Microbusinesses' challenges and perceptions in using social media during the COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 struck the world by storm and has taken its victims along the way. It had also put the whole world on a temporary pause as people tried to manage the virus as best as possible. It has affected people all around the globe and had a huge impact on the global economy. This research will look into how microbusinesses have used social media in order to better face the challenges and changes that came due to the COVID-19 crisis while it will discuss how businesses' perceptions were altered along the way. In particular we are reviewing relevant academic literature surrounding microbusinesses and how they have been affected by COVID-19. The research methods used within this study, and the research results will be stated with reference to primary respondents. We have used a combination of secondary and primary research to develop further understanding of microbusinesses and the impact that COVID-19 has had on organizations in relation to the use of the internet and social media platforms. Limitations of the study will also be identified, and future research areas will be identified.

Verification and validation of a framework for collaborative BIM implementation, measurement and management (CIMM)

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to develop through a two-stage verification and validation process a novel implementation framework for collaborative BIM, utilising experts from academia and industry as well as a real-world case study project.Design/methodology/approachThe aim of this research was to build upon previous research findings by the authors in order to develop an implementation framework that stems from ousting the inefficiencies of current collaborative BIM practices. This is achieved by a more objectified and quantified approach towards seeking heightened transparency and objectivism of what is required through the implementation of BIM. The mixed research methods technique of both qualitative and quantitative data collection was utilised, with the structure consisting of a two-stage approach utilising the Delphi model for verification and validation. This was developed to test the novelty and beneficial structure hypothesis involving 15 core BIM experts from academia, construction and design with c. 22 years average experience. Validation was undertaken on a complex, high value real world building structures project in central London, inclusive of 8 core project BIM experts. The research utilised a developed solution that mirrored and provided a more holistic representation guiding the practitioners as a project team step by step through the determination of underpinning elements, which support the goal of enhanced information requirements as well as executing the prioritisation measurement tools as part of the framework. Data ascertained at the workshop case study prioritised areas of importance that are core in supporting the delivering of these enhanced information requirements at a project delivery level, which were in order of prioritisation determined by the project team (1) constraints (39.17%), (2) stakeholder requirements (35.78%), (3) coordination (existing asset) (15.86%), (4) exchange requirements (5.38%) and (5) level of information need (3.81%). Furthermore, risk mitigations for the top three priorities were focussed on early stakeholder engagement, appropriation of survey data collection, focus on quality of outputs and applying toolsets and processes with meaning and emphasis on the defined high-level requirements.FindingsFindings show that the framework and the developed solution translate the process methodology of the framework schema into a useable and beneficial tool that provides both qualitative and quantitative inputs and outputs. Furthermore, a collective agreement on the objectives, risk mitigations and assignment of tasks in order to achieve outcomes is presented, with evidence on numerical weightings and goal achievement.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the impacts of COVID-19 on physical engagements both the verification (electronic survey questionnaire) and validation (case study project) were undertaken remotely, using available technologies and web interfaces.Practical implicationsThe case study workshop was limited to one building structures project in central London of a value of c. £70 m design and build cost that the project team (participants) were actively engaged with.Social implicationsThe social impacts of this research has resulted in the review of existing systems, methods and approaches from a wider perspective of theoretical and applied environments, which led to the development of a novel approach and framework guided by an interactive and useable solution.Originality/valueAs shown within the core findings, experts across academia and industry (design and construction) confirmed that the framework methodology and application were 100% novel, and added a benefit to the existing collaborative BIM approach. Value added is that through objectifying, weighting/prioritizing and creating a discussion supported by qualitative and quantitative reasoning the focus on what collaborative BIM is to achieve is increased, and thus the likelihood of successful implementation.

