shifting perspectives: how covid-19 and in-home information and communication technology impacted u.s. residential internet perceptions

This study analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered individual perceptions of Internet service providers (ISPs) and Internet importance, reliability, and status as an essential public utility (EPU). The authors found that lower income, younger, women, and racial-ethnic minority participants had lower ISP and Internet reliability perceptions. The pandemic increased perception of Internet as an EPU by 15% and access to in-home Information and Communication technology was significantly related to perceptions of Internet importance and reliability. Significantly, women perceived higher importance of household Internet than men, specifically for education, employment, and telehealth. Additionally, racial-ethnic minorities relied on Internet for entertainment and education more than white participants. The authors provide recommendations for public utility models of Internet, Internet-reliant technology adoption campaigns, and policy that targets sociodemographic/geographic barriers to Internet access. © 2022 Penn State University Press. All rights reserved.

ASSISTED LIVING ADMINISTRATORS' JOB SATISFACTION, WORK STRESSORS, AND INTENT TO LEAVE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This study examines how job satisfaction in six sub-scales and selected stressors and demographic covariates influenced assisted living administrators' (ALF) intentions to quit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 103 ALF administrators as part of a national study of long-term care administrators' intent to quit during the COVID-19 pandemic funded by the Foundation of the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards in Washington, DC. Descriptive statistics were collected for the sample, and correlations between variables were examined, as well as responses from 3 open-ended questions that were coded for analysis. Although generally satisfied, roughly 41 percent of ALF administrators reported that they were intending to quit. Qualitative data suggested that job satisfaction was influenced by a more nuanced interpretation of job characteristics and work environment intrinsic factors such as adequacy of staffing and resources, changing regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and external supports such as family and friends. Given the limited research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on assisted living communities and their administrators, the results of this study can help to inform policies and strategies for providing support for this segment of long-term services and its workforce during widespread disasters.

Effectiveness of Telehealth for Women’s Preventive Services

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness, use, and implementation of telehealth for women's preventive services for reproductive healthcare and interpersonal violence (IPV), and to evaluate patient preferences and engagement for telehealth, particularly in the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE R, CINAHL R, Embase R, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases (July 1, 2016, to March 4, 2022);manual review of reference lists;suggestions from stakeholders;and responses to a Federal Register Notice. REVIEW METHODS: Eligible s and full-text articles of telehealth interventions were independently dual reviewed for inclusion using predefined criteria. Dual review was used for data ion, study-level risk of bias assessment, and strength of evidence (SOE) rating using established methods. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to heterogeneity of studies and limited available data. RESULTS: Searches identified 5,704 unique records. Eight randomized controlled trials, one nonrandomized trial, and seven observational studies, involving 10,731 participants, met inclusion criteria. Of these, nine evaluated IPV services and seven evaluated contraceptive care, the only reproductive health service studied. Risk of bias was low in one study, moderate in nine trials and five observational studies, and high in one study. Telehealth interventions were intended to replace usual care in 14 studies and supplement care in 2 studies. Delivery modes included telephone (5 studies), online modules (5 studies), and mobile applications (1 study), and was unclear or undefined in five studies. There were no differences between telehealth interventions to supplement contraceptive care and comparators for rates of contraceptive use, sexually transmitted infection, and pregnancy (low SOE);evidence was insufficient for abortion rates. There were no differences between telehealth IPV services versus comparators for outcomes measuring repeat IPV, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, fear of partner, coercive control, self-efficacy, and safety behaviors (low SOE). The COVID-19 pandemic increased telehealth utilization. Barriers to telehealth interventions included limited internet access and digital literacy among English-speaking IPV survivors, and technical challenges and confidentiality concerns for contraceptive care. Telehealth use was facilitated by strategies to ensure safety of individuals who receive IPV services. Evidence was insufficient to evaluate access, health equity, or harms outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence suggests that telehealth interventions for contraceptive care and IPV services result in equivalent clinical and patient-reported outcomes as in-person care. Uncertainty remains regarding the most effective approaches for delivering these services, and how to best mobilize telehealth, particularly for women facing barriers to healthcare.

When Advocates are Forced to go Virtual: The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Response to COVID 19

This study explores strategies used by the nation’s Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Programs (LTCOP) to perform their grass roots, investigatory, sentinel defense advocacy during the near total COVID LTC lock out from March 13th 2020 through September 17th, when the “ban” was conditionally lifted. Our layered systematic searches by title, subject, and total text for unrestricted allusions to the LTCOP used the multi-disciplinary database Academic Search Ultimate that includes mass media. Selection criteria included print and broadcast news. Search keywords were “ombudsman” singly and with 10 other terms. This was augmented by reviewing the National LTC Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) clearinghouse information website and by interviewing NORC staff. Resulting (172) media entries (92% print) were manually coded independently by a team of five, and iteratively reconciled according to a simple flat frame format to identify key words and associated themes. Four main LTCOP lock out strategies emerged: (1) virtual resident interventions (via phone, Skype, Zoom, in-facility allies);(2) public outreach (services provided, sharing COVID data and best practices, social isolation threats and mitigation efforts [window visits], need for volunteers);(3) systems advocacy (state/federal;CMS, legislative and other testimony about social isolation, CARES Act check problems, visitation issues;and (4) partnering with others (multi-agency planning groups, task forces, Zoom town halls, interstate information sharing). NORC interviews revealed that older LTCOP volunteers are seizing the COVID lock-out to retire undermining an already short-staffed network—so calls for volunteers were evident in about 25% of all stories regardless of any other focus.

