ABSTRACT
Background: According to national prevalence data, SCD has an estimated economic burden of $2.98 billion per year in the United States and caring for a child with sickle cell disease (SCD) carries its own financial burden, resulting in higher healthcare costs and unintended days lost from employment. Social experiences are known to impact health outcomes in the general pediatric population. These experiences can be examined through the construct of social determinants of health (SDOH), the "condition in which people are born, grow, work, live and age" that impact their health. Since the WHO has designated COVID-19 a pandemic in January 2020, many families in the US have suffered financially, and during the shutdowns, there was a record number of jobs lost. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial and employment status of SCD Families Methods: This study was part of the larger CNH Sickle Cell Disease Social Determinants of Health study that was IRB approved. Caregivers of children with SCD completed a 30-question survey reporting their experiences with SDOH that included Demographics, USDA Food Security Scale, the We Care housing screening tool, and the validated COVID-19 Employment Status/COVID-19 related household finances survey in RedCap during clinic visits and hospitalizations Results: 99 caregivers of SCD patients responded to our survey (82.5% Female, 17.5% Male) (N=97). 93.9% identified as African-American, 3% identified as Hispanic or Latinx, 1% identified as "other". Of respondents, 66% were insured through on Medicaid and 33% had private insurance. Twenty-six percent endorsed food insecurity and 2724% relied on low-cost food. Thirty-one percent lived in an apartment, 67.768% lived in a home, 1% lived in shelter or transitional housing. Sixteen percent lived in subsidized or public housing. Thirty-seven (36.8%) percent reported at least once they were being unable to pay the mortgage or rent on time at least once, 9% (8.5%) reported living with other people because of financial difficulties, 55.2% reported their home not being heated, 7.2% reported being evicted from their home and 3.1% lived in an emergency shelter or transitional housing. 6.1% had an educational level of high school graduation or less, 42.2% were college graduates or completed additional post-graduate education (N=98). Two weeks prior to the pandemic, 61.5% worked full time, 13.5% worked part time, 6.3% were unemployed with only 2.1% working from home of the 96 caregivers who responded to this question. 15.5% (N=12 of 77) reported losing their job or were furloughed during the pandemic;34.4% (N=33 of 96) reporting at least one household member losing a job or a significant amount of income. Twenty-five percent (N=21 of 83) reported it was difficult to get work/school done because of the home environment. 36.4 % (N=35 of 96) reported household income was significantly less since February 2020. 53% (N=52 of 97) worried their household income has been or will be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 48.9% (N=47 of 96) worried the value of their assets (housing, savings, other financial assets) has been or will be negatively impacted by COVID-19 and its effects. Since February 2020, 9.8% (N= 9 of 97) received unemployment insurance, 30.9% (N=29 of 94) received SNAP or food stamps, 16.5% (N= 15 of 91) received from the food pantry, 6.6% (N=6 of 90) applied for temp ass.
ABSTRACT
With the physical closure of universities and educational institutions around the world, the COVID-19 global crisis has brought to the fore critical questions surrounding the future delivery of higher education and adult learning away from traditional classrooms. This paper reports the broad findings from a recent survey with adult educators (n = 1553) working in higher education (HE) and training and adult education (TAE) sectors in Singapore. It provides key insights into adult educators' perceptions about the rapid changes in teaching and learning due to the pandemic and identifies challenges and impacts of moving to online mediums. COVID-19 is viewed as an opportunity for paradigm-change which HE/TAE organisations and educators should grasp. Respondents' caution that those who fail to make the necessary digital leap will be in danger of being left behind. Implications for post-COVID HE/TAE practice and policy are discussed.
ABSTRACT
Background: The emergence of a new variant of Omicron in 132 countries at the beginning of 2022 leaves concerns for nurses. The experience of nurses handling the COVID-19 pandemic makes a question mark on how prepared the profession is to deal with the spreading of the virus. This article attempts to analyze the perceptions of nurses' readiness to use information technology (IT) when facing the new Omicron variant. Methods: The study used a quantitative approach with a descriptive cross-sectional design supported by the Technology Acceptance Model. This study used a questionnaire to assess respondents' perceptions. A total of 180 eligible respondents were involved in the study. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used to measure the respondents' perception, and SPSS version 26 was used for analytical data. Results: The results showed that 96% of nurses were vaccinated, 45% never attended COVID-19 training (External Variables), 45.6% ready with information technology facilities (Perceived Ease to Use), 47.2% were mentally/psychologically prepared, 47.2% supported by family, and 37.8% they had public support (Perceived Usefulness). Those 3 components shaped different perceptions (Attitudes) towards using the IT in which 44.4% were ready, 27.2% were in the process, 25.3% were not prepared and 3.1% had no idea (3.1%). As a result (Behavior), out of 180 population, 63.6% of participants were categorized as not ready. Conclusion: The findings recommend that nurses using IT in dealing with Omicron 100% must be vaccinated and participate in COVID-19 training.
ABSTRACT
Rationale. Jefferson County Alabama, became a U.S. Southeastern cornerstone of industrial mining for coal, iron, and limestone in the 1800's. Coal-fired power plants deposit heavy metals into the air, soil, and water. Residents living in close proximity to these plants are increasingly stricken with lung diseases such as COPD and asthma. Many reside in an area the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested to be placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). This site has been named the Superfund Research Center (SRC) by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Air pollution from PM2.5 carrying heavy metals such as cadmium and arsenic have left a legacy of obstructive lung disease in the SRC site. Methods. The American Lung Association “State of the Air” 2020 report, finds parts of Jefferson County remains among the worst in the nation for year-round particle pollution. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) COVID-19 dashboard was used to identify the number of cases and associated deaths per county in the first four months of the pandemic. The Jefferson County Department of Health, Community Health Equity Report was used to identify demographic and life expectancy reported data. Results. Although African Americans are 29% of the population in Alabama, 45% of the deaths due to COVID-19 are in the African American population, many living within the SRC site. Subjects younger than 50 years of age showed evidence of COPD as compared to those living outside the SRC site. Subjects living in the SRC site also exhibit higher levels of cadmium in their blood than those living outside the site, even if they were nonsmokers. Prior to the pandemic, subjects living within the SRC site had a life expectancy of 60-70 years while other areas with white populations had a life expectancy of 80-90 years. Conclusion. Residents in the SRC are experiencing a cascade of effects that place their lung health at stake. Combine a vulnerable population with varying lung diseases, in a heavily polluted area, with a new onset COVID-19 infection, and an already difficult situation, with pollution induced COPD becomes dire, underscoring the environmental disadvantage the residents face. COVID- 19 has laid bare the disparities in lung health in populations suffering from environmental exposures to toxic air pollution in Jefferson County. Continued efforts in air pollution regulation and continued research and evaluation of the impacts of long-term exposure to air pollution on lung health is the ongoing focus.