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Smith EM, Rakestraw C, Farroni JS. Scientific priorities and relational dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study. Account Res 2024; 31:356-376. [PMID: 36168913 PMCID: PMC10076447 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2022.2130058] [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] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
To rapidly respond to the COVID-19 public health crisis, researchers have been called upon to prioritize pandemic research, while simultaneously modifying their existing research to maintain the safety of all stakeholders. This study aims to explore the experiences of health science researchers in their scientific practices, research priorities, and professional relational dynamics due to COVID-19. Specifically, we interviewed 31 researchers from diverse fields at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Participants worked on COVID-19, non-COVID-19 related research, or both. We integrated inductive and deductive coding using a thematic coding method. The following four themes were explored: 1) impact of research, 2) research priorities, 3) professional relationships and 4) contextual influences on science. Participants were drawn to COVID-19 work for a diversity of reasons including social need, scientific interest, professional duty, and increased access to funding opportunities. While collaborations have increased for COVID-19 researchers, interpersonal relationships have been challenging for participants. Additionally, political, familial, and personal stresses due to the pandemic have taken a toll on researchers in very different and often inequitable ways. To ensure team cohesion, there is a need to develop research practices, policies and systems that value empathy, flexibility, and interdependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise M Smith
- Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities, School of Public and Population Health, Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Corisa Rakestraw
- Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities, School of Public and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey S Farroni
- Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities, School of Public and Population Health, Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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Vicentin S, Cantarella G, Cona G, Bisiacchi P. Thinking about it: the impact of COVID-19-related stimuli on prospective memory. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16389. [PMID: 38025740 PMCID: PMC10657566 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Since 2020, information regarding COVID-19 has been a constant presence in the news, in our conversations and thoughts. Continuous exposure to this type of stimuli could have an impact on cognitive processes essential for our everyday activities, such as prospective memory (PM). PM is the ability to remember to perform an intention at a specific point in the future, like remembering to take prescribed medicines at a specific time or to turn off the stove after cooking. Do COVID-related stimuli affect our ability to perform a PM task? Methods To answer this question, we proposed a novel version of the classical paradigm used to investigate PM. Namely, this paradigm includes a baseline condition, in which an ongoing task is presented alone, and a PM condition in which the same task is proposed again together with a second (prospective) task. In this study, a short video clip was presented between the baseline and the PM condition. The video clip displayed either neutral, negative, or COVID-related content. Additionally, participants were asked to respond to two questionnaires and a series of questions regarding their well-being and experience with the pandemic. Namely, the DASS-21 scale (evaluating depression, anxiety, and stress), and the COVID-19-PTSD questionnaire (a questionnaire evaluating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to the pandemic experience) were administered. Participants' performance and responses were analyzed using a linear mixed effect (LME) model approach, and correlation analyses were run to highlight possible correlations between participants' scores in the DASS-21, the COVID-19-PTSD, and the additional questions on their personal experience with the pandemic. Results The LME models revealed significant effects of the displayed video on performance: in line with previous studies, the clip displaying standard negative contents led to impaired accuracy in the ongoing task in the PM condition, compared to the Baseline. In contrast, participants who saw the COVID-related clip showed improved accuracy in the ongoing task compared to the other participants, selectively in the block performed after the video clip was displayed (PM condition). Furthermore, the explanatory power of the LME model calculated on accuracy to the ongoing trials was enhanced by the inclusion of the scores in the anxiety subscale of the DASS-21, suggesting a detrimental role of anxiety. Altogether, these results indicate a different effect of the exposure to classical negative contents (associated with a cost in terms of accuracy in the ongoing task between the baseline and the PM condition) and the pandemic-related one, which was instead characterized by a higher accuracy to ongoing trials compared to the other video clips. This counterintuitive finding seems to suggest that COVID-related stimuli are processed as "acute stressors" rather than negative stimuli, thus inducing a state of increased alertness and responsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Vicentin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Giorgia Cona
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Patrizia Bisiacchi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Olson KD, Fogelman N, Maturo L, Alvarado J, Ball S, Forray A, Hu M, Ivy M, Kapo J, Krystal J, Mayes L, Rohrbaugh R, Southwick S, Tebes J, Wassel B, Sinha R. COVID-19 Traumatic Disaster Appraisal and Stress Symptoms Among Health Care Workers: Insights From the Yale Stress Self-assessment. J Occup Environ Med 2022; 64:934-941. [PMID: 35959912 PMCID: PMC9640251 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine to what extent did health care workers experience the pandemic as a severe stress event. METHODS This cross-sectional evaluation of 8299 health care workers, representing a 22% response rate, utilized machine learning to predict high levels of escalating stress based on demographics and known predictors for adverse psychological outcomes after trauma. RESULTS A third of health care workers experienced the pandemic as a potentially traumatic stress event; a greater proportion of health care workers experienced high levels of escalating stress. Predictive factors included sense of control, ability to manage work-life demands, guilt or shame, age, and level of education. Gender was no longer predictive after controlling for other factors. Escalating stress was especially high among nonclinical academics and clinical private practitioners. CONCLUSION Findings suggest adverse effects on total worker health, care quality, professionalism, retention, and acute and chronic mental health.
