Perceptions of Academic Resilience by Senior Phase Learners and Teachers from Low Socioeconomic Schools

This article reports on the perceptions of academic resilience of Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners and their teachers in low socioeconomic township schools. Learners from township schools experience many risk factors that can impede their academic success and careers. A lack of resources is one of the risk factors experienced by the learners. During COVID-19, where an online or hybrid learning model was relied on for teaching and learning, most township schools relied on the rotational learning model instead. The study's main aim is to evaluate and understand the learners' perceptions of their academic strengths, future aspirations and motivation, and to compare their perceptions with those that emerged from their teachers' blind evaluations. The participants were teachers (n = 8) and learners (n = 12) from two purposively sampled township secondary schools. Data-generation instruments included semi-structured interviews for learners and a self-constructed Likert-type-scale questionnaire for teachers. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings suggest that risk factors to academic resilience exist within the family and the school environment. Lack of parental support and school security, poor teacher-learner relationship and unemployment were frequently mentioned. However, factors that can enhance academic resilience were also identified within the family, school and community. Risks and protective factors affecting learners' immediate threats and needs were identified. Access to technology and the need for technological advances were not identified as resources or risks. Future research should examine the relationship between resilience, academic resilience, career aspirations and the role of technology in education. © 2023, OpenED Network. All rights reserved.

Impact of Covid-19 among Small Scale Industry Fishermen - A Mixed Methods Study from Coastal Area of Karnataka

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has grave implications worldwide. Workers in small scale industries like fisheries forms a vulnerable group without social security/recognised labour rights Objectives: To assess the physical, mental and socio- economic impact of COVID-19 among fishermen community from coastal area of Karnataka 2. To understand the challenges faced and coping mechanism adopted to mitigate the impact Methodology: This community based mixed methods study was conducted among 138 participants from a fishermen community in coastal Karnataka. Quantitative data included sociodemographics, COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, related expenses and DASS -21 questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected through 3 Focus Group Discussions and 7 Key informant Interviews till data saturation. Result(s): A total of 138 participants (quantitative 107 and qualitative 31) were included. Majority of the participants were males (70.1%), belonged to age category of 46-60 years (37.4%), nuclear family (71%) and were from low socioeconomic status (79.4%). COVID-19 appropriate behaviour was found to be poor among participants with only 36% using masks, 24.3% washing hands and 10.3% maintaining social distancing. Among 107, 51 (47.7%) participants had probable COVID-19 symptoms. However only 7 (10.9%) had tested for COVID-19 with test positivity rate of 57.1%. Two participants were admitted in hospital with mean hospital stay of 7 days. According to DASS-21, 20.6%, 15.9% and 9.3% screened positive for depression, anxiety and stress respectively. Nealy 90% lost jobs and more than 75% reported to have financial difficulties. Major challenges included loss of livelihood, inaccessibility to health care, repayment of loans, stigma related to Covid-19 and meeting educational expenses of children with one drop out from college. Strategies to cope up with financial difficulty included borrowings, pawning and selling assets at individual level. Activities of local self-help groups in the community and grass root level marketing strategies were highly successful in mitigating the impact as a community. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 has affected fishermen community to a large extent. This understanding will enable to implement need-based intervention strategies and help in disaster preparedness among this population.

Analysing responses of Year-12 students to a hands-on IT workshop: Implications for increasing participation in tertiary IT education in regional Australia

Two hand-on workshops on social media apps were conducted for the Year-12 students from two schools, one from a regional city and the other from a remote community, in a computer laboratory on the Rockhampton campus at Central Queensland University before the COVID-19 pandemic. The school in the regional city offered a specialist Digital Technologies Curriculum (DTC) to students in Years 11 & 12 whereas the remote school did not offer a similar DTC to students in Years 11 & 12. Statistical analyses of the students‟ responses to two casual questions during the workshop indicated that firstly the hands-on activities improved all students‟ general IT knowledge, and secondly the Year-12 students from the regional city were more determined to undertake tertiary IT education than the students from the remote school. Therefore, it is recommended that a mandatory specialist DTC for students in Years 11 &12 in ALL schools should be included in the national curriculum in the future. Implications of these findings on improving the participation rate of post-secondary education in Australian regional communities are also discussed in this article. In particular, regional universities can play a unique role in producing "IT allrounders” to meet the needs of the regional communities through collaborations with governments, secondary schools, regional industries and businesses. © 2023 The Author(s).

