Old Normal, New Normal, or Renewed Normal: How COVID-19 Changed Human Resource Development

This chapter wants to shed light on the consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic had for human resource development (HRD) in organizations and in the labour market. We intend to compare three situations: Old Normal (before February 2020), New Normal (between March 2022 and October 2021), and Renewed Normal (since October 2021). Crucially, in organizations, work was mostly face to face in the Old Normal, remote in the New Normal, and there is a tendency for some hybrid form to be installed in the Renewed Normal. We compare the three phases in terms of four aspects of HRD and within virtual development relations, namely: work environment, competences, training, and skills. The chapter presents results from a literature review in SCOPUS database. We conclude that COVID-19 changed HRD, because technology changed the environment and, therefore, new competences were required. Therefore, a new form of training was also required, which, when in practice, originated new skills. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Impact of the Pandemic on the Mental Health of University Students

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of confinement measures on the mental health of university students, taking into account gender differences. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has led to drastic changes in public and private life for people with a huge impact on the world's economic and social population, but also on mental health. Educational institutions were forced to change the teaching-learning system, affecting the forms of socialization of students. This is a cross-sectional study carried out on a sample of 724 university students. The instruments used were the sociodemographic questionnaire and the DASS-21. The results found are alarming in terms of the mental health for this population. Gender differences are significant, with high level of mental disorders in female students. In this sense, this study alerts us to the need to take into account the different psychological reactions of students in traumatic events like a pandemic situation. Promote psychological support measures at universities by implementing psychological counselling.

Assisting in the choice to fill a vacancy to compose the PROANTAR team: Applying VFT and the CRITIC-GRA-3N methodology

Antarctica is the southernmost continent of our planet, and it has been verified as the coldest region on earth. The Brazilian Antarctic Program (PROANTAR) has as its main objective the promotion of high-quality scientific research in the Antarctic region, seeking to understand the events that occur there. PROANTAR, coordinated by the Navy Commander, has some sectors that are based in Brazil and others that are located in the Antarctic continent. The military that volunteers to occupy any vacancy that is allocated to that continent needs, besides passing through several pre-established criteria, to pass the selection process. The purpose of this article is to help the Naval Administration in the selection of volunteer officers to occupy a vacancy in the Antarctic continent. To obtain the alternatives, the officers that best fit the established vacancy, and the criteria to be evaluated, Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) was applied. Next, with all the necessary data, the CRITIC-GRA-3N method was used as a Multicriteria Decision Support (MDS) technique, the CRITIC-GRA-3N method, the CRITIC Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method to obtain the criteria weights and the Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) method, with three normalizations, to order the alternatives. At the end of the application of the methods, the article can generate five ordinations of the volunteer officers to occupy the vacancy offered in PROANTAR. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Structuring and mathematical modeling for investment choice: a multi-method approach from Value-Focused Thinking and CRITIC-GRA-3N method

Investments should be decisions made by companies at a strategic level, aiming to maximize the return on invested capital. However, the evaluation required to obtain the best results demand, in addition to information about available assets, the ability of decision-makers to relate and weigh all the criteria that must be maximized or minimized to achieve the expected goal. This article plays an important role in supporting the decision making of a micro company, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which needs to invest the available amount in investment. In order to obtain the investment alternatives, as well as the evaluation criteria, the Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) was applied. After obtaining all necessary data, the CRITIC-GRA-3N method was used as a Multicriteria Decision Support technique, with the CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method to generate the criteria weights and the Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) method, with three normalizations, to order the alternatives. With this, five ordinations were established, being the first three ordinations performed with the help of two normalizations and the last two ordinations being the arithmetic and geometric averages of the first three ordinations normalized with the third normalization. In the end it brought positive results to the microenterprise. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variation in blubber cortisol levels in a recovering humpback whale population inhabiting a rapidly changing environment.

