A survey dataset to evaluate the changes in mobility and transportation due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa, United States
- Barbieri, Diego, Lou, Baowen, Passavanti, Marco, Hui, Cang, Lam, Louisa
- Authors: Barbieri, Diego , Lou, Baowen , Passavanti, Marco , Hui, Cang , Lam, Louisa
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Data in Brief Vol. 33, no. (2020), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the global community. To curb the viral transmission, travel restrictions have been enforced across the world. The dataset documents the mobility disruptions and the modal shifts that have occurred as a consequence of the restrictive measures implemented in ten countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. An online questionnaire was distributed during the period from the 11st to the 31st of May 2020, with a total of 9 394 respondents. The first part of the survey has characterized the frequency of use of all transport modes before and during the enforcement of the restrictions, while the second part of the survey has dealt with perceived risks of contracting COVID-19 from different transport modes and perceived effectiveness of travel mitigation measures. Overall, the dataset (stored in a repository publicly available) can be conveniently used to quantify and understand the modal shifts and people's cognitive behavior towards travel due to COVID-19. The collected responses can be further analysed by considering other demographic and socioeconomic covariates. © 2020 The Author(s). *Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Louisa Lam” is provided in this record*
- Authors: Barbieri, Diego , Lou, Baowen , Passavanti, Marco , Hui, Cang , Lam, Louisa
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Data in Brief Vol. 33, no. (2020), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the global community. To curb the viral transmission, travel restrictions have been enforced across the world. The dataset documents the mobility disruptions and the modal shifts that have occurred as a consequence of the restrictive measures implemented in ten countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. An online questionnaire was distributed during the period from the 11st to the 31st of May 2020, with a total of 9 394 respondents. The first part of the survey has characterized the frequency of use of all transport modes before and during the enforcement of the restrictions, while the second part of the survey has dealt with perceived risks of contracting COVID-19 from different transport modes and perceived effectiveness of travel mitigation measures. Overall, the dataset (stored in a repository publicly available) can be conveniently used to quantify and understand the modal shifts and people's cognitive behavior towards travel due to COVID-19. The collected responses can be further analysed by considering other demographic and socioeconomic covariates. © 2020 The Author(s). *Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Louisa Lam” is provided in this record*
Risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Antarctic wildlife
- Barbosa, Andres, Varsani, Arvind, Morandini, Virginia, Grimaldi, Wray, Vanstreels, Ralph, Diaz, Julia, Boulinier, Thierry, Dewar, Meagan, González-Acuña, Daniel, Gray, Rachael, McMahon, Clive, Miller, Gary, Power, Michelle, Gamble, Amandine, Wille, Michelle
- Authors: Barbosa, Andres , Varsani, Arvind , Morandini, Virginia , Grimaldi, Wray , Vanstreels, Ralph , Diaz, Julia , Boulinier, Thierry , Dewar, Meagan , González-Acuña, Daniel , Gray, Rachael , McMahon, Clive , Miller, Gary , Power, Michelle , Gamble, Amandine , Wille, Michelle
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Science of the Total Environment Vol. 755, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pathogen has spread rapidly across the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin with the potential for cross-species transmission among animals. Antarctica can be considered the only continent free of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, concerns have been expressed regarding the potential human introduction of this virus to the continent through the activities of research or tourism to minimise the effects on human health, and the potential for virus transmission to Antarctic wildlife. We assess the reverse-zoonotic transmission risk to Antarctic wildlife by considering the available information on host susceptibility, dynamics of the infection in humans, and contact interactions between humans and Antarctic wildlife. The environmental conditions in Antarctica seem to be favourable for the virus stability. Indoor spaces such as those at research stations, research vessels or tourist cruise ships could allow for more transmission among humans and depending on their movements between different locations the virus could be spread across the continent. Among Antarctic wildlife previous in silico analyses suggested that cetaceans are at greater risk of infection whereas seals and birds appear to be at a low infection risk. However, caution needed until further research is carried out and consequently, the precautionary principle should be applied. Field researchers handling animals are identified as the human group posing the highest risk of transmission to animals while tourists and other personnel pose a significant risk only when in close proximity (< 5 m) to Antarctic fauna. We highlight measures to reduce the risk as well as identify of knowledge gaps related to this issue. © 2020 The Authors
- Authors: Barbosa, Andres , Varsani, Arvind , Morandini, Virginia , Grimaldi, Wray , Vanstreels, Ralph , Diaz, Julia , Boulinier, Thierry , Dewar, Meagan , González-Acuña, Daniel , Gray, Rachael , McMahon, Clive , Miller, Gary , Power, Michelle , Gamble, Amandine , Wille, Michelle
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Science of the Total Environment Vol. 755, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pathogen has spread rapidly across the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin with the potential for cross-species transmission among animals. Antarctica can be considered the only continent free of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, concerns have been expressed regarding the potential human introduction of this virus to the continent through the activities of research or tourism to minimise the effects on human health, and the potential for virus transmission to Antarctic wildlife. We assess the reverse-zoonotic transmission risk to Antarctic wildlife by considering the available information on host susceptibility, dynamics of the infection in humans, and contact interactions between humans and Antarctic wildlife. The environmental conditions in Antarctica seem to be favourable for the virus stability. Indoor spaces such as those at research stations, research vessels or tourist cruise ships could allow for more transmission among humans and depending on their movements between different locations the virus could be spread across the continent. Among Antarctic wildlife previous in silico analyses suggested that cetaceans are at greater risk of infection whereas seals and birds appear to be at a low infection risk. However, caution needed until further research is carried out and consequently, the precautionary principle should be applied. Field researchers handling animals are identified as the human group posing the highest risk of transmission to animals while tourists and other personnel pose a significant risk only when in close proximity (< 5 m) to Antarctic fauna. We highlight measures to reduce the risk as well as identify of knowledge gaps related to this issue. © 2020 The Authors
Can optimum solar radiation exposure or supplemented vitamin D intake reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms?