LIVED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH CHILDHOOD- AND ADULT-ONSET SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: A MULTI-CENTER CANADIAN QUALITATIVE STUDY

BackgroundEducation and employment established in young adulthood predict future lifetime socioeconomic achievements. Young adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have physical, cognitive and mental health issues and other comorbidities that may impact employment.ObjectivesTo understand the lived experiences of young adults with SLE (YASLE), as students, and to assess their perceived barriers from SLE.MethodsYASLE were recruited from two Lupus clinics in Toronto and Winnipeg. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted individually via secure video conferencing. As this study was conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, participants were also asked about the pandemic impacts on their education experiences. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, double-coded and analysed using a reflexive thematic approach.ResultsTwelve participants (2 males), 9 of childhood- and 3 adult-onset SLE (cSLE, aSLE) were interviewed. Nine participants (82%) were <25 years old. Five also worked while studying. Five were Asians, 5 were White, 2 of other ethnicities. Half have severe disease (central nervous system or renal involvement). Median duration of disease was 4.0 (25th-75th percentile, 1.8- 5.3) years. The impacts of SLE on their education experience emerged in 5 themes:1) Challenges imposed by SLE: Difficulties adjusting to the diagnosis, physical and cognitive symptoms of SLE. While most participants disclosed their diagnosis to their schools, some expressed hesitation.2) Changes in aspirations: Education/career goals were modified by reducing course load or shifting to more sedentary or less cognitively demanding careers.3) Coping and acceptance: More adaptive than maladaptive coping strategies were used to manage their SLE, including self-acceptance, pacing, planning and avoidance. All strived to do well in their studies despite SLE and were hopeful for their futures.4) Facilitating factors for education success: Family and friends' social support, individualized accommodations from school and parental financial support were identified.5) Pandemic impacts: Virtual learning and flexible schedules enabled participants to adapt their schedules according to their physical conditions (e.g. pain, fatigue). However, fewer opportunities to interact in-person were viewed as challenges. Participants want hybrid options to continue even after the pandemic.ConclusionSLE affected students' performance through physical symptoms, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Ongoing social and school supports help to support them. Maintaining the remote learning options may increase accessibility for them. These results identified opportunities for developing future supportive interventions for YASLE patients in their schooling which then better prepare them for future employment.References[1]Jetha A, Badley E, Beaton D, Fortin PR, Shiff NJ, Gignac MA. Unpacking early work experiences of young adults with rheumatic disease: an examination of absenteeism, job disruptions, and productivity loss. Arthritis care & research. 2015;67:1246-54.[2]E. F Lawson, A. O. Hersh, L. Trupin, E. von Scheven, M. J. Okumura, J. Yazdany, et al. Educational and vocational outcomes of adults with childhood and adult onset systemic lupus erythematosus: nine years of follow-up. Arthritis Care Res 2014;66: 717-24.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsMike Golding: None declared, Fareha Nishat: None declared, Kaitlyn Merrill: None declared, Ramandeep Kaur: None declared, Jennifer Stinson: None declared, Jennifer Protudjer Speakers bureau: Nutricia (Food allergy university, Nov 2022), Consultant of: Novartis 2021, allergy products, Roberta Woodgate: None declared, Christine Peschken: None declared, Diane Lacaille: None declared, Umut Oguzoglo: None declared, Zahi Touma: None declared, Lily Lim Speakers bureau: Pfizer Feb 2023. Not drug related and not related to this .

Researching children and disasters: What's different in pandemic times?

The repercussions of the global COVID-19 pandemic are far-reaching and extend to the ways in which scholars conduct disaster research. Research on children and disasters is no exception. Focusing on methodologies, this paper explores the methodological constraints and innovations of studying children during the current crisis, and the implications for post-pandemic research on children and disasters. We begin by reviewing research methodologies to study children and disasters, drawing upon scholarly and grey literature as well as on our own research project on the pandemic experiences of children, adolescents, and older adults. We then discuss how these research approaches, tools, and spaces have changed during the pandemic. Methodological adaptation and innovation are necessary because traditional data collection methods are largely not feasible during the current pandemic;for example, many researchers cannot travel to the disaster site, hold in-person focus groups, interview children and their families face-to-face, or conduct extensive participant observation in places people would usually frequent. We pay particular attention to research ethics issues, including the challenges of navigating the research design process when children are involved. We contend that the massive adoption of online methods during the COVID-19 pandemic is laying the foundation for a seventh wave of research on children and disasters characterized by the integration of in-person and virtual worlds, and of in-person and virtual research methods. Rather than initiating this transition to a hybrid or blended model, the pandemic is accelerating the transition, and compelling more of the research community to engage than might have otherwise. The "bricolage" of methods originating in both in-person and virtual fields, adapted in various ways for both in-person and virtual fields, is better attuned to the spaces where children live their lives, and the ways in which they live their lives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Harnessing the Affordances of Action Researchers to Address the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Educational Leaders take Action Research Online

