An examination of virtual exchange on the intercultural competence of college students

This study examines the effect of a virtual exchange experience on the intercultural competence of college students from the United States and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Archival data from the Stevens Initiative was used to test whether 70 students from the United States and 72 students from Iraq and Jordan gained intercultural competence upon completion of a virtual exchange program known as the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge. Intercultural competence was measured using the variables of cross-cultural collaboration, ethnocentrism, problem solving, perspective taking, and empathy. Results showed a significant increase in cross-cultural collaboration and decrease in ethnocentrism for MENA students. There was a significant increase in problem solving for U.S. students. Contrary to expectations, perspective taking declined for both groups of students and there were no changes in empathy. Overall, the results show support for the effectiveness of virtual exchange on improving the intercultural competence of college students. In light of challenges to international travel due to COVID 19 and the high cost of study abroad, virtual exchange is a viable and creative alternative for developing intercultural competence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Financial challenges and capacity among African refugees in the Southern USA: A study of socio-demographic differences

Refugees' successful integration into US society requires adaptation to economic, financial and social norms. Despite the importance of considering financial challenges (financial stress and financial anxiety) and financial capacity (financial literacy and financial self-efficacy) in reaching personal financial goals, literature examining the relationship between financial challenges and capacity-critical in refugee resettlement and integration-is sparse and fragmented. This study explored financial challenges and capacity amongst resettled African refugees (N = 130) in the southern USA using data from a larger community-based participatory research study that used a mixed-methods approach. We explored socio-demographic differences in financial stress, financial anxiety, financial literacy and financial self-efficacy across African refugee subpopulation groups. Our study highlights the importance of social work advocacy for data disaggregation, which helps establish the scope of the problem, unmask subpopulation differences and make vulnerable groups more visible to facilitate the development of tailored programmes and services to reach economic integration goals. We provide social work implications for data disaggregation in the current coronavirus context, which will leave long-term financial scars on refugee subpopulations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Examining the predictive role of spiritual health and resilience in mental distress of nurses in COVID-19 wards in Iran

COVID-19 pandemic has triggered serious psychological problems mainly in the front-line healthcare staff. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of spiritual health and resilience in mental distress of nurses in COVID-19 wards in Iran. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 91 nurses working in COVID-19 wards in 2020. The results showed that 23.1% of nurses had mental distress. In addition, the correlation coefficient showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between spiritual health (r = -.22, p < .01) and resilience (r = -.34, p < .01) with mental distress. The regression results indicated that spiritual health and resilience predicted 16% of the variation in mental distress (p < .05). Spiritual health and resilience are important constructs of mental distress in nurses and significantly predict and elaborate parts of changes in mental distress. Thus, mental health in nurses can be improved by improving the spiritual aspect and resilience in nurses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Deepening inequalities in sub-saharan africa amidst the covid-19 crisis: Education and labor market spaces in perspective

In this paper, we examine inequalities in education and labor market spaces in Ghana during the covid-19 pandemic. Methodologically, the paper adopts both qualitative and quantitative research strategies. Using concurrent mixed-sampling methods, 14 in-depth interviews and 122 survey participants were elected from Tamale and Accra. We demonstrate that Ghanaian youth-especially young females were predisposed to losing their jobs and exposed to underemployment amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The paper also established that the adoption of virtual teaching and learning platforms during the pandemic resulted into marked differences in the acquisition of skillsets among youth from rich/urban and poor/rural settings. We found that unequal access to e-learning and internet infrastructure could translate to uneven learning platforms, creating differentials in skills and competencies that will be acquired for the labor market. This could create and heighten inequalities in labor market participation post-pandemic, with youth who had poor access to e-learning platforms experiencing diminishing prospects in future labor market engagements. Among others, we recommend the provision of adequate internet infrastructure for schools patronized by kids from low-income households, and the adoption of programmes that will widen the ICT interface for people from deprived backgrounds to enable them cope with changes occasioned by pandemics to reducing inequality in education and labor market spaces. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Adapting to eco-anxiety: Experiences from Zambia

