Risk transmission between equity market of China and its trading partners: new evidence from various financial crises

PurposeThe authors examine the volatility connections between the equity markets of China and its trading partners from developed and emerging markets during the various crises episodes (i.e. the Asian Crisis of 1997, the Global Financial Crisis, the Chinese Market Crash of 2015 and the COVID-19 outbreak).Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the GARCH and Wavelet approaches to estimate causalities and connectedness.FindingsAccording to the findings, China and developed equity markets are connected via risk transmission in the long term across various crisis episodes. In contrast, China and emerging equity markets are linked in short and long terms. The authors observe that China leads the stock markets of India, Indonesia and Malaysia at higher frequencies. Even China influences the French, Japanese and American equity markets despite the Chinese crisis. Finally, these causality findings reveal a bi-directional causality among China and its developed trading partners over short- and long-time scales. The connectedness varies across crisis episodes and frequency (short and long run). The study's findings provide helpful information for portfolio hedging, especially during various crises.Originality/valueThe authors examine the volatility connections between the equity markets of China and its trading partners from developed and emerging markets during the various crisis episodes (i.e. the Asian Crisis of 1997, the Global Financial Crisis, the Chinese Market Crash of 2015 and the COVID-19 outbreak). Previously, none of the studies have examined the connectedness between Chinese and its trading partners' equity markets during these all crises.

Providing culturally responsible health care to Pacific Islander communities: The creation of a cultural competency training for healthcare professionals

Cultural competency is the ability to respectfully engage, understand, and communicate through conscientious interaction, enabling effective work and meaningful relationships in cross-cultural situations. Cultural competency recognizes the importance for organizations of participants' diverse social and cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors, and has gained attention because it can bridge health perspectives, understanding, and respect between health professionals and patients. There remains a need for cultural competency in healthcare as disparities persist across the U.S. in racial and ethnic minority groups who experience worse health outcomes and lower healthcare quality than the general public. Therefore, a cultural competency training curriculum was created using various resources to improve interactions between Pacific Islander patients and healthcare professionals. This training helps to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare by encouraging mutual understanding and improving patient satisfaction, adherence to medical instructions, and overall health outcomes by highlighting patient-centered care as a result of utilizing components of cultural competency. To improve patient experiences in Hawai'i, healthcare professionals need the tools to better interact with patients from different cultures, such as Pacific Islanders. This training provides healthcare professionals with culturally-based content for improving cultural competence techniques for interacting with Pacific Island patients. This training was pilot tested with key stakeholders from community organizations and Cancer Center faculty/staff. Local health clinics, providers, and practices will have the opportunity to participate in this training through a Zoombased electronic training format and be provided with three continuing medical education credits. The initial delivery of the training was intended for in-person sessions;however, a virtual format was adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing regulations. Healthcare providers are provided pre-training resources, a pre- and post-test, and a course evaluation to determine the validity of training objectives. To date, two Federally Qualified Health Centers have been provided the training, n=60, as well as one Cancer Health Equity Partnerships' Scientific Workshop, n=40. For attendees, the analysis of correct responses from the pretest to post-test showed a significant improvement on 6 of the 12 questions. Respondents also agreed that the training resources aligned with the course objectives. Improved patient interactions from this training can help support better patient outcomes, adherence to medical advice regarding cancer screenings, and many other aspects of improving health equity for Pacific Islanders.

Where can I travel to? The difference in support for COVID-19 travel restrictions between Chinese Xiamen islanders and mainlanders

Previous research has shown that there are vast cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward COVID-19 travel restrictions. Yet, pinpointing the specific role of any single factor in explaining cross-cultural variability is difficult when comparing cultural communities that differ along myriad dimensions. Taking a 'just minimal difference' approach that removes the effects of extraneous variables, the present research focuses on how islandness can account for variability in travel intentions during the pandemic. Combining retrospective self-report assessment with a dynamic behavioural choice regarding travel intention during COVID-19, the present research examined travel attitudes and behaviours in Chinese Xiamen islanders and mainlanders that share the same geographic environment, language, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, but vary in their implicit individualism. Results across two studies revealed that Chinese Xiamen islanders were less supportive of travel and mobility restrictions than mainlanders who all lived near the coast. Additionally, it was found that implicit individualism mediated the link between islandness and travel attitudes. Together, this paper not only presents the first empirical evidence for the role of geographic environment in the emergence of attitudes toward restrictive travel limitations, but potentially informs tourism management and revival in the era of COVID-19.

