ABSTRACT
This study evaluates the measures undertaken by the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) to assist those financially distressed due to their inability to meet their financial commitments amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Adopting secondary analysis of qualitative data, relevant secondary data, including journal articles, annual reports, and newspaper articles, were analyzed. The study finds that measures adopted by AKPK in response to the COVID-19 pandemic include reinforcing the workforce, enhancing IT infrastructures, deploying digital platforms, using various media channels, introducing online apps, online portals, online webinars, online learning modules, and online payment facility for all debt management participants. AKPK is also entrusted with handling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the Small Debt Resolution Scheme. A dedicated SME Helpdesk is established to facilitate the process. AKPK's continual support to provide financial aid is reflected in its collaborative effort with the banking industry under the Financial Management and Resilience Program and the Financial Resilience Support Program. However, the government should seriously consider strengthening personal data protection laws because of AKPK's significant reliance on digital platforms. Similarly, appropriate government bodies must take quick action to address the digital divide issue and promote inclusion to reduce disparity in terms of access to online services offered by AKPK. Also, since certain individuals or SMEs with credit facilities with entities not regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia are deprived of this incentive, relevant regulators should undertake actions to provide a similar facility. This study is significant in that it provides lessons to be learned by other credit counseling and debt management agencies in adopting effective measures to enable them to adapt to the new normal. © The Authors.
ABSTRACT
: Chest pain in children is a common complaint;however, it is rarely due to underlying cardiac illness. This underscores the importance of avoiding a false sense of safety in low-risk causes and maintaining vigilance for potential life-threatening etiologies. Taking into account age of the child and level of family anxiety (often due to adult family members with significant cardiac illness) and a stepwise approach are essential in evaluation of this symptom. Broad etiologies of chest pain include idiopathic, musculoskeletal, psychologic, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and cardiac. Specific questions targeted at red flag symptoms can assist providers in ensuring that risk factors for cardiac arrest are assessed. COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are newer causes of chest pain to be aware of. However, the cause of a complaint can be multifactorial and a thoughtful history, physical examination, and targeted work-up as needed are of utmost importance.
ABSTRACT
Unemployment in Ecuador's Amazonian communities has increased significantly during the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease, primarily from March to August 2020;as a result, the population has shifted its focus to agriculture. This economic sector is specifically directed towards the overexploitation of timber resources and the hunting of animals. This study proposes an Environmental Management Plan for three agricultural farms located in the San Pablo de Ushpayaco parish, Napo, Ecuador, which sell primarily organic products in local markets. The fieldwork included a historical analysis of the sector, the diagnosis of survival strategies, relevant environmental aspects, identification of actors, and interests regarding access to resources. Different problems include the inefficient use of water resources, poor land use management due to its overexploitation through monoculture practices, absence of sustainable agriculture and livestock practices, poor crop rotation, low application of organic fertilizers, and lack of inputs and resources were identified. Poor agricultural practices have led to low production yields and limited economic profit for farmers. This Environmental Management Plan focuses on the prevention, mitigation, and compensation of the environmental impacts caused by agriculture and therefore improving the quality of life of the communities in the study case.
ABSTRACT
Although the government contributes to the tourism recovery, the influence of the government on the micro-perceptions of tourism managers remains limited. The results of 415 samples demonstrate that government crisis management restores managers' confidence through different mediation of the sense of gain. Information and communication management improve only their sense of spiritual gain, while human resource development enhance merely their sense of material gain. Moreover, environmental uncertainty shows no moderation on restoring the managers' confidence. This study develops a theoretical framework for tourism crisis management and provides policy implications for the development of small tourism enterprises in times of crisis.