Correlates of and Disparities in Cancellations or Delays of Prenatal Visits During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Emphasis on Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Persons with Low Socioeconomic Status.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate barriers and disparities in prenatal visits across population subgroups. METHODS: This pooled cross-sectional study was conducted using Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for 2020 through 2021. Women who reported their experiences of cancellation or delay in prenatal visits were included. A multivariable regression analysis estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for cancellations or delays in prenatal care. RESULTS: Of a total of 11,427, one-third had cancelled or delayed care. Hispanics, compared to their white counterparts, were 22% likelier to have cancelled or delayed care. Women covered by Medicaid and those with depression had 17% and 34% greater likelihoods of cancellation or delay, respectively. Cancellations or delays were comparable for the years 2020 and 2021 across reasons, except for facility closures, which were more common in 2020 than in 2021. Hispanics tended to cancel or delay prenatal visits more often than whites for reasons, such as facility closures, COVID-19-related reasons, a lack of transportation, and loss of insurance, while transportation and insurance issues were greater barriers for blacks. Women with less than a high school diploma were more likely to report cancellations or delays due to transportation issues (aPR 2.86, 95%CI 1.47-5.57; p = 0.002) and loss of insurance (aPR 4.82, 95%CI 1.64-14.23; P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: While a large proportion of women experienced disruptions in prenatal care, subsets of the population, including racial/ethnic minorities and the low socioeconomically disadvantaged, faced disproportionate challenges. The current findings provide practical implications for a tailored approach to reducing barriers and disparities in prenatal care.

Psychosocial Determinants of Covid Vaccine Hesitancy And Stage of Motivation In Lactating Women

Background: The Government of India recommends pregnant and lactating women to get vaccinated against the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, vaccine hesitancy in this population adversely affects the uptake of vaccination. There is an urgent need for assessing extent of vaccine hesitancy in this group and study its determinants, motivation stages and barriers. Objective(s): To determine psychosocial Factors affecting uptake of COVID-19 Vaccination in lactating women and their attitude towards infant vaccination in general and stage of motivation for vaccination. Method(s): A cross-sectional analysis survey was conducted amongst 80 women visiting postnatal OPD or immunization clinic of a tertiary care hospital of Delhi using Oxford COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale (OC19-VHS) and participants were classified as hesitant, non-hesitant, and unsure. Result(s): We enrolled 80 postnatal women with mean age of 25.3 ((SD, 9.6) years. The vaccine hesitancy rate was 44% acceptance rate in the participants. Regression analysis showed young age group (20-45 years), low socioeconomic status and no past history of COVID infection were factors independently associated with Vaccine hesitancy. Doubts on vaccine safety and concerns about its impact on lactation were primary barriers affecting vaccine uptake. Amongst participants in vaccine hesitancy group only 40% had got their children completely vaccinated for age. Conclusion(s): Nearly 40% lactating women visiting hospital had vaccine hesitancy and concern for its impact on lactation and vaccine safety were the primary determinants for reduced vaccine uptake in lactating women.

Door to acute stroke unit delays: a process-mapping highlighting factors delaying transfer in a tertiarycare hospital of Islamabad, Pakistan

Introduction: Stroke units have remarkably reduced morbidity and mortality in patients by bringing together a multidisciplinary team that aids in quick stroke diagnosis, emergency treatment, restoration of homeostasis, prevention of common complications, rehabilitation and secondary prevention. Our audit looks at factors that cause delay in early transfer of patients from emergency department to HASU (hyper-acute stroke unit) and aims to find solutions to reduce transfer time. Method(s): We obtained our data from stroke database maintained by hospital's medical records department. All patients presenting with acute stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) during the month of November and December2021 and fulfilling our inclusion criteria were evaluated. Result(s): A total of 138 patients presented to our stroke-care facility in the two months period with 79 eligible for stroke unit admission, out of which 52 (65.8%) were females and 27(34.2%) were males. The mean door to stroke unit time in our study was 278.6 minutes with major delays beyond 4hours caused by non-availability of beds(32.0%), covidrelated issues(25.5%),monetary issues(17.0%) initial referral delays(14.9%) and imaging delays(10.6%) respectively. Conclusion(s): Our audit showed that most of the delays were infrastructure- related like lesser stroke dedicated beds, separate facility for covidaffected stroke patients and no designated Ct scanner/ stroke nurse for acute stroke patients assessment in triage. Additional cause identified was low socioeconomic status hampering affordability of acute stroke care.

