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The current study aimed to identify the impact of positive thinking on the anxiety of Coronavirus infection through the lockdown among UNRWA staff in Jordan. To achieve the objectives of the study, three measures were developed, the Positive Thinking Scale, the anxiety level of Coronavirus Infection Scale, and the lockdown Scale. A sample of (2036) employees responded to the measures. The results showed that the level of anxiety for COVID -19 infection among the sample was high, and statistically significant differences were found in the level of Covid-19 infection anxiety according to the sex variable for females, also statistically differences were found in the level of anxiety in COVID-19 infection according to age in favor of (31-40), and statistically differences for the social status in favor of married couples. Results also showed a direct negative impact of positive thinking variable on the level of anxiety associated with COVID-19 infection, and an effect of positive thinking on the level of anxiety during activating the lockdown. The study recommends designing training programs for employees to help them adapt to different circumstances and enable them to continue performing their assigned work. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of An-Najah University Journal for Research, B: Humanities is the property of An-Najah National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess Jordanian physicians' awareness about venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk among COVID-19 patients and its treatment protocol. Method(s): This was a cross-sectional-based survey that was conducted in Jordan in 2020. During the study period, a convenience sample of physicians working in various Jordanian hospitals were invited to participate in this study. Physicians' knowledge was evaluated and physicians gained one point for each correct answer. Then, a knowledge score out of 23 was calculated for each. Key Findings: In this study, 102 physicians were recruited. Results from this study showed that most of the physicians realize that all COVID-19 patients need VTE risk assessment (n = 69, 67.6%). Regarding VTE prophylaxis, the majority of physicians (n = 91, 89.2%) agreed that low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is the best prophylactic option for mild-moderate COVID-19 patients with high VTE risk. Regarding severe/critically ill COVID-19 patients, 75.5% of physicians (n = 77) recognized that LMWH is the correct prophylactic option in this case, while 80.4% of them (n = 82) knew that mechanical prevention is the preferred prophylactic option for severe/critically ill COVID-19 patients with high bleeding risk. Moreover, 77.5% of physicians (n = 79) knew that LMWH is the treatment of choice for COVID-19 patients diagnosed with VTE. Finally, linear regression analysis showed that consultants had an overall higher knowledge score about VTE prevention and treatment in COVID-19 patients compared with residents (P = 0.009). Conclusion(s): All physicians knew about VTE risk factors for COVID-19 patients. However, consultants showed better awareness of VTE prophylaxis and treatment compared with residents. We recommend educational workshops be conducted to enhance physicians' knowledge and awareness about VTE thromboprophylaxis and management in COVID-19 patients.Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved.
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This paper presents descriptive statistics from the first wave of the Syrian Refugee Life Study (S-RLS), which began in 2020. S-RLS is a longitudinal study that tracks a representative sample of approximately 2,500 registered Syrian refugee households in Jordan. It collects comprehensive data on sociodemographic variables, health and well-being, preferences, social capital, attitudes, and safety and crime perceptions. We use these data to document sociodemographic characteristics of Syrian refugees in Jordan and compare them to representative populations in the 2016 Jordan Labor Market Panel Survey (JLMPS). Our findings point to lags in basic service access, housing quality, and educational attainment for Syrian refugees relative to non-refugees. The impacts of the pandemic may partially explain these disparities. The data also show that most Syrian refugees have not recovered economically after Covid-19 and have larger gender disparities in income, employment, prevalence of child marriage, and gender attitudes than their non-refugee counterparts. Finally, mental health problems were common for Syrian refugees in 2020, with depression indicated among more than 45 per cent of the phone survey sample and 61 per cent of the in-person survey sample. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press.