- Abraham, Joji, Dowling, Kim, Florentine, Singarayer
- Authors: Abraham, Joji , Dowling, Kim , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-21
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- Reviewed:
- Description: The foremost mortality-causing symptom associated with COVID-19 is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A significant correlation has been identified between the deficiency in vitamin D and the risk of developing ARDS. It has been suggested that if we can reduce or modify ARDS in COVID-19 patients, we may significantly reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and associated mortality rates. The increased mortality of dark-skinned people, who have a reduced UV absorption capacity, may be consistent with diminished vitamin D status. The factors associated with COVID-19 mortality, such as old age, ethnicity, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, are all found to be linked with vitamin D deficiency. Based on this review and as a precautionary measure, it is suggested that the adoption of appropriate and safe solar exposure and vitamin D enriched foods and supplements should be considered to reduce the possible severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Safe sun exposure is deemed beneficial globally, specifically in low and middle- income countries, as there is no cost involved. It is also noted that improved solar exposure and vitamin D levels can reduce the impact of other diseases as well, thus assisting in maintaining general human well-being. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Authors: Abraham, Joji , Dowling, Kim , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-21
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The foremost mortality-causing symptom associated with COVID-19 is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A significant correlation has been identified between the deficiency in vitamin D and the risk of developing ARDS. It has been suggested that if we can reduce or modify ARDS in COVID-19 patients, we may significantly reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and associated mortality rates. The increased mortality of dark-skinned people, who have a reduced UV absorption capacity, may be consistent with diminished vitamin D status. The factors associated with COVID-19 mortality, such as old age, ethnicity, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, are all found to be linked with vitamin D deficiency. Based on this review and as a precautionary measure, it is suggested that the adoption of appropriate and safe solar exposure and vitamin D enriched foods and supplements should be considered to reduce the possible severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Safe sun exposure is deemed beneficial globally, specifically in low and middle- income countries, as there is no cost involved. It is also noted that improved solar exposure and vitamin D levels can reduce the impact of other diseases as well, thus assisting in maintaining general human well-being. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Barbieri, Diego, Lou, Baowen, Passavanti, Marco, Hui, Cang, Lessa, Daniela, Maharaj, Brij, Banerjee, Arunabha, Wang, Fusong, Chang, Kevin, Naik, Bhaven, Yu, Lei, Liu, Zhuangzhuang, Sikka, Gaurav, Tucker, Andrew, Mirhosseini, Ali, Naseri, Sahra, Qiao, Yaning, Gupta, Akshay, Abbas, Montasir, Fang, Kevin, Ghasemi, Navid, Peprah, Prince, Goswami, Shubham, Hessami, Amir, Agarwal, Nithin, Lam, Louisa, Adomako, Solomon
- Authors: Barbieri, Diego , Lou, Baowen , Passavanti, Marco , Hui, Cang , Lessa, Daniela , Maharaj, Brij , Banerjee, Arunabha , Wang, Fusong , Chang, Kevin , Naik, Bhaven , Yu, Lei , Liu, Zhuangzhuang , Sikka, Gaurav , Tucker, Andrew , Mirhosseini, Ali , Naseri, Sahra , Qiao, Yaning , Gupta, Akshay , Abbas, Montasir , Fang, Kevin , Ghasemi, Navid , Peprah, Prince , Goswami, Shubham , Hessami, Amir , Agarwal, Nithin , Lam, Louisa , Adomako, Solomon
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article , Data article
- Relation: Data in Brief Vol. 32, (2020)
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The dataset deals with the air quality perceived by citizens before and during the enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions in ten countries around the world: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. An online survey conveniently translated into Chinese, English, Italian, Norwegian, Persian, Portuguese collected information regarding the perceived quality of air pollution according to a Likert scale. The questionnaire was distributed between 11-05-2020 and 31-05-2020 and 9 394 respondents took part. Both the survey and the dataset (stored in a Microsoft Excel Worksheet) are available in a public repository. The collected data offer the people's subjective perspectives related to the objective improvement in air quality occurred during the COVID-19 restrictions. Furthermore, the dataset can be used for research studies involving the reduction in air pollution as experienced, to a different extent, by populations of all the ten countries. © 2020 The Author(s)
COVID-19 distress and worries : the role of attitudes, social support, and positive coping during social isolation
- Moore, Kathleen, Lucas, James
- Authors: Moore, Kathleen , Lucas, James
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice Vol. 94, no. 2 (2021), p. 365-370
- Full Text:
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- Description: As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates, one public health response has been for governments to impose quarantine ‘lockdowns’ which require people to socially isolate. In this study, we explored the level of psychological distress that people experienced in social isolation and the factors which might ameliorate or exacerbate it. Two hundred and thirteen participants (69% female) with a mean age of 37.82 years participated in an online study. They completed a series of questions designed as part of a larger cross-national study. A positive attitude towards social isolation introduced by government as a strategy to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 was predictive of positive coping strategies, and both attitude and coping predicted reduced psychological distress. Participants’ worries about contagion of COVID-19, their financial status, and the economic and political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted increases in their psychological distress. Social support from family and work colleagues was not significant in reducing worries or psychological distress but it did positively predict engagement in coping. The findings and recommendations are discussed. Practitioner points: Fostering a positive attitude towards social isolation in clients: reduces psychological distress, fosters engagement in positive coping behaviours. Enhancing clients’ level of social support received will serve to increase positive coping and indirectly reduce psychological distress during social isolation. Strategies to reduce clients’ COVID-19 worries are important as worry contributes to their overall level of psychological distress. © 2020 The British Psychological Society
- Authors: Moore, Kathleen , Lucas, James
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice Vol. 94, no. 2 (2021), p. 365-370
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates, one public health response has been for governments to impose quarantine ‘lockdowns’ which require people to socially isolate. In this study, we explored the level of psychological distress that people experienced in social isolation and the factors which might ameliorate or exacerbate it. Two hundred and thirteen participants (69% female) with a mean age of 37.82 years participated in an online study. They completed a series of questions designed as part of a larger cross-national study. A positive attitude towards social isolation introduced by government as a strategy to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 was predictive of positive coping strategies, and both attitude and coping predicted reduced psychological distress. Participants’ worries about contagion of COVID-19, their financial status, and the economic and political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted increases in their psychological distress. Social support from family and work colleagues was not significant in reducing worries or psychological distress but it did positively predict engagement in coping. The findings and recommendations are discussed. Practitioner points: Fostering a positive attitude towards social isolation in clients: reduces psychological distress, fosters engagement in positive coping behaviours. Enhancing clients’ level of social support received will serve to increase positive coping and indirectly reduce psychological distress during social isolation. Strategies to reduce clients’ COVID-19 worries are important as worry contributes to their overall level of psychological distress. © 2020 The British Psychological Society
CRI : measuring city infection risk amid COVID-19
- Liu, Mingliang, Yu, Shuo, Chu, Xinbei, Xia, Feng
- Authors: Liu, Mingliang , Yu, Shuo , Chu, Xinbei , Xia, Feng
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 2020 IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Science and Data Engineering, CSDE 2020
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought incalculable economy and life losses. Accurately assessing the risk of a certain city can help formulate effective measures to prevent and control COVID-19 in time. It will be of great significance for us to measure city risk in infection amid epidemics. City risk in infection is related to many factors. To address this problem, this paper proposes city risk index (CRI) to measure city risk in infection, considering the following four perspectives: Economy (i.e., GDP and FCI), technology (i.e., education and innovation), population, and geographical position (i.e., latitude and longitude). The experimental results show that CRI can be effectively employed to measure city risk in infection amid COVID-19 as well as other similar epidemics. The proposed CRI can be used to guide policymakers for better emergency management policies making when coping with COVID-19. © 2020 IEEE.