This chapter presents case examples of eco-anxiety in Africa. The rural communities in Zambia are highly dependent on agriculture, which has already been much affected by the climate crisis. The chapter examines various reactions and coping methods, along with gaps where further research is needed. It analyzes eco-anxiety and the anxiety and hysteria brought about by COVID-19. It has shown that although humans and nature have lived symbiotically for centuries, anthropogenic activities were detrimental to this relationship. Therefore, for humans to enjoy their ancient relationship with nature, their destructive activities on nature needed to be minimized. However, there have been some exaggerations regarding the effects of climate change. Predictions of doom, extinction, and other alarming words were more responsible for eco-anxiety. Despite these alarms and actual danger, humans could adapt. As the world was coming to terms with climate change and eco-anxiety, COVID-19 emerged with even more devastation and threats to humanity. Unlike climate change, COVID-19 was sudden, fast, and fatal while restricting human activities, thereby affecting all aspects of life. It was therefore more anxiety-causing than climate change. Future research should focus on reducing alarmism, enhancing human adaptation to climate change, minimizing its effects, and preparing for pandemics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Sounding the environmental benefits of the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Nigeria

This chapter discusses the role of music in relation to crises. It applies ecomusicological theory and argues that music can address complex eco-social issues, such as the effects of climate change in the form of excessive heat in Lagos and the ecological disasters in the Niger delta. In addition to phone interviews, the chapter uses musical, textual, and video data to analyze the contributions of many musicians amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The chapter analyzes the trajectories of the pandemic and the environmental crises and the time of global lockdown which help reduce the rate of air travel, road travel and other activities that increases climate change and global warming. Using musical narratives, the chapter attempts to determine if there has been any significant reduction in the environmental disaster and climatic change and sustainability within the past few months of the global pandemic and how specifically this sustainability has benefited the southern part of Nigeria. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The psychological impacts during the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, and its associated factors among pastoral community in West Omo zone, South-West Ethiopia, 2020: A community-based study

Background: COVID-19 is a global pandemic and a major health crisis affecting several nations. Such outbreaks are associated with adverse mental health consequences to any group of the population. Despite its negative effects, no study has addressed the potential psychological impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak among the pastoral community. This study aims to assess psychological experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and the factors that contributed to it among pastoral community residents in West Omo, South-West Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May to June 2020. The study subjects were selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and entered into EpiData 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 24 for statistical analysis. The psychological impact was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). P-value < 0.20 during bi-variable analysis was considered as a candidate for multivariable logistic regression. Independent factors of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence level s at P-value < 0.05 cut-off point. Results: A total of 845 eligible pastoral residents were interviewed, with a 94.4% response rate. The prevalence of a positive response for anxiety, depression and stress was 30.8%, 26.3% and 24.4%, respectively. Being female was highly associated with developing anxiety and depression. Anxiety was found to be three times more prevalent among the respondents with >= 3 family members. Furthermore, participants with a history of mental illness, poor social support, and a high perceived life threat were also at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusion: The prevalence of positive depression, anxiety and stress results were high. As a result, special attention should be paid, by governmental and non-governmental health organizations, to psychosocial and mental health programs for pastoral residentsduring the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Catalysing regional integration in Africa: The role of infrastructure

Now, more than ever, infrastructure integration in Africa has become critical to recalibrating Africa's growth strategy toward increased intraregional trade, especially in an era of global isolationism, protectionism and supply chain disruptions from COVID and the war in Ukraine. This paper investigates the extent to which infrastructure development and integration can act as a catalyst for trade, innovation and income improvements in Africa. Using panel data analysis, we show that the infrastructure sector with the strongest multiplier effect on economic activity is the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, followed by the transport sector, the electricity sector and, last, the water sector. This ranking of the catalytic role of infrastructure sectors should guide policy prioritisation on infrastructure investments to accelerate growth and unlock the potential of the AfCFTA. Benchmarking exercises on infrastructures' catalytic role in the regional economic communities (RECs) show that infrastructure has had the strongest impact on economic outcomes in the East African Community bloc, making the EAC a type of flying‐geese RECs for other regions to emulate.

