ABSTRACT
The lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on daily routines and habits. New lifestyle behaviors contributed to the onset and course of mental diseases, including addictive problems. The objective of this work was to describe changes in health status during lockdown in the general population, including potentially addictive behaviors, and explore possible contributing factors. The analyzed data comprised a population-based sample of 240 individuals (73.3% women, mean age 43.8 years old). Assessments included sociodemographics and self-reports for health state and addictive behaviors. The risk of perceived worsening physical and psychological state was 21.7% and 20.0%, respectively, after the lockdown. The risk of requiring a new treatment for physical and psychological illnesses was 10.4% and 4.2%, respectively, while 2.5% of the participants started using illegal drugs and 9% initiated video game use. Finally, the statistical predictors of health worsening during the lockdown were the presence of anxiety symptoms, being unmarried, having low education levels, experiencing fears related to COVID-19 infection, and having family conflicts. This research identified vulnerability factors contributing to changes in physic and mental health, as well as those associated with addictive behaviors during lockdown. These results should be considered in further stressful situations to design personalized preventive and therapeutic plans. © Author(s).
ABSTRACT
This study aims to analyze the variation in academic performance of undergraduate students enrolled in the Accounting Sciences course of a public, federal university of Southern Brazil between the second academic semester of 2019 and the first semester of 2020. The research was documentary and descriptive, following a quantitative approach. The sample was composed of data from 281 students. Quantitative data analysis was carried out through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results indicate that the implementation of emergency remote teaching due to social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact student performance. However, analyzing the students' enrollment semester shows variation in the academic performance in 2017, which may be explored further by future research. Thus, this research contributes to understanding the new teaching model, supplying managers, students, teachers, and institutions new data regarding this issue.
ABSTRACT
This article presents a study that documents how the changes provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic have widened the gen -der gap among university faculty members in Catalonia. The 32 inter-views conducted for the purposes of this study with university professors/ researchers in Catalonia (half men and half women) make evident that the pandemic has brought with it additional demands in terms of of domestic work and care for dependents, and that this new burden has been borne disproportionately by women. Women researchers' wellbeing and productivity have both suffered as a result, as during this period (May 2020-May 2021) many of them devoted additional time and concern to their homes and families, and they often experienced stress and anxiety. Meanwhile, some of their male peers, including some of those with small children, reported having been able to take advantage of the conditions of the pandemic to make progress in their research.
ABSTRACT
Background: Up to date drug-based treatments for COVID-19 have not been approved. The most effective way to face this public health problem is prevention with adequate nutrition, hygiene, and protection measures. Food has historically been used by people to improve their nutrition and complement the treatment or prevention of diseases. The various bioactive compounds of some foods are known, which in experimental studies demonstrated their antiviral and immunomodulatory action.
ABSTRACT
The city of Vitoria-Gasteiz was one of the probable first entrances of the SARS-CoV2 in Spain, one of the worst affected countries in the world during the first COVID 19 wave. Driven by the urgency of the situation, multiple drugs with antiviral activity were used off label. Sadly, most of these treatments were of little or no benefit and thus, the number of patients suffering from COVID-19 attended in intensive care units (ICUs) multiplied. After being administered to patients, a variable proportion of these drugs reach the environment where they may have detrimental effects, although this aspect is usually ignored by healthcare professionals. In this study we measured the patterns of hospital drug use in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain) during the first COVID-19 wave pandemic, focusing on those with antiviral activity and those used in the ICUs. Subsequently, we measured concentrations of selected drugs in the city's wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent and estimated the potential risk for the environment. The hospital use of certain antivirals and drugs used for sedo-analgesia were dramatically increased during the first wave (cisatracurium was multiplied by 25 and lopinavir/ritonavir by 20). A mean of 1.632 daily defined doses of hydroxychloroquine were used during the period of February-May 2020. In this study we report the first positive detection of hydroxychloroquine ever in the environment. We also show the second positive report of lopinavir. Low risk was estimated for hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and ritonavir (Risk quotients (RQ) <1), and medium risk for azithromycin (RQ 0f 0.146).