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Aggarwal J, Shendell DG, Nguyen KT, Rehman M, Campbell ML. Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-10. [PMID: 39003756 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2378097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program (NJSS) provides code-required trainings for NJ teachers supervising students in work-based learning (WBL) experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased use of chemical cleaning, sanitization, and disinfectant products (CSDPs) led to ventilation and other health concerns. NJSS conducted two surveys of newer NJ WBL teachers between October 2021 and June 2023, with a follow-up in fall 2022 for those who completed initial surveys before summer 2022. This study focused on questions regarding workspace ventilation; respirator and CSDPs trainings; awareness of government resources for safety and health (S&H); and demographics. Over 65% of participant classrooms have operable windows or ventilation systems, while 13% of school salons have ceiling fans. Half of participants didn't receive training on handling CSDPs, although 90% were aware of government S&H resources. Data suggested teachers have well-ventilated workspaces and are aware of different resources available, which is important to continue post COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhi Aggarwal
- Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Derek G Shendell
- Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health & Justice, Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Kimberly T Nguyen
- Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Midhat Rehman
- Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Maryanne L Campbell
- Rutgers School of Public Health (SPH), NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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Dunfee MN, Bush H, Leger KA, Hilbert TJ, Brancato C, Haynes EN. Characteristics of K-12 Teachers Considering Leaving Due to COVID-19 and for Other Reasons. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2024; 94:519-528. [PMID: 38684234 PMCID: PMC11088976 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic effects on K-12 teachers. Researchers partnered with a teacher advisory board to identify factors associated with K-12 teachers' consideration of leaving teaching during Fall 2020. METHODS A web-based survey focused on teachers' working experiences was emailed to school union membership listservs in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. A logistic regression model was developed to identify working conditions associated with teachers considering leaving the profession. RESULTS Among 5873 K-12 teachers, 27% (n = 1319) were considering leaving the profession either because of COVID-19 (10%), for other reasons (6%) or were undecided (11%). Teachers who were midcareer, having taught 6-10 years, who perceived less supervisor support, whose job duties had changed significantly, who were dissatisfied with the COVID-19 related decision-making, who reported poor or fair mental health, and who were mostly or extremely afraid that a household member would get COVID-19 had higher odds of considering leaving teaching or being undecided about future career plans. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE AND EQUITY Understanding factors influencing teachers' career decisions will help school leaders improve teacher retention amid challenging circumstances. CONCLUSION In this study in 3 midwestern US states, limited supervisor support, significant job duty change, dissatisfaction with COVID-19-related decision-making, poor or fair mental health, and fear that a household member would get COVID-19 were associated with teachers' consideration of leaving the profession or being undecided about future career plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline N Dunfee
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Heather Bush
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kate A Leger
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | | | - Candace Brancato
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Erin N Haynes
- College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among New Jersey Teachers and Impacts of Vaccination Information Dissemination. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020466. [PMID: 36851344 PMCID: PMC9967281 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020466] [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: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy continues to be prevalent in the United States, especially in relation to the COVID-19 vaccines and its boosters, which have been made increasingly available for public use as the pandemic has progressed. There continues to be concern surrounding the safety and health of secondary or high school education professionals as they transition back to in-person learning and working opportunities. The present study highlights how information dissemination regarding the COVID-19 vaccine has varied among New Jersey secondary or high school teachers throughout the pandemic. The survey was completed online through the PsychData platform by 269 participants between March and July 2022. Participants received the opportunity to complete the survey via email. Afterwards, data were exported and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SAS 9.4 Analytics Software and stratified by various clinical and demographic-based variables. While trusted agencies and media outlets identified by participants varied, most participants identified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (65.4%), primary care providers (37.5%), and state health departments (28.6%) as their top trusted sources for information related to COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, COVID-19 vaccination advocacy and educational efforts should continue across the state of New Jersey and elsewhere, especially as more variants emerge and boosters become available.
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Campbell ML, Shendell DG. Survey of New Jersey K-12 Professionals on Work-Based Learning During COVID-19: A Preliminary Study and Future Implications. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2023; 93:123-127. [PMID: 36370006 PMCID: PMC9878248 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13285] [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: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The New Jersey Safe Schools Program (NJSS) offers an online professional development certification course, titled "Designing and Implementing Student Training Plans," for NJ high school (HS) teachers developing secondary school student work-based learning (WBL) programs. WBL provides students opportunities to engage in career-related field tasks, aligned to curricular instruction. METHODS In January-July 2021, during 7 cohorts of trainings, questions in the training's assignment gauged teacher and student concerns regarding worksite placements during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning delivery format preferences, and alternative activities for WBL credit. RESULTS In January-July 2021, 68 of 134 HS teachers (51%) were concerned placing students in WBL and indicated "no" and "I don't know" (37% and 31%, respectively) about employer willingness to offer virtual mentorship during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study presents insights of newly credentialed WBL supervisory HS teachers regarding impacts of COVID-19 on student health and workplace safety, preferred WBL formats, and potential implementation of COVID-19 safety trainings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryanne L. Campbell
- New Jersey Safe Schools Program, Rutgers School of Public Health683 Hoes Lane West, 3rd Floor SPH Building, Suite 399, Piscataway, NJ 08854‐8020.
| | - Derek G. Shendell
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, and New Jersey Safe Schools Program, Rutgers School of Public Health683 Hoes Lane West, 3rd Floor SPH Building, Suite 399, Office 384, Field Lab 381, Piscataway, NJ 08854‐8020.
