Community Health Commons^™

The Association Between Loneliness With Increased Mental Health Problems And Substance Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Richmond, Virginia, Angela C. Liu, Connor Cox, Mariam Sankoh, James Clifford, Courtney T. Blondino, Chanel Bea, Chimere Miles, Kim Young, Sherika Gillison-Chew, John Richardson-Lauve, Candice Turner, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant psychological distress among U.S. adults leading to increased rates of adverse mental health symptoms and substance use. This study aims to evaluate the consistency of the association between loneliness and increased mental health problems and substance use in Richmond, VA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods. Data were collected in two phases: 1) internet-based surveys from August 2020 to March 2021 (N=327) and 2) paper-pencil surveys from May to October 2021 (N=225). Logistic regression was used to test the association between loneliness and increased mental health and substance use, while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and …

Investigation Of Emergency Department Visits And Hospitalization Rates Of Child Physical Abuse At Cooper University Hospital Prior To And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Afeerah Ahmad, Rachel Silliman Cohen, Laura Brennan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The COVID-19 pandemic has been detrimental for children. Many families have experienced stressors, including unemployment, financial hardship, and familial illness. These factors all pose increased risk for child physical abuse. Limitations in child welfare services affected investigations and provision of services to high-risk families. The extent to which the rates of physical abuse in NJ have been affected is unknown. We sought to answer the question of whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected the severity of physical abuse and the incidence of physical abuse presenting to Cooper University Hospital.

We hypothesized that there would be a higher proportion of severe child …

Emerging Viral Diseases: Generation Z'S Outlook, Ian Mcwhorter

Honors Projects

Generation Z differs notably from previous generations like Baby Boomers or Generation X. In recent years, young adults have been persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic, though not unscathed. This paper seeks to answer the following question: How does Generation Z differ in its outlook on Viral diseases compared to previous generations? Using a series of three surveys conducted on three seperate Viral diseases (HIV, Zika, and COVID 19), it was found that while Generation Z has improved in its ability to combat Viral outbreaks due to factors like high digital literacy, other factors such as poorer mental health show that …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

Medical Visits Related To Firearm Injuries Increased During Covid-19, Rachel Chernet, Margaret K. Formica

Population Health Research Brief Series

When COVID-19 began its initial wave in the United States in March 2020, gun sales surged across the country. The increase in first time gun owners, stress, anxiety, and lack of safety training courses has corresponded with a significant increase in firearm injuries, with especially large increases in the Spring and Summer of 2020 among males, non-Hispanic Blacks, ages 20 to 29, and residents of the Midwest and South. Given the especially large rise in unintentional firearm injuries, policymakers should consider interventions that increase education, training, and regulation over safe firearm access and storage.

Youtube, Cyberbullying And Covid-19, Ani Shavliashvili

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research is to uncover how people discuss bullying or cyberbullying experiences via YouTube videos before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since people were indoors during the pandemic, individuals took to social media and left comments on YouTube about bullying. Since people could not discuss bullying in-person, it was interesting to see how people shared their views on bullying and cyberbullying via YouTube, as well as how that might have changed after the start of COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how social media platforms like YouTube provide a safe space …

Methodology To Estimate Natural- And Vaccine-Induced Antibodies To Sars-Cov-2 In A Large Geographic Region, Stacia M Desantis, Luis G León-Novelo, Michael D Swartz, Ashraf S Yaseen, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Yashar Talebi, Frances A Brito, Jessica A Ross, Harold W Kohl, Sarah E Messiah, Steve H Kelder, Leqing Wu, Shiming Zhang, Kimberly A Aguillard, Michael O Gonzalez, Onyinye S Omega-Njemnob, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Accurate estimates of natural and/or vaccine-induced antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are difficult to obtain. Although model-based estimates of seroprevalence have been proposed, they require inputting unknown parameters including viral reproduction number, longevity of immune response, and other dynamic factors. In contrast to a model-based approach, the current study presents a data-driven detailed statistical procedure for estimating total seroprevalence (defined as antibodies from natural infection or from full vaccination) in a region using prospectively collected serological data and state-level vaccination data. Specifically, we conducted a longitudinal statewide serological survey with 88,605 participants 5 years or older with 3 prospective blood draws beginning …

Covid-19 Masks In Terms Of Functional, Expressive, And Aesthetic Consumer Needs, Lily Highley

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess consumers' perspectives of COVID-19 masks under the functional, expressive, and aesthetic areas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have become an “accessory” to everyday life, and it was essential to research masks under these unique areas and explore consumer perceptions.