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on youth sport in Australia and consequences for future participation and retention
- Elliott, Sam, Drummond, Murray, Prichard, Ivanka, Eime, Rochelle, Drummond, Claire, Mason, Robert
- Authors: Elliott, Sam , Drummond, Murray , Prichard, Ivanka , Eime, Rochelle , Drummond, Claire , Mason, Robert
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Public Health Vol. 21, no. 1 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: COVID-19 continues to represent the single biggest challenge to contemporary community sport globally. Compliance with social distancing policies, strict return-to-play protocols, and COVID-19 specific training has, perhaps, forever changed the way that children and young people engage in organised sport. Within this context, and while many children and families seek to re-engage with community sport, we (researchers and sport practitioners) have an obligation to ask questions about how the pandemic has impacted youth sport, understand the short- and long-term consequences, and explore what (if any) opportunities can be seized to assist and improve future participation and retention. The aim of this paper was to present an in-depth exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on youth sport in South Australia. Methods: Within an interpretive descriptive methodology, this qualitative investigation draws on rich, individual interview and focus group data with 39 youth (ages 15–18), parents, coaches, and sport administrators. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, leading to the development of four substantive themes. Results: We conceptualised the ‘4 Rs’ to advance theoretical understandings about the pandemic’s impact on youth sport, including the themes ‘recognising struggle’, ‘reconnection’, ‘re-engaging after restrictions, and ‘reimagining sport’. The themes captured insights about a decline in mental wellbeing and physical activity, an increase in family connectedness, the challenge for sports to attract volunteers and participants back into sport, and the opportunities to reset values and philosophies underpinning the provision of youth sport. Conclusion: The findings provide valuable insight into the youth sport setting as a result of the global pandemic and suggest that families, sporting clubs and sporting organisations require additional resources and tools (for example, support for parents to facilitate their children’s training at home during lockdown) to aid recovery efforts and to ensure the survival and prosperity of youth sport into the future. © 2021, The Author(s).
- Authors: Elliott, Sam , Drummond, Murray , Prichard, Ivanka , Eime, Rochelle , Drummond, Claire , Mason, Robert
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Public Health Vol. 21, no. 1 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: COVID-19 continues to represent the single biggest challenge to contemporary community sport globally. Compliance with social distancing policies, strict return-to-play protocols, and COVID-19 specific training has, perhaps, forever changed the way that children and young people engage in organised sport. Within this context, and while many children and families seek to re-engage with community sport, we (researchers and sport practitioners) have an obligation to ask questions about how the pandemic has impacted youth sport, understand the short- and long-term consequences, and explore what (if any) opportunities can be seized to assist and improve future participation and retention. The aim of this paper was to present an in-depth exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on youth sport in South Australia. Methods: Within an interpretive descriptive methodology, this qualitative investigation draws on rich, individual interview and focus group data with 39 youth (ages 15–18), parents, coaches, and sport administrators. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, leading to the development of four substantive themes. Results: We conceptualised the ‘4 Rs’ to advance theoretical understandings about the pandemic’s impact on youth sport, including the themes ‘recognising struggle’, ‘reconnection’, ‘re-engaging after restrictions, and ‘reimagining sport’. The themes captured insights about a decline in mental wellbeing and physical activity, an increase in family connectedness, the challenge for sports to attract volunteers and participants back into sport, and the opportunities to reset values and philosophies underpinning the provision of youth sport. Conclusion: The findings provide valuable insight into the youth sport setting as a result of the global pandemic and suggest that families, sporting clubs and sporting organisations require additional resources and tools (for example, support for parents to facilitate their children’s training at home during lockdown) to aid recovery efforts and to ensure the survival and prosperity of youth sport into the future. © 2021, The Author(s).
A comparison of the public's use of PPE and strategies to avoid contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and Germany
- Moore, Kathleen, Bouchoucha, Stephane, Buchwald, Petra
- Authors: Moore, Kathleen , Bouchoucha, Stephane , Buchwald, Petra
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing and Health Sciences Vol. 23, no. 3 (2021), p. 708-714
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- Description: The SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 pandemic has raised public awareness around disease protection. The aims in this study were to recruit participants from Australia and Germany to determine their use of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 avoidance strategies using scales designed for this study. Principal components analysis with the Australian data revealed two factors in the Protection from Infection Scale, Self-Care and Protective Behaviors, and a single factor in the Infection Avoidance Scale, with each scale demonstrating strong internal reliability. Data from German participants were used to confirm the scales' structure using confirmatory factor analysis. A comparison of the two data sets data revealed that Australian participants scored higher overall on protection and avoidance strategies but at the item level there were several commonalities, including self-care behaviors people adopted to avoid contracting COVID-19. With no foreseeable end to this pandemic, it is important that follow-up studies ascertain whether the public continues to adopt high levels of PPE use and follows government advice or if pandemic fatigue sets in. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
- Authors: Moore, Kathleen , Bouchoucha, Stephane , Buchwald, Petra
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing and Health Sciences Vol. 23, no. 3 (2021), p. 708-714
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 pandemic has raised public awareness around disease protection. The aims in this study were to recruit participants from Australia and Germany to determine their use of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 avoidance strategies using scales designed for this study. Principal components analysis with the Australian data revealed two factors in the Protection from Infection Scale, Self-Care and Protective Behaviors, and a single factor in the Infection Avoidance Scale, with each scale demonstrating strong internal reliability. Data from German participants were used to confirm the scales' structure using confirmatory factor analysis. A comparison of the two data sets data revealed that Australian participants scored higher overall on protection and avoidance strategies but at the item level there were several commonalities, including self-care behaviors people adopted to avoid contracting COVID-19. With no foreseeable end to this pandemic, it is important that follow-up studies ascertain whether the public continues to adopt high levels of PPE use and follows government advice or if pandemic fatigue sets in. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Panic buying and consumption displacement during COVID-19 : evidence from New Zealand
- Hall, C., Fieger, Peter, Prayag, Girish, Dyason, David
- Authors: Hall, C. , Fieger, Peter , Prayag, Girish , Dyason, David
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Economies Vol. 9, no. 2 (2021), p.