"This pandemic has changed our daily living": Young adults' leisure experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global human ecosystem disruption affecting almost every facet of daily living. South Africa adopted a risk-adjusted approach comprising five-levels to curb the spread of COVID-19. Early in 2020, the country experienced level 5 and 4 restrictions, indicating high COVID-19 spread with low to moderate health system readiness. South Africans were largely confined to their homes. This study explored young adults' experiences of leisure engagement during the confinement, adaptations made, and the influence on health and well-being. Thirteen occupational therapy student researchers conducted individual qualitative, exploratory-descriptive studies on young adults' leisure experiences during the level 5 and 4 confinements. The authors used a qualitative meta-analytic approach to review the student researchers' primary studies and synthesize findings for this paper. The sample comprised 65 participants aged 18 to 32 years (mean age 22.2 years), the majority being either students or employed. Participants were interviewed online or submitted written responses to open-ended questions focusing on their leisure engagement during the confinement. Relevant data were extracted from the primary studies and analyzed thematically. Four themes emerged: 1) disruption, 2) time, 3) adaptations to change, and 4) leisure benefits. Although participants experienced the confinement as disruptive, and restricting their leisure and social engagement, they adapted and developed new leisure occupations, which had a positive influence on their health and well-being. In conclusion, the young adults dealt with the occupational injustices of confinement by adapting their leisure engagement, thus displaying occupational resilience, which positively influenced health and well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Chinese) COVID-19 -, COVID-19 2020 , 5 4 , COVID-19 , 13 5 4 , 65 18 32 ( 22.2 ),,:1),2),3) , 4) ,,,,,, (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (French) TITRE "Cette pandemie a change notre vie quotidienne" : Les experiences de loisir des jeunes adultes lors de la pandemie de COVID-19 en Afrique du Sud RESUME La pandemie de COVID-19 perturbe l'ecosysteme humain mondial, affectant presque toutes les facettes de la vie quotidienne. L'Afrique du Sud a adopte une approche ajustee au risque comprenant cinq niveaux d'interventions pour freiner la propagation du COVID-19. Au debut de 2020, le pays a connu des restrictions de niveau 5 et 4, indiquant une forte propagation du COVID-19, avec un etat de preparation du systeme de sante a composer avec cette situation, qualifie de faible a modere. Les Sud-Africains ont ete largement confines chez eux. Cette etude a explore les experiences des jeunes adultes en matiere d'engagement dans les loisirs pendant le confinement, les adaptations effectuees et l'influence de ces experiences sur la sante et le bien-etre. Treize etudiants chercheurs en ergotherapie ont mene individuellement des etudes qualitatives exploratoires et descriptives sur les experiences de loisirs des jeunes adultes pendant les confinements de niveau 5 et 4. Les auteurs ont realise une meta-analyse qualitative, reposant sur les etudes primaires des etudiants chercheurs, dont la synthese est presentee dans cet article. L'echantillon comprenait 65 participants ages de 18 a 32 ans (age moyen de 22,2 ans), dont la majorite etait aux etudes ou avaient une activite professionnelle. Lors de videoconferences, les participants ont partage leurs experiences de loisir lors du confinement, a l'aide d'une entrevue semi-structuree. Toutefois, une part des participants a plutot soumis des reponses ecrites aux questions, selon leur convenance. Les donnees pertinentes ont ete extraites des etudes primaires et analysees de maniere thematique. Quatre themes ont emerge : 1) la perturbation, 2) le temps, 3) l'adaptation au changement, et 4) les bienfaits des loisirs. Bien que les participants aient vecu le confinement comme une perturbation et une restriction de leurs loisirs et de leur engagement social, ils se sont adaptes et ont developpe de nouveaux loisirs, ce qui a eu une influence positive sur leur sante et leur bien-etre. En conclusion, les jeunes adultes ont compose avec les injustices occupationnelles associees au confinement en adaptant leur engagement dans des loisirs, faisant ainsi preuve de resilience occupationnelle, ce qui a influence positivement leur sante et leur bien-etre. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) La pandemia de COVID-19 constituye una alteracion del ecosistema humano a nivel mundial que afecta casi todas las facetas de la vida cotidiana. Frente a este contexto, Sudafrica adopto un enfoque ajustado al riesgo que comprende cinco niveles, con el objetivo de frenar la propagacion de la COVID-19. A principios de 2020, el pais establecio restricciones de nivel 5 y 4, lo que indica alta propagacion de la COVID-19 con baja a moderada preparacion del sistema sanitario. En gran medida, los sudafricanos estaban confinados en sus hogares. Este estudio examino las participaciones en el ocio de adultos jovenes durante el confinamiento, las adaptaciones que debieron realizar y como ello influyo en su salud y bienestar. Trece investigadores, estudiantes de terapia ocupacional, realizaron estudios individuales, cualitativos y exploratorios-descriptivos sobre las experiencias de ocio descritas por adultos jovenes durante los confinamientos de nivel 5 y 4. Los autores utilizamos un enfoque metaanalitico cualitativo para revisar los estudios primarios de dichos estudiantes y sintetizar los hallazgos para este articulo. La muestra la conformaron 65 participantes de entre 18 y 32 anos (edad media de 22.2 anos), la mayoria de ellos estudiantes o empleados. Los participantes fueron entrevistados en linea o enviaron respuestas escritas a preguntas abiertas centradas en su participacion en el ocio durante el encierro. De los estudios primarios se extrajo la informacion pertinente y se analizo tematicamente, identificandose cuatro temas: 1) perturbacion;2) tiempo;3) adaptaciones al cambio;y 4) beneficios del ocio. Aunque los participantes experimentaron el confinamiento como algo perturbador que restringia su ocio y su participacion social, se adaptaron y desarrollaron nuevas ocupaciones que incidieron de manera positiva en su salud y bienestar. En conclusion, los adultos jovenes afrontaron las injusticias ocupacionales que implico el confinamiento adaptando su participacion en el ocio, lo que mostro su resiliencia ocupacional e influyo positivamente en su salud y bienestar. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

