Examining college students' food security coping strategies and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

College students' food situations may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have affected their health and well-being. However, little is known about how the pandemic impacted students' food experiences and how students coped with food-related disruptions, particularly from the student's own perspective. This study reviews data from 571 undergraduates who attended public colleges during Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 and wrote a narrative about the pandemic's impact on their food experiences. Most students indicated they experienced a wide range of food difficulties and adapted new food practices. Despite these challenges, students emphasized proactive coping strategies and positive pandemic outcomes rather than difficulties and negative outcomes. These findings have implications for students' long-term health and well-being. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Developing Crisis in Hunger: Food Insecurity within 3 Public Colleges before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity increased across the United States, with college students being particularly vulnerable. This study surveyed 1989 undergraduates attending three public colleges before and during the first year of the pandemic. At all times, students' food insecurity was related to worse academic performance, greater housing insecurity, poorer psychological and physical health, and less access to healthcare. Compared to pre-pandemic students, during-pandemic students reported greater use of and fewer barriers to food programs, spending more on and and receiving more government aid for food, experiencing more academic difficulties due to food insecurity, having greater housing insecurity, and enduring less access to healthcare. © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Improving thromboprophylaxis in children admitted to a quaternary care children's hospital with COVID-19

Background: The incidence of venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) in hospitalized children has increased by 70%-200% over the last 2-decades. Given this increase, many pediatric centers have initiated electronic clinical decision supports (ECDS) to prognosticate VTE risk and recommend appropriate prophylaxis. COVID-19 is a risk factor for VTE, however ECDS algorithms developed before the COVID-19 pandemic may not accurately prognosticate VTE risk in children with COVID-19. Aim(s): To identify areas for improvement of thromboprophylaxis recommendations for children admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Method(s): Inpatients with a positive COVID-19 PCR test on admission (or within 24 h) were identified at a quaternary-care pediatric center between March 1st 2020 and January 20th 2022. The results of the institution's automated thromboprophylaxis recommendations were compared to institutional best practice guidelines for COVID-19 thromboprophylaxis and to the thromboprophylaxis actually received by the patient. Using this data, a quality improvement (QI) initiative to improve adherence to COVID-19 thromboprophylaxis recommendations through ECDS optimization was implemented. This QI study was exempt from ethics approval. Result(s): Of the 375 inpatients with COVID-19 who underwent thromboprophylaxis screening, 43 were excluded as their COVID-19 was performed >24 h after admission and 5 were excluded for having incomplete data. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the final cohort. 179 (54.4%) patients had a D-dimer performed during their admission. The number of patients that met criteria for chemo-prophylaxis via each screening modality is shown in Figure 1. Five inpatients developed VTE;three had VTE symptoms at presentation, two were identified as high-risk for VTE by both the automated and best practice assessments but were not started on chemoprophylaxis due to family preference or a contraindication to anticoagulation. Conclusion(s): Automated thromboprophylaxis recommendations developed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic may not identify COVID-19 patients needing chemoprophylaxis. Existing ECDS tools need to be updated to reflect COVID-19 specific risk factors for VTEs.

The Efficacy of Aprotinin Combinations with Selected Antiviral Drugs in Mouse Models of Influenza Pneumonia and Coronavirus Infection Caused by SARS-CoV-2.

The efficacy of aprotinin combinations with selected antiviral-drugs treatment of influenza virus and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection was studied in mice models of influenza pneumonia and COVID-19. The high efficacy of the combinations in reducing virus titer in lungs and body weight loss and in increasing the survival rate were demonstrated. This preclinical study can be considered a confirmatory step before introducing the combinations into clinical assessment.

Selection by design: Using job analysis to guide the selection of postgraduate pharmacy residents.

PURPOSE: To help ensure that we were accurately and consistently evaluating applicants to our postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program, we performed a job analysis to inform a redesign of our selection process. SUMMARY: A diverse panel of subject matter experts from our program was convened to develop a task inventory; a list of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics necessary for success in our program; and behavioral snapshots representing especially strong or weak resident performance (ie, critical incidents). After achieving a priori thresholds of consensus, these items were used to augment our application screening instrument (eg, development of anchored rating scales), build an online supplemental application consisting of a personality test and situational judgment test, develop a work sample consisting of a patient case presentation, and enhance the structure of our interviews (eg, by asking a consistent pattern of questions for all candidates). Preceptors reported that the redesigned process was more organized, easier to complete, and facilitated greater rating consistency. CONCLUSION: Job analysis represents an approach to designing selection processes that are more valid, reliable, transparent, and fair. Based on our experiences, recommendations for those who are considering changes to their selection process are provided.

Mental distress and its associations with behavioral outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey of Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate associations between mental distress and COVID-19-related changes in behavioral outcomes and potential modifiers (age, gender, educational attainment) of such associations. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: An online survey using anonymous network sampling was conducted in China from April to May 2020 using a 74-item questionnaire. A national sample of 10,545 adults in 31 provinces provided data on sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related mental distress, and changes in behavioral outcomes. Structural equation models were used for data analyses. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, greater mental distress was associated with increased smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-1.68 and OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.31-1.82 per one standard deviation [SD] increase in mental distress) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.45-1.92 and OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.24-1.75 per one SD increase in mental distress) among current smokers and drinkers and with both increased and decreased physical activity (ORs ranged from 1.32 to 1.56). Underweight adults were more likely to lose body weight (≥1 kg; OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.30-2.04), whereas overweight adults were more likely to gain weight (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.46-1.78) by the same amount. Association between mental distress and change in physical activity was stronger in adults aged ≥40 years (ORs ranged from 1.43 to 2.05) and those with high education (ORs ranged from 1.43 to 1.77). Mental distress was associated with increased smoking in males (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.37-1.87) but not females (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.82-1.51). CONCLUSIONS: Greater mental distress was associated with some positive and negative changes in behavioral outcomes during the pandemic. These findings inform the design of tailored public health interventions aimed to mitigate long-term negative consequences of mental distress on outcomes.

Role orientation and function of medical social workers in prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019

From the perspective of social work, this article shares the experiences of medical social workers of Shanxi Bethune Hospital providing service in general practice clinic, hospital wards, and related communities;and explores the multiple roles of social workers as care giver, coordinator, counselor and educator in prevention and control of COVID-19 at the grassroots level. The article also summaries their work in Balingqiao Community Health Service Center, and proposes suggestions for community welfare service and organizing volunteer team in community epidemic prevention and control. © 2020 Chinese Medical Association