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Steers MLN, Wickham RE, Ploykao T, Buchholz W, Tanygin AB, Ward RM. Should I stay (home) or should I go (party)? Examination of drinking as a mediator of the relationship between alcohol-related social media content and adherence to COVID-19 recommendations among college students. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024. [PMID: 39269311 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic impacted young people's drinking. Yet, despite social gatherings posing a known risk for increased contraction, some college students still congregated to drink. Furthermore, some students posted about these drinking events to their public and/or private social media feeds. It is crucial to understand the relationships between posting alcohol-related content (ARC), drinking and adherence to COVID-19 recommendations because they may have contributed to the spread of the virus. METHODS The current interval contingent, 14-day diary study assessed students' (N = 129) public and private ARC; their drinking; percentage of time wearing a mask and social distancing; and number of people they socialised with during drinking events (total crowd size) each day. RESULTS Multilevel structural equation modelling was employed to examine relationships between ARC posting, drinking and behavioural outcomes. On days in which students posted both public and private ARC, they tended to drink more and in turn, reported attending gatherings with larger crowds. Curiously, on days in which students drank more, they indicated more mask wearing and social distancing, and on days in which students posted more private ARC, they also reported larger crowds. Finally, an indirect effect of drinking on the links between public and private ARC and mask wearing, social distancing and total crowd sizes emerged. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Findings revealed students continued to post and drink socially despite the risks, which may have encouraged others within their networks to engage in similar risky behaviours. Future public health crises should balance young people's need for social connection with risk mitigation efforts.
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Ohsawa Y, Sun Y, Sekiguchi K, Kondo S, Maekawa T, Takita M, Tanimoto T, Kami M. Risk Index of Regional Infection Expansion of COVID-19: Moving Direction Entropy Study Using Mobility Data and Its Application to Tokyo. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e57742. [PMID: 39037745 PMCID: PMC11375397 DOI: 10.2196/57742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Policies, such as stay home, bubbling, and stay with your community, recommending that individuals reduce contact with diverse communities, including families and schools, have been introduced to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these policies are violated if individuals from various communities gather, which is a latent risk in a real society where people move among various unreported communities. OBJECTIVE We aimed to create a physical index to assess the possibility of contact between individuals from diverse communities, which serves as an indicator of the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 spread when considered and combined with existing indices. METHODS Moving direction entropy (MDE), which quantifies the diversity of moving directions of individuals in each local region, is proposed as an index to evaluate a region's risk of contact of individuals from diverse communities. MDE was computed for each inland municipality in Tokyo using mobility data collected from smartphones before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. To validate the hypothesis that the impact of intercommunity contact on infection expansion becomes larger for a virus with larger infectivity, we compared the correlations of the expansion of infectious diseases with indices, including MDE and the densities of supermarkets, restaurants, etc. In addition, we analyzed the temporal changes in MDE in municipalities. RESULTS This study had 4 important findings. First, the MDE values for local regions showed significant invariance between different periods according to the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (>0.9). Second, MDE was found to correlate with the rate of infection cases of COVID-19 among local populations in 53 inland regions (average of 0.76 during the period of expansion). The density of restaurants had a similar correlation with COVID-19. The correlation between MDE and the rate of infection was smaller for influenza than for COVID-19, and tended to be even smaller for sexually transmitted diseases (order of infectivity). These findings support the hypothesis. Third, the spread of COVID-19 was accelerated in regions with high-rank MDE values compared to those with high-rank restaurant densities during and after the period of the governmental declaration of emergency (P<.001). Fourth, the MDE values tended to be high and increased during the pandemic period in regions where influx or daytime movement was present. A possible explanation for the third and fourth findings is that policymakers and living people have been overlooking MDE. CONCLUSIONS We recommend monitoring the regional values of MDE to reduce the risk of infection spread. To aid in this monitoring, we present a method to create a heatmap of MDE values, thereby drawing public attention to behaviors that facilitate contact between communities during a highly infectious disease pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Ohsawa
- School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yi Sun
- School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaira Sekiguchi
- School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sae Kondo
- School of Engineering, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
- RCAST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Joseph RA, Carter B. Prosopagnosia (face blindness) and child health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurs Child Young People 2023; 35:28-34. [PMID: 36688257 DOI: 10.7748/ncyp.2023.e1454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Prosopagnosia or 'face blindness' is the inability to recognise people's faces. There are two types: congenital or developmental prosopagnosia, which is the most common, and acquired prosopagnosia, which may occur secondary to brain tumours, stroke or other brain disorders. The authors of this article explored if mask wearing as a result of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may affect social and developmental outcomes in children, including the development of prosopagnosia. Limited research on this topic is available and, although some relevant publications were found, no definitive evidence of mask-induced prosopagnosia in children was identified. However, nurses should be aware of this issue and discuss coping strategies to support children with the condition. Longitudinal studies on outcomes in children from different age groups who grew up during the COVID-19 pandemic will provide further insight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beth Carter