The unique affordances of Action Research, including flexibility, playfulness, accessibility, and a focus on practical problem solving provided crucial strategies for generating knowledge and developing solutions to the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic. The move to online research settings, in particular, required action researchers to find ways to adapt existing research methods and to devise new approaches. This article describes the work of a group of doctoral students in an Educational Leadership program and their instructor in carrying out action research methods in both synchronous and asynchronous online settings.If the months of the pandemic have taught us nothing else, it is that flexibility and willingness to innovate, which are central to action research, are valuable assets in times of uncertainty. The unique affordances of Action Research include creativity, playfulness, accessibility to multiple participants and audiences, transferability of findings, and a focus on the generation of knowledge designed to be pragmatic and problem-focused. These qualities can be harnessed to address the multiple challenges we have encountered during the pandemic including health equity and access, poverty and unemployment, and the interruption of education for vulnerable student populations. They also offer us hope that action research can continue to contribute to addressing the challenges we are sure to face in the future.As students in an educational leadership doctoral program, we focus on examining problems of practice in our schools and districts through action research. As we adapted to online learning in our own schools, we were able to bring these skills to bear in our doctoral studies by developing strategies for conducting these action research methods in both synchronous and asynchronous online settings. This paper describes some of the approaches we developed in the hope that this will enable other action researchers to implement these methods in their own schools, organizations, and communities. The specific action research methods described in this paper are Future Creating Workshops, Citizens' Juries, World Café, Nominal Group Technique, and Digital Storytelling.

Monitoring real-time junior doctor sentiment from comments on a public social media platform: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether sentiment analysis and topic modelling can be used to monitor the sentiment and opinions of junior doctors. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study based on comments on a social media website. SETTING: Every publicly available comment in r/JuniorDoctorsUK on Reddit from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2021. PARTICIPANTS: 7707 Reddit users who commented in the r/JuniorDoctorsUK subreddit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Sentiment (scored -1 to +1) of comments compared with results of surveys conducted by the General Medical Council. RESULTS: Average comment sentiment was positive but varied significantly during the study period. Fourteen topics of discussion were identified, each associated with a different pattern of sentiment. The topic with the highest proportion of negative comments was the role of a doctor (38%), and the topic with the most positive sentiment was hospital reviews (72%). CONCLUSION: Some topics discussed in social media are comparable to those queried in traditional questionnaires, whereas other topics are distinctive and offer insight into what themes junior doctors care about. Events during the coronavirus pandemic may explain the sentiment trends in the junior doctor community. Natural language processing shows significant potential in generating insights into junior doctors' opinions and sentiment.

Participatory video from a distance: co-producing knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic using smartphones.

In this paper, I outline an innovative remote participatory video (PV) methodology that makes use of participants' smartphones. It was developed as an alternative to co-production research and can be employed when face-to-face contact is impossible or undesirable. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face research interactions have been disrupted or become impossible. Yet it is vital to reach those who are most affected by emergencies and to include their voices. The research reported here was a collaboration between women in Medellín, Colombia, and a team of filmmakers and researchers. We developed an innovative remote PV methodology using participants' smartphones, researching how women from poorer neighbourhoods were affected by the pandemic in their everyday lives. Here, I reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the remote PV methodology, arguing that it offers new avenues for participants to take control of the filming and editing process, and builds technical skills and capacities that have value beyond the timeframe of the project. I conclude that the remote PV method has great potential as a stand-alone method, moving the landscape of co-production research away from a requirement for geographical co-presence and potentially shifting power and ownership towards local co-researchers and participants.

Collecting and communicating perishable data in a post-disaster context: rapid research and rapid dissemination.