Tourism and economic growth in the Pacific region: evidence from five small island economies

We present a country-specific analysis on the effect of tourism on the economic growth of five small Pacific Island Countries (PICs) – Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The results show tourism development is growth-enhancing for all five countries. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is growth-enhancing for Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and in the short run, a delayed negative association for Fiji and Vanuatu is found. Remittances are growth-retarding for Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, with a short-run delayed positive association for Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Financial development is growth-retarding for Solomon Islands and Tonga, with a short-run positive association for Fiji and Samoa. While the results underscore the huge importance of tourism in generating growth and FDI in the Pacific, given the ongoing adverse effects of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, PICs will have to focus on alternative sectors to progress economic activities. Policy suggestions are discussed along these lines. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy is the property of Routledge 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.)

Asian in the Time of COVID-19: Creating a Social Work Agenda for Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities.

The health of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities remains an understudied area of racial/ethnic minority research in the United States, and even more so in the field of social work. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how AAPI health and social welfare issues have not received adequate attention in social policy, social work practice, and research. Contrary to model minority myths, AAPIs are subject to racialized attitudes and discrimination, which have been associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including increased anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Drawing from the theoretical framework of AsianCrit, which is grounded in critical race theory, authors analyze health disparities among AAPI communities as reflected in COVID-19 hospitalizations and fatalities, as well as increases in acts of anti-Asian racism and xenophobia. Better understanding health disparities of AAPI communities needs to be a key research issue for social workers in future years. The authors conclude by offering a short set of recommendations to improve social policy, social work practice, and research to more aptly address contemporary social issues impacting AAPI communities.

Lessons for Vietnam on the Use of Digital Technologies to Support Patient-Centered Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: A rapidly aging population, a shifting disease burden and the ongoing threat of infectious disease outbreaks pose major concerns for Vietnam's health care system. Health disparities are evident in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, and the population faces inequitable access to patient-centered health care. Vietnam must therefore explore and implement advanced solutions to the provision of patient-centered care, with a view to reducing pressures on the health care system simultaneously. The use of digital health technologies (DHTs) may be one of these solutions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the application of DHTs to support the provision of patient-centered care in low- and middle-income countries in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) and to draw lessons for Vietnam. METHODS: A scoping review was undertaken. Systematic searches of 7 databases were conducted in January 2022 to identify publications on DHTs and patient-centered care in the APR. Thematic analysis was conducted, and DHTs were classified using the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evidence standards framework for DHTs (tiers A, B, and C). Reporting was in line with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 264 publications identified, 45 (17%) met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the DHTs were classified as tier C (15/33, 45%), followed by tier B (14/33, 42%) and tier A (4/33, 12%). At an individual level, DHTs increased accessibility of health care and health-related information, supported individuals in self-management, and led to improvements in clinical and quality-of-life outcomes. At a systems level, DHTs supported patient-centered outcomes by increasing efficiency, reducing strain on health care resources, and supporting patient-centered clinical practice. The most frequently reported enablers for the use of DHTs for patient-centered care included alignment of DHTs with users' individual needs, ease of use, availability of direct support from health care professionals, provision of technical support as well as user education and training, appropriate governance of privacy and security, and cross-sectorial collaboration. Common barriers included low user literacy and digital literacy, limited user access to DHT infrastructure, and a lack of policies and protocols to guide the implementation and use of DHTs. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DHTs is a viable option to increase equitable access to quality, patient-centered care across Vietnam and simultaneously reduce pressures on the health care system. Vietnam can take advantage of the lessons learned by other low- and middle-income countries in the APR when developing a national road map to digital health transformation. Recommendations that Vietnamese policy makers may consider include emphasizing stakeholder engagement, strengthening digital literacy, supporting the improvement of DHT infrastructure, increasing cross-sectorial collaboration, strengthening governance of cybersecurity, and leading the way in DHT uptake.

