The Dissemination and Implementation of Recess Guidelines, Policies, and Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: There are limited school physical activity policy dissemination and implementation studies. This is a concern given the adverse mental, physical, and socio-emotional effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children and adolescents. This study explored New Jersey school administrators' experiences in disseminating recess guidelines, procedures, and policies as well as implementation strategies in their schools during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 29 elementary school administrators participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed inductively using a conventional approach to qualitative content analysis. Results: In analyzing the data, five themes were identified: (a) adjustments for recess, (b) communications about recess, (c) successes and challenges of recess, (d) health and well-being among children, and (e) recommendations for recess postpandemic. Discussion/Conclusion: When planning, organizing, and implementing a recess in a postpandemic era, school leaders may want to consider establishing cohorts, developing a handbook, creating a rotation schedule (i.e., blacktop, field, playground), developing a recess committee, utilizing the physical education teacher for staff development, assigning recess equipment and bags, offering a variety of activities, and teaching children how to play.

Retailing during the COVID-19 lifecycle: a bibliometric study

PurposeCOVID-19 disrupted the lives of consumers across the globe, and the retail sector has been one of the hardest hits. The impact of COVID-19 on consumers' retail choice behaviour and retailers' responses has been studied in detail through multiple lenses. Now that the effect of COVID-19 is abating, there is a need to consolidate the learnings during the lifecycle of COVID-19 and set the agenda for research post-COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachScopus database was searched to cull out academic papers published between March 2020 and June 6, 2022, using keywords;shopping behaviour, retailing, consumer behaviour, and retail channel choice along with COVID-19 (171 journals, 357 articles). Bibliometric analysis followed by selective content analysis was conducted.FindingsCOVID-19 was a black swan event that impacted consumers' psychology, leading to reversible and irreversible changes in retail consumer behaviour worldwide. Research on changes in consumer behaviour and consumption patterns has been mapped to the different stages of the COVID-19 lifecycle. Relevant research questions and potential theoretical lenses have been proposed for further studies.Originality/valueThis paper collates, classifies and organizes the extant research in retail from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies three retail consumption themes: short-term, long-term reversible and long-term irreversible changes. Research agenda related to the retailer and consumer behaviour is identified;for each of the three categories, facilitating the extraction of pertinent research questions for post-COVID-19 studies.

The Effect of the Different Waves of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Outcome of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Objective: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are complications of diabetes mellitus. COVID-19 pandemic has massively impacted human health. We studied effect of COVID-19 on outcome of DFUs. Method(s): We recruited 483 people with DFU from June 2020-April 2022 (pandemic group) together with a matched group of 227 people with DFU from March 2019-March 2020 (pre-pandemic group). Matching was done with respect to glycemic control (Average HbA1c in pandemic group 9.15%;pre-pandemic group 8.92%), and renal status. Primary endpoint was outcome of ulcers- healed or undergone amputation. Primary outcome was further sub analyzed in the 3 waves of COVID-19 Secondary endpoint was healing of individual types of DFUs. Basic anthropometric data with site, nature and Wegner's grading of DFUs were collected. Diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy was done by monofilament testing and peripheral arterial disease by handheld Doppler and ABI. Standardized treatment protocol including glycemic control, infection control, debridement, dressing, offloading was provided. All patients were monitored for >6 months. Result(s): In pandemic cohort of 483 patients 323(66.9%) patients had healed ulcers, 70(14.5%) had minor amputation, 11(2,2%) had major amputation, 29(6%) lost to follow up, 22(4.6%) had not healed and 28 are in follow up (5.8%). Rate of healing of DFU in pandemic group was higher (66.9%) than control group (53.5%). Similarly, rate of amputation in pandemic group was less (16.7%) than pre-pandemic group (23.4%). Among healed ulcers in pandemic group, non-infected neuropathic ulcers healed better (77.8%;199/256) than other types (54.6%;124/227) [p< 0.00001]. Similarly, rate of amputation (major/minor) in ischemic and neuroischemic ulcers in pandemic group was more (32.3%;11/34) than other types (15.6%;70/449) [p= 0.011]. Rate of healing of foot ulcers in 1st wave was 65.4% (53/81), 2nd wave 75.2% (158/210), 3rd wave 58.3% (112/192). Neuropathic ulcers though less prevalent in first two waves (49.8%;145/291) than 3rd wave (57.8%;111/192) healing rate was more in first two (79.3%;115/145 vs 75.6%;84/111). [p=0.488 (statistically not significant]. Ischemic and neuroischemic ulcers were more in 3rd wave (7.8%;15/192) than first two waves (6.5%;19/291) and undergone more amputation (46.7%;7/15 vs 15.7%;3/19). [p=0.58 (statistically not significant;due to small sample size]. Discussion/Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic (mainly first two waves) accounted for travel restrictions contributing to better healing of neuropathic ulcers whereas ischemic and neuroischemic ulcers worsened and underwent more amputation as patients could not seek intervention. Conversely, in third wave withdrawal of COVID restrictions lead to worsening of DFUs leading to less healing and more amputation.Copyright © 2023

