Developing Vaccine Literacy for Urban Health Science Students, the Future Health Workforce

The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic underlined a shift in attitudes against vaccines and a rise in hesitancy among some members of the population, despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccinations are one of the most successful and safe health interventions. Research has shown that vaccine hesitancy is complex and can result from an intersectionality of multiple factors. Research has also shown that to tackle vaccine hesitancy in the community, health care workers play a pivotal role, as they are trusted sources who can provide reliable information and can address vaccination concerns for the public. Unfortunately, health care workers are also susceptible to vaccine hesitancy. Thus, to curb these negative attitudes and doubts against vaccinations, we propose to improve vaccine competency among health science students, who are the future health workforce. Here, we propose a comprehensive pedagogical approach that aims to improve the vaccine literacy in this student population in two urban community colleges. The approach includes the use of high-impact pedagogical interventions to achieve three main objectives: (i) to teach students the nature and process of science to have them become "competent outsiders";(ii) to enhance students' knowledge of the complex science behind emerging infectious diseases and vaccine action, adopting a learner-centered and concept-focused instructional design, and (iii) to address the social, cultural, and historical aspects of vaccine development and the historical and present inequities that characterize this health intervention.

Colombian Families, Twice Secluded: A clinical Approach of the Pandemic

The following reflection is derived from a research study titled The Current Colombian Family and its Relationship with Internalized and Externalized Problems in Adolescents. Its purpose is to analyse the conclusions of the referred study regarding the impersonal education of children in the modern family, based on a clinical approach of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Upon unraveling the social dynamics that have configured family arrangements-which are understood from the evolution of employment and school as social institutions -the apparent inexorability of paternal absence in the family is questioned, and at the same time a paradox is highlighted -a new family dynamic in which confinement does not necessarily lead to the favoring of better parenting processes or parental-filial interactions.

Adolescent and young adult sleep and sleep related behaviour change during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Sleep disturbance, poor sleep quality, and dissatisfaction with sleep are common among adolescents and young adults (AYAs;e.g., Becker et al., 2018;Hicks et al., 2002;Hysing et al., 2013). Environmental and behavioural factors (e.g., early school start times, evening technology use and social pressures) are barriers to healthy sleep among AYAs that contribute to a “perfect storm” of sleep disturbance during this period (Carskadon, 2011;Crowley et al., 2018). Notwithstanding, few AYAs have access to sleep treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns decreased academic and scheduling demands, providing an opportunity to study unconstrained AYA sleep and potentially facilitating better access to sleep interventions (Simpson & Manber, 2020). This study evaluated differences in baseline sleep and sleep-related behaviour change (i.e., how AYAs use an evidence-based app for sleep disturbance) before vs. during the lockdown. Methods: Participants between the ages of 15 and 24 (M=20.66, SD=2.38) completed a 4-week feasibility study evaluating a free, transdiagnostic sleep self-management app (DOZE) before the lockdown (“Pre-Lockdown”;n=51) or during the lockdown (“Lockdown”;n=29). After 2 weeks of completing baseline sleep diaries, participants could set goals based on feedback and access tips, followed by 2 more weeks of completing sleep diaries. Results: Compared to Pre-Lockdown, Lockdown demonstrated less variability in their sleep schedules (ps≤.011), less napping (p=.002), but increased time in bed (TIB;p<.001) and total wake time (p=.007). Total sleep time, lingering in bed in the morning, and sleep efficiency did not differ between groups. Relative to Pre-Lockdown, Lockdown showed a greater tendency to set goals to reduce schedule variability (p=.010) and to restrict excessive TIB (p=.005). Rates of goal setting for lingering in bed in the morning, sleepiness, naps, and sleepinterfering substance use did not differ between groups. Rates of accessing tips did not differ between groups. Conclusion: Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on AYA sleep included less variability in their schedule and a decreased need for naps, but negative effects on TWT and TIB. As a result, AYAs set different goals during the COVID-19 lockdowns, focusing more on restricting excessive TIB than on schedule variability.