Social Work Practice with Asians and Pacific Islanders

This chapter focuses on the United Nations' classification of subregions: Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Islands. Asian and Pacific Islander (API) is used as an inclusive term to refer to the diverse people with origins in countries, states, territories, and jurisdictions in the identified Asia-Pacific geographic region. APIs include immigrants, refugees, United States (U.S.)-born citizens, naturalized citizens, undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, native communities in U.S. jurisdictions, non-immigrants. Racialization in the United States occurs along a continuum, which reflects longstanding systems of racial categorization and oppression. The COVID-19 pandemic presents sociopolitical challenges for APIs with the emergence of Sinophobia. Like other Asian American communities, the South Asian community has long been described as a model minority due to its members' increasing socioeconomic status and vast educational achievements in the United States. Heterogeneity and disparities among APIs are not fully understood due to the dearth of ethnic-specific studies. Social workers should be mindful of the diverse political, colonization, and immigration histories of API clients to fully consider the person in their environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Regulatory Cooperation for Vaccines: The Asia-Pacific and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic galvanized national regulatory authorities (NRAs) to adopt innovative and cooperative vaccine approval approaches. Against a backdrop of deaths, economic paralysis, and political instability, it became clear that legacy approaches to vaccine approvals would no longer suffice. Regulatory cooperation between NRAs has developed since the 1960s in Europe and later in other regions. But the crisis wrought by COVID-19 has instilled a new sense of the value of networking, work-sharing, reliance, and recognition among NRAs in all countries and regions. Regional and multilateral collaboration - particularly in the Asia-Pacific - have also enabled shared knowledge and resources while contributing to some degree of harmonization in rules and procedures. Indeed, this will likely pave the way for dealing with future global health crises. Yet, amidst the detritus, there is much to learn. Keywords © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.

Exposure of wild Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) to parasites, bacterial and viral pathogens, evaluated via molecular and serological assays

Disease surveillance of marine mammal populations is essential to understand the causes of strandings, identify potential threats to animal health, and to support development of conservation strategies. Here we report the first large multi-pathogen screening of prevalence for viruses, bacteria and parasites in a sample of 177 live, healthy, wild Caspian seals (Pusa caspica), captured and released during satellite telemetry studies 2007-2017. Employing molecular and serological assays we assess prevalence of pathogens known to be of significance for marine mammal health worldwide, and evaluate the results in relation to Caspian seal health and conservation. RT-PCR, and PCR assays find evidence for infection by Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), Phocine herpes virus, phocine adenovirus and Influenza A at prevalences of 5%, 6.4%, 21.7%, and 4% respectively. The genomes of CDV isolates collected in 2008 showed 99.59% identity with the 2000 Caspian seal CDV epizootic strain. A partial coding sequence for the Us2 gene from the Caspian seal herpes virus was identical to PhHV-1 isolate PB84, previously reported from a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), while amplicon sequences for the adenovirus polymerase gene indicated a novel strain. ELISA assays detected exposure to Influenza A (55% of tested samples), adenovirus (25%), coronavirus (6%), CDV (8%), herpes virus (94%), Toxoplasma gondii (2.6%) and heartworm (1%). Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests detected exposure to Influenza B at a prevalence of 20%, and Leptospira microscopic agglutination tests detected suspected exposure to Leptospira serovars in 9% of tested samples. Overall, the risks, profile and prevalence of pathogens in Caspian seals appear comparable to other wild phocid seal populations. Our results suggest Caspian seals have exposure pathways to pathogens with epizootic potential or ability to cause significant morbidity, and that disease impacts could reduce the resilience of the population to other conservation threats. Caspian seals are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and we recommend that resources are invested to support further surveillance programs and to understand how anthropogenic pressures may influence future disease risks. A translated version of this is available in Russian and Kazakh in the Supplementary Material (Presentation 1 and Presentation 2)