How women are asked about domestic violence: An exploratory case study of medical practitioners in Ghana

This is a qualitative exploratory case design to understand how medical practitioners inquire about domestic violence among women who present for medical care in hospitals in Ghana. This case study was guided by three conceptual frameworks namely social constructionism (participants' reality), ecological framework (institutional and cultural factors), and public health framework (preventive). Six (3 females and 3 males) medical practitioners who provide direct medical care in urban regional hospitals of Ghana were purposively selected to participate in virtual interviews due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Participants were asked a total of thirty-two questions to identify domestic violence inquiry practices with women, attitudes, and perceptions towards DV inquiry, barriers of DV inquiry, and provider level of knowledge of DV Act 732 Ghana and DV training. Interview transcripts were organized using NVivo to create initial codes and themes respectively. Emergent findings indicated that medical practitioners do not routinely ask women for domestic violence experiences when they do not present with an initial diagnosis of some injury related to DV although they believe DV inquiry is necessary to provide holistic and trauma-informed care to women. DV inquiry is related to factors such as non-existing protocols in hospitals, cultural and logistical challenges that impede inquiry efforts, and victim self-disclosure. Based on the findings of this study, some implications for the health care sector in Ghana such as the Ministry of Health and service were outlined. The study addressed the gap in the literature by focusing on response to DV in Ghanaian government health care settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Social work and COVID-19 in South Africa

Lockdown was imposed in South Africa on 23rd March 2020 in the context of a society structured by the highest levels of inequality in the world (IMF 2020), extreme levels of poverty, hunger, inadequate housing security and unemployment. Globally, South Africa is defined as one of the emerging epicentres of hunger during COVID-19 (OXFAM 2020). COVID-19 will change the world forever, it will never be the same. Social workers are required to believe that 'another world is possible'. For this reason, a crisis such as this demands that things should be done differently and that there should be innovative responses to not only the effects of COVID-19 itself, but also to devastating socio- economic inequalities that have been exposed once again. It cannot be business as usual. The solutions we need today are profoundly non-capitalist, perhaps the seeds of post capitalism. The solution is community activism, rapid political grassroots responses, and mobilisation of mutual aid in the face of the crisis-as well as a renewed climate of vigour for progressive, anti-capitalist and anti-racist, social justice inspired social work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

IMPERATIVE POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR FOR EFFECTIVE INCAPACITATION OF PANDEMICS (COVID-19) IN AFRICA: OVERVIEW OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE IN NIGERIAN CONTEXT

The role that primary health care (PHC) and primary healthcare systems (PHC-S) ought to play to effectively mitigate pandemics such as the COVID-19 in the African continent is examined. Given the veracity of pandemics (i.e. coronavirus) on African communities located within local government domains which manifestly portray the nature of PHC-S, the examination ofprimary care of the continent becomes imperative. Available evidence suggests that PHC in Africa is under-funded, underdeveloped, dysfunctional as well as often disregarded in the overall scheme of public investment in the health sector policy matrix. These findings derive from qualitative meta-analysis of literatures on primary care in Nigerian context, of which the observations are the basis of generalization for the African continent. Hence, a key goal of the paper is to describe the character of PHC-S of Africa, outlining how it constitutes hindrance to PHC 's effective contribution to overcome pandemics like COVID-19, and thereby help to suggest reform measures necessary for African PHC-S to meaningfully support the overpowering of any healthiness epidemic such as coronavirus and every other reviving and future pandemic.

