Risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes in Jamaica: a cross-sectional study of national surveillance data

Objectives

To describe the characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 cases in Jamaica and to explore the risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 from 9 March to 31 December 2020.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of national surveillance data was conducted using confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jamaica. Definitions of a confirmed case, disease severity, and death were based on World Health Organization guidelines. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to determine association with outcomes. Logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of severe COVID-19.

Results

This analysis included 12 169 cases of COVID-19 (median age, 36 years; 6 744 females [ 55.4%]) of which 512 cases (4.2%) presented with severe disease, and of those, 318 patients (62.1%) died (median age at death, 71.5 years). Severe disease was associated with being male (OR 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.7) and 40 years or older (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 5.1-8.2). COVID-19 death was also associated with being male (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7), age 40 years or older (OR, 17.9; 95% CI, 11.6-27.7), and in the Western versus South East Health Region (OR 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.3).

Conclusions

The findings of this cross-sectional analysis indicate that confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Jamaica were more likely to be female and younger individuals, whereas COVID-19 deaths occurred more frequently in males and older individuals. There is increased risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes beginning at age 40, with males disproportionately affected. COVID-19 death also varied by geographic region. This evidence could be useful to other countries with similar settings and to policymakers charged with managing outbreaks and health.

Does medical waste research during COVID-19 meet the challenge induced by the pandemic to waste management?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented amount of medical waste, presenting significant challenges for the safe disposal of hazardous waste. A systematic review of existing research on COVID-19 and medical waste can help address these challenges by providing insights and recommendations for effective management of the massive medical waste generated during the pandemic. This study utilized bibliometric and text mining methods to survey the scientific outcomes related to COVID-19 and medical waste, drawing on data from the Scopus database. The results show that the spatial distribution of medical waste research is unbalanced. Surprisingly, developing countries rather than developed countries lead research in this area. Especially, China, a major contributor to the field, has the highest number of publications and citations, and is also a centre of international cooperation. The main study authors and research institutions are also mainly from China. And the research on medical waste is a multidisciplinary field. Text mining analysis shows that COVID-19 and medical waste research is mainly organized around four themes: (i) medical waste from personal protective equipment; (ii) research on medical waste in Wuhan, China; (iii) threats of medical waste to the environment and (iv) disposal and management of medical waste. This would serve to better understand the current state of medical waste research and to provide some implications for future research.

Possibilities and limits of modelling of long-range economic consequences of air pollution - A case study

Air pollution is the biggest environmental problem in modern societies, causing considerable health damage and requiring substantial financial resources for health care. The goal of the study is to demonstrate the adverse economic consequences of air pollution on example of a small, open Central European country, Hungary, and to provide quantified financial arguments for macroeconomic decision-making for the development of a long-term energy strategy. On the basis of the Cobb-Douglas production function and Solow-Swann model of dynamic economic systems a simple and robust model was constructed to estimate and predict economic losses, caused by the pollution. On base of results it is obvious, that on base of macroeconomic theory and combination of various, publicly available, quality-controlled statistical resources quantifiable models can be constructed to characterise the economic consequences of air pollution, but it should be taken into consideration, that the reliability of economic models considerably depends on their initial parameters and practical validity of assumptions, based on which the underlying economic theories were built. The most important economic burden of air pollution is caused by the loss of working-age population, resulting in a decrease of 4.1-9.4 % a year in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the next fifty years. The additional burden of health care costs amounts to 0.1 % of GDP. Reducing air pollution is not only a quality of life improvement but also an investment into the economic development. Notwithstanding of statistical biases it could be proven the importance of combination health economic and econometric methods in preparation of more efficient environmental-related socio-economic decisions.

Ecotoxicological effects of cypermethrin on indigenous climbing perch (Anabas testudineus)

Pesticides including cypermethrin (10% EC) are commonly used pesticide in tea gardens of Bangladesh possess distinct harmful effects on an aquatic community. The experiment was carried out to assess the ecotoxicological effects of cypermethrin (10%) concentrate on indigenous Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus). A total of 120 A. testudineus (mean length 16 ± 2.67 cm and mean weight 31.6 ± 3.56 g) were exposed to the acute toxicity test when the lethal concentration 50 value (LC50) for 96 h was maintained at 1.00 ppm. Three different sub-lethal concentrations of 0.05 ppm (5%), 0.10 ppm (10%), and 0.20 ppm (20%) were used respectively as three treatments and a control of 0 ppm with three replicates each. Restlessness, erratic movement, increased opercular activities, loss of equilibrium, and irregular response to feeding were observed in all the treatments compared to control one. Concerning histopathological alterations, all the analyzed organs showed highest changes in the T3 (cypermethrin conc. 20%) compared to other treatments while T0 (0 ppm) had normal structure. The major changes in the gill were epithelial cell hyperplasia, necrosis, severe lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting; while necrotic proximal tubules, glomerular shrinkage, disrupted renal corpuscle of the kidney and nuclear pyknosis, degenerated hepatic cells and vacuolation were observed in the liver. Severe melanomacrophage centre (MMC), haemosiderosis and vacuolation were found in spleen. The effect of cypermethrin on the hematological parameters of experimental fish was also studied. Red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit were decreased in the experimental groups and lowest value was in T3 while values of white blood cells were increased in the experimental groups compared to control one. Hence, the present observation revealed that pesticides even at low concentrations can cause harmful effects on A. testudineus.

The prolificacy of green transformational leadership in shaping employee green behavior during times of crises in small and medium enterprises: a moderated mediation model

Besides various other potent efforts to contain and consolidate, post-pandemic crisis management requires an adequate display of green transformational leadership. Green transformational leaders exhibit a formidable commitment to sustainability in making managerial choices and subsequently inspiring and motivating their employees to participate vigorously in the ensuing green initiatives. Such initiatives could profoundly help organizations adjust to shifting market situations, follow requirements, and preserve stakeholder trust. While making appeals to the central tenants of the transformation leadership theory, social exchange theory, and the social cognition theory, the study examines the impact of green transformational leadership on employees' green behaviors during times of crises using employees' self-esteem as a mediator and work engagement as the critical moderator. The relevant context of the study has been the small and medium enterprises of Saudi Arabia. Data from 232 SMEs employing less than 250 employees selected through convenience sampling was collected using structured questionnaires. After performing hierarchical regression modeling using SPSS 23, macro V4 model 58, and Amos 24, it has been found that green transformational leadership is positively associated with employees' green behaviors, with self-esteem and work engagement acting as significant mediating and moderating conditions, respectively. Besides, providing firsthand empirical evidence on the impact of green transformational leadership on employees' green behaviors, in unique industrial (SMEs), contextual (times of crises), and regional (Middle Eastern) settings, the study offers useful implications to the managers aspiring to enhance the sustainable performance of their firms through maturing green behaviors among their employees.

Computer vision based deep learning approach for toxic and harmful substances detection in fruits

Formaldehyde (CH₂O) is one of the significant chemicals mixed with different perishable fruits in Bangladesh. The fruits are artificially preserved for extended periods by dishonest vendors using this dangerous chemical. Such substances are complicated to detect in appearance. Hence, a reliable and robust detection technique is required. To overcome this challenge and address the issue, we introduce comprehensive deep learning-based techniques for detecting toxic substances. Four different types of fruits, both in fresh and chemically mixed conditions, are used in this experiment. We have applied diverse data augmentation techniques to enlarge the dataset. The performance of four different pre-trained deep learning models was then assessed, and a brand-new model named "DurbeenNet," created especially for this task, was presented. The primary objective was to gauge the efficacy of our proposed model compared to well-established deep learning architectures. Our assessment centered on the models' accuracy in detecting toxic substances. According to our research, GoogleNet detected toxic substances with an accuracy rate of 85.53 %, VGG-16 with an accuracy rate of 87.44 %, DenseNet with an impressive accuracy rate of 90.37 %, and ResNet50 with an accuracy rate of 91.66 %. Notably, the proposed model, DurbeenNet, outshone all other models, boasting an impressive accuracy rate of 96.71 % in detecting toxic substances among the sample fruits.