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Aim/Purpose This paper aims to empirically quantify the financial distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). The paper also aims to identify the most important predictors of financial distress pre- and mid-pandemic. Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge toll, not only on human lives but also on many businesses. This provided the impetus to assess the impact of the pandemic on the financial status of Jordanian companies. Methodology The initial sample comprised 165 companies, which was cleansed and reduced to 84 companies as per data availability. Financial data pertaining to the 84 companies were collected over a two-year period, 2019 and 2020, to empirically quantify the impact of the pandemic on companies in the dataset. Two approaches were employed. The first approach involved using Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA) based on Altman's (1968) model to obtain the Z-score of each company over the investigation period. The second approach involved developing models using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) with 15 standard financial ratios to find out the most important variables in predicting financial distress and create an accurate Financial Distress Prediction (FDP) model. Contribution This research contributes by providing a better understanding of how financial distress predictors perform during dynamic and risky times. The research confirmed that in spite of the negative impact of COVID-19 on the financial health of companies, the main predictors of financial distress remained relatively steadfast. This indicates that standard financial distress predictors can be regarded as being impervious to extraneous financial and/or health calamities. Findings Results using MDA indicated that more than 63% of companies in the dataset have a lower Z-score in 2020 when compared to 2019. There was also an 8% increase in distressed companies in 2020, and around 6% of companies came to be no longer healthy. As for the models built using ANNs, results show that the most important variable in predicting financial distress is the Return on Capital. The predictive accuracy for the 2019 and 2020 models measured using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) graph was 87.5% and 97.6%, respectively. Recommendations Decision makers and top management are encouraged to focus on the identified for Practitioners highly liquid ratios to make thoughtful decisions and initiate preemptive actions to avoid organizational failure. Recommendations This research can be considered a stepping stone to investigating the impact of for Researchers COVID-19 on the financial status of companies. Researchers are recommended to replicate the methods used in this research across various business sectors to understand the financial dynamics of companies during uncertain times. Impact on Society Stakeholders in Jordanian-listed companies should concentrate on the list of most important predictors of financial distress as presented in this study. Future Research Future research may focus on expanding the scope of this study by including other geographical locations to check for the generalisability of the results. Future research may also include post-COVID-19 data to check for changes in results. © 2023 Informing Science Institute. All rights reserved.
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The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is diverse and retains a superior growth potential. It benefits from a privileged geographical location with big markets, a young and growing educated population, and competitive advantages in several industries. Regardless of their differences, countries face shared concerns, most notably in health. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MENA countries enact reforms to create a more robust and inclusive digital health systems to increase growth, development, and integrity. Throughout the coordinated containment and mitigation efforts, most of the countries have integrated digital technologies into the health systems. These procedures include digital government initiatives, the introduction of digital health training courses, live video surgeries and virtual patient monitoring, rural and remote telemedicine programs, and the development of a national electronic health records (EHR) system. Each country took necessary actions to address equity, literacy, and development of resilient health systems. The nine featured countries in this report illustrate the diversity among the MENA region and account for major opportunities and achievements as well as promises and challenges that digital health presents for its populations. © 2022 IMIA and Georg Thieme Verlag KG.
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Background: NFX1-type zinc finger-containing 1 (ZNFX1) is an interferon-stimulated double-stranded RNA sensor that restricts the replication of RNA viruses in mice. ZNFX1 deficiency in humans is very rare;to date, only fifteen cases have been reported by Vavassori S et al. (10.1016/j.jaci.2021.03.045). The disease presented in all cases as severe viral infections complicated by multisystem inflammation evolved to multiorgan failure with a high mortality rate. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Section at Queen Rania Children's Hospital in Jordan had confirmed the diagnosis of ZNFX1 deficiency in an infant at his first presentation with severe viral illness based on the positive family history of one sibling death caused by complicated COVID-19 infection. Case presentation: A 12-month-old boy was born to consanguineous parents, full-term, with no NICU admission. He was doing well till the age of four months when he was admitted to the hospital with fever, hypoactivity, and maculopapular skin rash. On admission, he was ill, hypoactive, and febrile, and a physical exam showed hepatosplenomegaly and maculopapular skin rash. His lab showed thrombocytopenia, elevated transaminases, hyperferritinemia, and high CRP;he was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, but he continued to deteriorate, and his infectious workup was unrevealing, including COVID-19 PCR. His older sibling died at eight months in 2020 when she got a COVID-19 infection, deceased after rapid deterioration evolved to multiorgan failure. Unfortunately, she had no stored DNA, as she was treated at a peripheral hospital. Based on this presentation and the fatal COVID-19 infection, pediatric immunology service got consulted;we did an immunological workup, which showed normal lymphocyte subsets, Immunoglobulins, and bacterial antibodies. Whole exome sequencing showed a homozygous frameshift mutation in the ZNFX1 gene, protein change defect had detected;p.Tyr555MetfsTer6, and nucleotide change variant: c.1663_1665delTACinsAT. Family screening showed heterozygous for the same variant in both parents and a healthy sibling. The patient was diagnosed with the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like disease and treated with steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and antimicrobials, he showed complete recovery, and we are going to do bone marrow transplantation as his brother is 8/8 HLA matched.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc.