Glucocorticoids are regularly used as biomarkers of relative health for individuals and populations. Around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), baleen whales have and continue to experience threats, including commercial harvest, prey limitations and habitat change driven by rapid warming, and increased human presence via ecotourism. Here, we measured demographic variation and differences across the foraging season in blubber cortisol levels of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) over two years around the WAP. Cortisol concentrations were determined from 305 biopsy samples of unique individuals. We found no significant difference in the cortisol concentration between male and female whales. However, we observed significant differences across demographic groups of females and a significant decrease in the population across the feeding season. We also assessed whether COVID-19-related reductions in tourism in 2021 along the WAP correlated with lower cortisol levels across the population. The decline in vessel presence in 2021 was associated with a significant decrease in humpback whale blubber cortisol concentrations at the population level. Our findings provide critical contextual data on how these hormones vary naturally in a population over time, show direct associations between cortisol levels and human presence, and will enable comparisons among species experiencing different levels of human disturbance.

Area-level socioeconomic deprivation, non-national residency, and Covid-19 incidence : Sven Rohleder

Introduction Socioeconomic conditions affect the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. We analysed the association between area-level socioeconomic deprivation, proportion of non-nationals, and Covid-19 incidence in Germany. Methods Using nationally representative data at the level of 401 German districts from three waves of infection (January-2020 to May-2021), we fitted Bayesian spatiotemporal models to assess the association between socioeconomic deprivation, proportion of non-nationals, and Covid-19 incidence, controlling for age, sex, vaccination coverage, settlement structure, spatial and temporal effects. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and corresponding 95% credible intervals (95%-CrI) for deprivation quintiles. We further examined the deprivation domains (education, income, occupation), interactions between deprivation, sex and the proportion of non-nationals, and explored potential pathways from deprivation to Covid-19 incidence. Results Covid-19 incidence risk was 15% higher (RR = 1.15, 95%-CrI=1.06-1.24) in areas with the highest deprivation quintile (Q5) compared to the least deprived areas (Q1). Medium-low (Q2), medium (Q3), and medium-high (Q4) deprived districts showed 5% (1.05, 0.98-1.13), 8% (1.08, 1.01-1.15), and 6% (1.00, 1.00-1.12) higher risk, respectively, compared to the least deprived. Districts with higher proportion of non-nationals showed higher risk compared to districts with lowest proportion, but the association weakened across the three waves. During the first wave, an inverse association was observed with highest risk in least deprived areas (Q1). Deprivation interacted with sex, but not credibly with the proportion of non-nationals. Conclusions Socioeconomic deprivation and proportion of non-nationals are independently associated with Covid-19 incidence. Regional planning of non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccination strategies would benefit from consideration of area-level deprivation and non-national residency. Key messages Area-level socioeconomic deprivation and proportion of non-nationals are independently associated with higher risk of Covid-19 incidence across 401 German districts. Tailored non-pharmaceutical interventions and immunisation strategies are needed, which properly consider area-level socioeconomic deprivation and non-national residents.

Promoting health literacy during Covid-19 pandemic–valuable partnership with Portuguese pharmacists : Filipa Malcata

Issue/Problem COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the amount of health information available;however, hard-to-reach populations remain and much of the information available is not accurate. Therefore, the use of new proximity approaches in the promotion of health literacy is essential because people face challenges and barriers when trying to find information relevant to them. Description of the problem From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Division of Literacy, Health and Wellbeing of the Directorate-General of Health in Portugal developed Social Mobilization and Community Engagement training sessions-which included a presentation and a toolkit of flyers/posters/videos. These sessions had the goal of disseminating public health measures through good practices in health literacy and communication methods/skills to promote efficient communication among people who play an active role (as microinfluencers) in prevention and mitigation of risks associated with COVID-19, as is the case of pharmacists. Results A total of 200 Portuguese pharmacists enrolled on the Social mobilization training session in November 2021. More than 150 initiatives were implemented thereafter by those microinfluencers (pharmacists) in the local communities-31% directed to children or young people, 31% to older adults, and 13.8% to migrants or tourists. 70% of the participants considered the materials of the toolkit as adequate and sufficient, and 62.1% answered that people in the community showed interest for those materials available in the pharmacies. Lessons This Social mobilization project was important because it assembled and preserved trust- basing the information of the training on reliable sources about COVID-19 virus. It also trained the microinfluencers (pharmacists) in communication strategies. All these approaches were important to prevent and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 via adoption of non-pharmacological measures and promotion of vaccination. Key messages • Portugal was pioneer in promoting Social mobilization and community engagement training sessions, maintaining a proximity communication, tailoring the information, and maximizing its impact. • Within the group of health professionals, pharmacists are a privileged group to promote these communication strategies and social mobilization due to their proximity with the local community.