Corporate capital structure effects on corporate performance pursuing a strategy of innovation in manufacturing companies

Within the sphere of finance, the concept of capital structure has long been a subject of intense debate, serving as a quantitative depiction of the balance between debt, preference shares, and common stock within a company. This structure serves a crucial role in optimizing the utilization of a company's existing resources while simultaneously elevating the revenue streams for stakeholders. This particular study delves into the intricate relationship between corporate performance and capital structure, focusing on 78 publicly listed firms within the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Bangladesh holds the 29th position globally in terms of purchasing power, lending significant weight to this investigation. To comprehensively analyze this correlation, panel data encompassing the span from 2017 to 2021 was collected for these 78 sample companies operating within the DSE. Several key determinants of capital structure were considered in this analysis, namely the debt-to-equity ratio, short-term leverage ratio, long-term leverage ratio, and total debt ratio. Meanwhile, the performance of these firms was gauged using key metrics such as Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Earnings Per Share (EPS). To ensure a robust analysis, factors such as inflation, liquidity, growth rate, tax rate, and firm size were meticulously controlled for. The findings unveiled a compelling narrative: all forms of debt ratios-be it short-term, long-term, or the total debt ratio-exhibited a substantial negative impact on ROA at a significant level of 1 %. Conversely, specific debt ratios, like the short-term total debt and the total debt-to-total asset ratio, displayed a notable positive correlation with ROE at a 1 % significance level. Intriguingly, the long-term total debt ratio yielded a negative and insignificant effect on ROE. Moreover, within the spectrum of predictors influencing a firm's performance, the liquidity ratio emerged as a non-significant factor-a notable discovery that highlights the nuanced nature of the interplay between capital structure and performance within these companies.

Inter-Parental Conflict's Persistent Effects on Adolescent Psychological Distress, Adjustment Issues, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Lockdown

The current study sought to ascertain the impact of inter-parent conflicts on teenage psychological distress, social and academic adjustment and examine the suicide ideation during the COVID-19. The results found to be alarming as 22% of the individuals displayed suicidal tendencies, with 9% having attempted suicide once, 4.6% having tried suicide twice, and 11% stating that they were likely to do so again. Therefore, the media and the government might host awareness programs and counseling initiatives to promote mental health and prevent suicidal behavior. Moreover, parents may be educated on community level, about the effect of inter-parental arguments on the mental health of their children.

Youth perspectives on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown in a Small Island Developing State: implications for emergency response

Introduction

Evidence exploring the relationship between COVID-19 mitigation measures and mental health has primarily been from quantitative studies in large, developed countries. A qualitative study to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of young people living in Trinidad and Tobago was conducted to engage and collaborate with youth on matters affecting them during the pandemic.

Methods

Ten virtual focus groups were conducted with 64 participants aged 18 to 24 in 2021 when partial lockdown measures were in effect for COVID-19 prevention. Groups were stratified by geographic location and socioeconomic status. The recordings were transcribed and analyzed to explore themes of importance to youth.

Results

Negative impacts on mental health emerged as a strong theme. Lack of timelines for restrictions led to wide ranging mental health impacts, conflict and tension existed in home environments, longer restrictions led to erosion of the social culture, and young people experienced stress about the changing face of education and job security due to the pandemic.

Discussion

Measures taken to address one serious public health concern, COVID-19, led to the aggravation of another serious public health concern, mental ill-health. Mental health initiatives to help young people navigate issues specific to their generation must be developed. In low resourced Small Island Developing States settings. The increased need for mental health services during and because of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for strengthening the capacity and resilience of these to respond to environmental and health emergencies. Building the resilience of educational and employment services is also needed.

Assessing the Reasons and Adverse Effects of Self-Medication in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sierra Leone. A Case Study of Moriba Town Section

Background

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare resources has led to an increase in self-medication as a coping mechanism. The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence of self-medication, the reasons behind it, and its potential consequences during the pandemic.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Moriba Town, Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone. Using a multistage systematic sampling technique, 246 adult participants were selected. Data were collected using Kobo collect electronic platform and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0.

Results

Out of the 246 adult residents who were sampled, 63 (26%) practiced self-medication. Among them, females (33 or 52%) were more prevalent than males (30 or 48%). The most dominant age groups for self-medication were 38-47 (22 or 35%) and 28-37 (18 or 29%). The major reasons for self-medication were fear of infection (189 or 77%), fear of quarantine (199 or 81%), and stigma (189 or 77%). Delays in treatment (113 or 46%) and unavailability of Covid-19 medications (92 or 37%) were also cited. However, a majority of respondents (162 or 66%) denied the influence of friends or media (168 or 68%) on their decision to self-medicate. Reasons like "delay in receiving treatment" and "influence of friends" showed significant association with self-medication (pValue <0.05). More than half of the respondents 177 (72%) did not practice self-medication before the pandemic. Adverse reactions due to self-medication included skin rashes and blisters 29 (45%) and drowsiness 24 (38%).

Conclusion

The prevalence of unsupervised medication before and after the pandemic was minimal suggesting little impact of the pandemic. Fear and social stigma were the main drivers for self-medication. To promote safety and informed health decisions, regulatory measures, and awareness campaigns are essential to control unsupervised medication sales, improve drug labeling, and educate the public about the dangers of self-medication.

Where I am from matters: factors influencing behavioral and emotional changes in autistic individuals during COVID-19 in Latin America

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increased incidence of disease and mortality in the world at large, making it a particularly salient and stressful life event. For those individuals residing in Latin America, the pandemic was met with fragmented healthcare systems, economic downturn, and sociopolitical crisis which puts autistic individuals at risk for more detrimental outcomes. Behavioral and emotional challenges experienced by autistic individuals at the beginning of the pandemic could later develop into more severe symptomatology as the pandemic progresses. The present study aimed to explore changes in dysregulated (overt and internalizing) behaviors and preoccupation with getting sick during the COVID-19 pandemic among autistic children in 7 Latin American countries.

Method

Sample consisted of 1,743 caregivers, residing in: Argentina (n = 677, 38.8%) Brazil (n = 156, 9%), Chile (n = 251, 14.4%), Dominican Republic (n = 171, 9.8%), Mexico (n = 126, 7.2%), Uruguay (n = 259, 14.9%) and Venezuela (n = 103, 5.9%). The majority of caregivers who completed the questionnaire were mothers (85.1%), and most had a male autistic child (81.6%). A series of independent sample t-tests were conducted to assess country differences in dysregulated behaviors and preoccupation with getting sick. Linear regressions were conducted to identify which demographic characteristics and micro-level contextual factors predicted dysregulated overt behaviors and psychological changes.

Results

Contextual factors, such as country of residence, were related to preoccupation with getting sick and dysregulated behavior. Particularly, residing in Mexico and Brazil were related to changes in preoccupation with getting sick and mental health concerns. Coexistence predicted dysregulated internalizing behaviors, while being older significantly predicted preoccupation with getting sick. Increased screen time only predicted anxiety.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight differences and predictions of behavioral challenges and psychological changes based on certain contextual factors and individual characteristics while experiencing severe life stressors such as a worldwide pandemic. This knowledge could help inform policies and decrees aimed at protecting those most vulnerable due to their increased difficulty adapting to change.