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- Description: Panic buying and hoarding behavior is a significant component of crisis- and disasterrelated consumption displacement that has received considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding such purchasing and stockpiling behavior provides critical information for government, disaster managers and the retail sector, as well as policy makers to adjust crisis response strategies and to better understand disaster management, including preparedness and response strategies. This study examines consumer purchasing behavior, retail spending and transactional data for different retail sectors between January 2017 and December 2020 using data for the greater Christchurch region in New Zealand. Once COVID-19-related panic buying began, overall spending increased sharply in anticipation of lockdowns. Transactional spending increased and subsided only slowly to a level higher than pre lockdown. The magnitude of the panic buying event far exceeded historical seasonal patterns of consumer spending outside of Christmas, Easter and Black Friday, although daily spending levels were comparable to such consumption events. The results of the study highlight the importance of comparing panic buying to other events in terms of purchasing motivations and also considering that so-called panic buying may contribute to greater individual and household resilience. The volume of sales alone is not adequate to define panic buying. Instead, the extent of divergence from the normal daily spending value per retail transaction of a given population provides a much more accurate characteristic of panic buying. © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Authors: Hall, C. , Fieger, Peter , Prayag, Girish , Dyason, David
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Economies Vol. 9, no. 2 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Panic buying and hoarding behavior is a significant component of crisis- and disasterrelated consumption displacement that has received considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding such purchasing and stockpiling behavior provides critical information for government, disaster managers and the retail sector, as well as policy makers to adjust crisis response strategies and to better understand disaster management, including preparedness and response strategies. This study examines consumer purchasing behavior, retail spending and transactional data for different retail sectors between January 2017 and December 2020 using data for the greater Christchurch region in New Zealand. Once COVID-19-related panic buying began, overall spending increased sharply in anticipation of lockdowns. Transactional spending increased and subsided only slowly to a level higher than pre lockdown. The magnitude of the panic buying event far exceeded historical seasonal patterns of consumer spending outside of Christmas, Easter and Black Friday, although daily spending levels were comparable to such consumption events. The results of the study highlight the importance of comparing panic buying to other events in terms of purchasing motivations and also considering that so-called panic buying may contribute to greater individual and household resilience. The volume of sales alone is not adequate to define panic buying. Instead, the extent of divergence from the normal daily spending value per retail transaction of a given population provides a much more accurate characteristic of panic buying. © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Meaning matters : self-perceived meaning in life, its predictors and psychological stressors associated with the covid-19 pandemic
- Humphrey, Ashley, Vari, Olivia
- Authors: Humphrey, Ashley , Vari, Olivia
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Behavioral Sciences Vol. 11, no. 4 (2021), p.
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Past research has found that a perceived meaning in life can act as a protective factor against adverse mental health symptomology, while also providing coping resources to buffer against the impact of negative life events. The current research investigated how the impact of self-perceived meaning in life as well as its predictors interact with stressors and worry related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected survey based data (n = 260) from Australian participants during the pandemic, measuring their meaning in life, orientation to differing life goals and COVID-19 related stressors via the impact of events scale. We found that meaning in life predicted less stress and worry associated with COVID-19. We also found that intrinsic based aspirations related positively to meaning in life within this context whereas extrinsic based goals related negatively to it, although these aspirations were not significant in reducing the stressors associated with COVID-19. These results reinforce past findings that meaning in life can effectively buffer against the impact of negative life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They also suggest that intrinsic based aspirations centred on relationships and self-acceptance may be an important mechanism in how people choose to pursue life meaning during uncertain life events. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Authors: Humphrey, Ashley , Vari, Olivia
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Behavioral Sciences Vol. 11, no. 4 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Past research has found that a perceived meaning in life can act as a protective factor against adverse mental health symptomology, while also providing coping resources to buffer against the impact of negative life events. The current research investigated how the impact of self-perceived meaning in life as well as its predictors interact with stressors and worry related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected survey based data (n = 260) from Australian participants during the pandemic, measuring their meaning in life, orientation to differing life goals and COVID-19 related stressors via the impact of events scale. We found that meaning in life predicted less stress and worry associated with COVID-19. We also found that intrinsic based aspirations related positively to meaning in life within this context whereas extrinsic based goals related negatively to it, although these aspirations were not significant in reducing the stressors associated with COVID-19. These results reinforce past findings that meaning in life can effectively buffer against the impact of negative life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They also suggest that intrinsic based aspirations centred on relationships and self-acceptance may be an important mechanism in how people choose to pursue life meaning during uncertain life events. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Pivoting authentic assessment to an accounting podcast during COVID-19
- Authors: Halabi, Abdel
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting Research Journal Vol. 34, no. 2 (2021), p. 156-168
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- Description: Purpose: This paper aims to describe how the COVID-19 pivot to online teaching enabled a student-produced podcast assessment to be created and substituted for the final examination in an MBA accounting course. Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides instructors’ reflections and feedback from students on the usefulness of podcasts as an assessment tool in accounting education. Also included are the assignment instructions and a marking rubric which can be adapted as a sharing network. Findings: The pivot to the authentic podcast assessment proved to be a very positive outcome during COVID-19 for instructors and students. The students embraced and enjoyed the task, and importantly it was an efficient learning experience that connected theory to practice, while preserving authenticity. Originality/value: Podcasts have grown in popularity and have been widely used with students as receivers. The accounting education literature is however devoid of instances where podcasts have been used as an assessment tool. Although the assessment was changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has ongoing applicability as a useful assignment in future semesters. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Halabi, Abdel
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting Research Journal Vol. 34, no. 2 (2021), p. 156-168
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: This paper aims to describe how the COVID-19 pivot to online teaching enabled a student-produced podcast assessment to be created and substituted for the final examination in an MBA accounting course. Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides instructors’ reflections and feedback from students on the usefulness of podcasts as an assessment tool in accounting education. Also included are the assignment instructions and a marking rubric which can be adapted as a sharing network. Findings: The pivot to the authentic podcast assessment proved to be a very positive outcome during COVID-19 for instructors and students. The students embraced and enjoyed the task, and importantly it was an efficient learning experience that connected theory to practice, while preserving authenticity. Originality/value: Podcasts have grown in popularity and have been widely used with students as receivers. The accounting education literature is however devoid of instances where podcasts have been used as an assessment tool. Although the assessment was changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has ongoing applicability as a useful assignment in future semesters. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