Context: Puerto Rico experienced four natural disasters in 4 years (2017-2021): Hurricanes Irma and Maria, thousands of earthquakes reaching 6.4 magnitude, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, our team sought to understand the impact of disaster aid distribution on poverty and economic inequality, and their relationship to the spread of COVID-19 across Puerto Rico. Rapid research was required to ensure we could collect perishable data within this ever-changing context. Challenges: Our mixed methods design relied on both secondary and primary data. Because analyses of the former were to inform where and how to collect the latter, timing was of the essence. The data sources identified were not readily available to the public, and thus required gaining access through direct requests to government agencies. The requests coincided with a transition between administrations after an election. This resulted in unexpected delays. Once in the field, the team had to balance the rapid nature of the research with the mindful work to avoid compounding traumas experienced by participants, heightened risk for re-traumatization and fatigue, the risk of COVID-19, the digital divide, and intermittent electrical and telecommunication services. Adaptations: In response to the delayed access to secondary data, we adjusted our research question. We continued to collect data as they became available, incorporating some immediately into analyses, and cleaning and storing others for future research opportunities. To overcome ongoing trauma challenges and prevent fatigue, we recruited and hired a large temporary team, including members of communities where we collected data. By recruiting participants and co-researchers at the same time and place, we both collapsed time between these activities and increased our team's contextual competency. To adapt to challenges presented by the pandemic, we created hybrid data collection procedures where some data were collected online, and some in person, while maintaining COVID-19 protections. We used similar adaptations for dissemination. Lessons: Rapid research needs to be agile. Working within a convergence framework to investigate wicked problems had the unexpected added benefit of providing our team with a variety of disciplinary approaches which proved helpful in adapting to the changing conditions in the field. In addition to the resourcefulness of a transdisciplinary team, it is important to be willing to pivot in response to changes and to collect data where and when you can. To increase participation, opportunities need to be designed with flexibility, mindful of competing demands faced by individuals willing to collaborate. Collecting and analyzing data iteratively and utilizing local resources can enable rapid research that is rigorous and yields rich data. Contributions: Our team applied the lessons learned to structure a rapid and iterative dissemination plan. We combined member-checking with community-level dissemination, enabling us to hone findings further before presenting to policy makers and media. Rapid research creates opportunities to make data-informed program and policy adjustments when they can be most impactful. Both the media and policy makers pay closer attention to research on current events. Hence, our recommendation is to do more rapid research! The more we do, the better we will get at it, and the more accustomed community leaders, policy makers, and program designers will become to using data to inform decisions.

How do psychobehavioural variables shed light on heterogeneity in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance? Evidence from United States general population surveys on a probability panel and social media.

OBJECTIVES: To (1) understand what behaviours, beliefs, demographics and structural factors predict US adults' intention to get a COVID-19 vaccination, (2) identify segments of the population ('personas') who share similar factors predicting vaccination intention, (3) create a 'typing tool' to predict which persona people belong to and (4) track changes in the distribution of personas over time and across the USA. DESIGN: Three surveys: two on a probability-based household panel (NORC's AmeriSpeak) and one on Facebook. SETTING: The first two surveys were conducted in January 2021 and March 2021 when the COVID-19 vaccine had just been made available in the USA. The Facebook survey ran from May 2021 to February 2022. PARTICIPANTS: All participants were aged 18+ and living in the USA. OUTCOME MEASURES: In our predictive model, the outcome variable was self-reported vaccination intention (0-10 scale). In our typing tool model, the outcome variable was the five personas identified by our clustering algorithm. RESULTS: Only 1% of variation in vaccination intention was explained by demographics, with about 70% explained by psychobehavioural factors. We identified five personas with distinct psychobehavioural profiles: COVID Sceptics (believe at least two COVID-19 conspiracy theories), System Distrusters (believe people of their race/ethnicity do not receive fair healthcare treatment), Cost Anxious (concerns about time and finances), Watchful (prefer to wait and see) and Enthusiasts (want to get vaccinated as soon as possible). The distribution of personas varies at the state level. Over time, we saw an increase in the proportion of personas who are less willing to get vaccinated. CONCLUSIONS: Psychobehavioural segmentation allows us to identify why people are unvaccinated, not just who is unvaccinated. It can help practitioners tailor the right intervention to the right person at the right time to optimally influence behaviour.