This study took place after background research on the topic and the FEA model. The study included a survey sent to Bumpers College students upon approval from the IRB. The data was analyzed and interpreted specifically in the FEA areas and can be useful to better understand the students at the University …

Understanding Pandemic Contact Tracing From A Design Thinking Perspective, Nancy K. Lankton, Avinandan Mukherjee, Kaustav Mukherjee

Accounting Faculty Research

Because of its highly infectious nature and ability to spread from non-symptomatic people, pandemics can bring society and businesses to a standstill and death to hundreds of thousands of people across the world. Public health experts point to four Ts in successful epidemiological control, namely, test, trace, track, and treat. Since COVID-19 has no effective treatment, contact tracing has been a vital part of COVID-19 disease control and focuses on identifying and isolating people who have come into contact with individuals who have tested positive for the disease. Early surveys show that individuals are not comfortable with all contact tracing …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Mental Well-Being Of Healthy And Diseased Persons In 8 Countries: Does Stringency Of Government Response Against Early Covid-19 Matter?, Di Long, Juanita A. Haagsma, Mathieu F. Janssen, John N. Yfantopoulos, Erica I. Lubetkin, Gouke J. Bonsel

Publications and Research

Objectives

Our study aimed to (1) assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental well-being of healthy and diseased persons in the general population during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) examine the relationship between HRQoL and mental well-being and individual characteristics and government response against COVID-19, as measured by the stringency index.

Methods

A web-based survey was administered to a cohort of persons from the general population of eight countries: Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US) from April 22 to May 5 and …

The Current, Scott K. Heysell

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Social Isolation In Hiv-Positive Individuals During A Pandemic, Corina Jane Bakoylis

Dissertations

Problem: The global pandemic of COVID-19 caused concern for immunocompromised individuals. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to assess the impact of social isolation on feelings of loneliness, depression, and social isolation experiences in HIV-positive individuals residing in a long-term care facility.

Methods: A mixed-method convergent design with a purposeful sample of HIV-positive adult residents residing in a long-term care facility was utilized. An evaluation of loneliness using the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (Version 3) and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) were completed. Personal experiences were also assessed with five predetermined open-ended …

Development And Presentation Of A Lesson On Mental Health For High School Students During The 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic, Daniel Yang, Sana Farhat, Jhocelin Morquecho, Rutva Patel, Rui Shi, Md Fateha, Mary Duggan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

With the support of the HRSA, the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) was established to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in healthcare. HCOP combines the efforts of high school, undergraduate, and medical students in creating an original project to serve a need within the community. In this HCOP project, we aim to address the issue of mental health with high school students at two New Jersey high schools: Pennsauken and Williamtown.

A Deeper Look: The Impacts Of Covid-19 Among Latinos In Omaha, Diana Molina

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has manifested worldwide distress, affecting the lives of all population groups. Racial disparities are evident as minority populations are being disproportionately affected by the impacts of COVID-19. Data indicate that the Latino population may experience more severe cases of COVID-19 and have a higher mortality rate. However, little is known about the effects that the pandemic is having on day-to-day life. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate COVID-19's impact on life aspects including employment situation, finances, mental health, and experiences of discrimination among the Omaha Latino community. A survey collected data from 311 participants …

Perceptions Of Covid-19 In College Students: Effect On Emotional Well-Being, Mikayla N. Murphy