The effects of policy changes and human mobility on the COVID-19 epidemic in the Dominican Republic, 2020-2021

Recent advances in technology can be leveraged to enhance public health research and practice. This study aimed to assess the effects of mobility and policy changes on COVID-19 case growth and the effects of policy changes on mobility using data from Google Mobility Reports, information on public health policy, and COVID-19 testing results. Multiple bivariate regression analyses were conducted to address the study objectives. Policies designed to limit mobility led to decreases in mobility in public areas. These policies also decreased COVID-19 case growth. Conversely, policies that did not restrict mobility led to increases in mobility in public areas and led to increases in COVID-19 case growth. Mobility increases in public areas corresponded to increases in COVID-19 case growth, while concentration of mobility in residential areas corresponded to decreases in COVID-19 case growth. Overall, restrictive policies were effective in decreasing COVID-19 incidence in the Dominican Republic, while permissive policies led to increases in COVID-19 incidence.

Effect of the characteristic town policy on sewage treatment in mountainous areas: Evidence from Chongqing

The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China highlighted the necessity of advancing a new type of urbanization with people at the core. Characteristic towns as an essential link between new urbanization and rural revitalization attach great importance to creating a beautiful environment. Sewage treatment is an indispensable foundation for a town's high-quality economic and social development; however, it may be hard to achieve through urban construction. Therefore, using data from 584 organic towns in Chongqing, a typical mountainous city in western China, this study empirically analyzes the effect of the characteristic town policy in China on mountainous sewage treatment and its mechanisms from 2014 to 2020. The results indicate that (1) the characteristic town policy helps enhance sewage treatment in small towns, which remains valid after a series of robustness tests. (2) Investment and human resource effects are mediators for the characteristic town policy to boost sewage treatment in small towns. Further analyses reveal that the boosting effect of the characteristic town policy on small-town sewage treatment is more significant for small towns with higher economic development levels suffering ecological and environmental pressures. These findings provide a basis for a broad recognition of the effect of the characteristic town policy and its impact. They also theoretically enrich the awareness of the Chinese government's urbanization policy concerning the economy and society.

Stress and sleep quality in medical students: a cross-sectional study from Vietnam

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant global social and economic disruptions, as well as changes in personal attitude and behavior. The purpose of this research is to assess the sleep quality and stress levels of medical students.

Method

Data was collected from medical students over the course of a month in 2021. A total of 4,677 students at the University of Medicine Pham Ngoc Thach were invited to complete an anonymous web-based survey, which included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire Index (PSQI) for measuring sleep quality and the COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ) for evaluating stress.

Results

A total of 1,502 students participated in our survey. More than half of the participants exhibited poor quality of sleep as indicated by their PSQI score. Many students reported going to bed after midnight and spending time on their smartphones. Among the students surveyed, 21.84% experienced low levels of stress (CSSQ ≤6), 63.38% had mild stress (7 ≤ CSSQ score ≤ 14), 14.78% reported high levels of stress (CSSQ >14).

Conclusion

This study showed a high prevalence of poor sleep quality in the surveyed students, which could be attributed to changes in their behavior following the COVID-19 outbreak. Mild stress was also frequently observed, and it may be related to sleep disorders in this population. These important findings provide valuable insights for making recommendations, including lifestyle modifications to improve sleep quality.

Development of an automated optimal distance feature-based decision system for diagnosing knee osteoarthritis using segmented X-ray images

Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is a leading cause of disability and physical inactivity. It is a degenerative joint disease that affects the cartilage, cushions the bones, and protects them from rubbing against each other during motion. If not treated early, it may lead to knee replacement. In this regard, early diagnosis of KOA is necessary for better treatment. Nevertheless, manual KOA detection is time-consuming and error-prone for large data hubs. In contrast, an automated detection system aids the specialist in diagnosing KOA grades accurately and quickly. So, the main objective of this study is to create an automated decision system that can analyze KOA and classify the severity grades, utilizing the extracted features from segmented X-ray images. In this study, two different datasets were collected from the Mendeley and Kaggle database and combined to generate a large data hub containing five classes: Grade 0 (Healthy), Grade 1 (Doubtful), Grade 2 (Minimal), Grade 3 (Moderate), and Grade 4 (Severe). Several image processing techniques were employed to segment the region of interest (ROI). These included Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-Cam) to detect the ROI, cropping the ROI portion, applying histogram equalization (HE) to improve contrast, brightness, and image quality, and noise reduction (using Otsu thresholding, inverting the image, and morphological closing). Besides, the focus filtering method was utilized to eliminate unwanted images. Then, six feature sets (morphological, GLCM, statistical, texture, LBP, and proposed features) were generated from segmented ROIs. After evaluating the statistical significance of the features and selection methods, the optimal feature set (prominent six distance features) was selected, and five machine learning (ML) models were employed. Additionally, a decision-making strategy based on the six optimal features is proposed. The XGB model outperformed other models with a 99.46 % accuracy, using six distance features, and the proposed decision-making strategy was validated by testing 30 images.

Understanding mental health conditions and key coping strategies utilized during major lockdowns in the Caribbean based on Google trends searches

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted countries to implement extended Shelter in Place Orders (SIPOs) to restrict population movement and mitigate community spread. While these lockdown measures may be effective in containing the virus, they can substantially impact the population's well-being, potentially undermining their overall welfare. This study investigates whether major lockdowns implemented in the Caribbean produced differential changes in mental health among key English-Speaking Caribbean countries. More importantly, unlike past studies, we examine key coping strategies persons utilize during major lockdowns. Finally, this paper utilizes a novel near real-time high-frequency data source in Google Trends data analytics to assess mental health patterns and coping strategies among major Caribbean countries. Based on the results of difference-in-difference and event study models, we find positive and significant increases in searches for fear, depression, and suicide during key lockdown periods, which suggest negative mental health effects. Regarding coping strategies, searches for Zoom, learning, books, exercise, prayer, religion, and meditation increased, together with searches for addiction and marijuana. These results indicate the types of programs health administrators and policymakers can implement during lockdown periods to help local mental health communities, particularly among island communities.

Strategies for Strengthening the Resilience of Public Health Systems for Pandemics, Disasters, and Other Emergencies

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize strategies for strengthening public health system resilience for pandemics, disasters, and other emergencies using a scorecard approach.

METHODS

The United Nations Public Health System Resilience Scorecard (Scorecard) was applied across 5 workshops in Slovenia, Turkey, and the United States of America. The workshops focused on participants reviewing and discussing 23 questions/indicators. A Likert type scale was used for scoring with zero being the lowest and 5 the highest. The workshop scores were analyzed and discussed by participants to prioritize areas of need and develop resilience strategies. Data from all workshops were aggregated, analyzed, and interpreted to develop priorities representative of participating locations.

RESULTS

Eight themes emerged representing the need for better integration of public health and disaster management systems. These include: assessing community disease burden; embedding long-term recovery groups in emergency systems; exploring mental health care needs; examining ecosystem risks; evaluating reserve funds; identifying what crisis communication strategies worked well; providing non-medical services; and reviewing resilience of existing facilities, alternate care sites, and institutions.

CONCLUSIONS

The Scorecard is an effective tool for establishing baseline resilience and prioritizing actions. The strategies identified reflect areas in most need for investment to improve public health system resilience.