Pediatric Cardiac Screening Data Warehouse: A National Public Health Resource

Background: Cardiac screening of youth for prevention of sudden cardiac death in the young (SCDY) has been debated due to the absence of large population-specific screening data with outcomes. Despite years of screening by US public screening groups (PSG), there is minimal coordination of effort and no standardized methods for real-world data collection. Objective(s): To understand the methods, quality, outcomes, and best practices of youth screening, the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Pediatric Cardiology Working Group, in collaboration with FDA and PSGs, developed and enabled a scalable system to collect a uniform pediatric cardiac screening dataset including digital ECGs and post-screening electronic follow-up data. Method(s): Front end data collection (figure) was developed to include use of a universal unique ID system to align paper/digital collection of health and ECG data. PSGs use secure data transfer portals for digital ECG data upload for conversion to device-agnostic standardized FDA format to store in the national pediatric cardiac screening data warehouse. Follow-up data are obtained at designated post-screening intervals (one week, one and 3 months for pilot study) using initial text message contact followed by electronic consent (REDCap) and answering online health surveys. Result(s): Fourteen PSGs in ten states participated in the pilot study. PSG warehouse data include 33840 retrospective ECG datasets collected from 2010 to 2021 containing limited screened history/symptoms but demographics similar to US census as follows: Age 13-30y, Male/Female 57/43%, Asian 6%, Black 19%, Native American <1%, Pacific Islander <1%, White 68%, Other 4%;Hispanic/Non-Hispanic 27%/79%. Individual PSG site demographics reflected local populations. Prospective data collection since 2021 include >4000 uniform screening datasets (age, sex, race, ethnicity, ht, wt, screening H&P, COVID history, medications, digital ECG with results, screening outcome, and, if applicable, ECHO results). Follow up participation allowing initial cellular contact was high (avg 73%, range 51-91%/screening). Conclusion(s): Establishment of a national pediatric cardiac data warehouse enables large-scale aggregation of pediatric cardiac screening information to address deficits in the understanding and prevention of SCDY. This large real-world dataset will help establish normative data for pediatric ECGs which can facilitate development of new diagnostic tools such as machine learning and support pediatric drug and device development. [Formula presented]Copyright © 2023

Factors Associated with Hospitalization with Symptomatic Coronavirus Disease 2019 among Pregnant Individuals: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Pregnant individuals are at increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization and death, and primary and booster COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for this population. Method(s): Among a cohort of pregnant individuals who received prenatal care at 3 healthcare systems in the United States, we estimated the cumulative incidence of hospitalization with symptomatic COVID-19 illness. We also identified factors associated with COVID-19 hospitalization using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model with pregnancy weeks as the timescale and a time-varying adjustor that accounted for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 circulation;model covariates included site, age, race, ethnicity, insurance status, prepregnancy weight status, and selected underlying medical conditions. Data were collected primarily through medical record extraction. Result(s): Among 19 456 pregnant individuals with an estimated due date during 1 March 2020-28 February 2021, 75 (0.4%) were hospitalized with symptomatic COVID-19. Factors associated with hospitalization for symptomatic COVID-19 were Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.7 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.3-5.5]), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander race (aHR, 12 [95% CI, 3.2-45.5]), age <25 years (aHR, 3.1 [95% CI, 1.3-7.6]), prepregnancy obesity (aHR, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-3.9]), diagnosis of a metabolic disorder (aHR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.2-3.8]), lung disease excluding asthma (aHR, 49 [95% CI, 28-84]), and cardiovascular disease (aHR, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.5-4.7]). Conclusion(s): Although hospitalization with symptomatic COVID-19 was uncommon, pregnant individuals should be aware of risk factors associated with severe illness when considering COVID-19 vaccination. Copyright © 2022 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Responses for COVID-19 in the Pacific Small Island Countries

Pacific Small Island Countries (PSICs) could have been heavily affected by COVID-19 in terms of human security due to their healthcare limited capacity, reliance on food imports, and tourism industry, but because of their rapid response, the spread of the virus in their territories was prevented. The chapter will make a review of the region responses to the pandemic by examining the recommendations of the UN framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19. Since the region is one of the major international aid recipients, the study will review international aid through multilateral and bilateral channels in addition to national and community level responses on public health and socio-economic areas. The sources of the analysis are the database of global governmental measures to combat COVID-19 (ACAPS), governmental websites, international organizations regional reports on COVID-19 and scientific articles. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer 2022.

