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The objective of this exploratory mixed methods study is to assess the use of hotels/motels among Veterans experiencing housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and programmatic responses to homelessness during such emergencies. We analyzed qualitative interviews conducted with national-level homeless services leadership and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program providers during October 2020-May 2021 and quantitative data for Veterans who enrolled in SSVF during March-August 2020. A multivariable two-part regression model identified factors associated with receiving hotel/motel-specific financial assistance and associated costs. Qualitative interviews indicated that the use of hotels/motels during COVID-19 offered protection from a contagious disease and a novel mechanism to accommodate high-need Veterans who may have previously been unsheltered or resistant to services. Quantitative analyses found that Veteran households' stays in hotels/motels increased sharply following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic;this assistance tended to flow to a more vulnerable group (i.e. older, no income, and extensive histories of homelessness). COVID-19 and homelessness are ongoing public health concerns;strategies such as the use of hotels/motels to reduce homelessness and ensure safe options for isolation and quarantine are needed to prevent poor health outcomes for a vulnerable population.
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This study examined spending behaviors of U.S. tenants who reported delaying rent payments during federal eviction moratoria in 2020-2021, enacted in response to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A national sample of 772 middle and low-income tenants who reported delaying rent payments because of the eviction moratoria were assessed from May 2020 to October 2020. Among tenants who delayed paying rent, most rent money was spent on groceries (11-19%), utilities (9-14%), substance use (8-10%), and debt (7%) across two time periods;the remaining rent money was spent on other expenses including recreation and medical care. Sociodemographic and psychiatric characteristics together only explained 2-3% of the variance in spending in major expense categories suggesting the broad impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these findings provide insight into spending behaviors of tenants during a time of great financial and psychological distress. © This work was authored as part of the Contributor's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 USC. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under US Law.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted global supply chain managers to reassess their operations. Developing a green supply chain requires successfully integrating environmental responsibility principles and benchmarks into supply chain management practices. In the past, there have been few studies on the most effective strategies for reducing the environmental impact of supply chains and improving their sustainability. This study used the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to construct a structural model evaluation system of the green supply chain management (GSCM) to evaluate the interdependent relationships among dimensions and criteria. A GSCM evaluation system was created after using the DEMATEL-based ANP (DANP) to convert the GSCM evaluation indicators and impact factors into degrees of importance. This study explores the obstacles and challenges that organizations face when implementing GSCM practices and how these challenges can be overcome. The results found that organizational changes had the most significant impact, given that they would also improve the other three dimensions. Among the 16 evaluation criteria, resource allocation and market expansion optimization were the most important. Based on these findings, the study proposed specific improvement strategies that corporations and other stakeholders could use to adopt GSCM practices. © 2023 by the authors.
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Background: To evaluate the feasibility, baseline characteristics, and satisfaction of patients receiving telemedicine care during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Taiwan. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients during the COVID-19 pandemic between May 2021 and December 2021 in a tertiary medical center in northern Taiwan. Information on the distribution of physician divisions, patients' clinical characteristics, and patterns of prescription use in telemedicine care was analyzed. Data were extracted from both the ordinary outpatient department (OPD) and nursing home systems. Results: A total of 6587 patients (55.8% female, mean age: 57.3 +/- 25.8 years) included in our telemedicine care conducted during the pandemic COVID-19 epidemic. Those who were older, female, and patients of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine utilized telemedicine more frequently than ordinary OPD, with a high refill prescription rate (82.6%) and low mail-back prescription use (35.9%). Patients of Family Medicine comprised the majority (40.3%) of nursing home telemedicine, with lower refill pre-scription use (37.3%). Overall satisfaction was high regarding telemedicine care, physicians profession-alism, and medical problem solving (98.3% and 97.7%, respectively). Conclusion: Older age, female sex, and potentially more health conditions were associated with higher willingness to access telemedicine. We identified medical divisional and disease-based differences in prescription patterns. Copyright (c) 2022, Taiwan Society of Geriatric Emergency & Critical Care Medicine.
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Background: Prior studies indicated a decrease in the incidences of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) during the early stages of the COVID- 19 pandemic. We evaluated differences in the incidence, severity of SAH presentation, and ruptured aneurysm treatment modality during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the preceding year. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study including 49 countries and 187 centers. We recorded volumes for: COVID-19 hospitalizations, SAH hospitalizations, Hunt-Hess Grade, coiling, clipping, and aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) in-hospital mortality. Diagnoses were identified by ICD-10 codes or stroke databases from January 2019 to May 2021. Results: Over the study period, there were 16,247 aSAH admissions, 344,491 COVID-19 admissions, 8,300 coiling and 4,240 aneurysmal clipping procedures. Declines were observed in aSAH admissions (-6.4% [95%CI -7,-5.8];p=0.0001) during the first year of the pandemic compared to the prior year, most pronounced in high-volume SAH and highvolume COVID-19 hospitals. There was a trend towards a decline in mild and moderate presentation of aSAH (mild: -5%[-5.9,-4.3], p=0.06;moderate: -8.3%[-10.2,-6.7], p=0.06) but no difference in higher SAH severity. The clipping rate remained unchanged (30.7% vs. 31.2%, p=0.58), whereas coiling increased (53.97%vs.56.5%, p=0.009). There was no difference in aSAH in-hospital mortality rate (19.1% vs 20.1%,p=0.12). Conclusion: During the first year of the pandemic, there was a decrease in aSAH admissions volume driven by a decrease in mild to moderate presentation of aSAH. There was an increase in the coiling rate, but no change in clipping rate, nor change in aSAH in-hospital mortality.
