MOOD STATES AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PARALYMPIC BOCCIA ATHLETES IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Introduction: Although studies have been conducted in the athlete population during the pandemic, its impacts on Paralympic athletes are still unknown. Objective:To evaluate the mood and quality of life of Paralympic boccia players during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Method: Questionnaires assessing mood, quality of life, and demographic data were sent electronically via social media.The study included 43 athletes from all functional classes (BC1= 8, BC2 = 12, BC3 =11, and BC4 = 11) and four regions of Brazil (Northeast= 12, Southeast = 12, Central-West = 3, and South = 17). ANOVA, t test, and similar non-parametric tests were used, with the respective effect sizes (ES). Resu Its: Regarding mood states, BC4 athletes differed from BC1 athletes in the depression subscale score (25.5 vs.14.5, p = 0.026, ES=1.47).The fatigue subscale score differed between BC4 and BC1 athletes (17.8 vs. 10.4, p= 0.023, ES=138) and between BC4 and BC2 athletes (17.8 vs 10.3, p = 0.008, ES=1.32). BC4 athletes had higher total mood disturbance (TMD) values than BC1 (175 vs. 141, p = 0.025, ES=1.35) and BC2 (175 vs.141, p = 0.025, ES=0.97) athletes. Lower stress (18.5 vs.21.8, p = 0.027, ES=0.64) and TMD (148.0 vs 162.0;p = 0.044;ES= 0.53) values were observed among the national level athletes. In terms of quality of life, differences were found between BC4 and BC2 athletes in the psychological health domain (3.73 vs. 4.49, p = 0.024, ES=0.89) and between athletes from the Northeast and South in the environment domain (3.39 vs. 4.18, p=0.030, ES=0.44). Conclusion: BC4 athletes are more susceptible to negative mood and quality-of-life perceptions. Additionally, athletes from the Northeast region may have poorer perceptions of quality of life related to the environment in which they live.

CONHECIMENTO E ATITUDES SOBRE A MEDICINA DE VIAGEM NO BRASIL

Introdução: A Medicina de Viagem existe há mais de 40 anos. A prática desta especialidade no Brasil começou em 1997 na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. No entanto, essa especialidade é praticamente desconhecida no Brasil, apesar do grande número de brasileiros que viajam anualmente dentro e fora do país. Métodos: Com o objetivo de determinar o conhecimento dos brasileiros sobre a existência da Medicina de Viagem e suas atitudes em relação a ela, realizamos uma enquete online com 10 questões, da qual participaram 3.237 brasileiros. Resultados: Apesar de mais de 95% dos participantes saberem que para viajar a determinados países precisam tomar certas vacinas, apenas 28% dos participantes já ouviu falar em Medicina de Viagem, dos quais 30% tinha realizado uma consulta com um especialista antes de viajar. Depois de conhecer a definição e os objetivos da especialidade, mais de 90% considerou importante realizar uma consulta pré-viagem. Conclusão: A falta de conhecimento é a principal barreira para o acesso dos brasileiros à consulta de Medicina de Viagem. É necessário divulgar a especialidade, utilizando evidências científicas e tendo como exemplo a difusão mundial da COVID-19 por meio dos viajantes, conscientizar a população sobre a importância da consulta pré e pós-viagem.

Knowledge and attitudes about travel medicine in Latin America in the context of COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Travel Medicine specialty has existed in Latin American for more than 25 years. The creation of the Latin American Society of Travel Medicine (SLAMVI) stimulated medical education in this discipline, through research and scientific publications. However, Travel Medicine is practically unknown to Latin Americans.

Clinical protocol for addressing mental health needs of healthcare professionals during COVID-19

Healthcare professionals are in the front line of care for patients with COVID-19, presenting greater risk of contagion and emotional distress. The aim of the study is to describe the results of a psychological intervention protocol for professionals;47 workers from Vall d'Hebron University Hospital who requested psychological support were included during the first month and a half of the crisis. Before and after the intervention a checklist of clinical symptoms, the Clinical Anxiety Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Scale were administered. Professionals who consulted were mostly women, nursing staff, and assistant nursing care technicians, presenting hyperconcern, sadness, sleep, and eating disturbances. Significant improvements were observed on clinical symptoms (z = 4.6, p <= .0001), acute stress (z = 2.5, p = .012), anxiety (z = 5.3, p <= .0001), and clinical impression (z = 4.1, p <= .0001). A brief psychological intervention, based on anxiety management, emotional regulation, and values oriented-behavior, was shown to be effective in reducing emotional symptoms in professionals.

COVID-19 pandemic and connectedness across financial markets

Purpose This study aims to estimate the time-frequency connectedness among global financial markets. It draws a comparison between the full sample and the sample during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the connectedness framework of Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) and Barunik and Krehlik (2018), both of which consider time and frequency connectedness and show that spillover is specific to not only the time domain but also the frequency (short- and long-run) domain. The analysis also includes pairwise connectedness by making use of network analysis. Daily data on the MSCI World Index, Barclays Bloomberg Global Treasury Index, Oil future, Gold future, Dow Jones World Islamic Index and Bitcoin have been used over the period from May 01, 2013 to July 31, 2020. Findings This study finds that cryptocurrency, bond and gold are hedges against both conventional stocks and Islamic stocks on average;however, these are not "safe havens" during an economic crisis, i.e. COVID-19. External shocks, such as COVID-19, strengthen the return connectedness among all six financial markets. Research limitations/implications For investors, the study provides important insights that during external shocks such as COVID-19, there is a spillover effect, and investors are unable to hedge risk between conventional stocks and Islamic stocks. These so-called safe haven investment alternatives suffer from the similar negative impact of systemic financial risk. However, during an external shock such as COVID-19, cryptocurrencies, bonds and gold can be used to hedge risk against conventional stocks, Islamic stocks and oil. Moreover, the findings imply that by engaging in momentum trading, active investors can gain short-run benefits before the market processes any new information. Originality/value The study contributes to the emergent literature investigating the connectedness among financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides evidence that the return connectedness among six global financial markets, namely, conventional stocks, Islamic stocks, bond, oil, gold and cryptocurrency, is extremely strong. From a methodological standpoint, this study finds that COVID-19 pandemic shock has a significant short-run impact on the connectedness among financial markets.