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between emotional well-being of college students and the COVID-19 pandemic. Many physical distancing practices have negatively affected emotional well-being, such as increased time alone and screen time. A purposive sample of convenience was utilized to collect information on the emotional well-being of a selected group of students at two time points: January through March 2020 and January/February 2021. Students from the Honors College were selected as the study population. The survey questions were administered electronically through Qualtrics software, Version: February 2021. Of the 101 survey responses obtained between January 27 and February 22, 2021, 89 …

Quarantine Ethics: From Past To Covid-19, Chrystal Barnes

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Quarantines have been a preventative measure for reducing communicable disease spread for centuries. The method of implementation can vary widely and to some extent requires some level of judgement from enforcing powers, often state police power. As such, historically, some quarantines have been unfairly enforced based on discriminatory practices. COVID-19 has brought about the most widespread and extended quarantine in U.S. history, which makes evaluating the ethics all the more critical. In addition, it is well established that COVID-19 impacts have disproportionately caused harm to populations, such as those who are of a low socioeconomic status and people of color. …

The Utilization And Effectiveness Of Telemedicine In The Wake Of Covid-19, Maxwell Sharawy

Senior Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the world, in every industry. Almost none were hit as hard as the healthcare system. Through the use of telemedicine, healthcare providers were able to care for their patients without rise of infection. Through a review of published literature and interviews conducted with three practicing physicians of various specialties, a diagnosis was developed to determine if the care provided through telemedicine was as effective as in-person care. It was hypothesized that when used properly, telemedicine can be used as an effective replacement for in-person care across a wide range of specialties. After review of the literature …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Disability Services And Systems: Perspectives From The Field, Ronda Jenson, John Tschida

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Area Agencies On Aging Provide Crucial Support For Older New Yorkers During Covid-19, Claire Pendergrast

Population Health Research Brief Series

This research brief discusses how Area Agencies on Aging are providing crucial support for older NewYorkers during COVID-19.

Environmentally Marginalized Populations: The "Perfect Storm" For Infectious Disease Pandemics, Including Covid-19, Gabriella Y. Meltzer, Oyemwenosa Avenbuan, Christina Awada, Oluwakemi B. Oyetade, Tricia Blackman, Simona Kwon Drph, Mph, Esther Erdei Phd, Judith T. Zelikoff Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

COVID-19 has exacted a severe toll on the United States population’s physical and mental health and its effects have been felt most severely among people of color and low socioeconomic status. Using illustrative case studies, this commentary argues that in addition to COVID-19 health disparities created by psychosocial stressors such as the inability to socially distance and access quality healthcare, environmental justice communities have the additional burden of disproportionate exposure to toxic contaminants that contribute to their higher risk of COVID-19. Environmental contaminants including heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants found contaminating their nearby environments can alter the immune response, …

Consequences Of Covid-19 Crisis For Persons With Hiv: The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health, Kristie Cason Waterfield, Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Osaremhen Ikhile

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Background

With the indiscriminate spread of COVID-19 globally, many populations are experiencing negative consequences such as job loss, food insecurity, and inability to manage existing medical conditions and maintain preventive measures such as social distancing and personal preventative equipment. Some of the most disadvantaged in the COVID-19 era are people living with HIV/AIDS and other autoimmune diseases.

Discussion

As the number of new HIV infections decrease globally, many subpopulations remain at high risk of infection due to lack of or limited access to prevention services, as well as clinical care and treatment. For persons living with HIV or at higher …

Communicating About Covid-19: Strategies For Promoting Risk-Reducing Behaviors On Facebook, Liz Scharnetzki, Nikki Jarvais, Elizabeth Rintz, Leo Waterston, David Pied, Paul Han

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2021

Introduction- Controlling the COVID-19 pandemic requires effective public health communication strategies that can promote risk-reducing behaviors despite scientific uncertainties about their effectiveness. The current project developed and tested different theory-based communication strategies for generating public interest in COVID-19 risk-reducing behaviors. • Assessed the efficacy of two novel message frames – destigmatizing and uncertainty normalizing - relative to existing strategies

Strategic Implications Of Covid-19: Considerations For Georgia’S Rural Health Providers, Bettye A. Apenteng, Linda Kimsey, Charles Owens, Samuel T. Opoku, Angela Peden, William Mase