Utilizing a Decentralized Clinical Study Approach for Expedited and Diverse Recruitment for Clinical Validation of a Novel Non-invasive Multitargeted Stool-based RNA Test

Introduction: Traditional clinical trials that utilize fixed sites often fail to recruit participants that are representative of the intended use population. Participants, particularly those from minority groups, cite geographical constraints, mistrust, miscommunication, and discrimination as barriers to successful recruitment. A decentralized clinical trial enrollment strategy offers reduced cost, reduced time requirements, and circumvents barriers associated with the recent pandemic outbreak. Method(s): After the mt-sRNA test system entered design-lock, a decentralized clinical trial (CRC-PREVENT) was launched through a digital campaign (https://www.colonscreeningstudy.com/;NCT04739722). Online advertisements were published on multiple social media sites, and engagement with materials directed patients to an online screener. Participants who completed the screener were eligible for enrollment if they met CRC-PREVENT inclusion and exclusion criteria and were willing to complete all clinical trial components, including providing a stool sample before an optical colonoscopy. Result(s): After 12 months of active enrollment, 276,400 individuals engaged with digital advertisements and completed pre-screener surveys to determine eligibility for the clinical trial. In total, 14,264 individuals consented to participate in the CRC-PREVENT clinical trial. Of these individuals, 58% were female (42% were male), and 65% were over 50. Regarding race and ethnicity, eligible individuals directly represented the intended use population: 16% were Black or African American, 0.2% were Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaskan Native, and 7% were Hispanic or Latinx. Regarding socioeconomic status, the decentralized approach permitted access to individuals with healthcare inequities: 25% of participants had income under $29,999, 5% of participants were from rural areas (defined as a city center , 10,000 people), and 36.7% of participants were on public insurance. Individuals were derived from 7,644 unique zip codes across all 48 continental United States. (Table) Conclusion(s): A decentralized recruitment strategy permits highly successful enrollment in the face of screening burdens heightened by COVID-19 pandemic. This approach also offered a significantly more diverse population and could mitigate selection bias and attrition bias associated with the cohorts observed in traditional clinical studies.

Women and the Justice Divide in Asia Pacific: How can Informal and Formal Institutions Bridge the Gap?

Across Asia and the Pacific, legal pluralist systems meet both cultural norms and address injustices at the local level. What is the capacity of these pluralist systems to provide justice and mitigate discrimination against women? This article examines women's experiences across five countries to identify the factors that enable and constrain women's engagement with legal pluralist justice systems in the Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on examples of women's individual and collective attempts to access justice specifically concerning custody, land, and violence, this article identifies three persistent conditions that perpetuate women's inability to access justice: the absence of gender mainstreaming resources in pluralist legal systems, most notably in rural, remote, and impoverished communities;cultural and religious preference for women's underrepresentation in decision-making;and women's low representation in justice-related civil service positions.

"We are the ones who will have to make the change": Cuban health cooperation and the integration of Cuban medical graduates into practice in the Pacific.

BACKGROUND: This paper responds to Asante et al. (in Hum Resour Health, 2014), providing an updated picture of the impacts of Cuban medical training in the Pacific region based on research carried out in 2019-2021, which focused on the experiences of Pacific Island doctors trained in Cuba and their integration into practice in their home countries. METHODS: The research focussed on two case studies-Solomon Islands and Kiribati. Study methods for this research included multi-sited ethnographic methods and semi-structured interviews as well as qualitative analysis of policy documents, reports, and media sources. RESULTS: The Cuban health assistance programme has had a significant impact on the medical workforce in the Pacific region increasing the number of doctors employed by Pacific Ministries of Health between 2012 and 2019. Qualitatively, there have been some notable improvements in the medical workforce and health delivery over this period. However, the integration of the Cuban-trained doctors into practise has been challenging, with criticisms of their clinical, procedural and communication skills, and the need for the rapid development of bridging and internship training programmes (ITPs) which were inadequately planned for at the outset of the programme. CONCLUSIONS: The Cuban programme in the Pacific is an important model of development assistance for health in the region. While Cuba's offer of scholarships was the trigger for a range of positive outcomes, the success of the programme has relied on input from a range of actors including support from other governments and institutions, and much hard work by the graduates themselves, often in the face of considerable criticism. Key impacts of the programme to date include the raw increase in the number of doctors and the development of the ITPs and career pathways for the graduates, although this has also led to the reorientation of Cuban graduates from preventative to curative health. There is considerable potential for these graduates to contribute to improved health outcomes across the region, particularly if their primary and preventative health care skills are utilised.