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During pandemics, health discourse cannot be separated from media discourse, which usually exercises its power to deliver particular ideological and political perspectives through the content it presents. This study aimed to investigate the coverage of the first case of COVID-19 in Jordan in local and nonlocal Arabic news outlets. It shed light on the potential ideologies reflected in the news headlines and articles. To achieve the objectives of the study, eight local and fourteen nonlocal news articles tackling the first case of COVID-19 in Jordan on the 2nd and 3rd of March 2020 were collected and analyzed in light of Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach. The results showed that the nonlocal news headlines and articles included words with negative connotations that may create resentment and spread panic among citizens. On the other hand, in local news outlets, reassuring phrases were used by focusing on the government's procedures and distancing Jordan from the country where the virus widely spread, namely, Italy.
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BACKGROUND: Post-marketing surveillance of drugs is a cornerstone of pharmacovigilance. This study was conducted to characterize patterns of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in Jordan. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: ADR reports submitted to the pharmacovigilance database of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration during 2015-2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The most commonly reported drugs, drug classes, ADRs, and ADRs consequences were explored. Logistic regression identified possible predictors of reporting serious ADRs. RESULTS: A total of 2744 ADR reports were included, among which 28.4% were classified as serious. An annual increase in ADR reporting was observed. The most commonly implicated drug classes were antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents (24.0%), anti-infectives for systemic use (14.2%), and alimentary tract and metabolism (12.1%). Covid-19 vaccination was the most reported drug (22.8%). Fatigue (6.3%), injection site pain (6.1%), and headache (6.0%) were the top three common ADRs. Among ADRs with outcome information, 4.7% were fatal. Patient's age and intravenous medication use largely predicted reporting serious ADRs. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides contemporary insights into the post-marketing surveillance of drugs in Jordan. The findings are foundational for future studies exploring drug-ADRs causality relationships. Efforts that promote pharmacovigilance concepts should be sustained and enhanced at the national level.
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Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome covers a wide range of new, recurring or ongoing health conditions, which can occur in anyone who has recovered from COVID-19. The condition may affect multiple systems and organs. Aims: To evaluate the frequency and nature of persistent COVID-19 symptoms among healthcare providers in Jordan. Methods: Post-COVID-19 syndrome refers to symptoms extending beyond 4-12 weeks. We conducted a historical cohort study among 140 healthcare staff employed at the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Amman, Jordan. All of them had been infected with COVID-19 virus during March 2020 to February 2022. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results: Some 59.3% of the study population reported more than 1 persisting COVID-19 symptom, and among them 97.5%, 62.6% and 40.9% reported more than 1 COVID-19 symptom at 1-3, 3-6 and 6-12 months, respectively, after the acute phase of the infection. Post-COVID-19 syndrome was more prevalent among females than males (79.5% vs 20.5%) (P = 0.006). The most frequent reported symptom was fatigue. Females scored higher on the Fatigue Assessment Scale than males [23.26, standard deviation (SD) 8.00 vs 17.53, SD 5.40] (P < 0.001). No significant cognitive impairment was detected using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scales. Conclusion: More than half (59.3%) of the healthcare workers in our study reported post-COVID-19 syndrome. Further studies are needed to better understand the frequency and severity of the syndrome among different population groups.
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COVID-19 , Female , Male , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Jordan/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Health Personnel , FatigueABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses serious challenges to pharmaceutical care services, and innovative responses by community pharmacists and regulatory bodies are needed. The experience in Jordan, located in the Middle East, is shared in this article in light of available international guidelines to provide insight into the efforts made by the pharmacists to safely maintain pharmaceutical services during the current pandemic. In addition, unique roles played by community pharmacists in other countries are discussed to shed light on the important role of community pharmacists in this outbreak.