Tactics in Support of the Strategy to Include Artistic Research as Evidence in Systematic Reviews

Artistic research studies produce a felt and often physically embodied type of knowledge initiated in an artistic experience and consolidated as an art form. The actual art work as the outcome of these studies, complements other types of knowledge and therefore requires attention from systematic review authors who synthesize evidence from primary studies. Working with artistic research evidence in a systematic review context requires a different approach to searching, appraising, analysing and integrating research findings than what is usually promoted by international review organisations. In this paper we outline how the different steps in a systematic review process can be adapted to include art work as as a multimodal type of research evidence in systematic reviews. We discuss useful tactics of identifying artistic research evidence, judging its value, analysing and synthesizing such evidence, hereby building on iconographic, thematic and/or art and design related analytical frameworks. In addition, we feature a gallery approach to present artistic research evidence to end-users and feature a multimodal type of evidence synthesis in which individual art works are comprehensively integrated in an audio visual production.

A Systematic Literature Review of Research From 2010 to 2020 Addressing User-Generated Online Comments Related to Health Issues and Recommendations for Future Research

This systematic literature review was conducted to provide insights into how online readers' comments have been studied in the context of health over a 10-year span. About 593 studies published between 2010 and 2020;of these, 34 met the research criteria for inclusion. Our findings reveal that 60% of the studies focused on the United States, and a qualitative method was used in 74.3% of these studies. About 23.5% of the studies explored vaccine-related issues. Our results reveal that among the selected studies, 76.5% and 20.6% had female and male first authors, respectively. Textual analysis of s shows that the top five keywords were news, HPV, vaccine, themes, and vaccination. However, 58.8% of the identified studies did not use any theoretical framework. In addition, nine health topics emerged: vaccines;health policies;nutritional and dietary choices;women's health issues;quality of life and wellbeing;smoking;engagement with health-related news content;COVID-19;and suicide and mental health.

Leveraging Zoom Video-Conferencing Features in Interview Data Generation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered strict restrictions for traveling and face-to-face meetings, the utilisation of digitally-mediated communication tools to generate interview data in qualitative research during the pandemic was almost inevitable. Employing autoethnography as a research method, this chapter aims to narrate, analyse, and interpret the author's personal experiences generating interview data for a qualitative research project via Zoom video-conferencing during the pandemic. It presents several unique benefits of the use of video-conferencing technology that the author found, as well as some possible challenges that the author anticipated when using the technology. In addition, it also elucidates some distinctive platform-specific features of Zoom video-conferencing that the author utilised to maintain high-quality and secured digital interactions. The information contained in this chapter is significant for researchers who are considering utilising video-conferencing technology, especially Zoom, to generate interview data in the future. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Pixelated Participation: A Ph.D. Student's Notes of Online Data Generation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of life globally. Similarly, the imposed travel restrictions and border closures in Australia have prevented me from travelling to Indonesia for my Ph.D. fieldwork. Due to this issue, I had to move my interviews, focus groups, and narrative writing online. I conducted my interviews and focus group discussions with English teachers in Indonesia through synchronous platforms such as WhatsApp and Zoom. In addition, I utilised a private Facebook group to facilitate narrative writing activities which were pivotal in my data generation process. Many research studies (see, for example, Archibald et al., 2019;Deakin and Wakefield, 2014;Tuttas, 2015) have documented how online research has afforded both the researcher and participants with flexibility, cost effectiveness, and convenience in a research project with time restraints, geographical distance, and other logistical issues. However, a story about online data generation in the COVID-19 context from a Ph.D. student's perspective remains underexplored. In this autoethnographic account, I will reflect on the process of online data generation in the context of my Ph.D. study. I argue that the online data generation in my research has yielded a "guarded optimism” (Madge and O'Connor, 2004, p. 9) for synchronous online data generation as an equal, rather than secondary option for qualitative research data generation which often uses face-to-face interviews and focus groups as the "gold standard of interviewing” (Hine, 2005, p. 4). Through this story I hope to enrich conversations about the possibilities and challenges of doing online data generation for a Ph.D. study during a global pandemic. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

(Dis)embodied Learning: Centring the Body and Emotions in Online Professional Learning