Experiences of children with learning disabilities living in low-income households during the Covid-19 pandemic

All children, particularly those with special needs, have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study explored the experiences of children with learning disabilities (LD) during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A criterion sample of twenty-three children ages 7 to 10 (M = 8.56, SD = 1.12) from Turkey was interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data. Three themes were generated: 1) Perceived changes in Children's Daily Lives, 2) Educational Process, and 3) Support During the Pandemic. Overall, findings from the present study provided insights into children's experiences with LD during the COVID-19 pandemic.Copyright © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Meaning in Life and Depression in Low-Income Families in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether meaning in life (MIL) was associated with a lower risk of depression in people from low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Individuals from low-income families were recruited at a community centre during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Levels of MIL were assessed using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Scores of ≥24 on the Presence of Meaning subscale (MLQ-P) and Search for Meaning subscale (MLQ-S) were considered high. A score of ≥10 on the PHQ-9 was indicative of clinical depression. Correlations between MLQ and PHQ-9 scores were examined, along with associations between presence of/search for meaning and risk of clinical depression. RESULTS: Among 102 participants, 64 (62.7%) had clinical depression; 14 (13.7%) had both high presence of meaning and high search for meaning. The MLQ score was correlated with the PHQ-9 score (r = -0.56, p < 0.001). The adjusted risk ratio for depression was 0.31 (p = 0.006) in participants with both high presence of meaning and high search for meaning. CONCLUSION: Among people with lower socioeconomic status, MIL may be important for protecting against depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A cross-sectional study of university students' pocket money variance and its relationship with digital health literacy and subjective well-being in Ghana.

Background: Mental health concerns of university students are gaining more attention since the emergence of the coronavirus disease. Consequently, scholars in education, health and psychology-related fields have attributed the dwindling subjective well-being (SWB) of students to their low levels of digital health literacy (DHL). However, little attention has been paid to an important variable like pocket money (PM) which might serve as a buffer against reduced levels of SWB. In this study, we explored the dynamics of PM and its linkage with DHL and SWB among university students in Ghana. Methods: With a cross-sectional design, a convenient sample of 1160 students was obtained from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. The COVID-DHL and WHO-5 Well-being instruments were used for the data collection for a 2 months period (February-March, 2021). Chi-square test, multivariate regression, simple linear regression, and PROCESS mediation analyses were performed with the use of SPSS software version 25. Results: The study found that while most of the students were financially supported by their parents (n = 715, 61.6%), a larger proportion of them reported that their PM was either less sufficient or not sufficient (n = 550; 76.9%). Findings revealed a positive relationship between PM and SWB (B = -36.419, p < 0.001; B = -13.146, p = 0.012; B = -10.930, p = 0.043), with this relationship mediated by DHL (B = -1.139, confidence interval [CI] [-2.073, -0.263] vs. -2.300, CI [-4.290, -0.532] vs. -8.366, CI [-14.863, -1.908]). Conclusions: Students with little to insufficient PM were vulnerable to mental health problems, although this could be buffered by the high DHL levels. In practical terms, not only should the PM of university students be increased, but the sources of PM should be complemented since the sufficiency level of PM was associated with the source of finance. More importantly, parents should be empowered through job creation so that sufficient levels of PM can be provided to university students.

The social care crisis in context

Aysha Mendes discusses the ongoing crisis in the social care sector.

Comparing community-driven COVID-19 vaccine distribution methods: Faith-based organizations vs. outpatient clinics.

Background: Minority and low socioeconomic communities may face practical barriers to vaccination, including decreased access to health care and less trust in healthcare organizations; however, few studies have focused on these barriers as the cause of differential vaccine uptake. We worked with community partners to implement and evaluate two community-driven approaches to COVID-19 vaccination distribution-through faith-based organizations (FBOs) and outpatient clinics-with a focus on understanding the differences between the populations who accessed each distribution method. Methodology: Participants who came to the vaccination locations were approached and asked to complete a survey during their 15 min post-vaccination observation period. Differences between distribution locations were examined using Chi-square tests. Results: The survey rendered 1,476 valid responses, with a total of 927 participants recruited at clinical locations and 519 at FBOs during vaccination events. There were significant differences by race/ethnicity, with distribution methods at FBOs reaching a higher proportion of Hispanic/Latino and Marshallese participants. The proportion of uninsured participants who had lower health literacy and had lower educational attainment was higher with the FBO distribution method. FBO participants were more likely to report "completely" trusting the COVID-19 vaccine. There was no significant difference between FBO and clinic participants with regard to the level of vaccine hesitancy. There were no statistically significant differences with regard to access. Conclusion: A higher proportion of Hispanic/Latino and Marshallese participants utilized FBOs for vaccination, suggesting collaborations with FBOs can potentially increase vaccination uptake among minority communities and help mitigate vaccination disparities.

