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Kim KK, Fang W, Liu AY, Panesar D, Xiao NG. Altered development of face recognition among infants born amid the COVID-19 pandemic. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 244:105942. [PMID: 38703752 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105942] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
To effectively contain the spread of COVID-19, public health agencies mandated special regulations. Although they protected us from COVID-19, these restrictions have inevitably changed the environment around us. It remains unclear how these changes may have affected early cognitive development among infants born during the pandemic. Thus, this study examined how the COVID-19 restrictions have affected infants' face recognition ability, a hallmark of their cognitive capacities. Specifically, we used the familiarization and visual pair comparison paradigm to examine face recognition performance among infants aged 6 to 14 months amid the second wave of the pandemic (February to July 2021). Experiment 1 investigated the recognition of unmasked faces and found that only younger infants, but not older infants, recognized faces by showing a novelty preference. Experiment 2 examined the recognition of faces wearing masks and found that only older infants, but not younger ones, recognized faces by exhibiting a familiarity preference. These results suggest that with limited interactions during the pandemic, infants could have developed an overly specialized face processing ability that failed to recognize the faces of strangers. Moreover, infants could have obtained more information on masked faces during the pandemic and adapted to the current situation. In Expreiment 3, we further confirmed the restriction on infants' interpersonal experiences with a survey conducted both before and during the pandemic. Overall, these findings demonstrated how the pandemic altered early perceptual development and further confirmed that interpersonal experiences during infancy are critical in their cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Kyuri Kim
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Wei Fang
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Anna Y Liu
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Darshan Panesar
- Applied Psychology and Human Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1V6, Canada
| | - Naiqi G Xiao
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada.
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2
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Pilotti MAE, El Alaoui K, Waked A. Grade prediction in the middle east: a post-pandemic case study of the optimism bias. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1270621. [PMID: 38322492 PMCID: PMC10844436 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1270621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence exists that the pandemic has brought about stress, and altered study habits and academic performance. No evidence exists regarding whether metacognition has also been altered. The present field study examined the accuracy and confidence with which college students make grade predictions in a general education course after the pandemic. It tested whether one of three types of biases affected students' predictions as a way to cope with the uncertainty of a final exam's outcome: illusion-of-knowing, optimism, and pessimistic bracing. Students made predictions both before and after completing the final exam (summative assessment) to determine the impact of each of the hypothesized biases on estimates made in a context of varying uncertainty. Accuracy was computed as the difference between expected and actual grades on the final exam. Confidence in the predictions made was measured on a Likert scale. Exam performance was categorized as good, poor, or inadequate. In this study, less-than-desirable performance was accompanied by overestimations. However, overestimations were made with little confidence and benefited from the information acquired from completing the exam. This pattern of results suggests that students who are not doing well are not under the spell of the illusion-of-knowing phenomenon. Indeed, their optimistic predictions are punctured by the awareness of a likely undesirable outcome (as indicated by their weak confidence in the predictions made). Implications and applications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura A. E. Pilotti
- Department of Sciences and Human Studies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
- Cognitive Science Center, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khadija El Alaoui
- Department of Sciences and Human Studies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
- Cognitive Science Center, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arifi Waked
- Department of Sciences and Human Studies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
- Cognitive Science Center, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Khobar, Saudi Arabia
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Ndungu M, Galal S, Mac A, Badlabo MF, Ghobadi T, Guirguis M, Vyas D. Exploring the COVID-19 Landscape and Our Path Forward Using a Formalized SWOT Analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION 2024; 88:100611. [PMID: 37866523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2023.100611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to share the results of a formalized SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis focusing on perceptions and the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS The study used a parallel mixed-methods approach. This included a quantitative component, which used presurvey descriptive data, and a qualitative component, which involved SWOT analysis via focus groups. Participants were recruited via email. Volunteers responded to survey questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten focus groups were created and conducted in February 2022. Responses were transcribed and coded by 2 independent investigators and a third to resolve disagreement. Group consensus determined the themes. RESULTS On the survey (n = 55), over half of respondents noted lack of motivation and attention deficit emerging during the pandemic. However, less than half felt that they had access to appropriate support/services. Regarding mental health, some reported increased anxiety, loneliness, depression, and sleep disorders, yet a small percentage of respondents felt that they were provided with support to mitigate these issues. Focus group sessions resulted in 404 statements, which determined the following 8 themes: communication, pivoting the learning and assessment process, COVID-19 safety, interpersonal relationships, health and wellness, finances, student services, and competition in the job market. The top strength was in pivoting the learning process, top weakness was in university communications, and the top opportunities and threats were in pivoting to virtual learning. CONCLUSION As the country continues to experience COVID-19 waves, it is important to reflect on and understand the effects of the previous reactions, and explore ways to increase and sustain motivation, limit lasting negative effects, and remain proactive and prepared for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Ndungu
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne Galal
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA.