In this chapter, I explore through an auto-ethnodrama what it was like to conduct and experience embodied professional learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning is recognised in research as increasing participation and access, but also perceived as lacking human connection. I seek to open up the possibilities, problems, and uncertainties of online learning by suspending in time and examining this personal experience of centring the body, its experiences, emotions, and relationships when teaching and learning online. The majority of this chapter is a short play script, entitled ‘Worth It', which was created by drawing on data from my PhD research during the 2020 lockdown in Victoria, Australia. In this research project, I explored teaching for reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians with a group of drama teachers. Through ‘Worth It', I unpack our experiences and explore the potential of online learning to increase, rather than decrease, human connection. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

The Unforgotten Pre-service Teachers [Participants]: Did the Pandemic Affect Learning While on Practicum? What Uncompleted Pre-service Teachers' Mentoring Experiences [Data] Can Tell Us

In education, practical, experiential, or experimental research is usually based on a number of participants from whom we collect data. We contact them and explain their role in the study and ask them to kindly devote their time to us. Our final dataset (data "useful for our research”) is a portion of our data corpus (all data collected). The story we finally print is the one from the dataset purposefully selected from the data corpus. The myriad of reasons given for not including some of our participants' data in the dataset include the following: participants' lack of enthusiasm, punctuality, timely delivery of audio recorded data, or data quality. The pandemic outbreak impacted my participants' lives, workplaces, and studies. Their practicum experience was impacted too, so some of them could not complete their own teaching rounds. As a consequence, they could not provide enough data to analyse in order to answer my research questions. They tried, but it was not possible for some of them. However, all the data collected, my data corpus, is valuable to me as a teacher educator and as a mentor teacher. This is a twofold story: my participants' troubles and commitment during their practicum, and my own troubles collecting data while not neglecting what my unselected participants did for me. The pandemic's devastating effects in teacher education programmes in Chile is affecting pre-service teachers' practicum experience, their relationship with their students and their relationship with their mentor teachers, both university-based tutors and school-based mentors. Knowing the needs and experiences of pre-service teachers who did not get a completed experience in their allocated university-partner schools may help us to better navigate the practicum experience in the present times. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

The Impact of COVID-19 on PhD Research: An Autoethnographic Account by an International Student in Melbourne

Being a researcher on a highly sensitive issue and an international PhD student in Melbourne, I have faced significant challenges throughout my ongoing PhD journey. Using an autoethnographic approach, this chapter describes the lived experiences of the intense situations that impacted my research activities under the COVID-19 pandemic. Through my PhD, I am committed to contributing my bit toward changing global perceptions of HIV and AIDS. My intrinsic motivations draw from the death of my brother figure and childhood best friend. These motivations have enabled me to fight back against numerous challenges that have appeared within the circle of research opportunities. I dealt with each challenge by returning to my intrinsic motivations, showing resilience, and progressing with my research. In the beginning, I had challenges getting my project approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of my University, which took about two years. Once my research was approved, the COVID-19 pandemic situation pushed me back to square one. Subsequently, I chose an online research methodology due to the state of helplessness I experienced as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. These conditions changed my overall research landscape and introduced several unanticipated challenges to my original plans to conduct an ethnographic study. Based on my reflections, I recommend that all PhD researchers, and international students in particular, pay significant attention to the timeline of their candidature. Researchers need to be flexible and rationalise the importance of continuing their research activities amidst difficult situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

A Harmony of Voices: The Value of Collaborative Autoethnography as Collective Witnessing During a Pandemic

In this chapter, I describe collaborative autoethnography—the methodology which was chosen for this book. In order to clearly explain this methodology, I explore my own journey as I moved into social science research, discovered autoethnography, and subsequently encountered collaborative autoethnography. Through my reflections, I highlight the knowledge which can be gained through purposeful exploration of personal experience. I also demonstrate how, when multiple autoethnographers work together, the resulting collaboration creates a profound synergy and harmony of voices which cannot be achieved by an individual alone. Finally, I present the specific framework used to apply the collaborative autoethnography methodology in this book. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Validating the InterVA-5 cause of death analytical tool: using mortality data from the Comprehensive Health and Epidemiological Surveillance System in Papua New Guinea.

