ABSTRACT
This study focuses on examining US newspaper articles regarding education from the two major news channels the New York Times (NYT) (N=29.682) and Washington Post (WST) (N=44.308) in period 1 January, 2020 - 19 March, 2021, and splitting them into three stages. We employed Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling and sentiment analysis to depict the overall picture of the data set. Our method flow chart included start, data preparing, data analysis, and result. We used Python to call Google API to calculate the sentiment analysis score. There is a difference in the frequency of the occurrences of the education theme in NYT and WST in the three stages, where NYT relatively dominates. Keywords related to education that appear on the NYT and WST include school, child, parent, student, child, family, feel, and home. Sentiment analysis scores on all themes in NYT and WST were generally in the neutral categories, while the direction from stage one to stage three tends to be more positive. This study could be useful to assist education policy makers in determining the right decisions in the implementation of quality education after the COVID-19 Pandemic era. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Background: Older people's vulnerability during a pandemic may extend to social connectedness, access to healthcare, and information delivery. We sought to identify whether and how older community-based patients are maintaining connections and accessing information during COVID-19. Methods: We administered a telephone questionnaire to all patients (or carer/proxy answering 'on patient's behalf') who previously attended our Geriatric Medicine clinic, May-December 2019. Results: Response rate was 58.8% (151/257), carer respondents comprising 23.8% (36/151). Mean patient age was 81.8 years (SD 8.6); 59.6% were female, 15.2% lived alone. English was the preferred language for 72.9% (110/151). Almost half (46.4%, 70/151) felt COVID-related restrictions had impacted them. Thirty-eight percent (58/151) reported feelings of social isolation, most (38/58) reporting this new since COVID. Nonetheless, 92.1% (139/151) reported maintaining social connections, all with family (139/139), less often with friends (69.8%, 97/139). COVID-related information sources included television 68.9% (104/151), family/friends (54.3%), healthcare providers (24.5%), and written sources (21.2%, 32/151); 12.6% used online resources. Increasing age lowered likelihood of accessing online information, while having smartphone/computer increased. Most (82.6%) believed their healthcare needs were being met, and 76.1% had accessed their GP, 87% (100/115) in-person. Only 33.1% (50/151) agreed telehealth acceptable, more often those with smartphone/computer (OR 2.15, p=0.04). Conclusions: Interventions to reduce isolation and optimize connectedness and healthcare- despite physical distancing- are important during COVID-19. During a rapidly evolving pandemic, healthcare delivery and information provision to our older population is likely best served by a multifaceted approach which acknowledges identified preferences, practices and barriers.