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BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of evidence regarding the real-world effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This was the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of four types of vaccines against asymptomatic and symptomatic infection, and COVID-19 outcomes among the general population. METHODS: This was a matched comparison group quasi-experimental study conducted in Jordan between 1 January and 29 August 2021. In the first part of the study, 1200 fully vaccinated individuals were matched with 1200 unvaccinated control participants. In order to measure vaccine effectiveness, the infection rates of both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were calculated. The second part of the study included measuring specific anti-SARS CoV-2 immune cells and antibodies. RESULTS: BNT162b2 (Pfizer, New York, NY, USA) showed a significantly higher effectiveness against asymptomatic COVID-19 infection (91.7%) and hospitalization (99.5%) than BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm, Beijing, China) (88.4% and 98.7%, respectively) and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK) (84.3%, and 98.9%, respectively). The effectiveness rates of the Sputnik V (Gamaleya Research Institute, Moscow, Russia) vaccine against asymptomatic, symptomatic, and hospitalization were 100%, 100%, and 66.7%, respectively. The highest median anti-spike (S) IgG values were seen in individuals who received BNT162b2 (2.9 AU/mL) and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (2.8 AU/mL) vaccines. The levels of anti-S IgG were significantly decreased after 7 months of vaccination with BNT162b2 and BBIBP-CorV. There were significant decreases in the median number of neutralizing antibodies one month and seven months after receiving BNT162b2 (from 88.5 to 75.2 4 Bioequivalent Allergen Unit per milliliter/mL), BBIBP-CorV (from 69.5 to 51.5 BAU/mL), and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (from 69.2 to 58.BAU/mL) vaccines. The highest percentage of T cells specific to COVID-19 vaccine was found in individuals who received BNT162b2 (88.5%). CONCLUSION: All four vaccines evaluated in this study showed effectiveness against asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, symptomatic infection, hospitalization, and death. Furthermore, BNT162b2, BBIBP-CorV, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 induced high levels of immunology markers within one month of vaccination.
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Introduction: Vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a key factor in protecting vulnerable populations, reducing healthcare burdens, and mitigating the economic and social impacts of the pandemic. Objective: This study aims to investigate Jordanian nurses' perceptions, acceptance, and factors affecting their decisions toward the COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional design. Data have been investigated between July 1, 2021 and August 30, 2021. Nurses at three private hospitals in Jordan were surveyed online. The online survey, created using Google Forms, was distributed to nurses via email and social media sites (e.g., WhatsApp and Facebook). Participants were eligible if they were a RN nurse and/or nursing assistance, and had access to the internet via computer and/or smartphone. Results: Out of 189 responses, 50.6% agreed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while 25.5% disagreed, and 23.9% were undecide to receive the vaccine. A large proportion (84.66%) of the respondents had a negative perception toward the vaccine, while only a small minority (15.34%) had a positive perception of it. The older nurses, those with more experience, and those with a higher level of education were more likely to accept the vaccine, with acceptance rates of 56.1%, 54.8%, and 63.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Of the nurses surveyed, 84.66% had a negative perception of the COVID-19 vaccine, and only 50.6% reported that they would be willing to get vaccinated. It is crucial to address the concerns and reduce apprehension among nurses about the vaccine. Efforts to increase awareness about the importance of vaccination in controlling the disease through workshops and online meetings are needed.
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This paper sought to identify what key drivers have shaped the extent of E-marketing orientation (EMO) among entrepreneurs and the self-employed during these 'unprecedented times' in the Jordanian context. The study made use of a previously proposed model and incorporated the perceived continuity of COVID-19 as a moderating factor. The study used cross-sectional quantitative-deductive methods and self-administrated questionnaire. Non-probability convenience sampling was used, and the sample comprised 314 responses from owners, directors, managers, supervisors, the partners of businesses in Jordan. SMART partial-least-squares were used and path analysis reported that perceived relative advantage, level of competition and perceived continuity of COVID-19 scored moderate level of influence, whereas the remaining antecedents scored a low level of variance. Moreover, perceived complexity seen insignificant negative antecedent. Perceived continuity of COVID-19 was seen to directly influence EMO and was identified as a standalone antecedent considering that the moderation paths did not demonstrate any significant influence.