OBJECTIVE: InterVA-5 is a new version of an analytical tool for cause of death (COD) analysis at the population level. This study validates the InterVA-5 against the medical review method, using mortality data in Papua New Guinea (PNG). DESIGN AND SETTING: This study used mortality data collected from January 2018 to December 2020 in eight surveillance sites of the Comprehensive Health and Epidemiological Surveillance System (CHESS), established by the PNG Institute of Medical Research in six major provinces. METHODS: The CHESS demographic team conducted verbal autopsy (VA) interviews with close relatives of the deceased, who died in communities within the catchment areas of CHESS, using the WHO 2016 VA instrument. COD of the deceased was assigned by InterVA-5 tool, and independently certified by the medical team. Consistency, difference and agreement between the InterVA-5 model and medical review were assessed. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the InterVA-5 tool were calculated with reference to the medical review method. RESULTS: Specific COD of 926 deceased people was included in the validation. Agreement between the InterVA-5 tool and medical review was high (kappa test: 0.72; p<0.01). Sensitivity and PPV of the InterVA-5 were 93% and 72% for cardiovascular diseases, 84% and 86% for neoplasms, 65% and 100% for other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and 78% and 64% for maternal deaths, respectively. For infectious diseases and external CODs, sensitivity and PPV of the InterVA-5 were 94% and 90%, respectively, while the sensitivity and PPV of the medical review method were both 54% for classifying neonatal CODs. CONCLUSION: The InterVA-5 tool works well in the PNG context to assign specific CODs of infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms and injuries. Further improvements with respect to chronic NCDs, maternal deaths and neonatal deaths are needed.

Vaccine Preventable Disease Seroprevalence in a Nationwide Assessment of Timor-Leste (VASINA-TL): study protocol for a population-representative cross-sectional serosurvey.

INTRODUCTION: Historic disruption in health infrastructure combined with data from a recent vaccine coverage survey suggests there are likely significant immunity gaps to vaccine preventable diseases and high risk of outbreaks in Timor-Leste. Community-based serological surveillance is an important tool to augment understanding of population-level immunity achieved through vaccine coverage and/or derived from prior infection. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This national population-representative serosurvey will take a three-stage cluster sample and aims to include 5600 individuals above 1 year of age. Serum samples will be collected by phlebotomy and analysed for measles IgG, rubella IgG, SARS-CoV-2 antispike protein IgG, hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis B core antigen using commercially available chemiluminescent immunoassays or ELISA. In addition to crude prevalence estimates and to account for differences in Timor-Leste's age structure, stratified age-standardised prevalence estimates will be calculated, using Asia in 2013 as the standard population. Additionally, this survey will derive a national asset of serum and dried blood spot samples which can be used for further investigation of infectious disease seroepidemiology and/or validation of existing and novel serological assays for infectious diseases. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Research Ethics and Technical Committee of the Instituto Nacional da Saúde, Timor-Leste and the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research, Australia. Co-designing this study with Timor-Leste's Ministry-of-Health and other relevant partner organisations will allow immediate translation of findings into public health policy, which may include changes to routine immunisation service delivery and/or plans for supplementary immunisation activities.

New scenarios for experiments in Psychology: The online modality

An increasing number of behavioral studies are conducted online with the aim of including a wider and more heterogeneous sample of participants. This practice was encouraged by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which implied social distancing, hence preventing access to laboratories as a measure to contain the infection. In the present work some online platforms will be discussed, considering their characteristics, advantages and limitations, in order to facilitate researchers in the possible selection of the most suitable tool for their needs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Italian) Sempre piu ricerche comportamentali vengono condotte online con lo scopo di raggiungere un piu ampio e diversificato campione di partecipanti. Con l'avvento della pandemia da Covid-19 questa pratica si e diffusa sempre di piu a causa delle misure precauzionali di distanziamento sociale che hanno impedito l'accesso ai laboratori. Nel presente lavoro verranno descritte alcune piattaforme online, le loro caratteristiche e potenzialita, nonche i limiti ad esse connessi allo scopo di agevolare i ricercatori nella possibile scelta dello strumento piu adatto alle proprie esigenze. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)