentangle the three dimensions of risk perceptions (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and negative emotion) as the pandemic has evolved. Data are also limited regarding the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on COVID-19-related risk perceptions over time. To address these knowledge gaps, we extracted tweets regarding COVID-19-related risk perceptions and developed indicators for the three dimensions of risk perceptions based on over 502 million geotagged tweets posted by over 4.9 million Twitter …

Multilevel Determinants Of Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Severe Maternal Morbidity And Mortality In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Usa: Protocol For A Concurrent Triangulation, Mixed-Methods Study, Jihong Liu, Peiyin Hung Ph.D, Chen Liang Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Berry A. Campbell, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Myriam E. Torres Ph. D., Neset Hikmet, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities of colour the hardest. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic pregnant women appear to have disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 infection and death rates.

Methods and analysis We will use the socioecological framework and employ a concurrent triangulation, mixed-methods study design to achieve three specific aims: (1) examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial/ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM); (2) explore how social contexts (eg, racial/ethnic residential segregation) have contributed to the widening of racial/ethnic disparities in SMMM during the pandemic and identify distinct mediating pathways through maternity care and mental health; and …

Examining Social Determinants Of Health During A Pandemic: Clinical Application Of Z Codes Before And During Covid-19, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Brooks Yelton, Shujie Chen, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Recognition of the impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on healthcare outcomes, healthcare service utilization, and population health has prompted a global shift in focus to patient social needs and lived experiences in assessment and treatment. The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) provides a list of non-billable “Z codes” specific to SDoH for use in electronic health records. Using population-level analysis, this study aims to examine clinical application of Z codes in South Carolina before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study population consists of South Carolina residents who had a healthcare visit and had …

Social Capital, Urbanization Level, And Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake In The United States: A National Level Analysis, Shan Qiao, Zhenlong Li, Jiajia Zhang, Xiaowen Sun, Camryn Garrett, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Vaccination remains the most promising mitigation strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing literature shows significant disparities in vaccination uptake in the United States. Using publicly available national-level data, we aimed to explore if county-level social capital can further explain disparities in vaccination uptake rates when adjusting for demographic and social determinants of health (SDOH) variables, and if association between social capital and vaccination uptake may vary by urbanization level. Bivariate analyses and a hierarchical multivariable quasi-binomial regression analysis were conducted, where the regression analysis was stratified by urban–rural status. The current study suggests that social capital contributes significantly to …

Social Capital, Urbanization Level, And Covid-19 Vaccination Uptake In The United States: A National Level Analysis, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Zhenlong Li, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Xiaowen Sun, Camryn Garrett, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Vaccination remains the most promising mitigation strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing literature shows significant disparities in vaccination uptake in the United States. Using publicly available national-level data, we aimed to explore if county-level social capital can further explain disparities in vaccination uptake rates when adjusting for demographic and social determinants of health (SDOH) variables, and if association between social capital and vaccination uptake may vary by urbanization level. Bivariate analyses and a hierarchical multivariable quasi-binomial regression analysis were conducted, where the regression analysis was stratified by urban–rural status. The current study suggests that social capital contributes significantly to …

What Do Epidemic History And Sexual Minority Men’S Experiences Of Hiv And Covid-19 Teach Us About Pandemic Preparedness?, Amy Braksmajer, Andrew London

Population Health Research Brief Series

For many, COVID-19 feels like the first, massive, life-threatening epidemic of infectious disease they have faced. However, for sexual minority individuals who have experienced trauma and loss stemming from the HIV epidemic, there are many similarities. This brief summarizes findings from interviews with men who have lived through both pandemics as a way to gain insights into the commonalities and differences of their experiences. Findings show that men who lived through both epidemics believe the government did not do enough to respond to either crisis. To better prepare for future epidemics, public health efforts must be less fragmented, including a …

Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour Among Children And Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities During The Covid-19 Lockdown In China, Y. Q. Yuan, J. N. Ding, N. Bi, M. J. Wang, S. C. Zhou, X. L. Wang, S. H. Zhang, Y. Liu, G. Roswal