Impacts of Shift Work, Intervention Strategies, and COVID-19: The Workers’ Perspective

Shift work can have several impacts not only on the health and family and social life of the workers, but also at the organizational level. The literature has revealed that shifts involving night work and/or periods that are highly valued from a family and social point of view, such as weekends, are the most disruptive. In this paper, the results of an open-ended question about the experience of working in shifts and the impact that COVID-19 had on the lives of workers, at the time of data collection, have been presented and discussed. For that, the answers of 123 shift workers (98 involving nights and 25 without involving nights) were compared with the answers of 33 day workers. Negative impacts of working hours on health, family life as well as at the organizational level were reported mostly by shift workers. Reduction in working hours, teleworking, or flexible working hours were presented as some of the main strategies to reduce the effects of working hours. Finally, from the perspective of workers, COVID-19 has resulted in greater workload and greater work demands as well as causing family and health problems. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

EXPERIÊNCIA DO HEMOCENTRO HEMOPE NA ADOÇÃO DE FERRAMENTAS DE GESTÃO PARA ENFRENTAMENTO DO RISCO DE CONTAMINAÇÃO POR SARS-COV-2

Introdução: A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) alerta que a atual pandemia pelo SARS-CoV-2 provocou grande impacto no suprimento de sangue, ocasionado pela redução significativa nas doações que repercutem nos hemocentros, que precisam reestruturar o serviço para o risco iminente de desabastecimento e o consequente comprometimento da assistência hospitalar. Entretanto, o serviço de hemoterapia deve estar atento às condições de vulnerabilidade que o doador estar exposto. Diante disso, foi identificada a necessidade de desenvolvimento de ações e adaptações na rotina de atendimento ao doador, visando uma maior segurança na prática de doação e também dos profissionais que atuam na linha de frente, para a manutenção dos estoques de sangue. Objetivo: Descrever a experiência do Hemocentro Hemope na adoção de ferramentas de gestão para enfrentamento do risco de contaminação pelo SARS-CoV-2, nos anos de 2020 e 2021. Material e métodos: Relato de experiência das atividades desenvolvidas pelos gestores e profissionais do Hemocentro Hemope para viabilizar o atendimento seguro ao doador de sangue durante a pandemia da Covid-19. Resultados: 1. Criação do Comitê de Contingência para enfrentamento da COVID-19: Formado por profissionais de diversas áreas hospitalares, com reuniões semanais e elaboração do Plano de Ações entregue ao Governo do Estado. Planejamento de previsão de insumos necessários de Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPI'S) e distribuição diária para os profissionais de saúde;2. Reestruturação física do Hemocentro: Colocação de um toldo para ampliar sala de espera da doação evitando aglomerações no hemocentro, com cadeiras, dispensers de álcool em gel e gelágua. Distanciamento e adesivação alternada das cadeiras dos candidatos à doação. Colocação de acrílicos protetores nos balcões da recepção da coleta de doador e na pré-triagem para proteção dos profissionais. Substituição das mesas de lanche por carteiras escolares nas duas copas do doador, para garantir isolamento no momento do lanche. 3. Ações de limpeza: Sanitização de todas as dependências do hemocentro a cada 72h. Colocação de dispensers de álcool em gel de parede em todas as áreas do hemocentro e frascos individuais em todas as cadeiras de doação. 4. Fluxo de atendimento aos doadores: Articulação junto ao Governo do Estado para implantação do Call Center para agendamento da doação de sangue, com readequação do fluxo de atendimento, priorizando o horário agendado;5. Educação em Saúde: Criação do acolhimento ao doador na portaria central e na recepção da coleta do doador realizada por profissionais de saúde e residentes de enfermagem, com orientações de higiene das mãos, oferecimento de álcool em gel, entrega de folders educativos sobre Covid-19, verificação de sintomas respiratórios e aferição de temperatura com termômetro infravermelho. Orientação de todos os captores de doadores sobre sintomatologia do Covid-19. Confecção de cartazes sobre higiene das mãos e uso obrigatório de máscaras. 6. Campanhas de Doação de sangue: Parceria com as Instituições Religiosas, Instituições de Ensino, Polícia Rodoviária Federal, Polícia Militar e Forças Armadas para realização de campanhas de doação de sangue. Realização da Campanha Junho vermelho nas Redes Sociais. Conclusão: As ações instituídas pelo Hemocentro Hemope, visando cumprir as normas de qualidade e segurança da OMS, possibilitou a reestruturação física do hemocentro, readequação no controle de fluxo de doadores evitando aglomerações, sanitização periódica do ambiente, realização de educação em saúde, oferecendo maior proteção aos doadores garantindo estoques seguros de hemocomponentes, necessários a assistência aos clientes do Sistema Único de Saúde.