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RedShirting, the practice of adding a performance enhancing first year for underrepresented students in engineering programs, has created an alternative pathway to and through engineering for historically marginalized or minoritized students. While previous studies have focused primarily on recruitment and retention strategies in the first year, this paper presents research results that highlight the key themes evident in students' transitions past the first year, into the middle years of undergraduate engineering, and the effects of RedShirt program structures on success beyond the first year. This study examines the overall research question: How do the curricular, advising, and cohort-building elements of the RedShirt program impact the students' experiences in the sophomore or junior year at their university and in engineering? RedShirt students in the sophomore and junior years responded to a semi-structured list of questions through focus group participation, with some individual follow-up interviews. The thematic findings from sophomores and juniors include: academic strategies for responding to more challenging classes;adjusting to new peer groups;developing identity as a minoritized student;effects of advising interactions;and, dealing with living arrangements and other external factors. Additionally, themes from 2019-2020 include how students adapted to the remote learning environment that replaced in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion addresses differences between sophomore versus junior years, the approaches used by various RedShirt programs, and provides comparisons with pathways of traditionally admitted students in engineering. These insights can lead to an increased awareness of the ways to support all engineering students in the middle years that can lead to better overall retention and academic success. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021
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The increase in aged population is a global trend. Inculcating healthy behaviors such as regular exercises in the elderly has a significant impact on the financial and medical burden globally. Moreover, air pollution and the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pose a serious threat to public health. In order to improve the health conditions of the population, this study developed a motion feedback system named MoveV that can be used for several indoor training exercises. This system provides instant motion feedback by synchronizing exercise training videos on the website using a motion analysis algorithm that is applicable on smartphones, and a cloud database platform is used to record health behaviors. Feature extraction is performed based on force intensity, motion velocity, and exercise direction. The resultant accuracy of the motion feedback system was tested by a motion science expert and presented as the confidence level. For perfect movement, a confidence level of up to 90.5% was achieved, indicating that the MoveV system was able to record users' exercise frequency and distinguish whether the user was performing well in the exercise movements. The proposed system is convenient and does not incur additional expenditure by purchasing any new device. Furthermore, it provides visual and voice feedback, companionship, and exercise motivation to the users, all of which are important factors when using online exercise platforms.
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Purpose: This report summarizes an innovative nationwide, Taiwan Youth with Epilepsy Summit on 2020-11-21 at Tainan. This conference was hosted by the Tainan Epilepsy Association. Method: The process of the initiation, design and training for the conference was reviewed. Parts of the conference will be demonstrated. Result: This innovative conference entitled Taiwan Youth with Epilepsy Summit was attended by the invited members of the deputy of Tainan City Mayor and her members, academic leaders in pediatric and adult epileptologists, medical sociologists, educational professionals. The other participants included social workers, medical professional, medical students and people with epilepsy and their care givers from 12 out of 16 organizations of people with epilepsy in Taiwan. In total 153 persons attended the meeting. This is the biggest gathering in Tainan during the COVID-19 era. Six youths and young adults with epilepsy on behalf of people with epilepsy and their caregivers were the speakers, I firstly addressed the relationship between “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD) and epilepsy. The others proposed some urgent biopsychosocial care and human right needs related to education (one speaker), vocation (two speakers) and traffic regulation (two speakers). Although Taiwan is not a member country of the United Nations, Taiwan is the only country to legislate for the implementation of CRPD. This conference was prepared for the Taiwan State Party Report of implementing the UNs Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the last 4 years. Conclusions: The new paradigm of protecting the human rights and dignity of persons with disability as a national strategy for social welfare created the opportunities of autonomous individuals to participate social policy they concerned. The intelligent youths and young adults with epilepsy in this conference demonstrated their altruistic heart and behavior.