A RESPONSE TO COVID-19: PERSPECTIVES FROM AFRICAN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

It has been little over a year since the global surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and private efforts to develop a vaccine that will curb the spread of the virus have been made across the globe particularly in developed countries. Withal, there has been worries about equitable access to the vaccines once they have been fully developed and approved for wider population distribution particularly in poorer countries throughout the African continent. This calls for these countries to look for alternative therapeutics through the collaboration of western-trained scientists and indigenous health care practitioners and knowledge holders. A lot has been published on the possible contribution of traditional medicine across the globe, however, little has been done to provide perspectives from African indigenous knowledge systems. The main aim of this paper, is to explore what the current situation in Africa is with regards to the contribution of African indigenous knowledge systems, to the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 and the existing therapeutics used by local communities in the management of the illness. This is done through a preliminary analysis of current literature published in scholarly journals. The article concludes that African traditional medicine has played a huge role in providing primary health care services even though it is under developed compared to Asian traditional medical systems. Therefore, harnessing and developing the ever-present potential of indigenous health care systems towards providing solutions to health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic is vital. Perceptions of African people towards Western manufactured vaccines are equally important in order to provide an understanding on the level of acceptability within African communities.

Motivation of Nigerian immigrant physicians to overcome career transition challenges

Foreign-born Nigerian immigrant physicians are motivated to overcome career transition challenges in the United States. The problem addressed by this study is that foreign-born Nigerian immigrant physicians face motivational challenges during career transition to the United States healthcare system. The purpose of this study is to explore the foreign-born Nigerian immigrant physicians' perceptions of motivational strategies to overcome challenges during career transition to the United States healthcare system. The theoretical framework that guided this study is the Organismic Integration Theory, a sub theory of self-determination theory. A basic qualitative design was used to understand how motivation played a role in the career transition challenges faced by Nigerian foreign-born immigrant physicians residing and working within the Southeastern United States. Data were collected from 16 Nigerian immigrant physicians within the Southeastern United States. Due to covid-19, virtual one-on-one interviews were conducted using Skype, Zoom or telephone. NVivo software was used to perform the coding and analysis. To answer the first research question, two themes emerged;determination to succeed and enjoy being a physician. The participants attributed their success to individual determination to succeed as physicians in the United States irrespective of any challenges they may face. To answer the second research question, the following four themes emerged: better life for family, better practice environment, better opportunity, and adjustment. From the responses, the opportunity of working to ensure better life for family and better practice environment extrinsically motivated the participants. The participants identified external rewards as influences on their motivation to overcome the career challenges in the United States. The findings of this study revealed the perceptions of immigrant physicians' motivational strategies to overcome career transition challenges. Recommendations for practice may be focused on how to support and encourage motivational factors as part of programs designed to encourage acculturation and assimilation of immigrant professionals in the United States. Future researchers may also widen the scope of understanding how immigrant professionals and non-professionals from other cultures and backgrounds were able to overcome challenges of acculturation and assimilation in the United States and other parts of the world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Barriers to HIV testing among Cameroonian men: The role of stigma and the impact of COVID-19

BACKGROUND: The combination of the COVID pandemic and HIV in SSA has created a serious threat to the inhabitants in the region and the world in general. There is great concern that the COVID lockdown and its associated consequences could lead to disruption in HIV programs. There are fewer men with HIV compared to the women but historically men do not test for HIV compared to the women as a result they experience more AIDS related mortality. In this study we examine the role of stigma and knowledge in HIV testing outcomes among men in Cameroon. Also, we investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected HIV services at the BRH. METHODS: For HIV testing outcomes we analyzed cross sectional data from CDHS 2018 with a representative data of 6978 men. The effects of COVID on HIV services was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 participants at the BRH. RESULTS: Binary logistic regression indicated that personal prejudice stigma was associated with less testing (OR=0.604, CI=0.575-0.635) in ever tested. When we added the covariates, this association became slightly weaker (OR= 0.828, 95% CI= 0.780-0.879) and an increase for perceived societal stigma (OR=1.283, CI=1.223-1.347). For recent HIV, personal prejudice stigma was associated with higher testing (OR=1.253, CI=1.191-1.319) as well as for perceived societal stigma (OR=1.253, CI=1.191-1.319). Knowledge also had a positive association in both outcomes even when combined with other key predictors of testing they were (OR=1.440, CI=1.337-1.550) and (OR=1.337, CI=1.239-1.443) for recent and ever been tested respectively. DISCUSSION: Understanding how stigma and knowledge impact HIV testing outcomes in men and how to continue providing quality care during the COVID pandemic are essential. They guide policy and program initiatives aimed at engaging men in testing and care to reduce new infections and AIDS related mortality as well as viral load suppression. It is essential that there is as little interruption as possible in HIV related services even while lockdown restrictions are in order during the COVID pandemic. These two points are vital if we want to achieve the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)