Reflection of Types of Prosocial Behavior During COVID-19 in Collectivistic Asian Countries-India and Indonesia.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has widened the gap between victims and non-victims in society. Understanding how individuals support and assist COVID-19 sufferers in a pandemic crisis is critical. Thus, this study aims to qualitatively evaluate the prosocial intention and types of prosocial behavior toward COVID-19 victims by low socioeconomic individuals from India and Indonesia's collectivistic societies. We conducted semi-structured and in-depth interviews during the lockdown from March to May 2020, via phone and in-person, using a purposive selection of respondents (total n = 50). The data were analyzed using the qualitative synthesis method. Five themes were discovered: 1) too scared to help, 2) love to help but scared: moral dilemma, 3) informing authority who knows how to handle, 4) caring, sharing, and supporting, but with a distance, and 5) helping at one's personal health risk. This study highlights that prosocial intentions range from minor acts of kindness to self-harm and out-of-bounds acts of kindness for COVID-19 victims.

Public elementary teachers' perceptions on school culture and literacy instruction: A qualitative descriptive study

Negative school culture is a barrier to teachers striving to help students reach their literacy goals. Students who attend urban schools with negative cultures often receive poor literacy instruction and have low literacy achievement. Negative school culture could also contribute to low community and parental involvement. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore teachers' perceptions of school culture and its effect on their ability to help students achieve literacy goals. The social cognitive theory was the study's theoretical framework. In-depth interviews via Zoom occurred with five teachers who taught literacy in low-socioeconomic, public schools for kindergarten through fifth grade in the Southeastern United States. Inductive thematic analysis commenced per Braun and Clarke's six phases to identify patterns and themes within and across the participant interviews. Five themes emerged: (a) descriptors of culture, (b) the impact of leadership on culture and literacy, (c) student home-life and parental influences on learning through culture and literacy, (d) the building of literacy through culture, and (e) the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on culture and literacy. The data showed that whether positive or negative, school culture has an impact on student achievement. School culture influences how students learn and the atmosphere in which they learn. Enhancing the field of education requires educators to define, understand, and implement positive and supportive cultures in all learning environments to improve achievement and provide students with meaningful support. The recommendations for future practice include implementing professional developments to establish a positive school culture involving all stakeholders. The recommendations for future research include conducting qualitative studies on the perceptions of teachers, students, parents, and administrators on school culture with large sample sizes and diverse data collection tools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Reducing Medication Problems among Minority Individuals with Low Socioeconomic Status through Pharmacist Home Visits.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, pharmacists conducted home visits for individuals of medically underserved populations in Taiwan (i.e., socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, middle-aged or older adults, and individuals living alone, with dementia, or with disabilities) to understand their medication habits. We quantified medication problems among various groups and investigated whether the pharmacist home visits helped to reduce the medication problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2016 to March 2019, pharmacists visited the homes of the aforementioned medically underserved individuals in Taipei to evaluate their drug-related problems and medication problems. Age, living alone, diagnoses of dementia or disabilities, and socioeconomic disadvantages contributed significantly to inadequate disease and medical treatment knowledge and self-care skills as well as lifestyle inappropriateness among patients. The patients who were living alone and socioeconomically disadvantaged stored their drugs in inappropriate environments. RESULTS: After the pharmacists visited the patients' homes twice, the patients improved considerably in their disease and medical treatment knowledge, self-care skills, and lifestyles (p < 0.001). Problems related to the uninstructed reduction or discontinuation of drug use (p < 0.05) and use of expired drugs (p < 0.001) were also mitigated substantially. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Through the home visits, the pharmacists came to fully understand the medicine (including Chinese medicine) and health food usage behaviors of the patients and their lifestyles, enabling them to provide thorough health education. After the pharmacists' home visits, the patients' drug-related problems were mitigated, and their knowledge of diseases, drug compliance, and drug storage methods and environments improved, reducing drug waste. Our findings can help policymakers address the medication problems of various medically underserved groups, thereby improving the utilization of limited medical resources.