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Objective: The objectives of this study were to measure the global impact of the pandemic on the volumes for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), IVT transfers, and stroke hospitalizations over 4 months at the height of the pandemic (March 1 to June 30, 2020) compared with two control 4-month periods. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread repercussions on the delivery of health care worldwide. Design/Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study across 6 continents, 70 countries, and 457 stroke centers. Diagnoses were identified by ICD-10 codes and/or classifications in stroke center databases. Results: There were 91,373 stroke admissions in the 4 months immediately before compared to 80,894 admissions during the pandemic months, representing an 11.5% (95%CI,-11.7 to-11.3, p<0.0001) decline. There were 13,334 IVT therapies in the 4 months preceding compared to 11,570 procedures during the pandemic, representing a 13.2% (95%CI,-13.8 to-12.7, p<0.0001) drop. Interfacility IVT transfers decreased from 1,337 to 1,178, or an 11.9% decrease (95%CI,-13.7 to-10.3, p=0.001). There were greater declines in primary compared to comprehensive stroke centers (CSC) for stroke hospitalizations (-17.3% vs-10.3%, p<0.0001) and IVT (-15.5% vs-12.6%, p=0.0001). Recovery of stroke hospitalization volume (9.5%, 95%CI 9.2-9.8, p<0.0001) was noted over the two later (May, June) versus the two earlier (March, April) months of the pandemic, with greater recovery in hospitals with lower COVID-19 hospitalization volume, high volume stroke center, and CSC. There was a 1.48% stroke rate across 119,967 COVID-19 hospitalizations. SARS-CoV-2 infection was noted in 3.3% (1,722/52,026) of all stroke admissions. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a global decline in the volume of stroke hospitalizations, IVT, and interfacility IVT transfers. Primary stroke centers and centers with higher COVID19 inpatient volumes experienced steeper declines. Recovery of stroke hospitalization was noted in the later pandemic months, with greater recovery in hospitals with lower COVID-19 hospitalizations, high volume stroke centers, and CSCs.
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As an essential and exciting topic in financial management, MCDM has been widely used in evaluating financial performance to improve the suitability and reliability of financial indicators with respect to the impacts of both qualitative and quantitative information. This chapter aims to present a hybrid MCDM approach to evaluate the Vietnamese banking sector's performance under COVID-19 impacts. The proposed method utilizes The Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) technique to determine objective weights of financial ratios. Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is employed to obtain the cause-effect relationship and the subjective weights based on experts’ judgments. Bank alternatives’ ranking is estimated using the
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INTRODUCTION: There have been reports of increased prevalence in psychiatric conditions in non-veteran survivors of COVID-19. To date, however, no known study has examined the prevalence, risk and protective factors of psychiatric conditions among US military veterans who survived COVID-19. METHODS: Data were analysed from the 2019 to 2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative, prospective cohort of 3078 US veterans. Prepandemic and 1-year peripandemic risk and protective factors associated with positive screens for peripandemic internalising (major depressive, generalised anxiety and/or posttraumatic stress disorders) and externalising psychiatric disorders (alcohol and/or drug use disorders) and suicidal ideation were examined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 233 veterans (8.6%) reported having been infected with COVID-19. Relative to veterans who were not infected, veterans who were infected were more likely to screen positive for internalising disorders (20.5% vs 13.9%, p=0.005), externalising disorders (23.2% vs 14.8%, p=0.001) and current suicidal ideation (12.0% vs 7.6%, p=0.015) at peripandemic. Multivariable analyses revealed that greater prepandemic psychiatric symptom severity and COVID-related stressors were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic internalising disorders, while prepandemic trauma burden was protective. Prepandemic suicidal ideation, greater loneliness and lower household income were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic suicidal ideation, whereas prepandemic community integration was protective. CONCLUSION: Psychiatric symptoms and suicidal ideation are prevalent in veterans who have survived COVID-19. Veterans with greater prepandemic psychiatric and substance use problems, COVID-related stressors and fewer psychosocial resources may be at increased risk of these outcomes.
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COVID-19 , Depressive Disorder, Major , Veterans , Depressive Disorder, Major/epidemiology , Humans , Mental Health , Prospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , Suicidal IdeationABSTRACT
The COVID 19 pandemic has led to a new global recession and is still causing a lot of issues because of the delays in the employment of people. This scenario has severe consequences for many countries’ labor markets in the world. This problem’s complexity and importance requires an integrated method of subjective and objective evaluation rather than intuitive decisions. This research aims to investigate sustainable indexes for assessing the unemployment problem by using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model (MCDM). Grey theory and Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (GDEMATEL) are deployed to transform the experts’ opinions into quantitative data. The analysis based on 20 crucial criteria is employed to determine the weights of sustainability of unemployment problems. The results revealed that the top ten of determinants are Economic growth, Industrialization, Foreign direct investment, Real GDP per capita, Education level, Trade Openness, Capacity Utilization Rate, Urbanization, Employability skills, Education system expansion, which have the most significant effects on the unemployment rate under COVID 19 impacts. Furthermore, GDEMATEL could effectively assess the sustainable indicators for unemployment problems in “deep and wide”aspects. The study proposes the Grey MCDM model, contributes to the literature, provides future research directions, and helps policymakers and researchers achieve the best solutions to the unemployment problems under “economic shocks.” © Copyright: The Author(s) This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.