- Liberty University School of Nursing, Lynchburg VA, US
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4
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Forbes PAG, Pronizius E, Feneberg AC, Nater UM, Piperno G, Silani G, Stijovic A, Lamm C. The effects of social interactions on momentary stress and mood during COVID-19 lockdowns. Br J Health Psychol 2023; 28:306-319. [PMID: 36251581 PMCID: PMC9874800 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Social interactions are vital for our well-being, particularly during times of stress. However, previous studies linking social interactions to psychological outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic have largely been retrospective and/or cross-sectional. Thus, we tested four preregistered hypotheses (H1-H4) concerning the real-time effect of social interactions on momentary changes in stress and mood during two COVID-19 lockdowns. DESIGN We used an ecological momentary assessment approach in 732 participants in spring 2020 (burst 1) and in a subsample of these participants (n = 281) during a further lockdown in autumn/winter 2020 (burst 2). METHODS Participants reported their stress and mood in a smartphone app five times per day for 7 days and indicated the nature and frequency of their recent social interactions. RESULTS Social interactions (H1) and their frequency (H2) improved momentary affect (e.g., social interactions increased mood valence: estimate = 2.605, p < .001 for burst 1). This was particularly the case for face-to-face interactions which, compared with other types of interactions, reduced momentary stress (e.g., estimate = -2.285, p < .001 for burst 1) and boosted mood (e.g., estimate = 1.759, p < .001 for burst 1) across both lockdowns, even when controlling for the pleasantness of the interaction and the closeness of the interaction partner (H3). We also show that individual differences in people's responsiveness to different social rewards modulated the impact of social interactions on momentary mood (H4). CONCLUSIONS This study extends findings from cross-sectional and retrospective studies by highlighting the real-time affective benefits of social interactions during COVID-19 lockdown. The results have important implications for the (self-) management of stress and mood during psychologically demanding periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. G. Forbes
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Ekaterina Pronizius
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Anja C. Feneberg
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Urs M. Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- University of Vienna Research Platform “The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress” (SOLE), Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Giulio Piperno
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Giorgia Silani
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- University of Vienna Research Platform “The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress” (SOLE), Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Ana Stijovic
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- University of Vienna Research Platform “The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress” (SOLE), Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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5
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Are EB, Song Y, Stockdale JE, Tupper P, Colijn C. COVID-19 endgame: From pandemic to endemic? Vaccination, reopening and evolution in low- and high-vaccinated populations. J Theor Biol 2023; 559:111368. [PMID: 36436733 PMCID: PMC9686052 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 remains a major public health concern, with large resurgences even where there has been widespread uptake of vaccines. Waning immunity and the emergence of new variants will shape the long-term burden and dynamics of COVID-19. We explore the transition to the endemic state, and the endemic incidence in British Columbia (BC), Canada and South Africa (SA), to compare low and high vaccination coverage settings with differing public health policies, using a combination of modelling approaches. We compare reopening (relaxation of public health measures) gradually and rapidly as well as at different vaccination levels. We examine how the eventual endemic state depends on the duration of immunity, the rate of importations, the efficacy of vaccines and the transmissibility. These depend on the evolution of the virus, which continues to undergo selection. Slower reopening leads to a lower peak level of incidence and fewer overall infections in the wave following reopening: as much as a 60% lower peak and a 10% lower total in some illustrative simulations; under realistic parameters, reopening when 70% of the population is vaccinated leads to a large resurgence in cases. The long-term endemic behaviour may stabilize as late as January 2023, with further waves of high incidence occurring depending on the transmissibility of the prevalent variant, duration of immunity, and antigenic drift. We find that long term endemic levels are not necessarily lower than current pandemic levels: in a population of 100,000 with representative parameter settings (Reproduction number 5, 1-year duration of immunity, vaccine efficacy at 80% and importations at 3 cases per 100K per day) there are over 100 daily incident cases in the model. Predicted prevalence at endemicity has increased more than twofold after the emergence and spread of Omicron. The consequent burden on health care systems depends on the severity of infection in immunized or previously infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisha B Are
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Yexuan Song
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jessica E Stockdale
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Paul Tupper
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Caroline Colijn
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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6