| | - Allison Mac
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Marrien Farhadian Badlabo
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Tahmeeneh Ghobadi
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Mariam Guirguis
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
| | - Deepti Vyas
- University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Stockton, CA, USA
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Gholston AS, Thurmann KE, Chiew KS. Contributions of transient and sustained reward to memory formation. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:2477-2498. [PMID: 37079090 PMCID: PMC10116487 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01829-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Reward benefits to memory formation have been robustly linked to dopaminergic activity. Despite the established characterization of dopaminergic mechanisms as operating at multiple timescales, potentially supporting distinct functional outcomes, the temporal dynamics by which reward might modulate memory encoding are just beginning to be investigated. In the present study, we leveraged a mixed block/event experimental design to disentangle transient and sustained reward influences on task engagement and subsequent recognition memory in an adapted monetary-incentive-encoding (MIE) paradigm. Across three behavioral experiments, transient and sustained reward modulation of item and context memory was probed, at both 24-h and ~ 15-min retention intervals, to investigate the importance of overnight consolidation. In general, we observed that transient reward was associated with enhanced item memory encoding, while sustained reward modulated response speed but did not appear to benefit subsequent recognition accuracy. Notably, reward effects on item memory performance and response speed were somewhat inconsistent across the three experiments, with suggestions that RT speeding might also be related to time on task, and we did not observe reward modulation of context memory performance or amplification of reward benefits to memory by overnight consolidation. Taken together, the observed pattern of behavior is consistent with potentially distinct roles for transient and sustained reward in memory encoding and cognitive performance and suggests that further investigation of the temporal dynamics of dopaminergic contributions to memory formation will advance the understanding of motivated memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery S Gholston
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
| | - Kyle E Thurmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
| | - Kimberly S Chiew
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO, 80208, USA.
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De Pue S, Gillebert C, Dierckx E, Van den Bussche E. The longer-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning of older adults in Belgium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9708. [PMID: 37322085 PMCID: PMC10272225 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36718-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In earlier survey research, we observed a severe impact of the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic on the subjective wellbeing, sleep and activity of adults aged 65 years or older in Flanders, Belgium. The impact on subjective cognitive functioning, however, was limited. Since then, periods of lockdown and periods with less strict regulations alternated, but social distancing remained, especially for older adults. To study the longer-term impact of the pandemic on wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning, we re-assessed the older adults from the first measurement moment (May-June 2020) in a second (June-July 2020) and third (December 2020) wave of the survey (n = 371, M = 72 years old, range 65-97 years old). Results indicated that wellbeing fluctuated with the severity of the pandemic. Results for self-reported cognitive functioning were mixed. While participants indicated a slightly better general subjective cognitive functioning at the end of the study, experienced problems with most cognitive subdomains significantly increased over time. The presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms were related to the longer-term impact of the pandemic on wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning. Our study shows the long-lasting impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning of older adults, without full recovery from the first wave.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah De Pue
- Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | | | - Eva Dierckx
- Personality and Psychopathology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Psychiatric Hospital, Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen, Tienen, Belgium
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Ng TLY, Majeed NM, Lua VYQ, Hartanto A. Do executive functions buffer against COVID-19 stress?: A latent variable approach. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023:1-17. [PMID: 37359680 PMCID: PMC10163301 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04652-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Levels of COVID-19 stress have soared worldwide as a result of the pandemic. Given the pernicious psychological and physiological effects of stress, there is an urgent need for us to protect populations against the pandemic's psychological impact. While there exists literature documenting the prevalence of COVID-19 stress among various populations, insufficient research has investigated psychological factors that might mitigate this worrying trend. To address this gap in the literature, the current study seeks to examine executive functions as a potential cognitive buffer against COVID-19 stress. To do so, the study adopted a latent variable approach to examine three latent factors of executive functions and their relation to COVID-19 stress among a sample of 243 young adults. Structural equation models showed differential associations between COVID-19 stress and the latent factors of executive functions. While the latent factor of updating working memory was associated with attenuated COVID-19 stress, task switching and inhibitory control were not significantly associated with COVID-19 stress. These results further our understanding of the critical processes of executive functions and highlight the nuanced link between executive functions and pandemic-related stress. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04652-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina L. Y. Ng
