Promoting COVID-19 prevention strategies in student dormitory setting: A qualitative study

College leadership decisions and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: an elite interview study

OBJECTIVE

This study at a US Native American-serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI) deeply analyzed collegiate leadership's responses and experiences during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARTICIPANTS

Elite interviews were conducted between April and June 2021 with the college president, provost, dean of student engagement, human resources director, and chief of police. Interviewees were purposively selected due to their positions of authority.

METHODS

Each one-hour interview used a semi-structured guide for standardization and was conducted either virtually or in-person while following COVID-19 protocols. The general inductive method was used to identify nodes and categories within the transcripts.

RESULTS

Six nodes (conceptual domains) and 18 categories were identified. Though there was variability in interviewee emphasis, the respondents described the motivations, drivers, and sentiment behind their decision-making in a transparent way.

CONCLUSIONS

NASNTI leadership reported being able to navigate the pandemic by emphasizing transparency and engaging students, while working alongside the community.

The influence of COVID-19 pandemic on college students' academic performance and the construction of a learning ability warning system

Objective

This study explored the impact of prevention and control measures taken by Chinese universities on college students' academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

The sample includes 1,009 senior students, 1,140 junior and sophomore students, and 1,198 freshman students studying at a top university in China from 2012 to 2023.

Methods

Analysis of variance was used to analyze historical data, and a learning ability warning system based on probabilistic neural networks was further proposed.

Results

There was a significant difference in student academic performance from 2019 to 2022 compared to historical data. Prevention and control measures such as school closures and online teaching have affected the academic performance of college students.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has a negative impact on college students' learning ability. It is necessary to establish a learning ability warning system to assist university management departments in formulating relevant policies to restore the learning ability of college students.

Barriers to and facilitators of populational adherence to prevention and control measures of COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases: a qualitative evidence synthesis

AIMS

To summarise the evidence on barriers to and facilitators of population adherence to prevention and control measures for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other respiratory infectious diseases.

METHODS

A qualitative synthesis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care: Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. We performed an electronic search on MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO from their inception to March 2023.

RESULTS

We included 71 studies regarding COVID-19, pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza, pertussis and H1N1, representing 5966 participants. The measures reported were vaccinations, physical distancing, stay-at-home policy, quarantine, self-isolation, facemasks, hand hygiene, contact investigation, lockdown, infection prevention and control guidelines, and treatment. Tuberculosis-related measures were access to care, diagnosis and treatment completion. Analysis of the included studies yielded 37 barriers and 23 facilitators.

CONCLUSIONS

This review suggests that financial and social support, assertive communication, trust in political authorities and greater regulation of social media enhance adherence to prevention and control measures for COVID-19 and infectious respiratory diseases. Designing and implementing effective educational public health interventions targeting the findings of barriers and facilitators highlighted in this review are key to reducing the impact of infectious respiratory diseases at the population level.

Perceptions about COVID-19 preventive measures among Ghanaian women

Though the advent of COVID-19 vaccines has significantly reduced severe morbidity and mortality, infection rates continue to rise. Therefore, adhering to COVID-19 preventive measures remains essential in the fight against the pandemic, particularly in Africa, where vaccination rates remain low. However, the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 and public education and awareness campaigns has waned over time. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is consistently high among women globally. This study, therefore, assessed the facilitators, and barriers to adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among Ghanaian women. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews were conducted with women in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim into English. The data were analysed using NVivo 10 software. While some participants found the use of face masks as the easiest, others found it as the most difficult. In addition, institutional and policy decisions such as access to water and the use of public transport impacted individual level adherence to preventive measures. In conclusion, the fight against COVID-19 is not over; hence public education and the provision of facilities that would enhance compliance with preventive measures should continue to be prioritised.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice towards Occupational Health and Safety among Nursing Students in Gaza Strip, Palestine

Background

Health and safety in the workplace are critical components in healthcare institutions. Unsafe working conditions are among the causes of poor quality of care and burnout. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of occupational health and safety among nursing students at Al-Israa University.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a structured online questionnaire was distributed from March to May 2021. Of the 350 eligible students, 219 students answered the questionnaire (Response rate=62.6). Data were analyzed using the statistical software IBM-SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistic, Independentsamples T-Test, and ANOVA tests were used.

Results

The majority of participants were female (81.7%) and studying in a diploma program. 21% of nursing students have experienced a needle stick injury. The mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practice were (M±SD:78.2% ±12.9, M±SD:80.6% ±7.1, and M±SD:81.2% ±7.6) respectively. In terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practice the mean scores were statistically significant between nursing students who attended a safety precautions course and those who didn not (P-value <.05). In terms of attitudes, the mean scores were statistically significant between diploma and bachelor students (P-value =.026). In terms of practice, the means scores were statistically significant between males and females (Pvalue =.017), nursing students who had experience with needle sticks and those who didn't (P-value =.015).

Conclusions

The authors recommend that clinical training departments and universities continue to offer occupational health and safety courses and training for health science students. Since the training had a positive impact on the students' practices.