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Kelly MM, DeBeer BB, Chamberlin E, Claudio T, Duarte B, Harris JI, Kennedy MA, Shirk S, Reilly ED. The effects of loneliness and psychological flexibility on veterans' substance use and physical and mental health functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 2022; 26:217-226. [PMID: 36267166 PMCID: PMC9556878 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation was a common experience as people were trying to keep themselves and others safe from infection. Veterans with problematic substance use are at particular risk of the consequences of social isolation. This study evaluated the nature of social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of loneliness and psychological flexibility on self-reported substance use and physical and mental health functioning among U.S. veterans who reported problematic substance use. Data from 409 veterans with self-reported substance use concerns were obtained via a cross-sectional online survey. Results showed that many veterans who engaged in problematic substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic reported a number of social supports during this period and frequent communication with others, but still felt lonelier during the pandemic. In regression analyses, higher levels of loneliness were associated with more negative impacts of the pandemic, greater substance use, and poorer physical and mental health functioning. Psychological flexibility demonstrated significant unique variance in explaining mental health functioning during the pandemic after accounting for loneliness, but not for substance use or physical functioning. For veterans with high levels of loneliness, high levels of psychological flexibility were associated with a lower negative impact on quality of life due to the pandemic, but for veterans with low levels of loneliness, differing levels of psychological flexibility were not significantly associated with the negative impact of COVID-19. Overall, loneliness and psychological flexibility appear to be highly associated with the negative impact of COVID-19 on veterans with problematic substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Kelly
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Bryann B DeBeer
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Tracy Claudio
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
| | - Brooke Duarte
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Suffolk University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Irene Harris
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Meaghan A Kennedy
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- New England Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Steven Shirk
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Erin D Reilly
- Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 1 MIRECC), Bedford, MA, USA
- VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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7
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Barankevich R, Loebach J. Self-Care and Mental Health Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social and Physical Environment Features of Interactions Which Impact Meaningfulness and Mitigate Loneliness. Front Psychol 2022; 13:879408. [PMID: 35783724 PMCID: PMC9244538 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.879408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted patterns and limited opportunities for social interaction, which increased already high loneliness rates among college students. Meaningful social interactions can mitigate negative mental health outcomes such as loneliness and bolster social support, which is in turn linked to better self-care practices. Social connection can aid in self-care through social support as well as be considered a self-care practice itself to counter the negative effects of loneliness. This study examined the social interaction patterns of 132 college students from a mid-sized United States university during the pandemic to understand which characteristics support meaningful interactions. Students completed an online survey from October through December 2020 to report details of their 2020 and 2019 social interactions, as well as their most recent interactions, including time spent, the mode (in-person versus virtual), their relationship to others in the interaction, the type of activity and privacy of the setting. Results found that students spent significantly less time interacting with non-roommates in-person in 2020, and more time in voice and video calls. No differences were found for texting and in-person roommate interactions. Meaningfulness was significantly higher for interactions with family or friends. Students reported the highest meaning for interactions that were planned and in-person, with lowest meaning for planned virtual interactions. No differences were observed for meaningfulness based on the type of interaction activity or privacy of the setting. Understanding the characteristics of the most meaningful interactions can help college students prioritize social interactions that may best promote self-care, mitigate loneliness, and bolster social support. High meaningfulness scores for planned in-person interactions suggests that these types of interactions may be most valuable for maintaining existing self-care patterns, engaging in self-care activities, and receiving support. Self-care activities for college students, including social interactions, were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have further exacerbated loneliness. College students should be encouraged to consciously engage in person with family and friends to practice self-care and maintain or improve mental health. Strategically selecting interactions that will optimize meaningfulness may therefore be critical to helping students to maintain positive mental health during and beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Barankevich
- School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Ruth Barankevich,
| | - Janet Loebach
- Department of Human Centered Design, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Marion G, Hadley L, Isham V, Mollison D, Panovska-Griffiths J, Pellis L, Tomba GS, Scarabel F, Swallow B, Trapman P, Villela D. Modelling: Understanding pandemics and how to control them. Epidemics 2022; 39:100588. [PMID: 35679714 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2022.100588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
New disease challenges, societal demands and better or novel types of data, drive innovations in the structure, formulation and analysis of epidemic models. Innovations in modelling can lead to new insights into epidemic processes and better use of available data, yielding improved disease control and stimulating collection of better data and new data types. Here we identify key challenges for the structure, formulation, analysis and use of mathematical models of pathogen transmission relevant to current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Marion
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Edinburgh, UK; Scottish COVID-19 Response Consortium, UK.