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Background: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, preliminary research has reported a significant decline in physical activity (PA) and an increase in sedentary behaviour (SB) among typically developed children and adolescents. Limited research has looked at the current situation of PA and SB during this pandemic among children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study investigated the situations about PA and SB among school-aged children and adolescents with ID on China’s mainland during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods: In total, 837 parents of children and adolescents (ages 6–18 years) with ID from 15 special education schools of Shandong Province …

Covid-19 Vaccine Brand Hesitancy And Other Challenges To Vaccination In The Philippines, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Lourdes S. Tanchanco, Manuel Dayrit

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines have been developed at a rapid and unprecedented pace to control the spread of the virus, and prevent hospitalisations and deaths. However, COVID-19 vaccine uptake is challenged by vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccination sentiments, a global shortage of vaccine supply, and inequitable vaccine distribution especially among low- and middle-income countries including the Philippines. In this paper, we explored vaccination narratives and challenges experienced and observed by Filipinos during the early vaccination period. We interviewed 35 individuals from a subsample of 1,599 survey respondents 18 years and older in the Philippines. The interviews were conducted in Filipino, …

How Comprehensive And Effective Are Waste Management Policies During The Covid-19 Pandemic? Perspectives From The Philippines, Geminn Louis C. Apostol, Angelina Gabrielle A. Acolola, Michelle Alexandra Edillon, Sary Valenzuela

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

This study presents a comprehensive analysis on policies governing the management of COVID-19 waste in the Philippines, highlighting gaps in pre-existing policies and opportunities for further policy development and adaptation in the context of present and future public health emergencies. A hybrid search strategy and consultative process identified fifty (50) policy documents directly impacting the management of wastes (general domestic, healthcare, and household healthcare waste) released prior to and during the pandemic. Content analysis revealed comprehensive policy coverage on managing general domestic waste and healthcare waste. However, there remains a dearth in policies for managing household healthcare waste, an emerging …

Effectiveness Of Wechat-Group-Based Parental Health Education In Preventing Unintentional Injuries Among Children Aged 0-3: Randomized Controlled Trial In Shanghai, Yuheng Feng, Xueqi Ma, Qi Zhang, Ruo Jiang, Jun Lu, Kaiyue Chen, Huiping Wang, Qinghua Xia, Jicui Zheng, Jingwei Xia, Xiaohong Li

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Unintentional injuries to children are a major public health problem. The online social media is a potential way to implement health education for caregivers in online communities. Using WeChat, a free and popular social media service in China, this study evaluated the effectiveness of social online community-based parental health education in preventing unintentional injuries in children aged 0-3.

METHODS: We recruited 365 parents from two community health centers in Shanghai and allocated them into intervention and control groups randomly. Follow-up lasted for one year. The intervention group received and followed their WeChat group and a WeChat official account for …

Policy Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Food Security In Rural America: Evidence From Appalachia, Kathryn M. Cardarelli, Emily M. Dewitt, Rachel Gillespie, Rachel Hogg-Graham, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Janet T. Mullins

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Rural communities are disproportionally affected by food insecurity, making them vulnerable to the consequences of supply disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While access to food was initially diminished due to food supply disruptions, little is known about the mechanisms through which federal emergency assistance programs impacted food access in rural populations. Through a series of five focus groups in spring 2021, we examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in a rural Appalachian community in Kentucky. Data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory Approach. Findings revealed the following four primary themes: food scarcity in grocery stores; …

Assessing Acceptability Of Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Among Adult Americans: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tesfaye Yadete, Kavita Batra, Dale M. Netski, Sabrina Antonio, Michael J. Patros, Johan C. Bester

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Given the emergence of breakthrough infections, new variants, and concerns of waning immunity from the primary COVID-19 vaccines, booster shots emerged as a viable option to shore-up protection against COVID-19. Following the recent authorization of vaccine boosters among vulnerable Americans, this study aims to assess COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy and its associated factors in a nationally representative sample. A web-based 48-item psychometric valid survey was used to measure vaccine literacy, vaccine confidence, trust, and general attitudes towards vaccines. Data were analyzed through Chi-square (with a post hoc contingency table analysis) and independent-sample t-/Welch tests. Among 2138 participants, nearly 62% intended …