The impact of COVID-19 on the service of emergency department
- Alharthi, Shaia, Al-Moteri, Modi, Plummer, Virginia, Thobiaty, Abdulellah
- Authors: Alharthi, Shaia , Al-Moteri, Modi , Plummer, Virginia , Thobiaty, Abdulellah
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Healthcare (Switzerland) Vol. 9, no. 10 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: (1) Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the number and acuity of emergency departments (ED) patients, specifically those with non-COVID-19-related health problems. However, the exact impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ED services is the subject of comprehensive debate. (2) Aim: to gain insight into the consequences of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic based on non-COVID-19 presentations and patient acuity using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). (3) Method: in Phase 1, the ED records of one of the main regional non-COVID-19 hospitals in Saudi Arabia were retrospectively audited from August 2020 to February 2021—after the first wave of COVID-19—then compared to information collected for the same period in previous year. Phase 2 included calculating the waiting time to identify delays and issues that may impact the triage effectiveness. (4) Results: a change across all CTAS levels was observed post the 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, there was an increase in the number of patients presenting as higher acuity (CTAS 1 and 2) and a decrease in patients presenting as lower acuity (CTAS 4 and 5). Longer waiting times for patients presenting to ED were also reported. Specifically, 83% of patients presenting as higher acuity experienced a delay. (5) Conclusion: further studies are required to investigate association between the 1st wave of COVID-19 and patient presentations and/or acuity or patient demand and ED capacity. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Authors: Alharthi, Shaia , Al-Moteri, Modi , Plummer, Virginia , Thobiaty, Abdulellah
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Healthcare (Switzerland) Vol. 9, no. 10 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: (1) Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the number and acuity of emergency departments (ED) patients, specifically those with non-COVID-19-related health problems. However, the exact impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ED services is the subject of comprehensive debate. (2) Aim: to gain insight into the consequences of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic based on non-COVID-19 presentations and patient acuity using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). (3) Method: in Phase 1, the ED records of one of the main regional non-COVID-19 hospitals in Saudi Arabia were retrospectively audited from August 2020 to February 2021—after the first wave of COVID-19—then compared to information collected for the same period in previous year. Phase 2 included calculating the waiting time to identify delays and issues that may impact the triage effectiveness. (4) Results: a change across all CTAS levels was observed post the 1st wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, there was an increase in the number of patients presenting as higher acuity (CTAS 1 and 2) and a decrease in patients presenting as lower acuity (CTAS 4 and 5). Longer waiting times for patients presenting to ED were also reported. Specifically, 83% of patients presenting as higher acuity experienced a delay. (5) Conclusion: further studies are required to investigate association between the 1st wave of COVID-19 and patient presentations and/or acuity or patient demand and ED capacity. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Changes in tobacco use patterns during COVID-19 and their correlates among older adults in Bangladesh
- Mistry, Sabuj, Ali, , Armm, Rahman, Md Ashfikur, Yadav, , Uday, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Mistry, Sabuj , Ali, , Armm , Rahman, Md Ashfikur , Yadav, , Uday , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 4 (2021), p. 1-11
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The present study explored the changes in tobacco use patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic and their correlates among older adults in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1032 older adults aged ≥60 years in Bangladesh through telephone interviews in October 2020. Participants’ characteristics and COVID-19-related information were gathered using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were asked if they noted any change in their tobacco use patterns (smoking or smokeless tobacco) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic (6 months prior to the survey). Nearly half of the participants (45.6%) were current tobacco users, of whom 15.9% reported increased tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic and all others had no change in their tobacco use patterns. Tobacco use was significantly increased among the participants from rural areas, who had reduced communications during COVID-19 compared to pre-pandemic (OR = 2.76, 95%CI:1.51–5.03). Participants who were aged ≥70 years (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14–0.77), widowed (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.13–1.00), had pre-existing, non-communi-cable, and/or chronic conditions (OR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.25–0.78), and felt themselves at the highest risk of COVID-19 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.15–0.62), had significantly lower odds of increased tobacco use. Policy makers and practitioners need to focus on strengthening awareness and raising initia-tives to avoid tobacco use during such a crisis period. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Mistry, Sabuj , Ali, , Armm , Rahman, Md Ashfikur , Yadav, , Uday , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 4 (2021), p. 1-11
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The present study explored the changes in tobacco use patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic and their correlates among older adults in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1032 older adults aged ≥60 years in Bangladesh through telephone interviews in October 2020. Participants’ characteristics and COVID-19-related information were gathered using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were asked if they noted any change in their tobacco use patterns (smoking or smokeless tobacco) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic (6 months prior to the survey). Nearly half of the participants (45.6%) were current tobacco users, of whom 15.9% reported increased tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic and all others had no change in their tobacco use patterns. Tobacco use was significantly increased among the participants from rural areas, who had reduced communications during COVID-19 compared to pre-pandemic (OR = 2.76, 95%CI:1.51–5.03). Participants who were aged ≥70 years (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14–0.77), widowed (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.13–1.00), had pre-existing, non-communi-cable, and/or chronic conditions (OR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.25–0.78), and felt themselves at the highest risk of COVID-19 (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.15–0.62), had significantly lower odds of increased tobacco use. Policy makers and practitioners need to focus on strengthening awareness and raising initia-tives to avoid tobacco use during such a crisis period. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
Reliability of the tools used to examine psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping amongst migrants and non-migrants in Australia
- Rahman, Muhammad Aziz, Salehin, Masudus, Islam, Sheikh Mohammed, Alif, Sheikh M., Cross, Wendy
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Salehin, Masudus , Islam, Sheikh Mohammed , Alif, Sheikh M. , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 30, no. 3 (2021), p. 747-758