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PurposeThis study aims to discuss the impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the viewpoint of a number of teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approachA total of 308 lecturers were selected using a snowball sampling method from different social media websites. The researcher used a descriptive analysis method by conducting social surveys. FindingsThe results reveal that there is a negative impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the perspective of the teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also show that there are statistically significant differences between males and females in terms of the quality of distance education in favor of males. In addition, there are no statistically significant differences in the quality of distance education based on the place from which the lecture is given and the faculty type. Practical implicationsThe study recommends improving teaching staff's performance in the teaching process, boosting their comfort level and reducing stress and anxiety which may be caused by the surrounding physical environment during distance education. Originality/valueThe topic of the study is of great significance to quality assurance in education, i.e. online learning and teaching.
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Objectives Although an emergency approval for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was given for 5- to 15-year-old children, there is a public hesitancy to give it for children. This study aimed to investigate parental willingness to COVID-19 vaccine among 5- to 11-year-old children. Methods A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to parents from Jordan through social media and at the paediatric clinics. Key findings Six hundred and sixty-two parents participated. The mean age was 42.3 +/- 2.9 years old and 67% of them were mothers. Around 60% of parents had 5- to 11-year-old children, 56% had children under 5 years, and 49.5% had 12- to 18-year-old children. About 89% of parents and 20% of their 12-18 years children had received COVID-19 vaccine. Only 37% of parents thought that COVID-19 vaccines are safe in children. Only 36/399 parents accepted the vaccine for their 5-11 years children and 232/339 rejected it. The acceptance number increased to 171 if the vaccine was a condition for school admission. Potential long-term unknown side effect was the most reported concern. Independent factors correlated with parental willingness to 5-11 years children vaccination were having a high income, having had children vaccinated to influenza vaccine, and trusting information from the government. Whereas concern of side effects was associated with vaccine rejection. Conclusion Vaccine acceptance for 5- to 11-year-old children is a major issue among parents. The current study could assist the policymakers in Jordan to undertake strategies to encourage children vaccination to confine the spread of the pandemic.
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Background: The One Health concept (OHC) seeks to improve the health of plants, animals, and humans because improving animal and plant health will increase the capacity for improving human health. Many risks such as plant and animal biotechnology applications have the potential to generate new diseases that can be transmitted to humans. In this way, the health of humans, animals, and plants is interrelated and depends on one another. However, it has been difficult to apply the OHC in some countries, such as those in the Middle East. The absence of financial support in the region is a major hindrance to applying this concept in the region. The application of the OHC requires the support of specialists who can advocate the government for support in launching OHC-related projects. Here, we discuss the OHC in the context of antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, and biosafety/biosecurity, which are important public health issues. Furthermore, we describe the current status of the OHC in the Middle East and recent research conducted related to this concept. There has been recent international solidarity in the application of the OHC to reduce risks that threaten the health of organisms. Several countries jointly launched the Global Health Security Agenda in 2014 with the aim of realizing a world that is free of infectious disease-related health risks. However, no previous review articles have examined the applications of the OHC in the Middle East region. This article discusses the OHC in terms of its needs and current applications in the Middle East. Methodology: The following keywords were used in the search: "One Health," "Middle East," "medicinal plants," "viruses," "rabies," "MERS," and "antimicrobial resistance." Related papers were obtained by searching for these keywords using available search engines, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google search, as well as international organization websites. Conclusion(s): The concept of One Health is relatively new and has not been applied in most countries, possibly because the value of this concept for improving human health is not well understood. The key principle defining this concept and its importance is the interdependency of plants, animals, and human health. By applying the OHC, humans can benefit from healthy plants and animals by enhancing their growing conditions, medications, and environments. This would in turn improve general human health by allowing the safe extraction of therapeutics and food resources.Copyright © 2023
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This study examines the moderation role of innovation and infrastructure on the relationship between covid-19 crisis and healthcare performance in Jordan. The methodology of this study includes a literature review to identify relevant studies and theories related to the topic and identify gaps in the existing research. Attention is paid to human behavior and personnel interaction in the hospitals that receive Covid-19 cases. The findings of this study will be used to identify areas where improvements can be made in healthcare infrastructure and innovative practices to support healthcare performance during future crises better. This paper identifies specific innovative and most effective infrastructure supporting healthcare performance during a crisis, such as telemedicine, remote monitoring, or emergency medical service (EMS) systems. Also, the paper informs policy-making by providing insights into the impact of innovative practices and infrastructure on healthcare performance and how these factors can mitigate future crises' impact on healthcare systems. The healthcare industry needs ideas and strategies as the Covid-19 pandemic grips the world. These strategies will help the industry deal with the unstable and continuously changing environment. © 2023 WITPress. All rights reserved.