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, 10 Canning Rise, Level 5, Singapore, 179873 Singapore
| | - Nadyanna M. Majeed
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, 10 Canning Rise, Level 5, Singapore, 179873 Singapore
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Verity Y. Q. Lua
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, 10 Canning Rise, Level 5, Singapore, 179873 Singapore
| | - Andree Hartanto
- School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, 10 Canning Rise, Level 5, Singapore, 179873 Singapore
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Vermeulen N. Neuroticism predicts national vaccination rates across 56 countries. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 43:1-6. [PMID: 36713618 PMCID: PMC9859739 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04234-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Quite strikingly, there is significant variation in Covid-19 vaccine coverage around the world. Some countries do not progress from around 2-3% while others are close to 100% coverage. In addition to some already known economic, health and sociodemographic predictors, the present research is interested in emotional factors that may predict a significant part of this cross-country variation. We examined the personality factor Neuroticism, which corresponds to the relatively stable tendency to experience negative emotions, anxiety and low tolerance for stress. Results confirm that gross domestic product represents around 50 percent of cross-country variation. Neuroticism added 6 to 9 percent of inter-country variation in vaccination coverage. The results are discussed in relation to the associations between Neuroticism, increased worry, greater attention to Covid-19 related information and confidence, as well as lower vaccine hesitancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Vermeulen
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute (IPSY), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), Brussels, Belgium
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Brown CRH, Feng YC, Costin V, Hirsch CR, Wang YH, Wang YL, Chew J, Kenny J, Allen P. Specific Pandemic-Related Worries Predict Higher Attention-Related Errors and Negative Affect Independent of Trait Anxiety in UK-Based Students. COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH 2023; 47:1-19. [PMID: 36284796 PMCID: PMC9584227 DOI: 10.1007/s10608-022-10336-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many individuals experiencing increased symptoms of anxiety. We predict that this increase may be underpinned by pandemic-related worry (PRW), characterised by repetitive negative thinking about pandemic-specific outcomes; and that this relationship is mediated through reduced attentional capacity required to regulate negative affect. Methods We developed a novel scale to measure the contents of PRW in an initial sample of 255 participants, and explored its relationship with cognitive functioning and negative affect in a sample of 382 UK-based university students, whilst controlling for recalled pre-pandemic trait anxiety. Results A five-factor model of PRW was identified, with factors reflecting worry about decline in quality of life (QoL) and probability of infection correlating with attention and memory-related errors. Importantly, attention-related errors partially mediated the positive relationship between PRW and negative affect, even when controlling for pre-pandemic trait anxiety. Conclusion PRW's relationship with negative affect was partially mediated through attentional function, consistent with models of anxiety and attentional control. In UK-based students PRW may be predominantly focused on the decline in QoL; therefore, interventions targeting worry about the decline in QoL caused by COVID-19 are especially important in this population in the wake of the pandemic. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-022-10336-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris R. H. Brown
- School of Psychology, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, Holybourne Avenue, London, SW15 4JD UK
| | - Ya-Chun Feng
- National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paul Allen
- Kings College London, University of Roehampton, London, UK
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Breit M, Scherrer V, Blickle J, Preckel F. Students' intelligence test results after six and sixteen months of irregular schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281779. [PMID: 36888586 PMCID: PMC9994686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected schooling worldwide. In many places, schools closed for weeks or months, only part of the student body could be educated at any one time, or students were taught online. Previous research discloses the relevance of schooling for the development of cognitive abilities. We therefore compared the intelligence test performance of 424 German secondary school students in Grades 7 to 9 (42% female) tested after the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., 2020 sample) to the results of two highly comparable student samples tested in 2002 (n = 1506) and 2012 (n = 197). The results revealed substantially and significantly lower intelligence test scores in the 2020 sample than in both the 2002 and 2012 samples. We retested the 2020 sample after another full school year of COVID-19-affected schooling in 2021. We found mean-level changes of typical magnitude, with no signs of catching up to previous cohorts or further declines in cognitive performance. Perceived stress during the pandemic did not affect changes in intelligence test results between the two measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Breit
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Joshua Blickle
- Department of Psychology, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Franzis Preckel
- Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