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Study tools examining psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping amongst migrants and non-migrants in Australia are very limited. The aim of this research was to assess the psychometric properties and correlation of the English version of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCSV-19S), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) tools during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Australia. Data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 516) were utilized to examine reliability; 299 (57.9%) were migrants. High internal consistency, as evidenced by Cronbach’s alpha, was found for the K-10 (0.92), FCV-19S (0.87) and BRCS (0.66) tools. The corresponding values for migrants and non-migrants were (0.92, 0.87, 0.67) and (0.92, 0.86, 0.63), respectively. Item-total correlations ranged 0.57-0.78 for K-10, 0.62–0.69 for FCV-19S, and 0.39–0.50 for BRCS tools. EFA retained a single factor for each tool with adequate factor loadings. The scoring of K-10 was significantly predicted by the scoring of FCV-19S (r = 0.284, P < 0.001) and BRCS tool (r = 0.132, P < 0.01). Therefore, these tools can be used reliably amongst both migrant and non-migrant population in Australia. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman and Wendy Cross" is provided in this record**
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Salehin, Masudus , Islam, Sheikh Mohammed , Alif, Sheikh M. , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 30, no. 3 (2021), p. 747-758
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Study tools examining psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping amongst migrants and non-migrants in Australia are very limited. The aim of this research was to assess the psychometric properties and correlation of the English version of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCSV-19S), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) tools during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Australia. Data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 516) were utilized to examine reliability; 299 (57.9%) were migrants. High internal consistency, as evidenced by Cronbach’s alpha, was found for the K-10 (0.92), FCV-19S (0.87) and BRCS (0.66) tools. The corresponding values for migrants and non-migrants were (0.92, 0.87, 0.67) and (0.92, 0.86, 0.63), respectively. Item-total correlations ranged 0.57-0.78 for K-10, 0.62–0.69 for FCV-19S, and 0.39–0.50 for BRCS tools. EFA retained a single factor for each tool with adequate factor loadings. The scoring of K-10 was significantly predicted by the scoring of FCV-19S (r = 0.284, P < 0.001) and BRCS tool (r = 0.132, P < 0.01). Therefore, these tools can be used reliably amongst both migrant and non-migrant population in Australia. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman and Wendy Cross" is provided in this record**
COVID-19 : factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies among community members across 17 countries
- Rahman, Muhammad Aziz, Banik, Biswajit, Salehin, Masudus, Joseph, Bindu, Lam, Louisa, Watts, Mimmie, Cross, Wendy
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Banik, Biswajit , Salehin, Masudus , Joseph, Bindu , Lam, Louisa , Watts, Mimmie , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Globalization and Health Vol. 17, no. 1 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally. Objectives: We aimed to examine the extent and identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study across 17 countries during Jun-2020 to Jan-2021. Levels of psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale), and coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) were assessed. Results: A total of 8,559 people participated; mean age (±SD) was 33(±13) years, 64% were females and 40% self-identified as frontline workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (1.56 [1.29-1.90]), comorbidity with mental health conditions (3.02 [1.20-7.60]) were associated with higher levels of psychological distress and fear. Doctors had higher psychological distress (1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (1.30 [1.03-1.65]). Conclusions: The extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping varied by country; however, we identified few higher risk groups who were more vulnerable than others. There is an urgent need to prioritise health and well-being of those people through well-designed intervention that may need to be tailored to meet country specific requirements. © 2021, The Author(s). **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the Federation University Australia affiliates are named “Muhammad Aziz Rahman, Biswajit Banik, Masudus Salehin, Joseph Bindu, Louisa Lam, Mimmie Watts and Wendy Cross” are provided in this record**
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Banik, Biswajit , Salehin, Masudus , Joseph, Bindu , Lam, Louisa , Watts, Mimmie , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Globalization and Health Vol. 17, no. 1 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally. Objectives: We aimed to examine the extent and identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study across 17 countries during Jun-2020 to Jan-2021. Levels of psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale), and coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) were assessed. Results: A total of 8,559 people participated; mean age (±SD) was 33(±13) years, 64% were females and 40% self-identified as frontline workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (1.56 [1.29-1.90]), comorbidity with mental health conditions (3.02 [1.20-7.60]) were associated with higher levels of psychological distress and fear. Doctors had higher psychological distress (1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (1.30 [1.03-1.65]). Conclusions: The extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping varied by country; however, we identified few higher risk groups who were more vulnerable than others. There is an urgent need to prioritise health and well-being of those people through well-designed intervention that may need to be tailored to meet country specific requirements. © 2021, The Author(s). **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the Federation University Australia affiliates are named “Muhammad Aziz Rahman, Biswajit Banik, Masudus Salehin, Joseph Bindu, Louisa Lam, Mimmie Watts and Wendy Cross” are provided in this record**
COVID-19 related psychological distress, fear and coping : identification of high-risk groups in Bangladesh
- Rahman, Muhammad Aziz, Rahman, Shaila, Wazib, Amit, Salehin, Masudus, Cross, Wendy
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Rahman, Shaila , Wazib, Amit , Salehin, Masudus , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 12, no. (2021), p. 718654
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed psychological distress and fear across the globe; however, factors associated with those issues or the ways people cope may vary by country or context. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies for people living in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in August-September 2020 using online platforms in Bangladesh. People residing in Bangladesh, aged ≥18 years, who were proficient in English and able to respond to online questionnaire. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to assess the psychological stress. Level of fear was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and strategies to cope were assessed using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Results: Of the 962 participants, half of them were aged between 30 and 59 years. Being born in Bangladesh, having graduate education, perceived distress due to employment change, effect of COVID-19 on financial situation, having multiple comorbidities, and visiting a healthcare provider in the last 4 weeks were associated with higher levels of both psychological distress and fear of COVID-19. Furthermore, higher psychological distress was associated with being a female (AOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.33–2.47, p < 0.001), being a frontline worker (AOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.04–2.15, p < 0.05), having pre-existing psychiatric problems (AOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.19–13.7, p < 0.05), being a smoker (AOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.32–3.09, p < 0.01), providing care to a known/suspected COVID-19 patient (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.40–2.72, p < 0.001), having a recent overseas travel history and being in self-quarantine (AOR 4.59, 95% CI 1.23–17.2, p < 0.05), self-isolation without COVID-19 (AOR 2.63, 95% CI 1.68–4.13, p < 0.001) or being COVID-19 positive (AOR 2.53, 95% CI 1.19–5.34, p < 0.05), and having high levels of fear of COVID-19 (AOR 3.27, 95% CI 2.29–4.66, p < 0.001). A higher level of fear was associated with moderate to high levels of psychological distress (AOR 3.29, 95% CI 2.31–4.69, p < 0.001). People with pre-existing mental health problems were less likely to be resilient (AOR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.54, p < 0.01), whereas those with having an income were more likely to be resilient (AOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02–2.11, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Effective interventions to support the vulnerable groups including improved access to mental health services are of utmost importance during the pandemic. © Copyright © 2021 Rahman, Rahman, Wazib, Arafat, Chowdhury, Uddin, Rahman, Bahar Moni, Alif, Sultana, Salehin, Islam, Cross and Bahar. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman, Masudus Salehin, Wendy Cross" is provided in this record**