Improvement proposals through Quality Indicators for a company in the food sector: A case study in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Correct quality management can bring several benefits to the company, from reducing operating costs to increasing the number of customers. In this context, several improvements can be implemented to boost an enterprise during the Covid-19 pandemic. This article is characterized as a case study. In this study, quality assessment tools were applied as a means of proposing strategic improvements in a set of indicators to measure their quality level. The main objective of this work was to propose improvements through quality indicators to improve a company in the food sector in the seafood business. The present research is characterized as exploratory, of an applied nature and with an inductive scientific method, the technical procedure used to carry out this research was the applied case study. Based on the data and information collected during the research, it was possible to determine several quality indicators and, consequently, appropriate improvements to the studied company.

Outreaching Optics during the COVID-19 Pandemic: From Face-to-Face to Social Networks

In this contribution we show how, in times of pandemic, outreach activities driven by social networks can be a successful alternative to face-to-face events. Designing each activity to properly suit the host platform ensures success. © 2021 The Author(s).

EuroNet MRPH: Networking Opportunities for Public Health Medical Residents

Background The European Network of Medical Residents in Public Health (EuroNet MRPH) is a non-profit, international, independent and non-governmental network of national associations of public health residents around Europe. Objectives To describe the results accomplished by EuroNet MRPH and to show networking opportunities provided to medical residents in public health (MRPH) from 2011 to 2021. Results EuroNet's mission is to improve and facilitate connection between MRPH, to promote pan-European Research, and to facilitate international mobility. Digital and quarterly face-to-face meetings are used as a way of communication. Since 2011, 10 European MRPH associations and 4 individual members have joined the network, representing the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Malta, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Austria. In this period, 27 face-to-face meetings have been organised, promoting cooperation and exchanging of ideas between MRPH. Moreover, three working groups (WG) have been established, focusing on research, internships, and communication. Regarding research, studies about e-cigarettes, conflicts of interest, and the impact of COVID-19 on mental health of MRPH have been conducted. When it comes to internships, more than 20 possible destinations and an online form are available on our website, providing MRPH information and support. Finally, thanks to the communication WG, 20 newsletters have been published, sharing experiences and thoughts from members of the network. Moreover, EuroNet has an established presence in social media, with active accounts in Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, where public health information and opportunities for young professionals are promoted. Conclusions In the last ten years, EuroNet MRPH has actively promoted networking opportunities among European Medical Residents in Public Health. Key messages Enhancing international cooperation among young public health professionals is fundamental in order to face current and future public health challenges. EuroNet MRPH represents a useful tool to promote collaboration among young public health professionals.

iBikeSafe: A Multi-Parameter System for Monitoring, Evaluation and Visualization of Cycling Paths in Smart Cities Targeted at Cycling Adverse Conditions

