Effect of physical activity on stress and the sense of community during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of gender and age

Despite their effectiveness in minimizing the spread of infection, movement restrictions adopted during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have not been without their health-related consequences, including decreases in physical activity and increases in sedentary behavior. This study aimed to investigate differences in stress and sense of community among Korean citizens in various age groups according to the degree of their participation in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed data collected during the Social Survey of Busan Metropolitan City 2020, the population of which included all household members over the age of 15. Data for a total of 33,082 participants (male = 15,129;female = 17,953) were extracted using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Age, stress level, and sense of community were analyzed using independent t-tests, while the frequency of participation in physical activity was analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Differences in stress level and community consciousness according to the frequency of physical activity were examined via multivariate analysis of variance. Variables exhibiting significant differences were evaluated for differences between groups through Scheffe's post hoc analysis. First, stress levels were higher among female adolescents than male adolescents. Among adults and older adults, men exhibited higher overall stress levels than women, whereas sense of community was stronger in women than men. Second, male adolescents in the regular physical activity participation group showed lower levels in some factors of stress than those in the nonparticipating group. Finally, a higher frequency of participation in physical activity among adults and older adults was associated with lower stress and higher sense of community, regardless of gender. In conclusion, regular participation in physical activity should be considered when designing strategies for managing stress and promoting social relationships at the national and individual levels during COVID-19 and any similar pandemics in the future.Copyright ©2023 The Author(s). Published by MRE Press.

Are Pid-5 Personality Traits and Self-Harm Attitudes Related? A Study on a Young Adult Sample Pre-Post Covid-19 Pandemic

Introduction: More evidence confirms a link between maladaptive personality traits and Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI). Research suggests that individuals with NSSI were found to have higher levels of negative affect, detachment, antagonism, and psychoticism. Additionally, the interest in the relationship between COVID-19 and NSSI is growing. The present study aims (a) to investigate differences in personality traits between individuals with NSSI, suicidal ideation, NSSI and suicidal ideation co-occurrence and none;(b) to observe which personality traits predominantly influence the occurrence of self-harm acts;(c) to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on selfharm attitude. Method(s): 270 (108 males and 172 females) participants aged between 18-25 were included in the study. Each individual participated in a clinical interview and completed an assessment consisting of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to test the differences in personality traits between the groups. Moreover, a multiple hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for age and gender, was performed to measure the association between personality traits and self-harm attitude (HoNOS item 2). Finally, to investigate whether there was a difference in self-harm attitude before and after the pandemic, a T-test was conducted. Result(s): The individuals with the highest levels of negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, and psychoticism are those who simultaneously present suicidal ideation and NSSI. Additionally, age and detachment predicted higher scores in self-harm attitudes. Our results unexpectedly do not confirm an upward trend of NSSI and suicidal ideation in the pandemic period. Conclusion(s): The study shows that personality, particularly maladaptive traits, is fundamental to a greater understanding of NSSIs. Furthermore, as NSSIs and suicidal ideation are predictive (although not determinative) of suicidal attempts, implementing psychotherapeutic treatments would have a conspicuous impact on self-harm attitudes, thereby reducing suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

School counselors' perceived school climate, leadership practice, psychological empowerment, and multicultural competence before and during COVID‐19

Following a population‐based randomized design, we investigated changes of school counselors' psychological empowerment, multicultural competence, and leadership practice, as well as their perception of school climate from before to during COVID‐19. Specifically, school counselors were randomized into two conditions: (a) the pre‐COVID‐19 condition (n = 506) and (b) the current‐COVID‐19 condition (n = 542). Participants in the pre‐COVID condition responded to survey items following a retrospective manner based on their experiences between September 2019 and March 2020. We found that participants in the current COVID‐19 condition scored significantly higher in psychological empowerment and perceived school climate and lower in multicultural competence and leadership practices compared to the participants in the pre‐COVID‐19 condition. Regardless of directionality of changes, results supported the significant impacts that the pandemic had on school counselors' roles related to addressing systemic issues. We discussed implications of the results to school counseling practice and school counselor training.