Comparison of Impressions of COVID-19 Vaccination and Influenza Vaccination in Japan by Analyzing Social Media Using Text Mining

The aim of this study was to compare impressions of COVID-19 vaccination and influenza vaccination in Japan by analyzing social media (Twitter®) using a text-mining method. We obtained 10,000 tweets using the keywords "corona vaccine" and "influenza vaccine" on 15 December 2022 and 19 February 2023. We then counted the number of times the words were used and listed frequency of these words by a text-mining method called KH Coder. We also investigated concepts in the data using groups of words that often appeared together or groups of documents that contained the same words using multi-dimensional scaling (MDS). "Death" in relation to corona vaccine and "severe disease" for influenza vaccine were frequently used on 15 December 2022. The number of times the word "death" was used decreased, "after effect" was newly recognized for corona vaccine, and "severe disease" was not used in relation to influenza vaccine. Through this comprehensive analysis of social media data, we observed distinct variations in public perceptions of corona vaccination and influenza vaccination in Japan. These findings provide valuable insights for public health authorities and policymakers to better understand public sentiment and tailor their communication strategies accordingly.

A multi-jurisdictional study on the quantification of COVID-19 household plastic waste in six Latin American countries

This study examines urban plastic waste generation using a citizen science approach in six Latin American countries during a global pandemic. The objectives are to quantify generation rates of masks, gloves, face shields, and plastic bags in urban households using online survey and perform a systematic cross-jurisdiction comparisons in these Latin American countries. The per capita total mask generation rates ranged from 0.179 to 0.915 mask cap-1 day-1. A negative correlation between the use of gloves and masks is observed. Using the average values, the approximate proportion of masks, gloves, shields, and single-use plastic bags was 34:5:1:84. We found that most studies overestimated face mask disposal rate in Latin America due to the simplifying assumptions on the number of masks discarded per person, masking prevalence rate, and average mask weight. Unlike other studies, end-of-life PPE quantities were directly counted and reported by the survey participants. Both of the conventional weight-based estimates and the proposed participatory survey are recommended in quantifying COVID waste. Participant' perception based on the Likert scale is generally consistent with the waste amount generated. Waste policy and regulation appear to be important in daily waste generation rate. The results highlight the importance of using measured data in waste estimates.

Can the development of renewable energy in China compensate for the damage caused by environmental pollution to residents' health?

China's rapid economic growth in recent decades has caused a growing problem of environmental pollution, which negatively impacts the physical and mental health of residents. In recent years, renewable energy has emerged as a promising solution to alleviate environmental pollution and improve residents' well-being. However, it is unknown whether renewable energy development can counterbalance the health impacts of environmental pollution. Therefore, we conducted a study using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to examine the impact of environmental pollution and renewable energy on the health of 20,694 residents. Our analysis showed that renewable energy development can partially offset the negative health effects of environmental pollution. Specifically, we found that a 1% increase in environmental pollution is linked to an average decrease of 0.0911% in physical health (PHY) and 0.0566% in mental health (MEN), whereas each 1% rise in renewable energy corresponds to an average increase of 0.2585% in PHY and 0.1847% in MEN. These positive effects apply to male and female residents, urban and rural residents, young and middle-aged adults, and people with low, medium, and high levels of education. These findings are significant for decision-makers striving to improve Chinese residents' physical and mental health by considering the specific impact of renewable energy and comprehensive environmental pollution.

Making things work-In spite of a pandemic small scale enterprise managers' approach to business changes and health issues

BACKGROUND

Covid-19 is one of the worst crises in modern working life with a direct negative impact on many enterprises and organizations. The aim of this study is to explore what managers in Small Scale Enterprises (SSEs) changed in their business during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly addressing health issues.

METHODS

A longitudinal qualitative research methodology was used, interviewing 16 managers of SSEs in the Norwegian and Swedish manufacturing and service sector both before (round 1) and during the pandemic (round 2). In this approach, time is designed into the research process, making change a key focus for analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis resulted in two main themes, resilience and demanding occupational health and safety conditions, and five sub-themes. Results show how managers in SSEs changed their business during the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of these changes. Although, the enterprises were heavily affected in the beginning of the pandemic, several managers found new solutions for their businesses to maintain and reach new customers. They applied a socially responsible management which addressed different health issues.

CONCLUSION

Crises like the Covid-19 pandemic will have future impact on SSEs making it important to understand how managers in such enterprises address business and health issues. This knowledge may have practical implications for supporting managers in SSEs in how to perform a socially responsible management and maintain occupational health and safety measures. The managerial implications from this research are that they need to be flexible, reorientable and, at the same time, be loyal to the core business. This study shows the importance of doing longitudinal studies about business and health issues among mangers in SSEs.

Implementation of the Admission Process of Patients Under the Public Crisis Situation of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Real-World Case Study

Purpose

To clarify the implementation of the admission process under the public crisis of COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A real-world study was conducted to collect data on the normal and public crisis situations at a tertiary hospital in China and understand the views of 18 head nurses on the necessity of the admission process in public crisis situations. Independent t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze the work data in two situations; Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation of work data with two situations of process implementation, and differences between the head nurses' views of necessity of the admission process and actual implementation under public crisis situations were analyzed.

Results

Significant differences were observed in the working data between the normal and public crisis situations (P < 0.05), and the implementation of the admission process was not in place. The number of nurses on duty was positively correlated with each item of admission process (P < 0.05), the rest of work data were negatively correlated with each item in the admission process (P < 0.05), and there was a significant difference between the necessity of each item in the admission process and the actual implementation results (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Public crisis leads to the lack of implementation of admission process, and the original admission process and quality control standards are not applicable during the public crisis situation.

Evaluation of the impact of leadership development on nurses and midwives underpinned by transformational learning theory: a corpus-informed analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of leadership development programmes, underpinned by Transformational Learning Theory (TLT).

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A corpus-informed analysis was conducted using survey data from 690 participants. Data were collected from participants' responses to the question "please tell us about the impact of your overall experience", which culminated in a combined corpus of 75,053 words.

FINDINGS

Findings identified patterns of language clustered around the following frequently used word types, namely, confidence; influence; self-awareness; insight; and impact.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

This in-depth qualitative evaluation of participants' feedback has provided insight into how TLT can be applied to develop future health-care leaders. The extent to which learning has had a transformational impact at the individual level, in relation to their perceived ability to influence, holds promise for the wider impact of this group in relation to policy, practice and the promotion of clinical excellence in the future. However, the latter can only be ascertained by undertaking further realist evaluation and longitudinal study to understand the mechanisms by which transformational learning occurs and is successfully translated to influence in practice.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Previous research has expounded traditional leadership theories to guide the practice of health-care leadership development. The paper goes some way to demonstrate the impact of using the principles of TLT within health-care leadership development programmes. The approach taken by The Florence Nightingale Foundation has the potential to generate confident leaders who may be instrumental in creating positive changes across various clinical environments.

Hospital challenges and managerial approaches to combat COVID-19 outbreak: a qualitative study in southeastern Iran

BACKGROUND

During the covid-19 pandemic, hospitals have faced several challenges, so they need to identify and address effective management strategies to cope with these challenges that enhance their current knowledge to deal with similar challenges in the future. This study aimed to identify managerial strategies for dealing with Covid-19 pandemic challenges at a hospital in southeastern Iran.

METHODS

This qualitative content analysis study used purposive sampling to select eight managers, three nurses, and one worker from Shahid Bahonar Hospital. In this study, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and Lundman and Graneheim's approach was used to analyze them.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty codes remained after constant comparison, compression, and merging. The results demonstrated one theme "Managerial reengineering in the healthcare system during the Covid-19 crisis", two main categories, seven subcategories and, 19 sub- subcategories. The first main category was "The difficulty of managing challenges," including "Insufficient resources and physical space", "Socio-organizational challenges" and, "Incompetence and unpreparedness of managers." The second main category was "Reforming the management duties." This category included "Planning and decision-making," "Organization," "Leadership and motivation," and "Monitoring and control."