Breastfeeding Media Coverage And Beliefs During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Mexico: Implications For Breastfeeding Equity, Mireya Vilar-Compte, P. Gaitán‐Rossi, E. C. Rhodes, V. Cruz‐Villalba, R. Pérez‐Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Because breastfeeding offers short- and long- term health benefits to mothers and children, breastfeeding promotion and support is a public health priority. Evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not likely to be transmitted via breastmilk. Moreover, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are thought to be contained in breastmilk of mothers with history of COVID-19 infection or vaccination. WHO recommends direct breastfeeding as the preferred infant feeding option during the COVID-19 pandemic, even among women with COVID-19; but conflicting practices have been adopted, which could widen existing inequities in breastfeeding. This study aims to describe how information about breastfeeding was communicated in Mexican …

Educating School Nurses: Returning To School During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelle Flynn-Gulley

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

As schools began reopening, following government mandated school closure early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, new safety measures and protocols were put in place to keep students and staff safe. School nurses have become essential to ensuring schools reopen safely. However, as school nurses were forced to adapt to their increasing roles and responsibilities, a method for providing continuing education to school nurses within an East Tennessee school district did not exist. The goal of this evidence-based practice project was to provide continuing education to school nurses on COVID-19 return to school guidelines via an e-learning modality. Larrabee’s Model for …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Loneliness And Social Isolation: A Multi-Country Study, Roger O’Sullivan, Annette Burns, Gerard Leavey, Iracema Leroi, Vanessa Burholt, James Lubben, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Christina Victor, Brian Lawlor, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Carla M. Perissinotto, Mark A. Tully, Mary Pat Sullivan, Michael Rosato, Joanna Mchugh Power, Elisa Tiilikainen, Thomas R. Prohaska

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

The COVID-19 global pandemic and subsequent public health social measures have challenged our social and economic life, with increasing concerns around potentially rising levels of social isolation and loneliness. This paper is based on cross-sectional online survey data (available in 10 languages, from 2 June to 16 November 2020) with 20,398 respondents from 101 different countries. It aims to help increase our understanding of the global risk factors that are associated with social isolation and loneliness, irrespective of culture or country, to support evidence-based policy, services and public health interventions. We found the prevalence of severe loneliness was 21% during …

Ua19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Archives Records

Press releases, photos and game statistics for WKU basketball team from August to December 2021.

A Theory-Based Analysis Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among African Americans In The United States: A Recent Evidence, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra, Ravi Batra

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

African Americans have been disproportionately vaccinated at lower rates, which warrants the development of theory-based interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy in this group. The fourth-generation theories, e.g., multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change, are vital in developing behavioral interventions. Therefore, the current study aims to determine recent trends in COVID-19 vaccination rates and to test the MTM model in predicting the initiation of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccine-hesitant Blacks. A sample of 428 unvaccinated African Americans were recruited through a web-based survey using a 28-item psychometric valid questionnaire. Chi-square, independent-samples-t-test or Welch’s t test, and Pearson’s correlation tests were utilized …

Uga School Of Law Covid-19 Student Flow Chart, Fall 2021, University Of Georgia School Of Law, Rachel S. Evans

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

Two flow charts were revised for Fall 2021 and distributed to faculty, staff and students in August 2021 under advisement from Dean Peter B. Rutledge in consultation with members of UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health and the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. UGA Law Librarian Rachel Evans assisted with the graphic design aspects of this resource.

A generic template of this flow chart was also created so that other departments, schools and colleges across the University of Georgia could adapt and use this resource for their communities. That template is attached below as an additional file.

Uga School Of Law Covid-19 Employee Flow Chart, Fall 2021, University Of Georgia School Of Law, Rachel S. Evans

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

Two flow charts were revised for Fall 2021 and distributed to faculty, staff and students in August 2021 under advisement from Dean Peter B. Rutledge in consultation with members of UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health and the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. UGA Law Librarian Rachel Evans assisted with the graphic design aspects of this resource.

A generic template of this flow chart was also created so that other departments, schools and colleges across the University of Georgia could adapt and use this resource for their communities. That template is attached below as an additional file.