The fast transformation of the urban centers, pushed by the impacts of climatic changes and the dramatic events of the COVID-19 Pandemic, will profoundly influence our daily mobility. This resulted scenario is expected to favor adopting cleaner and flexible modal solutions centered on bicycles and scooters, especially as last-mile options. However, as the use of bicycles has rapidly increased, cyclists have been subject to adverse conditions that may affect their health and safety when cycling in urban areas. Therefore, whereas cities should implement mechanisms to monitor and evaluate adverse conditions in cycling paths, cyclists should have some effective mechanism to visualize the indirect quality of cycling paths, eventually supporting choosing more appropriate routes. Therefore, this article proposes a comprehensive multi-parameter system based on multiple independent subsystems, covering all phases of data collecting, formatting, transmission, and processing related to the monitoring, evaluating, and visualizing the quality of cycling paths in the perspective of adverse conditions that affect cyclist. The formal interactions of all modules are carefully described, as well as implementation and deployment details. Additionally, a case study is considered for a large city in Brazil, demonstrating how the proposed system can be adopted in a real scenario.

Children's behavioral problems, screen time, and sleep problems' association with negative and positive parenting strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil.

Families' health, safety, and economic stability were jeopardized during the pandemic. Parental stress is a risk factor for hostile and less supportive parenting. Parenting styles are a set of attitudes, feelings and behaviors related to parenting that modulate the child's psychosocial functioning and might impact on the adaptability to a stressful time. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the group differences among children raised by negative and positive parenting families during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We have done an online survey with 329 parents. Parents answer about parenting strategies and styles, children's behavior, Covid related questions, socio-economic information, sleep and gaming disorders. RESULTS: Parents' frequent use of negative strategies were a risk factor to have a negative outcome related to mental health, games, sleep, and children behavior. DISCUSSION: Parenting strategies are some targets pointed in this study for intervention. Parents' styles and strategies training to better manage children might be even more important to avoid negative consequences for children in stressful times.

Myasthenia Gravis Exacerbation and Myasthenic Crisis Associated With COVID19: Case Series and Literature Review. (preprint)

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction that can be exacerbated by many viral infections, including COVID19. Management of MG exacerbations is challenging in this scenario. We report 8 cases of MG exacerbation or myasthenic crisis associated with COVID19 and discuss prognosis and treatment based on a literature review. Most patients were female (7/8), with an average age of 47.1 years. Treatment was immunoglobulin (IVIG) in 3 patients, plasma exchange (PLEX) in 2 patients, and adjustment of baseline drugs in 3. In-hospital mortality was 25% and 37.5% in 2-month follow-up. This is the largest case series of MG exacerbation or myasthenic crisis due to COVID19 to this date. Mortality was considerably higher than in myasthenic crisis of other etiologies. Previous treatment for MG or acute exacerbation treatment did not seem to interfere with prognosis, although sample size was too small to draw definitive conclusions. Further studies are needed to understand the safety and effectiveness of interventions in this setting, particularly of PLEX, IVIG, rituximab and tocilizumab.

Brief symptom inventory: Reporting brazilian populational parameters during covid-19 pandemics

Background: The Brief Symptoms Inventory is a valid and reliable instrument, and one of the most often used tools to assess mental health. Despite its translation to Brazilian Portuguese, there are no normative parameters for interpretation of its scores. Objective: This study provides a normative parameter for interpretation of the performance of a large sample of adults by using a version of BSI adapted to Brazilian Portuguese. Method: We assessed 2127 adults (57% female) from all of the Brazilian regions. Normative data and Internal consistencies and performance data were calculated for the general score index and the nine factors. Results: The associations between gender and BSI scores present a significant effect size. Therefore, we provided a percentile rank parameter for the different BSI subscores, considering the whole sample and gender division. Internal consistency varies from omega equal .87 – .98 and alpha equal .86-.98, which suggests that both GSI and the nine factors have excellent reliability. Discussion: Our results support the use of the Brazilian adaptation of BSI in different regions of the country to measure mental health and its specific factors. During the pandemic of COVID-19, the establishment of normative parameters is of utmost relevance. The stability of the parameters reported here should be addressed in future studies. © 2021, UNIV SAOPAULO. All rights reserved.