Trends in COVID-19 cases, deaths, and staffing shortages in US nursing homes by rural and urban status.

The purpose of the study was to examine trends in COVID-19 cases, related deaths, and staffing shortages in nursing homes (NH) by rural and urban status from May 2020 to Feb 2021. Generalized linear mixed models with state-fixed effects were used to estimate the interaction effect of study period and rural/urban status on having at least: one COVID-19 case, one related death, and/or at least one week of staffing shortage using the NH COVID-19 data spanning the 40-week period. The findings revealed shortages in staff, particularly direct care providers, were greatly accelerated in rural NHs as the pandemic wore on over time. Conversely, staffing shortages in urban NHs were relatively stable despite the fluctuating COVID-19 cases over the same time period. The findings highlight the need of identifying effective strategies that prevent rural NHs from encountering staffing deficits in response to long-lasting natural disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Potential activity of Linezolid against SARS-CoV-2 using electronic and molecular docking study.

The crescent evolution of a global pandemic COVID-19 and its respiratory syndrome (SARS-Cov-2) has been a constant concern (Ghosh 2021; Khan et al. 2021; Alazmi and Motwalli 2020; Vargas et al. 2020). The absence of a proven and effective medication has compelled all the scientific community to search for a new drug. The use of known drugs is a faster way to develop new therapies. Molecular docking is a powerful tool (Gao et al. J Mol Model 10: 44-54, 2004; Singh et al. J Mol Model 18: 39-51, 2012; Schulz-Gasch and Stahl J Mol Model 9:47-57, 2003) to study the interaction of potential drugs with SARS-CoV-2, Alsalme et al. (2020) and Sanders et al. (2020) spike protein as a consequence the main goal of this article is to present the result of the study of an interaction between (R and S)-Linezolid with receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-Cov-2 spike protein complexed with human Angiostensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) (6vW1 - from PDB). The Linezolid enantiomers were optimized at B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level of theory. Molecular docking of the system (S)-Linezolid⋯RBD⋯ACE2 and (R)-Linezolid⋯RBD⋯ACE2 was performed, the analysis was made using LigPlot+ and NCIplot software packages, to understand the intermolecular interactions. The UV-Vis and ECD of the complexes - (R and S)-Linezolid⋯RBD⋯ACE2 were performed in two layers with DFT/6-311++G(3df,2p) and DFT/6-31G(d), respectively. The results showed that only the (S)-Linezolid had a stable interaction with - 8.05 kcal.mol- 1, whereas all the R-enantiomeric configurations had positive values of binding energy. The (S)-Linezolid had the same interactions as in the (S)-Linezolid ⋯ Haluarcula morismortui Ribosomal system, where it is well-known the fact that the latter has biological activity. A specific interaction on the fluorine ring justified an attenuation on the ECD signal, in comparison to isolated species. Therefore, some biological activity of (S)-Linezolid with SARS-CoV-2 RBD was expected, indicated by the modification of its ECD signal and justified by a similar interaction in the S-Linezolid⋯Haluarcula marismortui Ribosomal system.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of a Cohort of Pediatric Oncohematologic Patients With COVID-19 Infection in the City of Bogotá, Colombia.

BACKGROUND: In children, the complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection occur less frequently than in adults but the characteristics of this disease in oncology patients are not well characterized. METHODS: This was a retrospective study in patients younger than 18 years of age with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and cancer diagnoses between April and September 2020. Demographic variables, laboratory, and radiologic findings and complications of each case were identified. A descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients were identified; the median age was 10 years. Fifteen patients (42%) were in chemotherapy at the time of the infection diagnosis, in two patients the chemotherapy protocol was permanently suspended. The most common symptom was fever in 20 patients (60%). Seven patients (21.2%) showed mild pneumonia, four patients (12.1%) severe pneumonia, and three cases (9.0%) were classified as critical. In the evaluated cohort, five patients (15.1%) died, and in two of those, death was caused by COVID-19 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Children with an oncologic disease, the search for COVID cases should be oriented to patients with fever, including febrile neutropenia, the presence of respiratory symptoms, and the search for epidemiologic contact. A higher frequency of complications and mortality attributed to COVID-19, two in pediatric oncohematologic patients was found. Institutional strategies to detect the infection early and lower institutional infection are indicated.

The Risk of a Second Wave of Post-Crisis Frailty in the World Economy

This article assesses the scope for economic recovery following the COVID-19 shock. A theoretical review looks at the interplay between the forces of aggregate demand and income generation, on the one hand, and distribution and finance, on the other hand. The role of the public sector is shown to be pivotal. But the injections/leakages framework proposed in the empirical analysis uncovers a disappointing configuration of global demand and policies. The public sector as a driver of demand, distribution and financial stability has been virtually removed. Instead, it was replaced by finance-led schemes that have caused stepwise decelerations in economic growth and increases in government financial constraints, crisis after crisis. On this basis, the prospects for a sustained global recovery after the pandemic look unmistakably grim, barring a radical reorientation of policies.