Long-term changes in consumers' shopping behavior post-pandemic: an exploratory study

Purpose Short-term changes in consumers' shopping behaviour due to the Covid-19 pandemic have been studied, but not the long-term effects. This study fills this gap by exploring the long-term changes in consumers' retail shopping behaviour, due to their experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were collected from one hundred fifty-nine respondents, and grounded theory approach was applied for interpretation. Gioia thematic analysis method, open coding, and axial coding were used for analysis. Findings Individuals who positively approached their experiences during the Covid-19 demonstrated increased pro-sustainable and pro-environmental self-identity, resulting in sustainable consumption and a shift to online shopping. Individuals having overpowering negative experiences demonstrated heightened fear of missing out (FOMO), loss aversion, and rumination. While shopping, they demonstrated herd behaviour and shifted to online shopping. Research limitations/implications This study highlights emotional and psychological mechanisms influencing long-term changes in consumer shopping preferences post Covid-19 pandemic. The generalizability of the findings is limited due to the study's exploratory nature and the sample size. Originality/value This study contributes to shopping behaviour literature by uncovering novel constructs of self-identity, loss aversion, FOMO, and rumination as antecedents to long-term shopping behaviour changes post-Covid-19. It provides a new conceptual model of consumers' shopping behaviour, which may be empirically validated.

Decoding revenge buying in retail: role of psychological reactance and perceived stress

Purpose: COVID-19 pandemic-related Government restrictions on the movement of people resulted in consumers moving away from retail outlets. However, sporadic instances of an unexpected surge in retail buying happened across the world immediately after the lifting of such restrictions. This uncommon phenomenon, termed revenge buying, offered an opportunity to revive retail businesses. This paper applies Reactance Theory (RCT) and Self-determination Theory (SDT) to model consumers' revenge buying intentions. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from 384 respondents in India using validated scales. The study used structural equation modelling for model testing. Findings: COVID-19 restrictions resulted in autonomy need frustration in consumers, which induced psychological reactance and perceived stress. Psychological reactance positively impacted, while perceived stress negatively impacted revenge buying intentions. Thus, revenge buying was observed only when the psychological reactance was more than perceived stress. Research limitations/implications: This study, conducted in only one country with a limited convenience sample, limits the generalizability of findings. Originality/value: This research model the psychological consequences of need frustration to explain the sporadic incidences of revenge buying in retail outlets. Further, it proposes sales recovery strategies for retailers in the immediate post-pandemic market scenarios. Retailers' strategies should focus on alleviating stress and anxiety because of health concerns, highlighting the retail buying experience to stimulate the need to visit the outlet and positioning retail buying as a potential reactance response by consumers. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Remote practicals in the time of coronavirus, a multidisciplinary approach

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities across the world have curtailed face to face teaching. Associated with this is the halt to the delivery of the practical experience required of engineering students. The Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE) team at The University of Sheffield have responded to this problem in an efficient and effective way by recording laboratory experiences and putting videos, quizzes and data online for students to engage with. The focus of this work was on ensuring all Learning Outcomes (LOs) for modules and courses were preserved. Naturally, practical skills cannot be easily provided using this approach, but it is an effective way of getting students to interact with real data, uncertainty and equipment which they cannot access directly. A number of short case studies from across the range of engineering disciplines are provided to inspire and guide other educators in how they can move experiments on line in an efficient and effective manner. No student feedback is available at the time of writing, but anecdotal evidence is that this approach is at least acceptable for students and a way of collecting future feedback is suggested. The effort expended on this approach and the artefacts produced will support student learning after the initial disruption of the lockdown has passed.