ABSTRACT
The proliferation of remote work with the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a new geography of work and new spaces of inequality. While working remotely can be advantageous, remote work experiences have varied substantially. Those who balanced work-from-home with childcare and education required greater life adjustments. Additionally, while some may have found flexibility and autonomy in where and when they work, others experienced technology-related stress. The upshot is that remote work has transformed the spatial dynamics of work and living space in ways that require reexamining geographic conceptualizations of labor inequality. We build on research on remote work in economic geography, organizational science, and urban studies to (re)conceptualize the varieties of experiences with the transition to remote work and the inequalities embodied in those experiences. To investigate these dynamics, we surveyed 1,172 remote workers in the US during the Covid-19 pandemic, examining how remote work has (re)shaped their working lives and lived experiences of the labor market, as measured by autonomy, technostress, and life disruption. The results identify old and new spaces of inequality as manifested in a wide divergence of work experiences and outcomes, especially across race, age/generation, and the number of dependents. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
ABSTRACT
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has strongly reaffirmed the critical importance of labor migration to the global economy, even as it has raised questions about the temporary migration programs responsible for much of this migration. In the Arab Gulf states–home to some of the world's highest proportions of migrants–the pandemic has highlighted critical structural weaknesses in the region's kafāla migration regimes. Drawing on two nationally representative surveys of Qatar's citizens and migrants conducted between October 2020 and June 2021, we argue that the Gulf's temporary migration regimes have shown resilience during the pandemic regarding flexibility, networks, and policies. However, Gulf states have gained this resilience at the expense of migrant workers, which threatens the sustainability of the kafāla in its current form. Nevertheless, we also identify key reforms undertaken in Qatar, which continued during the pandemic, and we find general acceptance of these reforms by citizens and business owners. Additionally, we find that Covid-19 has promoted recognition of the importance of migrant workers in the national labor supply, even if significant steps are still required to reduce migrant vulnerability. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
ABSTRACT
Background In Europe, too, the risk of natural, technical, or man-made disasters and public health emergencies has been growing for some time. The situation of vulnerable populations with special needs receiving intensive home care such as people of all ages with oxygen therapy, peritoneal dialysis, parenteral nutrition etc. is rarely considered in this context. This issue is addressed by the sub-project “Safety and Nursing” of the AUPIK consortium on “Maintenance of home care infrastructure in crisis and disasters” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Methods Starting in April 2020, a systematic literature analysis was carried out, focussing on home care of populations with special needs during disasters. This was supplemented by an online survey with nurses and care workers (n = 101) and semi-structured interviews with managers of specialized home care services (n = 8). The survey data were analysed with descriptive statistics, the interview data with content analysis;results were cross-checked with the literature. Results Home care providers are at best prepared for everyday tasks;even minor disruptions have far-reaching consequences. Although the impact of disasters such as large-scale and prolonged power cuts are hard to imagine, the experience with the COVID-19 pandemic and other current events (e.g., floods, heat waves) could at least raise awareness of the problem. However, there is hardly any preparation for disasters in home care yet, but there are high expectations of support from civil protection organisations or local authorities. That these, in turn, are not prepared to deal with populations with special needs in intensive home care, is overlooked. Conclusions Home care infrastructure in Germany is currently inadequately prepared in terms of concept, staff, and equipment to care for vulnerable populations with special needs during disasters. Initiatives to improve disaster preparedness in home and long-term care are overdue. Key messages • The situation of vulnerable populations with special needs during a disaster is a pressing public health and disaster nursing issue which needs to be considered more carefully. • Public health nursing and health services research must contribute substantially to improving disaster preparedness in all health sectors and for all populations.
ABSTRACT
Due to COVID 19, personal protective equipment (PPE) is now used in everyday life. Such PPE affects communication and perception. This paper provides an overview of the impact of PPE on Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) and insertion loss. Spatial acoustic effects of common PPE on human hearing can be documented to improve and inform field worker safety and communication. After a general description of the measurement process and required tools, we focus on a few methods which contribute significantly to the accuracy and analysis of PPE-based HRTF data. The dedicated setup allows measuring a full 360-degree map in automated fashion. It includes a special ring setup with 25 speakers, and a precise turn table that is used to adjust the angle of the device under test with respect to the ring. Binaural measurements were performed on a set of common PPE items on a Head and Torso Simulator (HATS) system, including hard hats, safety glasses, hearing protection, and various face masks. An overview of the data is presented. © INTER-NOISE 2021 .All right reserved.