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitals and managers were less prepared to cope with the Covid-19 crisis challenges due to health system organizations' less attention to biological crises. Healthcare organizations can carefully evaluate these challenges, and the strategies managers adopt to deal with these problems. They also can identify the strategies' strengths and weaknesses and propose more effective strategies. As a result, healthcare organizations will be better prepared for similar crises.

Sustainability-oriented innovation system and economic stability of the innovative countries

Novelcoronavirus-19 has created a challenging situation for developed as well as developing countries to sustain economic stability. There are a lot of controversies for policymakers to formulate an effective policy for reviving economic stability and minimizing the economic effects of this pandemic. The present study focuses on the internal mechanism of the Sustainability Oriented Innovation System and its subsequent effects on economic stability in most innovative economies. For empirical analysis of the most innovative countries (12 countries) high-income, middle-income, low-income, and lower-middle-income countries are selected. The Sustainability Oriented Innovation System is represented through the innovation input index and innovation output index. Economic stability is measured through the GDP growth rate of respective countries. A set of panel data was developed for the period of 11 years and Fixed Effect Methods were used to ascertain the empirical findings. The outcomes indicate that innovation is the main force of economic stability. The study's results are important to policymakers to promote, stimulate and support economic stability through their strategies. Future studies may focus on the effects of the Sustainability Oriented Innovation System on economic stability in regional blocks like the EU, ASEAN, and G-20 countries.

African agri-entrepreneurship in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The African continent is known for high entrepreneurial activity, especially in the agricultural sector. Despite this, the continent's economic development is below expectations, due to numerous factors constraining the growth and sustainability of agricultural SMEs. These constraints have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand the pathways through which the pandemic affected agri-SMEs, with specific focus on assessing the differentiated effects arising from the size of the agri-SME and the gender of the owner-manager.

Methods

Data was collected from over 100 agri-SMEs, ranging in size from sole proprietorships with one employee to agri-SMEs employing up to 100 people, in six African countries. Mixed methods were used to analyse the data with changes in business operations arising from changing market access, regimented health and safety guidelines and constrained labour supply assessed using visualisations and descriptive statistics. Logistic regression modelling was employed to determine the set of variables contributing to agri-SME business downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

All surveyed agri-SMEs were negatively affected by COVID-19-associated restrictions with the size of the firm and gender of the owner-managers resulting in differentiated impacts. The smallest agri-SMEs, mainly owner-managed by women, were more likely to experience disruptions in marketing their goods and maintaining their labour supply. Larger agri-SMEs made changes to their business operations to comply with government guidelines during the pandemic and made investments to manage their labour supply, thus sustaining their business operations. In addition, logistic regression modelling results show that financing prior to the pandemic, engaging in primary agricultural production, and being further from urban centres significantly influenced the likelihood of a firm incurring business losses.

Conclusions

These findings necessitate engendered multi-faceted agri-SME support packages that are tailored for smaller-sized agri-SMEs. Any such support package should include support for agri-SMEs to develop sustainable marketing strategies and help them secure flexible financing that considers payment deferrals and debt moratorium during bona fide market shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19: Financial Stress and Well-Being in Families

In all areas of knowledge, research has shown the devastating effects of COVID-19, and the impact on families' financial stress and well-being is one of them. Crises are predictors of families' financial stress as they produce changes in their income and negative feelings, such as fear and demotivation, which affect well-being. This study analyses the financial and social impact of COVID-19 on families, supported by the ABCE-WB model, with data collection being the result of snowball sampling. The results obtained allow the conclusion that the current pandemic crisis has caused financial stress in families, to a greater or lesser degree, and caused feelings of fear and demotivation as consequences of the general lockdown. The empirical evidence also shows that these effects are positively associated with the perception of their level of well-being. The contribution of the study lies in corroborating the model used. Final considerations are presented together with the limitations and suggestions for future research.

The spillover effect of green finance development on rural revitalization: an empirical analysis based on China's provincial panel data

With the overall victory of poverty alleviation in China, the focus of rural work has been transformed into rural revitalization. Therefore, based on the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China spanning 2011 to 2019, this research used the entropy-TOPSIS method to calculate the weights of each index of the two rural revitalization and green finance systems. This research also constructs the spatial Dubin model to empirically analyze the direct effects and spatial spillover effects of green finance development on the level of rural revitalization. Additionally, this research calculates the weight of each indicator of rural revitalization and green finance using entropy-weighted TOPSIS. This research reveals that the current state of green finance is not conducive to increasing local rural revitalization and does not significantly affect all provinces. Further, the number of human resources can improve the local level of rural revitalization, not the entire province. These dynamics benefit the growth of local rural revitalization in the surrounding areas if employment and technology levels are developed domestically. Moreover, this research reveals that education level and air quality have a spatial crowding effect on rural revitalization. Thus, when developing rural revitalization and development policies, it is vital to prioritize the high-quality development of finance to be closely monitored by local governments at the respective levels. Furthermore, the stakeholders must pay critical attention to the connection between supply and demand and between financial institutions and agricultural enterprises in the provinces. Again, the policymakers must also increase policy preference, deepen regional economic cooperation, and improve the supply of essential rural elements to play a more significant role in green finance and support rural revitalization.

Ecological footprint in a global perspective: the role of domestic investment, FDI, democracy and institutional quality

Purpose

The continuous increase in the negative gap between biocapacity and ecological footprint has remained globally persistent since early 1970. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of foreign capital, domestic capital formation, institutional quality and democracy on ecological footprint within a global panel of 101 countries from 1995 to 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical procedure is based on data mix. To this end, this study uses a battery of testing and estimation approaches both conventional (no cross-sectional dependence [CD]) and novel approaches (accounting for CD). Among the battery of estimation techniques used, there are the dynamic ordinary least square, the mean group, the common correlation effect mean group technique, the augmented mean group technique, the Pooled mean group and the dynamic common correlation effect technique with the desire to obtain outcomes robust to heteroskedasticity, endogeneity, cross-correlation and CD among others.

Findings

The estimated outcomes indicate that using different estimators’ domestic capital formation consistently degrades the environment through an increase in ecological footprint, while institutional quality consistently enhances the quality of the environment. Further, the outcome reveals that, though foreign capital inflow degrades the environment, the time period is essential, as it shows a short-run environmental improvement and a long-run environmental degradation. Democratic activities show a mixed outcome with short-run degrading effect and a long-run enhancement effect on environmental quality.

Practical implications

Green investment should be the policy target of all economies, and these policies should be adopted to target both domestic capital and foreign capital alike. Second, the adoption of democratic practices will produce good leaders that will not just design short-term policies to blindfold the populace temporary but those that will produce long-term-oriented practices that will better and enhance the quality of the environment through the reduction of the global footprint. Equally, enhancing the institutional framework like respect for the rule of law in matters of abatement should be encouraged.

Originality/value

Although much research on the role of macroeconomic indicators on environmental quality has been done this far, democratic practices, intuitional quality and domestic capital have been given little attention. This research fills this gap by considering robust empirical techniques.

Life Satisfaction among Self-Employed People in Different Welfare Regimes during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Significance of Household Finances and Concerns about Work

Most studies have shown that self-employed people have higher levels of life satisfaction than employed people due to high levels of job satisfaction, work flexibility, and job control. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many self-employed people experienced economic strain and worried about the situation of their employees and survival of the company. The aim of this study was to examine the level of life satisfaction among self-employed people during the COVID-19 pandemic in different welfare regimes. Analyses were mainly based on Eurofound's "Living, Working and COVID-19" online survey. Fieldwork took place between April and June 2020 in 27 EU countries. The results showed that there was a significantly lower level of life satisfaction among self-employed people than employed people during the pandemic. This was in contrast to analyses from approximately one year before the pandemic, which showed that life satisfaction was higher among self-employed people. The main reasons for this lower level of life satisfaction among the self-employed during the pandemic were worse household financial situation and more worries about their job. Analyses of life satisfaction among the self-employed in different welfare regimes indicated that self-employed people in the Nordic welfare state regime largely kept their relatively high level of life satisfaction during the pandemic, but this was not the case for self-employed people in other welfare regimes.