Good-Better-Best Practices, Thomas E. Kadri, Jean Mangan

COVID-19 Pandemic Archive

"At our last faculty meeting, Dean Rutledge suggested developing a set of “best practices” to handle some of the challenges posed by the current public-health crisis. In discussing this idea, Jean Mangan and I felt that it might be worthwhile thinking of them as “good-better-best practices,” recognizing that varying approaches will inevitably make sense for different instructional styles and priorities. We offer the ideas in the attached document not to suggest that they’re the best practices, but rather in the hope that they’ll be useful as we all adapt to this new and challenging pedagogical environment." - Thomas …

Covid-19 Disrupted Provision And Utilization Of Health And Nutrition Services In Uttar Pradesh, India: Insights From Service Providers, Household Phone Surveys, And Administrative Data, Phuong H. Nguyen, Shivani Kachwaha, Anjali Pant, Lan M. Tran, Monika Walia, Sebanti Ghosh, Praveen K. Sharma, Jessica Escobar-Alegria, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Purnima Menon, Rasmi Avula

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may substantially affect health systems, but little primary evidence is available on disruption of health and nutrition services. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to 1) determine the extent of disruption in provision and utilization of health and nutrition services induced by the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh, India; and 2) identify how adaptations were made to restore service provision in response to the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted longitudinal surveys with frontline workers (FLWs, n = 313) and mothers of children < 2 y old (n = 659) in December 2019 (in-person) and July 2020 (by phone). We also interviewed block-level managers and obtained administrative data. We examined changes in service provision and utilization using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. RESULTS: Compared with prepandemic, service provision reduced substantially during lockdown (83-98 percentage points, pp), except for home visits and take-home rations (∼ 30%). Most FLWs (68%-90%) restored service provision in July 2020, except for immunization and hot cooked meals (< 10%). Administrative data showed similar patterns of disruption and restoration. FLW fears, increased workload, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and manpower shortages challenged service provision. Key adaptations made to provide services were delivering services to beneficiary homes (∼ 40%-90%), social distancing (80%), and using PPE (40%-50%) and telephones for communication (∼ 20%). On the demand side, service utilization reduced substantially (40-80 pp) during the lockdown, but about half of mothers received home visits and food supplementation. Utilization for most services did not improve after the lockdown, bearing the challenges of limited travel (30%), nonavailability of services (26%), and fear of catching the virus when leaving the house (22%) or meeting service providers (14%). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 disrupted the provision and use of health and nutrition services in Uttar Pradesh, India, despite adaptations to restore services. Strengthening logistical support, capacity enhancement, performance management, and demand creation are needed to improve service provision and utilization during and post-COVID-19.

Ua12/2/1 Fresh Start, Vol. 97, No. 1, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

College Heights Herald magazine regarding returning to WKU in person after COVID-19 lockdown.

• Stone, Damon. Fresh Faces, Familiar Traditions Come to Campus with Incoming Class – Class of 2025
• Jones, Jake. WKU Commons Sees Delays, Expected to be Completed In the Fall – University Libraries
• Murray, Debra. Living Learning Communities Bring a New Sense of Home to WKU
• Murray, Debra. What You Missed on the Hill This Summer – Garrett Conference Center, First Year Village, Munday Hall, COVID-19, Retirement
• Fisher, Brittany. Reclaiming the Hill – MASTER Plan
• Burris, Lily. Dear Readers
• Stryker, Shane. The Usual Take on My Unusual College …

Helping Mothers Survive: Program Evaluation And Early Outcomes Of Maternal Care Training In The Dominican Republic, Meghan Smith, Alexandra Leader, Wanny Roa, Ericka Jaramillo, Davina Lazala, Jose Flores, Claudia Cadet, Ruraj Vazifedan, Suzanne Bentley, Lloyd Jensen

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: In 2017, approximately 295,000 women died during and immediately following pregnancy and childbirth worldwide, with 94% of these deaths occurring in low-resource settings. The Dominican Republic (DR) exhibits one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean despite the fact that 99% of registered births in the country are reportedly attended by a skilled birth attendant. This paradox implies that programs to support healthcare worker knowledge and skills improvement are vital to improving maternal health outcomes in the DR. Helping Mothers Survive (HMS) is a provider training program developed by Jhpiego and …