| | - Liza Hadley
- Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Valerie Isham
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, UK
| | - Denis Mollison
- Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics, Heriot-Watt University, UK
| | - Jasmina Panovska-Griffiths
- The Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; The Queen's College, Oxford University, UK
| | - Lorenzo Pellis
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, UK; The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK; Joint UNIversities Pandemic and Epidemiological Research, UK
| | | | - Francesca Scarabel
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, UK; Joint UNIversities Pandemic and Epidemiological Research, UK; CDLab - Computational Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Italy
| | - Ben Swallow
- Scottish COVID-19 Response Consortium, UK; School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - Pieter Trapman
- Department of Mathematics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Villela
- Program of Scientific Computing, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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9
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Cornell S, Nickel B, Cvejic E, Bonner C, McCaffery KJ, Ayre J, Copp T, Batcup C, Isautier J, Dakin T, Dodd R. Positive outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Health Promot J Austr 2022; 33:311-319. [PMID: 33864299 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED To investigate whether Australians have experienced any positive effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS National online longitudinal survey. As part of a June 2020 survey, participants (n = 1370) were asked 'In your life, have you experienced any positive effects from the COVID-19 pandemic' (yes/no) and also completed the World Health Organisation-Five well-being index. Differences were explored by demographic variables. Free-text responses were thematically coded. RESULTS Nine hundred sixty participants (70%) reported experiencing at least one positive effect during the COVID-19 pandemic. Living with others (P = .045) and employment situation (P < .001) at baseline (April) were associated with experiencing positive effects. Individuals working for pay from home were more likely to experience positive effects compared to those who were not working for pay (aOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.63, P < .001) or who were working for pay outside the home (aOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.58, P < .001). 54.2% of participants reported a sufficient level of well-being, 23.2% low well-being and a further 22.6% very low well-being. Of those experiencing positive effects, 945/960 (98%) provided an explanation. The three most common themes were 'Family time' (33%), 'Work flexibility' (29%) and 'Calmer life' (19%). CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of participants reported positive effects resulting from changes to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. SO WHAT The needs of people living alone, and of those having to work outside the home or who are unemployed, should be considered by health policymakers and employers in future pandemic preparedness efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Cornell
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brooke Nickel
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Erin Cvejic
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carissa Bonner
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsten J McCaffery
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie Ayre
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tessa Copp
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carys Batcup
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jennifer Isautier
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas Dakin
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachael Dodd
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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10
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Leather JZ, Keyworth C, Epton T, Goldthorpe J, Ulph F, Armitage CJ. "We want to live a little longer and our family want[s] us around": A summative content analysis of adherence to COVID-19-related guidelines using the Theoretical Domains Framework. Br J Health Psychol 2022; 27:1119-1152. [PMID: 35319141 PMCID: PMC9111475 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective Public adherence to COVID‐19‐related government guidance varied during the initial lockdown in the UK, but the determinants of public adherence to such guidance are unclear. We capture spontaneous reflections on adherence to UK government guidance from a representative UK sample, and use the TDF to identify key determinants of COVID‐related behaviours. Design The design was cross‐sectional. Methods Qualitative data were collected from a large sample of UK adults (N = 2,252) via an online questionnaire as part of a wider survey about the UK public’s responses to the government’s COVID‐19‐related guidance. Summative content analysis was used to identify key guideline terms in the data, followed by latent analysis to interpret the underlying meanings behind the terms using the TDF as an analytical framework. Results Six TDF domains were identified in the data: Environmental Context and Resources; Beliefs about Consequences; Social Influences; Memory, Attention and Decision Processes; Emotion; and Knowledge. Although the samples were motivated and capable of adhering, limitations in their environments, resources, and social support mechanisms restricted behaviour. Self‐reported adherence was sensitive to positive and negative beliefs about the effectiveness of the measures, in addition to interpretations of the terms ‘essential’ and ‘necessary’ in the guidance. Conclusions Despite extensive structural obstacles to adherence, the majority of the British public were able to follow government COVID‐19‐related instructions, provided they had sufficient resources, social support, and positive perceptions about the effectiveness of the measures. Ambiguities surrounding key terminology in the guidance left room for interpretation, which may have contributed to non‐adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Z Leather
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK.,NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, UK
| | | | - Tracy Epton
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK
| | - Joanna Goldthorpe
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK
| | - Fiona Ulph
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK
| | - Christopher J Armitage
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, UK.,NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, UK.,Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, UK
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11
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Sonnenberg P, Menezes D, Freeman L, Maxwell KJ, Reid D, Clifton S, Tanton C, Copas A, Riddell J, Dema E, Bosó Pérez R, Gibbs J, Ridge MC, Macdowall W, Unemo M, Bonell C, Johnson AM, Mercer CH, Mitchell K, Field N. Intimate physical contact between people from different households during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study from a large, quasi-representative survey (Natsal-COVID). BMJ Open 2022; 12:e055284. [PMID: 35140158 PMCID: PMC8829844 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Physical distancing as a non-pharmaceutical intervention aims to reduce interactions between people to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Intimate physical contact outside the household (IPCOH) may expand transmission networks by connecting households. We aimed to explore whether intimacy needs impacted adherence to physical distancing following lockdown in Britain in March 2020. METHODS The Natsal-COVID web-panel survey (July-August 2020) used quota-sampling and weighting to achieve a quasi-representative population sample. We estimate reporting of IPCOH with a romantic/sexual partner in the 4 weeks prior to interview, describe the type of contact, identify demographic and behavioural factors associated with IPCOH and present age-adjusted ORs (aORs). Qualitative interviews (n=18) were conducted to understand the context, reasons and decision making around IPCOH. RESULTS Of 6654 participants aged 18-59 years, 9.9% (95% CI 9.1% to 10.6%) reported IPCOH. IPCOH was highest in those aged 18-24 (17.7%), identifying as gay or lesbian (19.5%), and in steady non-cohabiting relationships (56.3%). IPCOH was associated with reporting risk behaviours (eg, condomless sex, higher alcohol consumption). IPCOH was less likely among those reporting bad/very bad health (aOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.93) but more likely among those with COVID-19 symptoms and/or diagnosis (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.65). Two-thirds (64.4%) of IPCOH was reported as being within a support bubble. Qualitative interviews found that people reporting IPCOH deliberated over, and made efforts to mitigate, the risks. CONCLUSIONS Given 90% of people did not report IPCOH, this contact may not be a large additional contributor to SARS-CoV-2 transmission, although heterogeneity exists within the population. Public health messages need to recognise how single people and partners living apart balance sexual intimacy and relationship needs with adherence to control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pam Sonnenberg