Examining State Education Department As Learning Organisation in Next Normal of Educational Management: A Case Study of Perlis State Education Department, Malaysia

Organizations face significant challenges as a result of unforeseen disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made people pay attention to how organisations become more innovative, as adapting to these changes is no longer an option but a requirement. This study is aimed at determining the learning organization level among Perlis State Education Official (SEO) and a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to determine possible differences in the learning organisation practice of the SEO based on demographic factors. A survey was conducted, and 102 Perlis SEOs were selected using the survey method through questionnaire. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that the level of learning organisation was high (M = 4.107, SD = 0.612) and there was no significant difference in the learning organisation practices of SEOs based on position, age, experience, academic qualifications and frequency of participating in courses, workshops or training related to governance, leadership or educational management during the respondent's tenancy at Perlis state education department (SED). This study's findings are useful for Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia and SED because they may be used to improve key policies, reform learning organisations, and improve educational management performance. Future research should expand the study sample to explain how other organisations learn across areas or zones in Malaysia. It may also be used to compare data from comparable research in other areas or the public sector and give future insights for nations like Malaysia. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.

Living with financial limitations: Psychological effects and social support during the times of COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic and mandatory quarantine, people with high levels of economic limitations (NALE) were more vulnerable to the decrease in business activities. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to compare an Argentine sample of people with low levels of financial limitations (n=344) with another with NALE (n=109). Social support, some psychological symptoms, and several components related to contagion with COVID-19 were analyzed. The non-probabilistic sample was collected online, and the differences were calculated through multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results showed that participants with NALE scored higher concerning symptoms and lower in relation to social support. The two exceptions consisted of psychoticism and the need for support, where no significant differences were found. It is concluded that, applying the multidimensional vision of social exclusion, the fact that no significant differences were found in relation to the need for support could be considered a key for future research and even public interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) Durante la pandemia del COVID-19 y la cuarentena obligatoria, las personas con niveles altos de limitaciones economicas (NALE) tenian mayor grado de vulnerabilidad ante la disminucion de las actividades comerciales. Por eso, el objetivo del presente estudio comprendio un estudio de diferencias de grupos entre una muestra argentina de personas con niveles bajos de limitaciones economicas (n=344) y otra con NALE (n=109). Para ello, se analizaron el apoyo social, determinados sintomas psicologicos y varios componentes relacionados al contagio con el COVID-19. La muestra no probabilistica se recogio por Internet y las diferencias se calcularon a traves del analisis multivariante de la varianza (MANOVA). Los resultados evidenciaron que los participantes con NALE puntuaron mas alto con respecto a los sintomas y mas bajo con relacion al apoyo social. Las dos excepciones consistian en el psicoticismo y la necesidad de apoyo, donde no se encontraron diferencias significativas. Se concluye que, aplicando la vision multidimensional de la exclusion social, el hecho que no se encontraron diferencias significativas con relacion a la necesidad de apoyo podria considerarse una clave para futuras investigaciones e incluso intervenciones publicas. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Analyzing the Quantitative and Domino impact of Selected Financial Crises on the Brazil’s Banking and Economic parameters-A Diverse and Inclusive Challenge

Financial crises impact the economy as well as the banking sector of the country in a systemic risk form. It’s a contagion impact that rolls from one nation to the another, one bank to the another, one crisis to the another and one factor to the another. This paper studies and analyses this domino impact of the 4 selected financial crises (US subprime crises, Russian financial crises, Eurozone crises and Covid 19 crises) on the Brazil’s economy and banking sector, along with the quantitative impact on various key variables. The researcher analysed the financial position of top 2 banks of Brazil from 2002 to 2021 along with the country’s macroeconomic position in the same period. The researcher has done an in-depth analysis of each bank with financial factors as dependent variables, macroeconomic factors as independent variables and selected financial crises as fixed and latent variables. MANOVA is used to analyse the mean difference of each parameter during each selected financial crises for both the banks. The groups of key factors are formed based upon the results, which showed almost no discrepancy in the results of both the banks. ANOVA pairwise comparisons is used to understand the domino impact of each variable and the corresponding pairs of each selected crises. The first bank showed much dominance of US subprime crises on Russian, Eurozone and Covid 19 crises for many factors, and only one factor (ROE) dominance for Russian on eurozone and covid 19. The second bank showed all the selected financial crises dominance on each other for many factors.