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Rahman, Shaila , Wazib, Amit , Salehin, Masudus , Cross, Wendy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 12, no. (2021), p. 718654
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed psychological distress and fear across the globe; however, factors associated with those issues or the ways people cope may vary by country or context. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies for people living in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in August-September 2020 using online platforms in Bangladesh. People residing in Bangladesh, aged ≥18 years, who were proficient in English and able to respond to online questionnaire. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to assess the psychological stress. Level of fear was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and strategies to cope were assessed using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Results: Of the 962 participants, half of them were aged between 30 and 59 years. Being born in Bangladesh, having graduate education, perceived distress due to employment change, effect of COVID-19 on financial situation, having multiple comorbidities, and visiting a healthcare provider in the last 4 weeks were associated with higher levels of both psychological distress and fear of COVID-19. Furthermore, higher psychological distress was associated with being a female (AOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.33–2.47, p < 0.001), being a frontline worker (AOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.04–2.15, p < 0.05), having pre-existing psychiatric problems (AOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.19–13.7, p < 0.05), being a smoker (AOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.32–3.09, p < 0.01), providing care to a known/suspected COVID-19 patient (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.40–2.72, p < 0.001), having a recent overseas travel history and being in self-quarantine (AOR 4.59, 95% CI 1.23–17.2, p < 0.05), self-isolation without COVID-19 (AOR 2.63, 95% CI 1.68–4.13, p < 0.001) or being COVID-19 positive (AOR 2.53, 95% CI 1.19–5.34, p < 0.05), and having high levels of fear of COVID-19 (AOR 3.27, 95% CI 2.29–4.66, p < 0.001). A higher level of fear was associated with moderate to high levels of psychological distress (AOR 3.29, 95% CI 2.31–4.69, p < 0.001). People with pre-existing mental health problems were less likely to be resilient (AOR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.54, p < 0.01), whereas those with having an income were more likely to be resilient (AOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02–2.11, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Effective interventions to support the vulnerable groups including improved access to mental health services are of utmost importance during the pandemic. © Copyright © 2021 Rahman, Rahman, Wazib, Arafat, Chowdhury, Uddin, Rahman, Bahar Moni, Alif, Sultana, Salehin, Islam, Cross and Bahar. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman, Masudus Salehin, Wendy Cross" is provided in this record**
Pre-existing COPD is associated with an increased risk of mortality and severity in COVID-19: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis
- Rabbani, Golam, Shariful Islam, Sheikh Mohammad, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz, Amin, Nuhu, Marzan, Bushra
- Authors: Rabbani, Golam , Shariful Islam, Sheikh Mohammad , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Amin, Nuhu , Marzan, Bushra
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine Vol. 15, no. 5 (2021), p. 705-716
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate COVID-19 mortality and severity among patients with pre-existing COPD. Methods: We performed systematic searches in Ovid Medline, Embase via Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus from 15 December 2019 to 7 July 2020. Studies which reported the association and presented data on risk estimate (Hazard Ratio [HR]) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were extracted. A random-effects model was used to obtain the pooled estimates, and a pooled Risk Ratio (RR) was calculated. Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Our meta-analysis showed an increased likelihood of mortality in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing COPD (RR 3.18, 95% CI 2.11-4.80, HR 1.90, 95%CI 1.11-3.26). Furthermore, the pooled estimate for the association between pre-existing COPD and severity due to COVID-19 was also significant (RR 3.63, 95%CI 2.48-5.31). Males had an increased risk of mortality (RR 1.20, 95%CI 1.12-1.29) compared to females. Conclusion: We found that patients with pre-existing COPD had more than 3 times higher risk of mortality and severe COVID-19. There is a need to identify patients with pre-existing COPD during the pandemic so that early interventions can be aimed at this group of patients. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Rabbani, Golam , Shariful Islam, Sheikh Mohammad , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Amin, Nuhu , Marzan, Bushra
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine Vol. 15, no. 5 (2021), p. 705-716
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate COVID-19 mortality and severity among patients with pre-existing COPD. Methods: We performed systematic searches in Ovid Medline, Embase via Ovid, PubMed, and Scopus from 15 December 2019 to 7 July 2020. Studies which reported the association and presented data on risk estimate (Hazard Ratio [HR]) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were extracted. A random-effects model was used to obtain the pooled estimates, and a pooled Risk Ratio (RR) was calculated. Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Our meta-analysis showed an increased likelihood of mortality in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing COPD (RR 3.18, 95% CI 2.11-4.80, HR 1.90, 95%CI 1.11-3.26). Furthermore, the pooled estimate for the association between pre-existing COPD and severity due to COVID-19 was also significant (RR 3.63, 95%CI 2.48-5.31). Males had an increased risk of mortality (RR 1.20, 95%CI 1.12-1.29) compared to females. Conclusion: We found that patients with pre-existing COPD had more than 3 times higher risk of mortality and severe COVID-19. There is a need to identify patients with pre-existing COPD during the pandemic so that early interventions can be aimed at this group of patients. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
Tracing the Pace of COVID-19 research : topic modeling and evolution
- Liu, Jiaying, Nie, Hansong, Li, Shihao, Ren, Jing, Xia, Feng
- Authors: Liu, Jiaying , Nie, Hansong , Li, Shihao , Ren, Jing , Xia, Feng
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Big Data Research Vol. 25, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world. With the growing attention on the deadly pandemic, discussions and research on COVID-19 are rapidly increasing to exchange latest findings with the hope to accelerate the pace of finding a cure. As a branch of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly expedited the development of human society. In this paper, we investigate and visualize the on-going advancements of early scientific research on COVID-19 from the perspective of AI. By adopting the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, this paper allocates the research articles into 50 key research topics pertinent to COVID-19 according to their abstracts. We present an overview of early studies of the COVID-19 crisis at different scales including referencing/citation behavior, topic variation and their inner interactions. We also identify innovative papers that are regarded as the cornerstones in the development of COVID-19 research. The results unveil the focus of scientific research, thereby giving deep insights into how the academic society contributes to combating the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Jing Ren and Feng Xia" is provided in this record**
- Description: COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world. With the growing attention on the deadly pandemic, discussions and research on COVID-19 are rapidly increasing to exchange latest findings with the hope to accelerate the pace of finding a cure. As a branch of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly expedited the development of human society. In this paper, we investigate and visualize the on-going advancements of early scientific research on COVID-19 from the perspective of AI. By adopting the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, this paper allocates the research articles into 50 key research topics pertinent to COVID-19 according to their abstracts. We present an overview of early studies of the COVID-19 crisis at different scales including referencing/citation behavior, topic variation and their inner interactions. We also identify innovative papers that are regarded as the cornerstones in the development of COVID-19 research. The results unveil the focus of scientific research, thereby giving deep insights into how the academic society contributes to combating the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.