Health Policy & Community Health: Faculty Publications

Whether rural hospitals and providers have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases or a reduction in patients seeking care since the pandemic began, their financial condition has been negatively impacted. Many providers have now received some emergency funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Payroll Protection Program but these are likely only short-term fixes. For many, the crisis has exacerbated already existing problems. Notable among these problems are volume declines, supply chain disruptions, and workforce concerns. While these problems require immediate action, two longer-term systemic changes to rural healthcare delivery are needed to address them. …

Investigating The Psychological Impact Of Covid-19 Among Healthcare Workers: A Meta-Analysis, Kavita Batra, Tejinder Pal Singh, Manoj Sharma, Ravi Batra, Nena Schvaneveldt

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Previous meta-analyses were conducted during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, which utilized a smaller pool of data. The current meta-analysis aims to provide additional (and updated) evidence related to the psychological impact among healthcare workers. The search strategy was developed by a medical librarian and bibliographical databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of healthcare workers. Articles were screened by three reviewers. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I2 statistic. The random-effects model …

Neuropsychiatric Presentation Of Covid-19: A Case Report Of Disinhibition In An Acute Sars-Cov-2 Infection, I. Jack Abramson, Kristy A. Fisher, Clara V. Alvarez, Jacqueline Horan Fisher

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral infection is notable for a high degree of symptom diversity. Emerging evidence suggests viral invasion of the central nervous system; therefore, serious neurological and psychiatric manifestations are anticipated. We present the case of a 67-year-old male physician with a history of stable Bipolar Disorder for decades, hospitalized for persistent COVID-19 symptoms with documented positive serology, who presented with new and acute onset neuropsychiatric symptoms of disinhibition proximate the viral infection. We postulate neuroinvasion as the putative origin of the patient’s psychiatric instability. Further investigation is needed to expand upon our understanding of the …

Perinatal Anxiety And Depression During The Covid 19 Pandemic, Helen Xumin Chen, Nancy Selix, Marcianna Nosek

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak places perinatal women at higher risk of developing anxiety and depression. Uncertainty, fear, and confusion in medical, social, economic, occupational and political aspects of life in the US add to existing stressors that perinatal women experience. To optimize the quality of perinatal care during the pandemic, appropriate mental health interventions must be implemented to prevent and alleviate perinatal anxiety and depression and improve maternal and infant outcomes. Measures include increased screening, non-pharmacologic and/or pharmacologic interventions and the use of telehealth for care delivery.

Keywords: perinatal anxiety, perinatal depression, COVID-19, SARS CoV-2, maternal …

Flattening The Curve Of Distress: A Public-Facing Webinar For Psychoeducation During Covid-19, Grant Smith, Stephanie Harman, Keri Brenner

Patient Experience Journal

This case report describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a public-facing webinar that provided psychoeducation addressing the emotional distress that has accompanied the coronavirus pandemic. Using a webinar was an effective strategy for reaching a large, public audience and making content from expert clinicians accessible. Participants were likely to recommend the webinar to friends or family. Participants appreciated that the webinar acknowledged the presence of distressing emotions and provided practical advice for reducing the negative psychological sequelae of the coronavirus pandemic. Areas for improvement included addressing technical issues and incorporating additional information into the webinar.

Experience Framework

This article …

Addressing Covid 19 Among Vulnerable Populations, Tim Crawford, Sydney Silverstein, Craig Woolley, Laura M. Luehrmann

Population and Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

This is the fifth installment in the Shelter in Place (SiP) Lecture series. This installment deals with the impact and implications of the Shelter in Place order on differing populations. It discusses how a variety of populations have differing experiences with social distancing, the virus, and other implications of the current pandemic.

Law Library Blog (May 2020): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Mobilization Of The Substance Use Disorder Recovery Community In The Time Of Coronavirus, Austin Mcneill Brown

Population Health Research Brief Series

This issue brief explains the recovery community's resilient response to the social distancing mandates from COVID-19 and notes recommendations for policymakers. This brief also includes a broad list of recovery resources.