Possibilities of Hyperinflanimation Correction in COVID-19

Objective. To evaluate the effect of sodium meglumine succinate on the severity of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome when used in complex therapy in patients with severe COVID-19. Material and Methods. The clinical and laboratory data of 12 patients with the diagnosis & Novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental interstitial pneumonia» were analyzed. All patients underwent intensive therapy with a limited volume of water load in the intensive care unit in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Seven patients (observation group) received a polyelectrolyte solution containing meglumine sodium succinate (Reamberin) as part of the therapy at a daily dose of 5 ml/kg during the entire period of stay in theICU (3-10 days).The control group included 5 patients who received a similar volume of a conventional polyelectrolyte solution containing no metabolically active substrates. The study was pilot in nature due to the small number of patients. The laboratory parameters of arterial and venous blood were measured at the following stages: 1) upon admission to the ICU;2) 2-4 hours after the completion of Reamberin infusion;3)8-12 hours after drug administration;4) 24 hours after the start of intensive care. Mor-tality rate and the incidence of thrombotic complications in the groups were assessed on the 28th day of observation. The pres¬ence of the therapeutic intervention effect was established using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results. A positive effect of the study drug on the severity of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) against the background of ongoing etiotropic therapy was noted. Efficiency criteria were the correction of hyperfibrinogenemia, nor-malization of the platelet count, decrease in the level of C-reactive protein, ferritin, and leukocytosis. A significant decrease in the frequency of thromboembolic events was observed within 28 days of treatment, as well as a reduction in the length of time the patients spent in the ICU. Conclusion. Based on the results of the pilot study, it can be assumed that the antihypoxic and antiradical effects of the drug contribute to the reduction of pulmonary and systemic endotheliitis, which is characteristic of severe forms of the disease and, as a result, inhibits the development of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The data obtained can serve as a basis for further in-depth studies.

Professional challenges encountered by healthcare professionals and its impact on their well-being during the covid-19 pandemic

Background: The unprecedented public health concern of COVID-19 pandemic poses challenges at structural and psychosocial levels, increases the risk of psychological morbidity and affects the well-being of healthcare professionals (HCPs). Objective: The study aimed to understand the professional challenges faced by HCPs during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. It also aimed to understand the psycho-social impact of these challenges on the subjective well-being of HCPs. Method: A cross-sectional web-based survey was designed, consisting of twenty-eight multiple choice or Likert-type questions. The survey had four mental health domains to be explored. It was an anonymous survey with online informed consent and was circulated on social media groups of doctors and nurses in Delhi, India using snow-ball method. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to study demographic and COVID-19 related factors on psychological and occupational variables. Further, thematic analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) were used for short answer qualitative questions. Results: Results of 253 HCPs showed that those dealing with COVID-19 patients, scored lower on perceived occupational preparedness (F1,251 = 6.266, p < 0.0001), work satisfaction (F1,251= 40.998, p < 0.0001) and well-being (F1,251 = 53.529, p < 0.0001) as compared to non-COVID-19 duty HCPs;although they displayed less challenges in adaptation and protection (F1,251 =17.413, p < 0.0001). Based on LDA and thematic analysis, seven clusters were identified each-to understand the greatest struggle and subsequent support needed by HCPs during the pandemic. Conclusions: The study highlights the immediate need to protect the mental health of HCPs by establishing comprehensive psychological interventions and services.

Health related quality of life for stone patients during COVID-19 pandemic is significantly lower than pre-pandemic

Introduction & Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has altered many aspects of life including quality of life and the way patients interact with the health care system. We assessed patients with stone disease seen in the urology clinic for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) prior to and during COVID-19 utilizing the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life questionnaire (WISQOL). Methods: The WISQOL is used routinely in our clinical practice to assess patients' HRQOL at every encounter. Patients seen in clinic with stone disease at a single institution were invited to complete a WISQOL and provide information as to their stone and stone-related symptom statuses. Responses from patients seen from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 (pre COVID- 19) were compared to patients seen from June 9, 2020 to December 31, 2020 (post COVID-19). Patients were case matched based on symptomatic status (yes/no/not sure) and gender. WISQOL total and domain scores were standardized to scales of 0-100. Symptomatic patients, asymptomatic patients and patients who were not sure if they were symptomatic from stone disease were analyzed separately using MANOVA. Results: A total of 90 patients were included in the analysis (45 pre COVID-19 and 45 post COVID-19). In the post COVID- 19 cohort, 14 patients were symptomatic, 27 were asymptomatic and 4 were not sure if they were symptomatic. Symptomatic patients seen post COVID-19 had statistically lower HRQOL compared to patients pre COVID-19 (44.8 ± 18.6 vs 62.6 ± 29.2, p < 0.05). HRQOL did not differ significantly pre and post COVID for asymptomatic patients (86.9 ± 21.6 vs 90.4 ± 9.9, p = 0.37) or patients who were not sure if they were symptomatic (98.2 ± 1.3 vs 57.6 ± 42.3, p = 0.308). For patients with symptoms, HRQOL was particularly lower with respect to social functioning and vitality (Table). Conclusions: Patients seen in urology clinic for stone disease during the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly lower HRQOL then those seen prior to the onset of COVID-19. (Table Presented).