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Rahman MR, Akter R, Neelotpol S, Mayesha II, Afrose A. The Neuropathological Impacts of COVID-19: Challenges and Alternative Treatment Options for Alzheimer's Like Brain Changes on Severely SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2023; 38:15333175231214974. [PMID: 37972355 PMCID: PMC10655662 DOI: 10.1177/15333175231214974] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Recently, some researchers claimed neuropathological changes lead to Alzheimer's-like brains after severe infection of SARS-CoV-2. Several mechanisms have been postulated on how SARS-CoV-2 neurological damage leads to Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. Neurobiochemical changes during infection may significantly induce Alzheimer's disease in severely COVID-19 infected people. The immune system is also compromised while infected by this novel coronavirus. However, recent studies are insufficient to conclude the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and COVID-19. This review demonstrates the possible pathways of neuropathological changes induced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in AD patients or leading to AD in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this study delineates the challenges for COVID-19 infected AD patients and the mechanism of actions of natural compounds and alternative treatments to overcome those. Furthermore, animal studies and a large cohort of COVID-19 survivors who showed neuroinflammation and neurological changes may augment the research to discover the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Rashidur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacy, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Afrina Afrose
- School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Tran DMD, Prieto I, Otto AR, Livesey EJ. TMS reveals distinct patterns of proactive and reactive inhibition in motor system activity. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108348. [PMID: 35998766 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Response inhibition is our ability to suppress or cancel actions when required. Deficits in response inhibition are linked with a range of psychopathological disorders including addiction and OCD. Studies on response inhibition have largely focused on reactive inhibition-stopping an action when explicitly cued. Less work has examined proactive inhibition-preparation to stop ahead of time. In the current experiment, we studied both reactive and proactive inhibition by adopting a two-step continuous performance task (e.g., "AX"-CPT) often used to study cognitive control. By combining a dot pattern expectancy (DPX) version of this task with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we mapped changes in reactive and proactive inhibition within the motor system. Measured using motor-evoked potentials, we found modulation of corticospinal excitability at critical timepoints during the DPX when participants were preparing in advance to inhibit a response (at step 1: during the cue) and while inhibiting a response (at step 2: during the probe). Notably, motor system activity during early timepoints was predicted by a behavioural index of proactive capacity and could predict whether participants would later successfully inhibit their response. Our findings demonstrate that combining TMS with a two-step CPT such as the DPX can be useful for studying reactive and proactive inhibition, and reveal that successful inhibition is determined earlier than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Illeana Prieto
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - A Ross Otto
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Evan J Livesey
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Australia
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12
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Plantinga LC, Hoge C, Dunlop-Thomas C, Pearce BD, Lim SS, Drenkard C, Bowling CB. Association of COVID-19 pandemic-related concern and health routine changes with functioning among individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus Sci Med 2022; 9:e000658. [PMID: 35177480 PMCID: PMC8889448 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2022-000658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether pandemic-related issues were associated with physical functioning, community mobility and cognition among individuals with SLE. METHODS Participants were recruited (6 October 2020-11 November 2021) for this cross-sectional study from a population-based cohort of individuals with validated SLE in metropolitan Atlanta, as part of an ongoing ancillary study. Pandemic-related issues (concern about the pandemic (very vs somewhat/not at all concerned); changes in physical activity and sleep (less vs more/same); difficulty obtaining food and medications and accessing routine care (any vs none)) were self-reported. Self-reported physical functioning and episodic and working memory performance were reported as t-scores (such that a score of 50=population mean and a 10-point difference=1 SD) and community mobility scores ranged from 0 to 120, with higher scores representing better functioning for all domains. Differences in scores were assessed via t-tests and age-adjusted, sex-adjusted and race-adjusted linear regression. RESULTS Among 245 participants (mean age, 46 years; 95% female, 77% black), physical functioning t-scores (mean=44) were consistently lower (by 3-5 points) for those who reported concern about the pandemic, less physical activity and sleep, difficulty obtaining food and medications, and accessing routine care. Similarly, community mobility scores (mean=48) were lower (by 10-20 points) for these individuals. There were no substantial differences in episodic memory and working memory t-scores (mean=50 and 47, respectively) by pandemic-related issues. CONCLUSION We found that physical functioning and community mobility, but not cognition, were lower among those who reported more concern about the pandemic or greater disruptions to health routines. Future studies should explore interventions among these vulnerable individuals with SLE, who already disproportionately suffer from functional impairment, to maintain functioning and prevent adverse outcomes during times of crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Plantinga
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Courtney Hoge
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Brad D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - S Sam Lim
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Cristina Drenkard
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - C Barrett Bowling
- Durham Veterans Affairs Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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