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Purpose: To investigate public awareness and source of information regarding the management of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic among Jordanians. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak from March 25th to April 29th, 2020. A validated online questionnaire addressing participants ' current awareness about COVID-19 pandemics, source of information, and perspectives of their role. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Descriptive analysis data were reported as mean and standard deviations for continuous variables and percentages were used for qualitative variables. P-values <= 0.05 were considered significant. Results: This study involved 409 participants that had a mean age of 26.2 +/- 8.7 years and 76.3 % were females. Nearly 67.7 % of the participants obtained their information about COVID-19 from social media, and 16.6 % from governmental agencies. Furthermore, 70.7 % of participants believed that wearing a medical face mask is not necessary to protect against COVID-19, about 95.6 % of the participants agreed to take COVID-19 detection tests when they suffer from symptoms related to COVID-19 infection, and 98.8 % agreed to visit the hospital if they have the infection. Conclusion: This survey has shown the importance of public awareness in the prevention and control of pandemic diseases. Most Jordanian participants have good knowledge of COVID-19 as a deadly disease that spreads rapidly among the population in a community. Furthermore, the people have awareness of drugs that enhance the immune system. This public awareness made Jordan one of the countries with reduced number of weekly recorded cases of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic.
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This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID -19 on unemployment in the tourism sector in Jordan. For the purpose of achieving the study objective, the researchers reviewed various previous articles that handled COVID -19 pandemic and its impact on unemployment in different countries in the world. The researchers reviewed all reports issued by the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Tourism, Central Bank of Jordan and Statistics Department. All gathered data was reviewed to make a comparison of unemployment with the years prior to COVID -19. The study concluded that COVID -19 affected and increased unemployment in the tourism sector in Jordan, since more than 46% of tourism workers lost their jobs. The impact increased the unemployment rate from %19 in the year 2018 to 24% at the end of 2020. The study recommended that tourism parties in Jordan have to develop internal tourism programs to maximize the benefits of tourism in all governorates, in true partnership with the private sector, in addition to developing special plans to promote tourism, such as promoting domestic tourism, improving the quality of the tourism product periodically and conducting vaccination in the touristic areas for those who did not receive the preventive vaccination. The study results may help those who are concerned with the tourism sector as well as future researchers. © 2023 DSR Publishers/The University of Jordan.
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With the recent global increase in fossil energy prices post Covid-19 and the drive to enhance sustainability towards NetZero, renewable energy is becoming one of the key global technologies to power societies at an affordable cost. This paper presents a novel study in relation to solar energy use in residential dwellings in Jordan, to discuss the benefits and challenges of using domestic solar energy systems within the current context of increasing energy prices. The Self-Determination Theory and Maslow's Hierarchical Theory are discussed in-line with the findings. This study, in addition to literature review, has utilised qualitative and quantitative data collected from an on-line survey with 366 participants to investigate Jordanian consumers' energy consumption behaviour, perception of renewables, and major factors influencing solar energy adoption. The novelty of this study that it provides a bench mark of affordability for future initiatives. The Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund is currently creating several initiatives to drive the society to adopt renewable energy. The results of this study will help to identify the crucial factors that could be hindering the adoption and expansion of renewables, particularly solar energy. This work has investigated awareness, motivation, difficulties, affordability and level of satisfaction in relation to solar energy in domestic dwellings. The results of this study have shown that Jordanians believe that financial affordability and awareness are both crucial for utilising renewables. For current users of solar systems, there is an increased satisfaction in their performance levels. However, energy storage is critical for enhancing the implementation of solar energy due to the complexity of grid-connected systems and the need for off-grid installations. Therefore, if renewable energy providers and governmental bodies aim to expand the implementation of solar energy technology and enhance public engagement, then it can be suggested that they should expand the promotion process of solar energy through platforms and further initiatives that engage with the public and subsidise the cost to provide more affordable solar energy systems for residential dwellings. The aim is to decrease carbon emission, reduce energy cost and enhance sustainability towards Net Zero Carbon emission.