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Chen IH, Chen HP, Gamble JH, Liao XL, Chen XM, Yang YTC, Pakpour AH, Griffiths MD, Lin CY. Evaluating a cross-lagged panel model between problematic internet use and psychological distress and cross-level mediation of school administrator support on problematic internet use: The serial mediating role of psychological needs thwarting of online teaching and psychological distress. Front Public Health 2022; 10:987366. [PMID: 36407990 PMCID: PMC9667893 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.987366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To reduce the transmission of COVID-19, many teachers across the globe, including teachers in China, were required to teach online. This shift to online teaching can easily result in psychological need thwarting (PNT) of teachers' psychological basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), leaving them vulnerable to negative psychological outcomes. Resulting negative emotional state may lead to problematic internet use (PIU), which can lead to further psychological distress, forming a vicious cycle. Methods The present study was conducted using a cross-lagged panel model (with longitudinal data) and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) (with cross-sectional data). The aims were to investigate (i) the reciprocal relationships between two specific forms of PIU [problematic social media use (PSMU) and problematic gaming (PG)] and psychological distress among schoolteachers, and (ii) the influence of administrators' support on schoolteachers' PIU through a cross-level serial mediation model (PNT of online teaching was the first mediator and psychological distress was the second mediator affected by PNT of online teaching). Primary and secondary schoolteachers (N = 980; mean age = 34.76; 82.90% females) participated in two surveys (Time 1: mid-November 2021; Time 2: early-January 2022). Results Results indicated that (i) high psychological distress at Time 1 was associated with increased levels of PSMU and PG at Time 2. Inversely, PG at Time 1 was associated with increased psychological distress at Time 2, although PSMU at Time 1 did not have a significant influence on psychological distress at Time 2; (ii) during Time 1, increased administrative support contributed to alleviating teachers' psychological needs thwarting of online teaching, thereby lowering their psychological distress which, in turn, resulted in a decrease in PG. Conclusion PG had a stronger negative influence on teachers' psychological distress than PSMU. To relieve teachers' PG, administrative support can alleviate teachers' psychological needs thwarting of online teaching and psychological distress. Based on this finding, school managers must consider effective ways to support teachers during mandatory online teaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Hua Chen
- Chinese Academy of Education Big Data, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Hsin-Pao Chen
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-Da Hospital, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jeffrey H. Gamble
- Department of English, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Xiao ling Liao
- International College, Krirk University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Xiu-Mei Chen
- Faculty of Education, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Ya-Ting Carolyn Yang
- Institute of Education, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan,*Correspondence: Ya-Ting Carolyn Yang
| | - Amir H. Pakpour
- Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Mark D. Griffiths
- International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Chung-Ying Lin
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan,Biostatistics Consulting Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan,Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan,Chung-Ying Lin
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Li D, Nyhan K, Zhou X, Zhu Y, Castro D, Vermund SH, Brault M. School closures and reopenings during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e054292. [PMID: 35110320 PMCID: PMC8811274 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of existing studies and evidence on the impact of school closures and reopenings during the pandemic. INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated widespread school closures, and reopening schools safely has a pivotal role in the well-being of children and teachers, SARS-CoV-2 transmission control and optimal societal functioning. Widespread school closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused adverse effects on the education, physical health and mental well-being of children. An understanding of the impact of school closures and reopenings as well as factors influencing school safety is critical to bringing schools' operational status back to normal. Despite the implication of individual concerns and knowledge on disease prevention practices, there is a paucity of research on individual knowledge, needs and behaviours in the context of school reopenings. In the proposed study, we will conduct a scoping review to identify and provide inventory of the current research and evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on K-12 schools (primary and secondary schools) and vice versa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Eligible studies/literature include members of K-12 (primary and secondary) schools (students, parents, staff, faculty, COVID-19 coordinator, school nurses) in countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will exclude university or college students. There will be no exclusion based on methods, timing or school operational status.All concepts regarding school closures and reopenings will be considered, and all types of research will be considered.This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Sources of evidence published from 2020 to 31 October 2021 will be included. The search will include PubMed, preprints in EuropePMC, ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL and VHL. We will cover grey literature in Harvard Think Tank Database, COVID-19 Evidence Hub like COVID-END and Google Scholar. The abstract and title screening, full-text screening and data extraction will be done by two independent reviewers.Disagreements will be resolved by an independent third reviewer. Data extract will be done on Qualtrics form to ensure accurate extraction. Citation chaining will be performed on key articles identified. A critical appraisal will be performed.The scoping review will take place from 1 August 2021 to 15 November 2021. We will perform a final round of updated search and citation chaining. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The review will be based on published works and grey literature, thus it is exempt from formal ethical approval. This protocol cannot be registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews because this registry is not for scoping reviews. We will register it in OSF Registration. The paper will appear in a peer-reviewed, open-access journal to ensure a broad dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kate Nyhan
- Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yunxu Zhu
- Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Danielle Castro
- Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sten H Vermund
- Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marie Brault
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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