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dee Menezes
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lily Freeman
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Karen J Maxwell
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - David Reid
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Soazig Clifton
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- NatCen Social Research, London, UK
| | - Clare Tanton
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Andrew Copas
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Julie Riddell
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Emily Dema
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Raquel Bosó Pérez
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jo Gibbs
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mary-Clare Ridge
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Wendy Macdowall
- Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Magnus Unemo
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Chris Bonell
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anne M Johnson
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Kirstin Mitchell
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nigel Field
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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12
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Egidi V, Manfredi P. Population dynamics and demography of Covid-19. Introduction. GENUS 2021; 77:36. [PMID: 34931091 PMCID: PMC8675111 DOI: 10.1186/s41118-021-00143-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Egidi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Statistiche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, Rome, Italy
| | - Piero Manfredi
- Dipartimento di Economia e Management, Università di Pisa, Via Ridolfi 10, Pisa, Italy
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13
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Ebrahimi OV, Burger J, Hoffart A, Johnson SU. Within- and across-day patterns of interplay between depressive symptoms and related psychopathological processes: a dynamic network approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Med 2021; 19:317. [PMID: 34844588 PMCID: PMC8629696 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-021-02179-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to understand the intricate patterns of interplay connected to the formation and maintenance of depressive symptomatology, repeated measures investigations focusing on within-person relationships between psychopathological mechanisms and depressive components are required. METHODS This large-scale preregistered intensive longitudinal study conducted 68,240 observations of 1706 individuals in the general adult population across a 40-day period during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify the detrimental processes involved in depressive states. Daily responses were modeled using multi-level dynamic network analysis to investigate the temporal associations across days, in addition to contemporaneous relationships between depressive components within a daily window. RESULTS Among the investigated psychopathological mechanisms, helplessness predicted the strongest across-day influence on depressive symptoms, while emotion regulation difficulties displayed more proximal interactions with symptomatology. Helplessness was further involved in the amplification of other theorized psychopathological mechanisms including rumination, the latter of which to a greater extent was susceptible toward being influenced rather than temporally influencing other components of depressive states. Distinctive symptoms of depression behaved differently, with depressed mood and anhedonia most prone to being impacted, while lethargy and worthlessness were more strongly associated with outgoing activity in the network. CONCLUSIONS The main mechanism predicting the amplifications of detrimental symptomatology was helplessness. Lethargy and worthlessness revealed greater within-person carry-over effects across days, providing preliminary indications that these symptoms may be more strongly associated with pushing individuals toward prolonged depressive state experiences. The psychopathological processes of rumination, helplessness, and emotion regulation only exhibited interactions with the depressed mood and worthlessness component of depression, being unrelated to lethargy and anhedonia. The findings have implications for the impediment of depressive symptomatology during and beyond the pandemic period. They further outline the gaps in the literature concerning the identification of psychopathological processes intertwined with lethargy and anhedonia on the within-person level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid V. Ebrahimi
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital and Research Center, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Julian Burger
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Asle Hoffart
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital and Research Center, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Sverre Urnes Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Modum Bad Psychiatric Hospital and Research Center, Vikersund, Norway
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14
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Freyhofer S, Ziegler N, de Jong EM, Schippers MC. Depression and Anxiety in Times of COVID-19: How Coping Strategies and Loneliness Relate to Mental Health Outcomes and Academic Performance. Front Psychol 2021; 12:682684. [PMID: 34759855 PMCID: PMC8572913 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.682684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The link between depression, anxiety, and loneliness has been well established in the literature. Yet, the performance consequences of these negative mental health outcomes and the role of coping behaviors, as well as behavioral consequences such as procrastination as mediators have received far less research attention. Due to the COVID-19 social isolation restrictions, people are at risk of falling into a negative mental health spiral that can also affect their performance over time. The purpose of this longitudinal study among 881 first-year bachelor students is to explore the mechanisms by which loneliness, coping strategies in the context of COVID-19, mental health outcomes and procrastination sequentially mediate the relationship depression and anxiety on the one hand, and academic performance on the other hand. We measured mental health variables several times during the COVID-19 crisis and assessed how this translates into academic performance at the end of the academic year. By performing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, three high-order factors for the coping strategies in the context of the COVID-19 crisis were identified, namely maladaptive coping, adaptive coping, and supportive coping. Structural equation modeling was used to test the sequential mediational model. The results showed that maladaptive coping strategies employed at T2 during the lockdown, but not adaptive or supportive coping partially mediate the trajectories of depression (T1) and anxiety (T1). Loneliness (T2) partially mediated the trajectory of depression and anxiety (T1), and procrastination fully mediated the impact of depression (T3) on academic performance (T4). These results help understand the mechanisms that influence mental health and academic performance outcomes in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Based on the study outcomes, educational researchers can test strategies to reduce the adverse effects of stressful situations in learning environments by targeting maladaptive coping behaviors and procrastination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Freyhofer
- Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Niklas Ziegler
- Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth M de Jong
- Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Michaéla C Schippers
- Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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15
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Campbell N, Thompson SC, Tynan A, Townsin L, Booker LA, Argus G. Silver Linings Reported by Australians Experiencing Public Health Restrictions during the First Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Report. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11406. [PMID: 34769921 PMCID: PMC8582702 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This national study investigated the positives reported by residents experiencing the large-scale public health measures instituted in Australia to manage the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Most Australians had not previously experienced the traditional public health measures used (social distancing, hand hygiene and restriction of movement) and which could potentially impact negatively on mental well-being. The research design included qualitative semi-structured phone interviews where participants described their early pandemic experiences. Data analysis used a rapid identification of themes technique, well-suited to large-scale qualitative research. The ninety participants (mean age 48 years; 70 women) were distributed nationally. Analysis revealed five themes linked with mental well-being and the concept of silver linings: safety and security, gratitude and appreciation, social cohesion and connections, and opportunities to reset priorities and resilience. Participants demonstrated support for the public health measures and evidence of individual and community resilience. They were cognisant of positives despite personal curtailment and negative impacts of public health directives. Stories of hope, strength, and acceptance, innovative connections with others and focusing on priorities and opportunities within the hardship were important strategies that others could use in managing adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narelle Campbell
- Rural and Remote Health College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Darwin 0815, Australia
| | - Sandra C. Thompson
- Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton 6530, Australia;
| | - Anna Tynan
- Research Support Team, Darling Downs Health, Toowoomba 4350, Australia;
- Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Australia;
| | - Louise Townsin
- Research Office, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia;
| | - Lauren A. Booker
- La Trobe Rural Health School, University Department of Rural Health, La Trobe University, Bendigo 3551, Australia;
| | - Geoff Argus
- Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Australia;
- School of Psychology and Counselling, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Australia
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16
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Danon L, Lacasa L, Brooks-Pollock E. Household bubbles and COVID-19 transmission: insights from percolation theory. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200284. [PMID: 34053262 PMCID: PMC8165589 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In the era of social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19, bubbling is the combining of two or more households to create an exclusive larger group. The impact of bubbling on COVID-19 transmission is challenging to quantify because of the complex social structures involved. We developed a network description of households in the UK, using the configuration model to link households. We explored the impact of bubbling scenarios by joining together households of various sizes. For each bubbling scenario, we calculated the percolation threshold, that is, the number of connections per individual required for a giant component to form, numerically and theoretically. We related the percolation threshold to the household reproduction number. We find that bubbling scenarios in which single-person households join with another household have a minimal impact on network connectivity and transmission potential. Ubiquitous scenarios where all households form a bubble are likely to lead to an extensive transmission that is hard to control. The impact of plausible scenarios, with variable uptake and heterogeneous bubble sizes, can be mitigated with reduced numbers of contacts outside the household. Bubbling of households comes at an increased risk of transmission; however, under certain circumstances risks can be modest and could be balanced by other changes in behaviours. This article is part of the theme issue 'Modelling that shaped the early COVID-19 pandemic response in the UK'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Danon
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK
| | - Lucas Lacasa
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Ellen Brooks-Pollock
- University of Bristol School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford BS40 5DU, UK
- NIHR HPRU in Behaviour Change and Evaluation, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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17
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Cornell S, Nickel B, Cvejic E, Bonner C, McCaffery KJ, Ayre J, Copp T, Batcup C, Isautier J, Dakin T, Dodd R. Positive outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Health Promot J Austr 2021; 33:311-319. [PMID: 33864299 PMCID: PMC8250613 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED To investigate whether Australians have experienced any positive effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS National online longitudinal survey. As part of a June 2020 survey, participants (n = 1370) were asked 'In your life, have you experienced any positive effects from the COVID-19 pandemic' (yes/no) and also completed the World Health Organisation-Five well-being index. Differences were explored by demographic variables. Free-text responses were thematically coded. RESULTS Nine hundred sixty participants (70%) reported experiencing at least one positive effect during the COVID-19 pandemic. Living with others (P = .045) and employment situation (P < .001) at baseline (April) were associated with experiencing positive effects. Individuals working for pay from home were more likely to experience positive effects compared to those who were not working for pay (aOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.63, P < .001) or who were working for pay outside the home (aOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.58, P < .001). 54.2% of participants reported a sufficient level of well-being, 23.2% low well-being and a further 22.6% very low well-being. Of those experiencing positive effects, 945/960 (98%) provided an explanation. The three most common themes were 'Family time' (33%), 'Work flexibility' (29%) and 'Calmer life' (19%). CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of participants reported positive effects resulting from changes to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. SO WHAT The needs of people living alone, and of those having to work outside the home or who are unemployed, should be considered by health policymakers and employers in future pandemic preparedness efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Cornell
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brooke Nickel