- Authors: Liu, Jiaying , Nie, Hansong , Li, Shihao , Ren, Jing , Xia, Feng
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Big Data Research Vol. 25, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world. With the growing attention on the deadly pandemic, discussions and research on COVID-19 are rapidly increasing to exchange latest findings with the hope to accelerate the pace of finding a cure. As a branch of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly expedited the development of human society. In this paper, we investigate and visualize the on-going advancements of early scientific research on COVID-19 from the perspective of AI. By adopting the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, this paper allocates the research articles into 50 key research topics pertinent to COVID-19 according to their abstracts. We present an overview of early studies of the COVID-19 crisis at different scales including referencing/citation behavior, topic variation and their inner interactions. We also identify innovative papers that are regarded as the cornerstones in the development of COVID-19 research. The results unveil the focus of scientific research, thereby giving deep insights into how the academic society contributes to combating the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Jing Ren and Feng Xia" is provided in this record**
- Description: COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world. With the growing attention on the deadly pandemic, discussions and research on COVID-19 are rapidly increasing to exchange latest findings with the hope to accelerate the pace of finding a cure. As a branch of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly expedited the development of human society. In this paper, we investigate and visualize the on-going advancements of early scientific research on COVID-19 from the perspective of AI. By adopting the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, this paper allocates the research articles into 50 key research topics pertinent to COVID-19 according to their abstracts. We present an overview of early studies of the COVID-19 crisis at different scales including referencing/citation behavior, topic variation and their inner interactions. We also identify innovative papers that are regarded as the cornerstones in the development of COVID-19 research. The results unveil the focus of scientific research, thereby giving deep insights into how the academic society contributes to combating the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.
Delivery of online electronics and mechatronics labs during lockdowns
- Jayawardena, Amal, Kahandawa, Gayan, Piyathilaka, Lasitha
- Authors: Jayawardena, Amal , Kahandawa, Gayan , Piyathilaka, Lasitha
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 47th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, IECON 2021 Vol. 2021-October
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper provides a detailed explanation of several approaches that can be used to conduct online labs for electronics/mechatronics engineering courses and explains the results obtained from a survey conducted. The detailed explanations provide information on how to implement the method, benefits of the stated process, possible challenges, and how to overcome those challenges. Furthermore, this paper presents the analyzed results from a survey conducted to capture the student experience in online labs. © 2021 IEEE.
Perceived change in tobacco use and its associated factors among older adults residing in rohingya refugee camps during the covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
- Mistry, Sabuj, Ali, Arm Mehrab, Yadav, Uday, Huda, Md Nazmul, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Mistry, Sabuj , Ali, Arm Mehrab , Yadav, Uday , Huda, Md Nazmul , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 23 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study explored the perceived change in tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among older adults residing in Rohingya refugee camps, also referred to as Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh. The study followed a cross-sectional design and was conducted in October 2020 among 416 older adults aged 60 years and above. A purposive sampling technique was applied to identify eligible participants, and face-to-face interviews were conducted using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire to collect the data. Participants were asked if they noted any change in their tobacco use patterns (smoking or smokeless tobacco) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. Binary logistic regression models determined the factors associated with the perceived change in tobacco use. More than one in five participants (22.4%) were current tobacco users, of whom 40.8% reported a perceived increase in tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjusted analysis revealed that participants who were concerned about COVID-19 had significantly (p < 0.05) lower odds of perceived increase in tobacco use (aOR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06–0.73), while older adults who were overwhelmed by COVID-19 (aOR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.06–1.18) and communicated less frequently with others during the pandemic than before (aOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.03–1.20) had marginally significantly (p < 0.1) lower odds of perceived increase in tobacco use during this pandemic. Relevant stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners need to focus on strengthening awareness-raising initiatives as part of an emergency preparedness plan to control tobacco use during such a crisis period. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Mistry, Sabuj , Ali, Arm Mehrab , Yadav, Uday , Huda, Md Nazmul , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 23 (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study explored the perceived change in tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among older adults residing in Rohingya refugee camps, also referred to as Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh. The study followed a cross-sectional design and was conducted in October 2020 among 416 older adults aged 60 years and above. A purposive sampling technique was applied to identify eligible participants, and face-to-face interviews were conducted using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire to collect the data. Participants were asked if they noted any change in their tobacco use patterns (smoking or smokeless tobacco) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. Binary logistic regression models determined the factors associated with the perceived change in tobacco use. More than one in five participants (22.4%) were current tobacco users, of whom 40.8% reported a perceived increase in tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjusted analysis revealed that participants who were concerned about COVID-19 had significantly (p < 0.05) lower odds of perceived increase in tobacco use (aOR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06–0.73), while older adults who were overwhelmed by COVID-19 (aOR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.06–1.18) and communicated less frequently with others during the pandemic than before (aOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.03–1.20) had marginally significantly (p < 0.1) lower odds of perceived increase in tobacco use during this pandemic. Relevant stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners need to focus on strengthening awareness-raising initiatives as part of an emergency preparedness plan to control tobacco use during such a crisis period. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**