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Kim KE. Ten Takeaways from the COVID-19 Pandemic for Transportation Planners. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 2023; 2677:517-530. [PMID: 37153166 PMCID: PMC10149348 DOI: 10.1177/03611981221090515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges but also unprecedented opportunities for transportation researchers and practitioners. In this article, the major lessons and gaps in knowledge for those working in the transportation sector are identified, including the following: (1) integration between public health and transportation; (2) technology to support contact tracing and tracking of travelers; (3) focus on vulnerable, at-risk operators, patrons, and underserved members of society; (4) re-engineering of travel demand models to support social distancing, quarantine, and public health interventions; (5) challenges with Big Data and information technologies; (6) trust relationships between the general public, government, private sector, and others in disaster management; (7) conflict management during disasters; (8) complexities of transdisciplinary knowledge and engagement; (9) demands for training and education; and (10) transformative change to support community resilience. With a focus on transportation planning and community resilience, the lessons from the pandemic need to be shared and customized for different systems, services, modalities, and users. While many of the interventions during the pandemic have been based on public health, the management, response, recovery, adaptation, and transformation of transportation systems resulting from the crisis require multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional communications and coordination, and resource sharing. Further research to support knowledge to action is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl E. Kim
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- Karl E. Kim,
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Eby LT, Robertson MM, Facteau DB, Anker JG. Risky business: Understanding the association between objective
COVID
‐19 occupational risk features and worker subjective risk perceptions. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/joop.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lillian T. Eby
- Department of Psychology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | | | - David B. Facteau
- Department of Psychology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | - Jocelyn G. Anker
- Department of Psychology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
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Meltzer GY, Harris J, Hefner M, Lanternier P, Gershon RR, Vlahov D, Merdjanoff AA. Associations Between COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Socio-Spatial Factors in NYC Transit Workers 50 Years and Older. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2023; 96:76-90. [PMID: 35702009 PMCID: PMC9204133 DOI: 10.1177/00914150221106709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
This analysis investigates how age, race/ethnicity, and geographic location contributed to vaccine hesitancy in a sample of 645 New York City (NYC) Transport Workers Union (TWU), Local 100 members surveyed in August 2020. Union members ages 50+ were 46% less likely to be vaccine hesitant than their younger counterparts (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.42, 0.97). Non-Whites (OR 3.95; 95% 2.44, 6.39) and those who did not report their race (OR 3.10; 95% CI 1.87, 5.12) were significantly more likely to be vaccine hesitant than Whites. Those who were not concerned about contracting COVID-19 in the community had 1.83 greater odds (95% CI 1.12, 2.98) of being vaccine hesitant than those who were concerned. Older respondents tended to reside in Queens while vaccine hesitant and non-White respondents were clustered in Brooklyn. General trends observed in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy persist in a population of high risk, non-healthcare essential workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Y. Meltzer
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Harris
- College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Michelle Hefner
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Paula Lanternier
- College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Robyn R.M. Gershon
- Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Vlahov
- Yale University School of Nursing, Orange, CT, USA
| | - Alexis A. Merdjanoff
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Jimenez WP, Katz IM, Liguori EA. Fear and Trembling While Working in a Pandemic: an Exploratory Meta-Analysis of Workers' COVID-19 Distress. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SCIENCE 2022; 7:39-69. [PMID: 36465154 PMCID: PMC9702905 DOI: 10.1007/s41542-022-00131-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of workers and taken its toll on health and well-being. In line with recent calls for more inductive and abductive occupational health science research, we exploratorily meta-analyzed workers' COVID-19 distress, defined as psychological and psychosomatic strain contextualized to experiencing the virus and pandemic broadly. We identified many existing COVID-19 distress measures (e.g., Fear of COVID-19 Scale by Ahorsu et al., International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 2020; Coronavirus Anxiety Scale by Lee, Death Studies, 44(7), 393-401, 2020a) and correlates, including demographic variables (viz., gender, marital status, whether worker has children), positive well-being (e.g., quality of life, perceived social support, resilience), negative well-being (e.g., anxiety, depression, sleep problems), and work-related variables (e.g., job satisfaction, burnout, task performance). Additionally, we found preliminary evidence of subgroup differences by COVID-19 distress measure and country-level moderation moderators (viz., cultural values, pandemic-related government response) as well as COVID-19 distress's incremental validity over and above anxiety and depression. The findings-based on k = 135 independent samples totaling N = 61,470 workers-were abductively contextualized with existing theories and previous research. We also call for future research to address the grand challenge of working during the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately develop a cumulative occupational health psychology of pandemics. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41542-022-00131-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P. Jimenez
- Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Mills Godwin Building 250, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
| | - Ian M. Katz
- Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Mills Godwin Building 250, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
| | - Elissa A. Liguori
- Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Mills Godwin Building 250, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
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Gartland N, Coleman A, Fishwick D, Johnson S, Armitage CJ, van Tongeren M. Experiences, Perceptions of Risk, and Lasting Impacts of COVID-19 for Employees in the Public Transport Sector. Ann Work Expo Health 2022; 67:76-86. [PMID: 35567752 PMCID: PMC9129159 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Age-standardized mortality rates for taxi drivers, chauffeurs, bus and coach drivers show that public transport workers were at high risk at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the public transport sector was required to continue services throughout the pandemic. OBJECTIVES This paper aims to develop a better understanding of the experiences of organizational leaders and workers within the UK public transport sector (bus, rail, and tram). Specifically, it aims to explore the perceived balance of risk and mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, report on their perceptions of safety in public transport during the pandemic and in the future, and consider how these perceptions and changes impact on long-term worker health and wellbeing. METHODS This study formed part of a larger stakeholder engagement with the public transport sector. Organizational leaders and workers were recruited (n = 18) and semi-structured interviews carried out between January and May 2021. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS Overarching and subthemes were identified. Themes relating to perceptions and impacts of risk of COVID-19 for employees included: acceptability of risk for workers, perceptions of risk mitigation effectiveness, changes to working practices and their impact on morale and wellbeing, issues with compliance to mitigations such as social distancing and face coverings in passenger and co-worker groups alongside a lack of power to challenge behaviour effectively, and the roles of leadership and messaging. Themes related to long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 on working practices and effects on health and wellbeing included: continuing mitigations, impact of increasing passenger numbers, impact of vaccination programme, and impact of changes to business structure. CONCLUSIONS Most public transport employees reported feeling safe, related to the extent to which their role was public-facing. However, data were collected during a time of very low passenger numbers. Current mitigation measures were thought effective in reducing the risk of viral transmission, although measures may have a detrimental effect on worker morale and wellbeing. Issues relating to non-compliance with guidance and 'in-group' behaviour were identified. Impacts on wider business sustainability and individual wellbeing of staff should be considered when developing responses to any future pandemics. Recommendations are made for prioritizing employee engagement with colleagues, and the importance of strong leadership and clear messaging in promoting adherence to behavioural mitigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Gartland
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK,Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail:
| | - Anna Coleman
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - David Fishwick
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK,Centre for Workplace Health, Health and Safety Executive Science and Research Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK
| | - Sheena Johnson
- People, Management and Organisations Division, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Christopher J Armitage
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK,Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, Division of Psychology & Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK,NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, Manchester, UK,Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
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