Teachers’ post-pandemic outlook on the role of Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge in coping with burnout under adverse conditions: How a job demand transformed into a job resource

Introduction

The sudden change of instructional mode from face-to-face to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic forced teachers to develop their ICT skills and knowledge to cope with newly imposed job pressures. The imbalance between job demands and resources in this context led to teachers’ severe burnout. This retrospective study utilized a mixed methods approach to examine teachers’ coping mechanisms, Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and job burnout amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Data were gathered from 307 teachers on their experience of emergency remote teaching (ERT) at the time they returned to school in the Spring of 2022. Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the mediating role of TPACK in the relationship between coping strategies and burnout.

Results

The results revealed direct effects in the pathways of avoidant, active positive, and evasive coping to burnout highlighting the role of avoidant strategies in harming teachers’ well-being and problem-focused strategies in promoting teachers’ mental health. Also, indirect effects of active positive coping to burnout through TPACK, as a constructive approach to fighting back the crisis, were verified. Further, the direct effect of TPACK on burnout as a hindrance was significant, showing that higher levels of TPACK guaranteed lower job burnout and emotional drain. Analyzing interviews with 31 teachers revealed that TPACK functioned as a stressor at the outset of the pandemic and a resource for overcoming the strain and resolving the challenges in the midst of the crisis till schools reopened.

Discussion

The findings underscore the significant role of teachers’ updated knowledge base in reducing their job pressure and taking proper decisions to cope well with unforeseen circumstances. The study has practical implications for policymakers, teacher educators, and school administrators to pay immediate attention to collective wisdom, organizational support, and technological infrastructures for improving teachers’ well-being and professional success.

Psychosocial safety climate and self-efficacy: Moderating role of job-related expectations in Pakistani private-sector employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

The labor force in Pakistan comprises 59.8 million individuals. The employees have faced major changes in work dynamics and psychosocial safety climate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the current study is to find the relationship between psychosocial safety climate, self-efficacy, and job-related expectations. It explores the moderating role of job-related expectations on the relationship between psychosocial safety climate and self-efficacy. It was hypothesized that there is likely to be a significant relationship between psychosocial safety climate, self-efficacy, and job-related expectations, job-related expectations are likely to moderate the relationship between psychosocial safety climate and self-efficacy, and there are likely to be differences between married and unmarried employees; men and women; satisfied and unsatisfied employees with respect to psychosocial safety, self-efficacy, and job-related expectations. A correlational research design and a convenience sampling strategy were used. A total of 281 employees (M = 30.74 years, SD = 10.99) of the private-sector (including educational, industrial, and IT) organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic were part of the study. Results show that psychosocial safety climate had a positive significant relationship with job-related expectations and self-efficacy. Job expectations also significantly correlated with self-efficacy. There were significant differences in measures of study variables with respect to gender, marital status, and employee satisfaction. This research has implications for administration, managers, policymakers, and organizational psychologists.

Re-examining the tourism-led growth nexus and the role of information and communication technology in East Asia and the Pacific

This study revisits the tourism-led growth discourse and differs from the existing literature to examine if information and communications technology (ICT) moderates the relationship between tourism and economic growth in East Asia and the Pacific. Using data on 33 selected countries, the study deploys the Driscoll and Kraay (1998) [1] panel spatial correlation consistent (PSCC) approach, Machado and Santos Silva (2019) [2] method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) and Arellano and Bond (1991) [3] generalized method of moments (GMM) technique. Using a composite ICT index on four indicators ((mobile phones, fixed telephones, fixed broadband, and secured internet servers) derived from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the results which are mostly consistent across the three estimation methods reveal, among others, that (1) ICT moderates the tourism-growth path and the effect is positive and statistically significant; (2) the moderation effect is consistently positive across all quantiles of Q_0.25, Q_0.50 and Q_0.75; (3) the results are sustained when omitted variables (growth enablers) - institutions, R&D, and human capital - are accounted for. Policy recommendations are discussed.

The impact of COVID-19 on firm risk and performance in MENA countries: Does national governance quality matter?

This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on firm risk and performance in different country-level governance qualities in the MENA region. Analyzing a sample of 739 non-financial listed firms in 12 MENA countries for the period 2011-2020, we found that the COVID-19 crisis negatively impacted the performance of firms, especially low-performance firms, in most industries, and increased firm risk in general. Moreover, we found that national governance quality plays an important role in mitigating the negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis on firm operations. Specifically, national governance quality reduces the negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis on firm performance and the positive impact of the crisis on firm risk. The results are consistent with our contention that national governance quality contributes to creating a positive environment for businesses activities and reducing economic shocks.

Impact of epidemic outbreaks (COVID-19) on global supply chains: A case of trade between Turkey and China

COVID-19 has negative impacts on supply chain operations between countries. The novelty of the study is to evaluate the sectoral effects of COVID-19 on global supply chains in the example of Turkey and China, considering detailed parameters, thanks to the developed System Dynamics (SD) model. During COVID-19 spread, most of the countries decided long period of lockdowns which impacted the production and supply chains. This had also caused decrease in capacity utilizations and industrial productions in many countries which resulted with imbalance of maritime trade between countries that increased the freight costs. In this study, cause and effect relations of trade parameters, supply chain parameters, demographic data and logistics data on disruptions of global supply chains have been depicted for specifically Turkey and China since China is the biggest importer of Turkey. Due to this disruption, mainly exports from Turkey to China has been impacted in food, chemical and mining sectors. This study is helpful to plan in which sectors; the actions should be taken by the government bodies or managers. Based on findings of this study, new policies such as onshore activities should consider to overcome the logistics and supply chain disruptions in global supply chains. This study has been presented beneficial implications for the government, policymakers and academia.

Factors influencing entrepreneurial intention of university students in Yemen: The mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy

While entrepreneurship is believed to play a crucial role in economic growth and job creation in various parts of the world, particularly in developed countries, the key factors enhancing entrepreneurship behavior and intention in developing countries still need to be discovered. Therefore, this study examines the influence of personality traits and environmental and situational factors on the development of entrepreneurial intention among young students in Yemen. Data were collected through a survey responded to by 487 final-year university students from two universities (public and private) in Yemen. The study's hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study reveals that personality traits of the need for achievement (nAch) and locus of control (LoC) positively correlate with entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and entrepreneurial intention. Instrumental readiness positively correlates with ESE but not with entrepreneurial intent. The situational factors show a positive association with entrepreneurial intention but not ESE and a positive relationship between ESE and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the study's findings show that ESE partially mediates the relationship between the nAch, LoC, instrumental readiness, and entrepreneurial intention. However, ESE did not mediate the relationship between situational factors and entrepreneurial intention. The study suggests that situational factors can influence entrepreneurial intention among Yemeni students and provide several recommendations to academicians and policymakers.

Global law, policy, and governance for effective prevention and control of COVID-19: A comparative analysis of the law and policy of Pakistan, China, and Russia

Global health governance is a developing system in this complex institutional regime. The local and regional health policies sometimes challenge global health governance due to diverse discourse in various countries. In the wake of COVID-19, global health governance was reaffirmed as indifferent modules to control and eliminate the pandemic; however, the global agencies later dissected their own opinion and said that "countries must learn to live with a pandemic." Given the controversial statement, this research focuses on the strong and effective policies of the Russian Federation, Pakistan, and China. The research uses the law and governance results and newly developed policies of the three countries formed under the global health policies. The conclusion is based on the statement that in order to live with the pandemic, strong health measures are required at each level.