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Batista P, Afonso A, Lopes M, Fonseca C, Oliveira-Silva P, Pereira A, Pinho L. Anxiety and Coping Stress Strategies in Researchers During COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:850376. [PMID: 35692345 PMCID: PMC9175237 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.850376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected the whole world, leading to changes in one's personal and working life. Researchers have undergone extensive changes in their roles, mainly in the area of health care, with research into the virus now the priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Batista
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Research Centre for Human Development, Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory, Porto, Portugal
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF – Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Patrícia Batista
| | - Anabela Afonso
- Department of Mathematics, School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
- Center for Research in Mathematics and Applications (CIMA), Institute for Advanced Studies and Research, Évora, Portugal
| | - Manuel Lopes
- S. João de Deus School of Nursing, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Évora, Portugal
| | - César Fonseca
- S. João de Deus School of Nursing, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Évora, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Oliveira-Silva
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Research Centre for Human Development, Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory, Porto, Portugal
| | - Anabela Pereira
- Education and Psychology Department, Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Anabela Pereira
| | - Lara Pinho
- S. João de Deus School of Nursing, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Évora, Portugal
- Lara Pinho
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Liao Z, Zhang X, Wang Y, Wang T, Li X, Zhao M, Zhuang Q. Delayed-Onset PTSD and Coping Strategies of Chinese College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2021; 6:734738. [PMID: 34778444 PMCID: PMC8579065 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.734738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic, and many Chinese college students both in China and abroad were house-quarantined. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and symptoms of delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and coping strategies among Chinese overseas and domestic college students during this pandemic. A questionnaire was opportunistically distributed to Chinese college students studying both domestically and abroad six months after the COVID-19 outbreak. The questionnaire consisted of IES-R, SCSQ, and SSRS. The average score of delayed-onset PTSD in our population was 21.411 (full mark, 88 points), which reflected a total high level of delayed-onset PTSD symptoms. Statistical differences were shown between students who have been back to universities during the pandemic or not in the hyperarousal dimension (p = 0.016). Three coping strategies were recognized to influence the respondent's delayed-onset PTSD symptoms, and there was a significant correlation between social support and the coping strategies students chose. A moderate to high level of delayed-onset PTSD was observed among both Chinese overseas and domestic college students 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak. The useful coping strategies and powerful social supports are significantly important to help them stay mentally healthy and alleviate delayed-onset PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxin Liao
- Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yingwen Wang
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tingwei Wang
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingyi Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Quan Zhuang
- Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Vlisides PE, Vogt KM, Pal D, Schnell E, Armstead WM, Brambrink AM, Kuo P, Nelson P, Vacas S, Goettel N, Aglio LS, Farag E, Gorji R, García PS, Koerner IP. Roadmap for Conducting Neuroscience Research in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond: Recommendations From the SNACC Research Committee. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2021; 33:100-106. [PMID: 33660699 PMCID: PMC8310904 DOI: 10.1097/ana.0000000000000758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many aspects of neuroscience research. At the 2020 Society of Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC) Annual Meeting, the SNACC Research Committee met virtually to discuss research challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic along with possible strategies for facilitating research activities. These challenges and recommendations are included in this Consensus Statement. The objectives are to: (1) provide an overview of the disruptions and challenges to neuroscience research caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and; (2) put forth a set of consensus recommendations for strengthening research sustainability during and beyond the current pandemic. Specific recommendations are highlighted for adapting laboratory and human subject study activities to optimize safety. Complementary research activities are also outlined for both laboratory and clinical researchers if specific investigations are impossible because of regulatory or societal changes. The role of virtual platforms is discussed with respect to fostering new collaborations, scheduling research meetings, and holding conferences such that scientific collaboration and exchange of ideas can continue. Our hope is for these recommendations to serve as a valuable resource for investigators in the neurosciences and other research disciplines for current and future research disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip E. Vlisides
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Keith M. Vogt
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Dinesh Pal
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Eric Schnell
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, OR USA
| | - William M. Armstead
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Ansgar M. Brambrink
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY USA
| | - Philip Kuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Priscilla Nelson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Susana Vacas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Nicolai Goettel
- Department of Anesthesia, Prehospital Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Linda S. Aglio
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ehab Farag
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH USA
| | - Reza Gorji
- Department of Anesthesiology, Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, NY USA
| | - Paul S. García
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY USA
| | - Ines P. Koerner
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, OR USA
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