ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic upended home life for couples across the globe. Many couples faced increased relational uncertainty and interference from a partner as a result of stay at home and lockdown orders. This study uses relational turbulence theory to examine how (a) relational uncertainty and (b) partner interdependence are associated with cognitions and emotions about needing space conversations with a partner. We examine links between perceptions of needing space conversations and relational turbulence. In the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 609 adults in a romantic relationship from 29 countries completed an online survey. Relationship uncertainty was negatively associated with relational cognitions (i.e., solidarity and intimacy), and interference from a partner was associated with more intense hopeful feelings about needing space conversations. Relational cognitions were associated with reduced relational turbulence, and hope was associated with higher relational turbulence. Theoretical implications for relational turbulence theory and practical implications for couples are discussed.
ABSTRACT
Remote proctoring is often used to ensure testing integrity in a distance education environment but may impact academic performance. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate changes in examination scores after transitioning to remote proctoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Student pharmacists (n = 384) served as their own controls in this before-after analysis of examination scores with in-person versus remote proctoring. To assess differences in examination scores among students with varying levels of testing anxiety, students were classified into low, moderate, or high testing anxiety groups based on their Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale-Second Edition (CTAS-2) score. Students were also stratified into two groups based on their cumulative grade point average (GPA). After transitioning to remote proctoring, examination scores significantly decreased for first-year (P1) students but significantly increased for second-year (P2) students. When stratified by CTAS-2 score, no significant difference in examination scores was found. When stratified by GPA, no significant difference in examination scores was found for P1 students, but a significant improvement was noted for P2 students with remote proctoring. The results of this study indicate that examination scores do not consistently improve or decline after introducing remote proctoring even when considering a student's GPA and level of testing anxiety.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges affecting the wellbeing of individuals in communities with low income. Understanding where people live and how those environments can facilitate or hinder living a healthy lifestyle is essential for developing interventions that target behavior change and health promotion. This study compares Extension Nutrition Educators' (NEs) perceptions of the barriers and facilitators impacting the healthfulness of the environment of communities with low income in eleven states before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trained researchers conducted focus groups and interviews with NEs prior to (n = 97) and during (n = 77) the first two years of the pandemic in Alabama, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded by researchers using inductive thematic analysis. Cross-tabulation analysis was used to compare data pre-and-during COVID-19. NEs' revealed COVID-19 not only exacerbated existing barriers (i.e., lack of access to healthy foods, transportation, nutrition education and information, and physical and mental health resources) but also created new challenges in these communities. NEs stated increased unemployment rates led to financial hardships and greater food insecurity. Participants mentioned COVID-19 restrictions (i.e., social distancing, shutdowns, etc.) and fear of exposure made services and resources more difficult to acquire, and impacted dietary behavior, physical activity patterns, and mental health. Likewise, limited access to technology and connectivity decreased the ability to learn about and access services and resources. Nonetheless, NEs suggested new opportunities were designed to mitigate COVID-related barriers, such as virtual programming, COVID-19 relief programs, food distribution programs, grocery store delivery services, and revised social marketing approaches to increase awareness of available resources/services. Given the onset of new barriers resulting from COVID-19, there is a need to consider these barriers when developing or adapting health promotion strategies to support the healthfulness of communities. None.
ABSTRACT
Objective. To determine the impact of remote proctoring on the academic performance of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students. Methods. This was a retrospective, observational study that compared first professional year (P1) and second professional year (P2) pharmacy students' scores on eight composite examinations administered in spring 2020 (n = 387), the final three of which were proctored remotely, to that of a historical cohort of pharmacy students who took the same examinations in spring 2019 (n = 368). To assess whether remote proctoring affected academic performance, spring 2020 scores for examinations 6, 7, and 8 were compared to those of a historical cohort who took the same examinations in person with a proctor present in spring 2019. Academic performance on examinations 1 through 4 was also compared between the two cohorts to evaluate any possible year-to-year variation in academic performance during non-remote circumstances. Mann Whitney tests were used to compare scores between the two cohorts. Results. The median scores of students in the spring 2020 cohort were significantly lower than the scores of the historical cohort on the first composite examination administered to P1 students after the implementation of remote proctoring. In contrast, median scores were significantly higher on two of the three examinations administered to P2 students using remote proctoring. Conclusion. Remote proctoring has minimal impact on pharmacy students' examination performance and its use should be considered to ensure academic honesty and security of testing content in a distance learning environment.
ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to explore the positive association between concern related to COVID-19 and single individuals? perceived changes to their partner preferences. In addition, we investigated the mediating role of fear of being single. Results indicated that people with greater COVID-19 concern perceived an increase in the importance of stability, family commitment, and physical/social attractiveness, as well as fear of being single. Fear of being single only negatively predicted the importance of physical/social attractiveness, whereas it positively predicted the importance of stability and family commitment. Thus, in most cases, people with a greater concern for COVID-19 perceived themselves to become more selective, even when they exhibit higher levels of fear of being single.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to obtain insight into providers' satisfaction with services offered by health-system integrated specialty pharmacies and to determine whether providers' perceptions of services offered under an integrated model differ from perceptions of external specialty pharmacy services. METHODS: A multi-site, cross-sectional, online survey of specialty clinic healthcare providers at 10 academic health systems with integrated specialty pharmacies was conducted. The questionnaire was developed by members of the Vizient Specialty Pharmacy Outcomes and Benchmarking Workgroup and was pretested at 3 pilot sites prior to dissemination. Prescribers of specialty medications within each institution were identified and sent an email invitation to participate in the study that included a link to the anonymous questionnaire. Respondents were asked to rate their agreement with 10 statements regarding quality of services of integrated and external specialty pharmacies on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). An analysis to determine differences in providers' overall satisfaction with the integrated and external specialty pharmacy practice models, as well as differences in satisfaction scores for each of the 10 statements, was performed using paired-samples t tests. RESULTS: The mean (SD) score for overall satisfaction with integrated specialty pharmacies was significantly higher than the score for satisfaction with external specialty pharmacies: 4.72 (0.58) vs 2.97 (1.20); 95% confidence interval, 1.64-1.87; P < 0.001. Provider ratings of the integrated specialty pharmacy model were also higher for all 10 items evaluating the quality of services (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: The study results confirm that the health-system integrated specialty pharmacy practice model promotes high rates of provider satisfaction with services and perceived benefits.