Community Safety Behavior in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to explore the behavior and lifestyle of individuals in response to the coronavirus that the safety behavior of people in the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. Hence, the study integrates the theory of planned behavior and the health belief model to understand the behavioral change in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The current study is qualitative therefore, a survey-based online questionnaire was used for data collection from university students and staff (faculty and nonfaculty) residing in top-tier cities of Pakistan, nonprobability convenient sampling was used to approach the audience. A two-stage approach was used to test the model using partial least square (variance-based structural equation modeling). The reliability and validity of the measurement model indicate that the data is reliable and valid. Outcomes prove all the relationships as proposed by the study, except for the impact of perceived barriers on intention and individual safety behavior. Perceived barriers act as obstacles that abstain individuals from following the standard operating procedures. The research agenda provides new insights into the fields of marketing, health care, consumer behavior, and behavioral studies. It contributes to the existing literature in the field of social marketing by studying the behavior and changes in the behavior of people in the global pandemic.

Comparison of online and in-person cognitive behavioral therapy in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder: a non-randomized controlled trial

Objective

The increased prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) amid the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial growth in online mental health care delivery. Compared to its in-person counterpart, online cognitive behavioral therapy (e-CBT) is a time-flexible and cost-effective method of improving MDD symptoms. However, how its efficacy compares to in-person CBT is yet to be explored. Therefore, the current study compared the efficacy of a therapist-supported, electronically delivered e-CBT program to in-person therapy in individuals diagnosed with MDD.

Methods

Participants (n = 108) diagnosed with MDD selected either a 12 week in-person CBT or an asynchronous therapist-supported e-CBT program. E-CBT participants (n = 55) completed weekly interactive online modules delivered through a secure cloud-based online platform (Online Psychotherapy Tool; OPTT). These modules were followed by homework in which participants received personalized feedback from a trained therapist. Participants in the in-person CBT group (n = 53) discussed sessions and homework with their therapists during one-hour weekly meetings. Program efficacy was evaluated using clinically validated symptomatology and quality of life questionnaires.

Results

Both treatments yielded significant improvements in depressive symptoms and quality of life from baseline to post-treatment. Participants who opted for in-person therapy presented significantly higher baseline symptomatology scores than the e-CBT group. However, both treatments demonstrated comparable significant improvements in depressive symptoms and quality of life from baseline to post-treatment. e-CBT seems to afford higher participant compliance as dropouts in the e-CBT group completed more sessions on average than those in the in-person CBT group.

Conclusion

The findings support e-CBT with therapist guidance as a suitable option to treat MDD. Future studies should investigate how treatment accessibility is related to program completion rates in the e-CBT vs. in-person group.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.Gov Protocol Registration and Results System (NCT04478058); clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04478058.

COVID-19 and sustainable development goals: A bibliometric analysis and SWOT analysis in Malaysian context

The COVID-19 crisis has been a core threat to the lives of billions of individuals over the world. The COVID-19 crisis has influenced governments' aims to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); leading to exceptional conditions of fragility, poverty, job loss, and hunger all over the world. This study aims to investigate the current studies that concentrate on the COVID-19 crisis and its implications on SDGs using a bibliometric analysis approach. The study also deployed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) approach to perform a systematic analysis of the SDGs, with an emphasis on the COVID-19 crisis impact on Malaysia. The results of the study indicated the unprecedented obstacles faced by countries to meet the UN's SDGs in terms of implementation, coordination, trade-off decisions, and regional issues. The study also stressed the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of the SDGs focusing on the income, education, and health aspects. The outcomes highlighted the emerging opportunities of the crisis that include an improvement in the health sector, the adoption of online modes in education, the swift digital transformation, and the global focus on environmental issues. Our study demonstrated that, in the post-crisis time, the ratio of citizens in poverty could grow up more than the current national stated values. We stressed the need to design an international agreement to reconsider the implementation of SDGs, among which, are strategic schemes to identify vital and appropriate policies.

Influence of conspiracy theories and distrust of community health volunteers on adherence to COVID-19 guidelines and vaccine uptake in Kenya

Public trust is key for compliance to government protocols in times of health mitigating COVID-19 measures and its vaccination initiative, and thus understanding factors related to community health volunteers (CHVs) trusting the government and conspiracy theories is vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of universal health coverage in Kenya will benefit from the trust between the CHVs and the government through increased access and demand for health services. This cross-sectional study collected data between 25 May to 27 June 2021 and it involved CHVs sampled from four counties in Kenya. The sampling unit involved the database of all registered CHVs in the four counties, who had participated in the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy study in Kenya. Mombasa and Nairobi (represented cosmopolitan urban counties). Kajiado represented a pastoralist rural county, while Trans-Nzoia represented an agrarian rural county. Probit regression model was the main analytical method which was performed using R script language version 4.1.2. COVID-19 conspiracy theories weakened generalised trust in government (adjOR = 0.487, 99% CI: 0.336-0.703). Banking on COVID-19 related trust in vaccination initiatives (adjOR = 3.569, 99% CI: 1.657-8.160), use of police enforcement (adjOR = 1.723, 99% CI: 1.264-2.354) and perceived risk of COVID-19 (adjOR = 2.890,95% CI: 1.188-7.052) strengthened generalised trust in government. Targeted vaccination education and communication health promotion campaigns should fully involve CHVs. Strategies to counter COVID-19 conspiracy theories will promote adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures and increase vaccine uptake.

Moderation analysis of exchange rate, tourism and economic growth in Asia

This study brings novelty to the tourism literature by re-examining the role of exchange rate in the tourism-growth nexus. It differs from previous tourism-led growth narrative to probe whether tourism exerts a positive effect on economic growth when the exchange rate is accounted for. Using a moderation modelling framework, instrumental variables general method of moments (IV-GMM) and quantile regression techniques in addition to real per capita GDP, tourism receipts and exchange rate, the study engages data on 44 Asian countries from 2010 to 2019. Results from the IV-GMM show that: (1) tourism exerts a positive effect on growth; (2) exchange rate depreciation hampers growth; (3) the interaction effect is positive but statistically not significant; and (4) results from EAP and SA samples are mixed. For the most part, constructive evidence from the quantile regression techniques reveals that the impact of tourism and exchange is significant at lower quantiles of 0.25 and 0.50 while the interaction effect is negative and statistically significant only for the SA sample. These are new contributions to the literature and policy recommendations are discussed.

Understanding of environmental pollution and its anthropogenic impacts on biological resources during the COVID-19 period

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a significant health emergency to adverse impact on environment, and human society. The COVID-19 post-pandemic not only affects human beings but also creates pollution crisis in environment. The post-pandemic situation has shown a drastic change in nature due to biomedical waste load and other components. The inadequate segregation of untreated healthcare wastes, chemical disinfectants, and single-use plastics leads to contamination of the water, air, and agricultural fields. These materials allow the growth of disease-causing agents and transmission. Particularly, the COVID-19 outbreak has posed a severe environmental and health concern in many developing countries for infectious waste. In 2030, plastic enhances a transboundary menace to natural ecological communities and public health. This review provides a complete overview of the COVID-19 pandemic on environmental pollution and its anthropogenic impacts to public health and natural ecosystem considering short- and long-term scenarios. The review thoroughly assesses the impacts on ecosystem in the terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric realms. The information from this evaluation can be utilized to assess the short-term and long-term solutions for minimizing any unfavorable effects. Especially, this topic focuses on the excessive use of plastics and their products, subsequently with the involvement of the scientific community, and policymakers will develop the proper management plan for the upcoming generation. This article also provides crucial research gap knowledge to boost national disaster preparedness in future perspectives.