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Erin Cvejic
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carissa Bonner
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsten J McCaffery
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie Ayre
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tessa Copp
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carys Batcup
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jennifer Isautier
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas Dakin
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachael Dodd
- Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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18
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Agrawal M, Kanitkar M, Vidyasagar M. Modelling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - Impact of lockdowns & interventions. Indian J Med Res 2021; 153:175-181. [PMID: 33146155 PMCID: PMC8184064 DOI: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_4051_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES To handle the current COVID-19 pandemic in India, multiple strategies have been applied and implemented to slow down the virus transmission. These included clinical management of active cases, rapid development of treatment strategies, vaccines computational modelling and statistical tools to name a few. This article presents a mathematical model for a time series prediction and analyzes the impact of the lockdown. METHODS Several existing mathematical models were not able to account for asymptomatic patients, with limited testing capability at onset and no data on serosurveillance. In this study, a new model was used which was developed on lines of susceptible-asymptomatic-infected-recovered (SAIR) to assess the impact of the lockdown and make predictions on its future course. Four parameters were used, namely β, γ, η and ε. β measures the likelihood of the susceptible person getting infected, and γ denotes recovery rate of patients. The ratio β/γ is denoted by R0 (basic reproduction number). RESULTS The disease spread was reduced due to initial lockdown. An increase in γ reflects healthcare and hospital services, medications and protocols put in place. In Delhi, the predictions from the model were corroborated with July and September serosurveys, which showed antibodies in 23.5 and 33 per cent population, respectively. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS The SAIR model has helped understand the disease better. If the model is correct, we may have reached herd immunity with about 380 million people already infected. However, personal protective measures remain crucial. If there was no lockdown, the number of active infections would have peaked at close to 14.7 million, resulted in more than 2.6 million deaths, and the peak would have arrived by June 2020. The number of deaths with the current trends may be less than 0.2 million.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manindra Agrawal
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Madhuri Kanitkar
- Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Staff (Medical), HQ Integrated Defense Staff, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, New Delhi, India
| | - M. Vidyasagar
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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19
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Nande A, Sheen J, Walters EL, Klein B, Chinazzi M, Gheorghe AH, Adlam B, Shinnick J, Tejeda MF, Scarpino SV, Vespignani A, Greenlee AJ, Schneider D, Levy MZ, Hill AL. The effect of eviction moratoria on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2274. [PMID: 33859196 PMCID: PMC8050248 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22521-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Massive unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic could result in an eviction crisis in US cities. Here we model the effect of evictions on SARS-CoV-2 epidemics, simulating viral transmission within and among households in a theoretical metropolitan area. We recreate a range of urban epidemic trajectories and project the course of the epidemic under two counterfactual scenarios, one in which a strict moratorium on evictions is in place and enforced, and another in which evictions are allowed to resume at baseline or increased rates. We find, across scenarios, that evictions lead to significant increases in infections. Applying our model to Philadelphia using locally-specific parameters shows that the increase is especially profound in models that consider realistically heterogenous cities in which both evictions and contacts occur more frequently in poorer neighborhoods. Our results provide a basis to assess eviction moratoria and show that policies to stem evictions are a warranted and important component of COVID-19 control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjalika Nande
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Justin Sheen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emma L Walters
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Brennan Klein
- Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
| | - Matteo Chinazzi
- Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
| | - Andrei H Gheorghe
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ben Adlam
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Julianna Shinnick
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria Florencia Tejeda
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Vespignani
- Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, USA
| | - Andrew J Greenlee
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Schneider
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Michael Z Levy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Alison L Hill
- Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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20
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Overdispersion in COVID-19 increases the effectiveness of limiting nonrepetitive contacts for transmission control. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2016623118. [PMID: 33741734 PMCID: PMC8040586 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016623118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence indicates that superspreading plays a dominant role in COVID-19 transmission, so that a small fraction of infected people causes a large proportion of new COVID-19 cases. We developed an agent-based model that simulates a superspreading disease moving through a society with networks of both repeated contacts and nonrepeated, random contacts. The results indicate that superspreading is the virus’ Achilles’ heel: Reducing random contacts—such as those that occur at sporting events, restaurants, bars, and the like—can control the outbreak at population scales. Increasing evidence indicates that superspreading plays a dominant role in COVID-19 transmission. Recent estimates suggest that the dispersion parameter k for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is on the order of 0.1, which corresponds to about 10% of cases being the source of 80% of infections. To investigate how overdispersion might affect the outcome of various mitigation strategies, we developed an agent-based model with a social network that allows transmission through contact in three sectors: “close” (a small, unchanging group of mutual contacts as might be found in a household), “regular” (a larger, unchanging group as might be found in a workplace or school), and “random” (drawn from the entire model population and not repeated regularly). We assigned individual infectivity from a gamma distribution with dispersion parameter k. We found that when k was low (i.e., greater heterogeneity, more superspreading events), reducing random sector contacts had a far greater impact on the epidemic trajectory than did reducing regular contacts; when k was high (i.e., less heterogeneity, no superspreading events), that difference disappeared. These results suggest that overdispersion of COVID-19 transmission gives the virus an Achilles’ heel: Reducing contacts between people who do not regularly meet would substantially reduce the pandemic, while reducing repeated contacts in defined social groups would be less effective.