ABSTRACT
We all aspire to urbanism that recognizes the social, economic, political, cultural, and physical-spatial dimensions of cities: urbanism, which, based on working tools (SDAU, planning regulations, etc.), based on a quality model, will allow good practice and good translation of these systems on the territory (neighborhood, city, rural environment, etc.). Due to that, the authors propose and develop an automated urban planning amenagement platform for the generation of updates proposed by urban planning experts in order to improve the quality of amenagement regulations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, there have been changes in clinical practice to limit transmission, such as switching from face-to-face to remote consultations. We aimed to study the influence of technical factors on remote consultations in our experience during the pandemic. 12 clinicians completed data collection forms after consultations, recording the technology used (video vs phone); technical problems encountered; discharge or subsequent appointment status; and technical aspects of the consultation process using 0-10 numerical rating scales (NRS) (Time Adequate; Relevant History; Physical Exam; Management Plan; and Communication Quality). Data were collated on an MS Access 2016 database and transferred to SPSS version 25 for statistics. Of 285 forms valid for analysis, 48 (16.8%) had video consultations. Of 259 forms with technical problems data recorded, 48 (18.5%) had a technical problem. Video patients were significantly younger (mean 49.3 vs 61.3 years, p < 0.001), had higher scores on Physical Exam scale (mean 4.0 vs 2.6, p < 0.001), but had no significant difference on Management Plan scale (7.3 vs 7.2). Those with technical problems were more common among video consultations (33.3% vs 15.4%, p = 0.005), had lower scores on Time Adequate scale (7.7 vs 8.7, p < 0.001) and Communication Quality scale (7.1 vs 8.4, p < 0.001), but had no significant difference on Management Plan scale (7.3 vs 7.2). The strongest correlation of Management Plan scale was with Communication Quality scale (Rho = 0.64). Of the NRS, a 1-point reduction in scores on Management Plan scale was the strongest predictor of subsequent face-to-face appointment (Odds Ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.58-2.24), and this remained an independent predictor in multivariate analysis (adjusted OR 1.90, 1.57-2.31). Having a technical problem was inversely associated with the outcome of a subsequent face-to-face appointment (OR 0.17, 0.04-0.74), and this remained significant after adjustment for Management Plan in multivariate analysis (adjusted OR 0.09, 0.12-0.54). Video patients were younger suggesting a preference for video amongst younger patients. Although technical problems were more common with video, having a video consultation or a technical problem had no significant impact on management plan. Scoring lower on the Management Plan scale was the strongest predictor of, and independently associated with, requesting a subsequent face-to-face appointment. The inverse relationship of technical problems with subsequent face-to-face appointment request will need validation in further studies.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Remote Consultation , Rheumatology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Communication , Humans , PandemicsABSTRACT
Abnormal weather caused by global warming has brought about unprecedented torrential rain, causing heavy rain disasters in various parts of Japan. Since recent river flooding caused inundation damage over a wide area, area-wide evacuation, that is, evacuation to a safe place beyond municipalities' boundaries is necessary to save lives. This paper first introduces the community disaster management planning system that was established in Japan in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Next, the necessity of wide-area evacuation that has become apparent due to the recent flooding of large-scale rivers and a few problems that have arisen in the government-led wide-area evacuation plan are introduced, because residents' concrete evacuation behaviour was not sufficiently reflected. The author discusses efforts of a community in the Kofu basin, Yamanashi Prefecture which has been working to formulate a community disaster management plan for wide-area evacuation and city and prefectural efforts that support this district. The author also describes the risk communication that was undertaken to clarify the role of central ministries, local governments and community residents in the formulation of wide-area evacuation plans. Finally in wide-area evacuation drills, planned and conducted by the community in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the community disaster management plan is further reviewed. In this article, the author addresses how such a community-led wide-area evacuation plan is indispensable for administrations' effective wide-area evacuation planning. © 2021 WIT Press.
ABSTRACT
@#Since December 2019, an epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) has occurred in China. How to effectively prevent and control NCP among children with limited resources is an urgent issue to be explored. Under the unified arrangement of the Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, the Department of Pediatrics has formulated an action plan with Xiangya unique model to prevent and control NCP among children according to the current epidemic situation and diagnostic and therapeutic program in China.