Covid-19 Bivalent Booster Effectiveness in People with and without Immune Dysfunction

Background: Data on the effectiveness of the bivalent booster vaccine against COVID-19 breakthrough infection and severe outcomes is limited. Method(s): Using patient-level data from 54 sites in the U.S. National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), we estimated bivalent booster effectiveness against breakthrough infection and outcomes between 09/01/2022 (bivalent vaccine approval date) to 12/15/2022 (most recent data release of N3C) among patients completed 2+ doses of mRNA vaccine. Bivalent booster effectiveness was evaluated among all patients and patients with and without immunosuppressed/compromised conditions (ISC;HIV infection, solid organ/ bone marrow transplant, autoimmune diseases, and cancer). We used logistic regression models to compare the odds of breakthrough infection (COVID-19 diagnosis after the last dose of vaccine) and outcomes (hospitalization, ventilation/ECMO use, or death <=28 days after infection) in the bivalent boosted vs. non-bivalent boosted groups. Models controlled for demographics, comorbidities, geographic region, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, months since the last dose of non-bivalent vaccine, and prior non-bivalent booster. Result(s): By 12/15/2022, 2,414,904 patients had received 2+ doses of mRNA vaccination, 75,873 of them had received a bivalent booster vaccine, and 24,046 of them had a breakthrough infection. At baseline, the median age was 52 (IQR 36-67) years, 40% male, 63% white, 10% Black, 12% Latinx, 3.5% Asian American/Pacific Islander, and 14% were patients with ISC. Patients received a bivalent booster were more likely to be female and had comorbidities. Bivalent booster was significantly associated with reduced odds of breakthrough infection and hospitalization (Figure). The adjusted odds ratios comparing bivalent vs. non-bivalent group were 0.28 (95% CI 0.25, 0.32) for all patients and 0.33 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.41) for patients with ISC. Compared to the nonbivalent group, the bivalent group had a lower incidence of COVID-19-related hospitalization (151 vs. 41 per 100,000 persons), invasive ventilation/ECMO use (7.5 vs. 1.3 per 100,000 persons), or death (11 vs. 1.3 per 100,000 persons) in all patients during the study period;the incidence of severe outcomes after bivalent boosting was similar among patients with and without ISC. Conclusion(s): A bivalent booster vaccine was highly effective against COVID-19 breakthrough infection and severe outcomes among patients received 2+ doses of mRNA vaccine and offered similar protection in patients with and without ISC. (Figure Presented).

Effectiveness of Telehealth for Women's Preventive Services

Does telehealth allow for the effective delivery of preventive services for women, and how can it best be used to address these needs?

Our ‘Pacific family'. Heroes, guests, workers or a precariat?

Australia launched a Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) in 2012, shortly after a similar scheme in New Zealand, to bring seasonal workers from Pacific Island Countries (PICS) to work in agriculture. The scheme was seen as a potential ‘Triple Win' with sending and receiving countries, and workers' households, benefiting. Workers' remittances contributed to welfare, especially housing and education, and small business establishment, but there were social costs associated with repeated absences. In 2018, Australia introduced the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) to extend guestwork opportunities into other areas of non-seasonal labour shortage such as aged care, tourism and meat processing. The shortage of local labour during COVID-19 demonstrated that Pacific guestworkers were invaluable to Australia, and in 2022 the schemes were revamped and expanded further as the PALM (Pacific Australia Labour Mobility) Scheme. Concern over a Chinese threat in the region gave further support for the expansion. PICs expressed concerns about exploitative practices, while higher rates of participation increased the potential for an incipient brain drain from the PICs, with wages roughly four times those at home, as migrants now left non-agricultural jobs. The expanded scheme continues to favour Australian employers leaving questions over, equity, uneven development and the future of the PICs.

The Post-COVID-19 Impact on Distance Learning for New Zealand Teachers

This article reports on a survey of New Zealand teachers, designed to assess their experiences of distance learning during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The survey gathered detailed quantitative and qualitative data from 31 schoolteachers who had previously experienced professional development in digital learning. The questions addressed many areas of practice, including the issues faced by teachers in the move to online distance learning, the impacts on relationships with students, families, and other staff, the impacts on workload and practice, and the experience of working intensively with digital technologies. The results suggested that this group of relatively well-prepared teachers were able to effectively move their practice online in a short period of time and, in most cases, to maintain the relationships with, and the learning of, their students. However, there were some indications in the data that learners from the Māori community faced resource challenges in successfully transitioning to online distance learning.