The role of spiritual mindset and gender in small business entrepreneurial success

Introduction

Spirituality can be understood as a capital based on individual capabilities created by the application of intrinsic spiritual values, in order to use and develop human potential. The literature points out that spiritual capital increasingly influences and motivates entrepreneurs.

Methods

In this paper, we investigate whether spirituality has a mediating role between psychological resilience, optimism and entrepreneurial success, and verify the gender differences. Our hypotheses are quantitatively tested on a sample of 233 micro and small Portuguese business owners during the pandemic crisis.

Results

The main findings highlight that, while optimism and psychological resilience present a positive and significant relationship with entrepreneurial success in both genders, spirituality only impacts female entrepreneurial success.

Discussion

Our study theoretically and empirically shows that the psychological resources and spirituality can be incorporated into new or existing programs designed to provide entrepreneurs with information on coping skills and how to engage in positive reorientation and reappraisal. In so doing, it improves the knowledge of the importance of psychological resources for the micro and small business' recoverability during the pandemic, which is deeply rooted in the entrepreneurial ability to excel during adversity.

The moderating role of informatization between country risks and international tourism: A cross-country panel analysis

Informatization plays an increasingly important role in the tourism industry, while its effectiveness in alleviating tourism risks remains to be verified. This research aims to explore the effects of country risks on the international tourism and the moderating role of informatization between the two. This study firstly measures country risks based on the ICRG database, quantifies international tourism by tourism revenue, tourism expenditure, and tourist arrival, and calculates informatization level from informatization facilities, informatization applications, and informatization skills. A dynamic SYS-GMM model is then adopted to verify the research hypotheses based on the panel data of 138 countries from 2000 to 2019. The research results show that the composite country risk, political risk, economic risk, and financial risk all show a negative impact on the international tourism indicators regardless of different time periods, regions, or income levels. However, the effects are more obvious before the global financial crisis in 2008 and regions and countries with lower income levels. In addition, informatization is found to positively mitigate the adverse impacts of country risks on international tourism, especially for economic and financial risks. The research findings indicate the risk hedge potential of informatization in the tourism industry, which provides a profound reference for destination risk management.

Study of solid waste (municipal and medical) management during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review study

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global emergency crisis and created waste management challenges worldwide. Such a critical point has changed solid waste (municipal and medical) management prospects and posed fact challenges to the health decision-makers and policy-makers to make decisions to ensure sustainable management of the environment. One of the most negative prospects of COVID-19 pandemic is the increased waste generation, especially plastic waste in developing and developed countries. This study systematically reviews the potential influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical and municipal waste, and discusses the corresponding measures and policies of solid waste management in several countries. The results show that the highest and lowest quality of final disposal is observed in Finland with 75% recycling and in India with 90% open dumping, respectively. In many countries, the medical waste showed an increase by 350-500%.The pandemic has brought particular problems to the disposal capacity of municipal waste and medical waste across the world. We think that this point of view study provides valuable data for scientists, policy makers, health decision-makers, consultants, medical staff, medical supplies, those working in public health sector, and field engineers responsible for solid waste management.

Analysis of COVID-19 waste management in Vietnam and recommendations to adapt to the 'new normal' period

Amid the 4th wave of COVID-19, Vietnam reopened its economy, which placed extra burdens on the COVID-19 waste management system. This study analyzed existing issues and recommended adaptations to secure appropriate management of COVID-19 waste under the 'new normal' pandemic period. Results showed changes in COVID-19 waste characteristics (e.g., rapid rise in waste generation, lower percentage of plastic) and multiple other issues (e.g., presence of COVID-19 waste in municipal waste, lack of temporary storage sites and local treatment capacity), along with greater waste-handling responsibilities placed on authorities and higher infection risks. To adapt to the 'new normal', introduction of separate handling routes and collaboration in waste treatment were recommended. Employing the network of pharmacies used for vaccination would require COVID-19 waste collection from scattered, small-scale sources as part of the waste management solution. Also, following the 4R initiatives (reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery) could help ease the burden on the country's waste system and provide additional opportunities to move towards a circular economy in the post-acute COVID-19 era. The findings should contribute to a safer co-existence with the virus through appropriate waste management in Vietnam and could be used to tackle waste problems in other developing countries.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10163-022-01563-x.

Are private equity and venture capital helping small and medium-sized enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from China

The rapid spread of COVID-19 worldwide since 2020 has, undeniably, negatively influenced the global economy and environment. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are among the worst-hit victims of COVID-19, particularly in developing countries. As primary channels financing SMEs, what roles have private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) played in this crisis? Using the 2010-2021 data of 4462 listed companies, we aimed to assess the impact of PE/VC on financial risk among Chinese SMEs. We constructed a capital structure selection model to assess the risk preference of PE/VC and explored the roles of PE/VC in the financial risk management of enterprises during COVID-19. Based on both theory and empirical evidence, PE/VC negatively impacts the financial risk of enterprises, implying that intervention by the management of PE/VC can aggravate the financial risk. However, in reality, PE/VC positively impacted enterprise financial risk during COVID-19. Thus, the government should implement some easing policies to stimulate access and investment policies of PE/VC as well as provide more practical policies to support investment institutions in China and other counties.

COVID-19 impacts on household solid waste generation in six Latin American countries: a participatory approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the Americas, the continent with the highest number of COVID-related deaths according to WHO statistics. In Latin America, strict confinement conditions at the beginning of the pandemic put recycling activity to a halt and augmented the consumption of plastic as a barrier to stop the spread of the virus. The lack of data to understand waste management dynamics complicates waste management strategy adjustments aimed at coping with COVID-19. As a novel contribution to the waste management data gap for Latin America, this study uses a virtual and participatory methodology that collects and generates information on household solid waste generation and composition. Data was collected between June and November 2021 in six countries in Latin America, with a total of 503 participants. Participants indicated that the pandemic motivated them to initiate or increase waste reduction (41%), waste separation (40%), and waste recovery (33%) activities. Forty-three percent of participants perceived an increase in total volume of their waste; however, the quantitative data showed a decrease in household waste generation in Peru (-31%), Honduras (-25%), and Venezuela (-82%). No changes in waste composition were observed. Despite the limited sample size, this data provides a much-needed approximation of household waste generation and composition in the pandemic situation during 2021.

Alterations in mental health and quality of life among healthcare workers in times of COVID-19: Four-stage cross-sectional study during first four pandemic waves in Poland

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many unexpected effects that have affected the mental health of healthcare workers. In response to the crisis, healthcare workers appear to be the most vulnerable to the psychological effects of the pandemic. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and healthcare workers' quality of life during the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and methods

The questionnaire was distributed in four stages corresponding to the different waves of the pandemic in Poland. The last stage of the study covered the period from November 1, 2021 to November 31, 2021 which coincided with the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Poland. The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Generalized Anxiety Disorderd-7 (GAD-7), and Manchester Brief Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) scales were used.

Results

A total of 1,243 respondents participated. A gradual increase in moderate and severe anxiety was observed as the pandemic continued, comparing waves I and IV of the pandemic. No statistically significant differences were observed in comparing the mean values of the BDI-II, GAD-7, and MANSA scales across waves. A decrease in fear due to the disease and neighbor's quarantine was found. Women, single people and those with a psychiatric history are more likely to be affected by the destructive impact of the pandemic.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affecting the mental health and quality of life of healthcare workers, but trend is not uniform. It is necessary to continue monitoring the mental health of medical workers, who are the most important link in the fight against the pandemic.