Outcomes Following eHealth Weight Management Interventions in Adults With Overweight and Obesity From Low Socioeconomic Groups: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a complex health condition with multiple associated comorbidities and increased economic costs. People from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are more likely to be overweight and obese and are less successful in traditional weight management programs. It is possible that eHealth interventions may be more successful in reaching people from low SES groups than traditional face-to-face models, by overcoming certain barriers associated with traditional interventions. It is not yet known, however, if eHealth weight management interventions are effective in people living with overweight and obesity from a low SES background. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of eHealth weight management interventions for people with overweight and obesity from low SES groups. METHODS: A systematic review on relevant electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, and CINAHL) will be undertaken to identify eligible studies published in English up until May 2021. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement to guide the systematic review, two reviewers will independently screen, select, and extract data and complete a risk of bias assessment of search results according to predefined criteria. Studies that have investigated an eHealth weight management intervention within a low SES population will be included. Primary outcomes include weight, BMI, and percentage weight change compared at baseline and at least one other time point. Secondary outcomes may include a range of anthropometric and physical fitness and activity measures. If sufficient studies are homogeneous, then we will pool results of individual outcomes using meta-analysis. RESULTS: Searches have been completed, resulting in 2256 studies identified. Once duplicates were removed, 1545 studies remained for title and abstract review. CONCLUSIONS: The use of eHealth in weight management programs has increased significantly in recent years and will continue to do so; however, it is uncertain if eHealth weight management programs are effective in a low SES population. The results of this systematic review will therefore provide a summary of the evidence for interventions using eHealth for people living with overweight and obesity and from a low SES background. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42021243973; https://tinyurl.com/2p8fxtnw. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/34546.

Transition to telehealth: Challenges and benefits of conducting group-based smoking and alcohol treatment virtually.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many research and clinical teams have transitioned their projects to a remote-based format, weighing the pros and cons of making such a potentially disruptive decision. One key aspect of this decision is related to the patient population, with underserved populations possibly benefiting from the increased reach of telehealth, while also encountering technology barriers that may limit accessibility. Early in the pandemic, our team shifted a group-based, smoking cessation and alcohol modification treatment trial to a remote-based format. Our population included individuals who concurrently wanted to quit smoking and modify their alcohol use. This paper describes technical and logistical considerations of transitioning from in-person to remote-based delivery for group-based treatment, including the impact upon study staff, group facilitators, participants, and the institution. Remotely-delivered group treatment may be valuable not only in response to pandemic-related restrictions, but it may also offer an alternative treatment-delivery modality with independent benefits in terms of population reach, costs, and pragmatics for clients, staff, and institutions.

Dietary Intake, Cost, and Affordability by Socioeconomic Group in Australia.

Few Australians consume diets consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. A major problem is high intake of discretionary food and drinks (those not needed for health and high in saturated fat, added sugar, salt and/or alcohol). Low socioeconomic groups (SEGs) suffer particularly poor diet-related health. Surprisingly, detailed quantitative dietary data across SEGs was lacking. Analysis of the most recent national nutrition survey data produced habitual intakes of a reference household (two adults and two children) in SEG quintiles of household income. Cost and affordability of habitual and recommended diets for the reference household were determined using methods based on the Healthy Diets Australian Standardised Affordability and Pricing protocol. Low SEGs reported significantly lower intakes of healthy food and drinks yet similarly high intakes of discretionary choices to high SEGs (435 serves/fortnight). Total habitual diets of low SEGs cost significantly less than those of high SEGs (AU$751/fortnight to AU$853/fortnight). Results confirmed low SEGs cannot afford a healthy diet. Lower intakes of healthy choices in low SEGs may help explain their higher rates of diet-related disease compared to higher SEGs. The findings can inform potential policy actions to improve affordability of healthy foods and help drive healthier diets for all Australians.

Mobile Delivery of Mindfulness-Based Smoking Cessation Treatment Among Low-Income Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is the leading cause of premature death, and low-income adults experience disproportionate burden from tobacco. Mindfulness interventions show promise for improving smoking cessation. A text messaging program "iQuit Mindfully" was developed to deliver just-in-time support for quitting smoking among low-income adults. A pilot study of iQuit Mindfully was conducted in spring 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, among low-income and predominantly African American smokers. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study examined the acceptability and feasibility of delivering Mindfulness-Based Addiction Treatment via mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Participants were adult cigarette smokers (n=23), of whom 8 (34.8%) were female, 19 (82.6%) were African American, and 18 (78.3%) had an annual income of

COVID-19 Imperils Access to Health and Human Services in El Paso, Texas and New York City: Perspectives from Hispanic Parents.

Low-income Hispanic communities are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through exacerbated financial vulnerabilities and health challenges. The aim of this study is to assess and compare the self-reported impact and challenges caused by COVID-19 in Mexican-origin parents in New York City (NYC), NY and El Paso, TX. Data is based on routine follow-up calls used to assess uptake of the HPV vaccine and COVID-19 concerns conducted between March and August 2020. Three salient themes emerged: (1) financial insecurities; (2) emotional distress associated with COVID-19; and (3) limited access to health and human services. This study revealed increased financial insecurities and emotional distress, and disruptions to health and human services to low-income Mexican-born parents during the pandemic.