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21
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Willem L, Abrams S, Libin PJK, Coletti P, Kuylen E, Petrof O, Møgelmose S, Wambua J, Herzog SA, Faes C, Beutels P, Hens N. The impact of contact tracing and household bubbles on deconfinement strategies for COVID-19. Nat Commun 2021. [PMID: 33750778 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many governments to impose policies restricting social interactions. A controlled and persistent release of lockdown measures covers many potential strategies and is subject to extensive scenario analyses. Here, we use an individual-based model (STRIDE) to simulate interactions between 11 million inhabitants of Belgium at different levels including extended household settings, i.e., "household bubbles". The burden of COVID-19 is impacted by both the intensity and frequency of physical contacts, and therefore, household bubbles have the potential to reduce hospital admissions by 90%. In addition, we find that it is crucial to complete contact tracing 4 days after symptom onset. Assumptions on the susceptibility of children affect the impact of school reopening, though we find that business and leisure-related social mixing patterns have more impact on COVID-19 associated disease burden. An optimal deployment of the mitigation policies under study require timely compliance to physical distancing, testing and self-isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lander Willem
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Steven Abrams
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pieter J K Libin
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Elise Kuylen
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Oana Petrof
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Signe Møgelmose
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Centre for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - James Wambua
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Sereina A Herzog
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Philippe Beutels
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Niel Hens
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
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22
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Willem L, Abrams S, Libin PJK, Coletti P, Kuylen E, Petrof O, Møgelmose S, Wambua J, Herzog SA, Faes C, Beutels P, Hens N. The impact of contact tracing and household bubbles on deconfinement strategies for COVID-19. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1524. [PMID: 33750778 PMCID: PMC7943552 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21747-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many governments to impose policies restricting social interactions. A controlled and persistent release of lockdown measures covers many potential strategies and is subject to extensive scenario analyses. Here, we use an individual-based model (STRIDE) to simulate interactions between 11 million inhabitants of Belgium at different levels including extended household settings, i.e., "household bubbles". The burden of COVID-19 is impacted by both the intensity and frequency of physical contacts, and therefore, household bubbles have the potential to reduce hospital admissions by 90%. In addition, we find that it is crucial to complete contact tracing 4 days after symptom onset. Assumptions on the susceptibility of children affect the impact of school reopening, though we find that business and leisure-related social mixing patterns have more impact on COVID-19 associated disease burden. An optimal deployment of the mitigation policies under study require timely compliance to physical distancing, testing and self-isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lander Willem
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Steven Abrams
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pieter J K Libin
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Elise Kuylen
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Oana Petrof
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Signe Møgelmose
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Centre for Population, Family and Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - James Wambua
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Sereina A Herzog
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Philippe Beutels
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Niel Hens
- Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, UHasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
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23
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Maramraj K, Roy K, Mookkiah I, Gopinath A. The COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: A systems thinking analysis using iceberg model to transform an organization into a pandemic-resilient institution. JOURNAL OF MARINE MEDICAL SOCIETY 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/jmms.jmms_183_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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24
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Trotter S. Ways of Being Together During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Support Bubbles and the Legal Construction of Relationships. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2021; 6:730216. [PMID: 34540949 PMCID: PMC8447833 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.730216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
This article focuses on the concept of the support bubble. The concept was introduced in New Zealand in March 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to denote a network of people with whom a person could have physical contact, and was later taken up in various forms elsewhere, particularly in the UK. The article focuses on the meaning that was attached to the concept and to the ways of being together that it encapsulated and stipulated. Where support bubbles were formalised as a matter of law, as in New Zealand and the UK, a particular form of relating was legally constructed and real relationships were affected through law. The article addresses the meaning and implications of the concept of the support bubble in this light. First, it considers the concept of the support bubble as a new legal form, which drew in, and built on, a range of relationships and then recast them in terms of a new legal form. Second, it analyses the central question posed by the concept as one of the meaning of being together in a support bubble, not only for those navigating and living with the concept in practice, but also as mediated in and through law. Third, it outlines how the concept of the support bubble represented a distinct legal development. It enabled those who were eligible to define for themselves, albeit within a specified framework, the meaning and nature of a relationship of support of this kind. It also supplied a space in which some kinds of relationships that had not necessarily attracted much previous legal attention-like friendships and dating relationships-came to find a degree of legal reflection and recognition.
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