COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Our Physical Environment: A Critical Analysis

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has created adverse effects globally on human lives in various ways, including the economy and the physical environment. Different national and international research reports confirmed that it has killed many people and many of them have been suffering seriously. Governments around the world have taken different measures to comprehend the spread of COVID-19 through human-to-human transmission such as maintaining physical distance, avoiding public gathering and many other disciplinary actions. However, these measures have also created significant effects on the environment. Lockdown in many countries, along with minimal human movement has positively impacted the physical environment slightly. It has steered to a perfection in the overall air quality and a reduction in water pollution in many places, overall carbon emissions have dropped and also reduces the pressure on the tourist places around the world. These may support to restore our ecological system. Conversely, some researches argue that due to COVID-19 outbreak significant environmental damages wait for us, that include increase of medical waste, random use and disposal of sanitizers, masks and gloves, and burden of unprocessed wastes incessantly jeopardizing the physical environment. Researchers also argued that economic events will be normal as soon as the pandemic is over, or somehow during pandemic, and the situation might be changing. In these backdrop, it is necessary to think of possible ways to attain enduring environmental advantages. However, the aim of this chapter is to identify the environmental consequences due to COVID-19 pandemic, as well, recommend possible ways as future policy inputs for a sustainable environment. A number of published materials such as various research reports of different government, non-government and international organizations as well as internet sources were collected and reviewed critically for the purpose. It is hoped that the findings and suggestions would be contributory to the academia as well as to the policy makers. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022, corrected publication 2022.

The impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education

PurposeThis study aims to discuss the impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the viewpoint of a number of teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approachA total of 308 lecturers were selected using a snowball sampling method from different social media websites. The researcher used a descriptive analysis method by conducting social surveys. FindingsThe results reveal that there is a negative impact of the physical environment on the quality of distance education from the perspective of the teaching staff in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also show that there are statistically significant differences between males and females in terms of the quality of distance education in favor of males. In addition, there are no statistically significant differences in the quality of distance education based on the place from which the lecture is given and the faculty type. Practical implicationsThe study recommends improving teaching staff's performance in the teaching process, boosting their comfort level and reducing stress and anxiety which may be caused by the surrounding physical environment during distance education. Originality/valueThe topic of the study is of great significance to quality assurance in education, i.e. online learning and teaching.

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review.

Mental health is influenced by multiple complex and interacting genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. As such, developing state-of-the-art mental health knowledge requires collaboration across academic disciplines, including environmental science. To assess the current contribution of environmental science to this field, a scoping review of the literature on environmental influences on mental health (including conditions of cognitive development and decline) was conducted. The review protocol was developed in consultation with experts working across mental health and environmental science. The scoping review included 202 English-language papers, published between 2010 and 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic), on environmental themes that had not already been the subject of recent systematic reviews; 26 reviews on climate change, flooding, air pollution, and urban green space were additionally considered. Studies largely focused on populations in the USA, China, or Europe and involved limited environmental science input. Environmental science research methods are primarily focused on quantitative approaches utilising secondary datasets or field data. Mental health measurement was dominated by the use of self-report psychometric scales. Measures of environmental states or exposures were often lacking in specificity (e.g., limited to the presence or absence of an environmental state). Based on the scoping review findings and our synthesis of the recent reviews, a research agenda for environmental science's future contribution to mental health scholarship is set out. This includes recommendations to expand the geographical scope and broaden the representation of different environmental science areas, improve measurement of environmental exposure, prioritise experimental and longitudinal research designs, and giving greater consideration to variation between and within communities and the mediating pathways by which environment influences mental health. There is also considerable opportunity to increase interdisciplinarity within the field via the integration of conceptual models, the inclusion of mixed methods and qualitative approaches, as well as further consideration of the socio-political context and the environmental states that can help support good mental health. The findings were used to propose a conceptual model to parse contributions and connections between environmental science and mental health to inform future studies.

How does indoor physical environment differentially affect learning performance in various classroom types?

Classroom indoor physical environment (CIPE) crucially impacts learning performance (LP). Along with the extended school hours caused by COVID-19, an investigation was conducted at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University to explore the effect of CIPE on LP in different classroom types under natural working condition of transitional seasons. Based on a six-day physical environment measurement and learning performance test, then five CIPE parameters and three LP indicators of four learning abilities were obtained. Through the statistical analysis, the results demonstrated that all CIPE parameters had some correlation or influence on LP, briefly, (1) Low carbon dioxide concentration (CCD, below 700 ppm) was a positive significant factor for all learning abilities, and relative humidity (RH) was a negative factor for comprehension memory ability (CMA) (significant) and logic deduction ability (LDA) (general) to varying degrees, with center illumination (Ic) being a positive significant factor for CMA only. (2) Deeper abilities, like CMA and LDA, were more susceptible to air temperature (Ta) and RH, with the former being positive and the latter being negative. (3) Compared to other types, LP in compact classrooms was more vulnerable to CIPE parameters, such as the positive influence of Ta and CCD, due to the greater variation in CIPE. The findings revealed the differential relationships between the CIPE and LP in various classroom types, guiding classroom design that couples the dual optimization of CIPE and LP. Limitations remain, however, and need to be supplemented by more future research, e.g. year-round experiments and medical instrumentation assistance. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Purveyors of One Health: The ecological imperative driving the future of leisure services

The coronavirus pandemic, for all of its damage to human health and well-being, has brought to light the wisdom underlying the idea of One Health, whose advocates reason that health is a reciprocal relationship between our species and the environment that sustains us. What is good for people should also be good for the environment, and what is good for the environment should also be good for people. Their preferred future is one in the same. As the recent days, weeks, and months have also shown, leisure is not necessarily a cure for what ails us. Indeed, leisure pursuits may have contributed to the pandemic's spread. What, then, are we to make of leisure in the time of the coronavirus? We believe it is a fundamental lesson in ecology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Bridging the Built and Social Environments: A Systematic Review of Studies Investigating Influences on Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review was to examine articles assessing aspects of the built and social environment simultaneously, and how these environments influence physical activity (PA). A thorough review of studies is needed to identify patterns across studies and gaps for future research and practice. METHODS: To be included, articles needed to contain: (1) self-report or objective measure of PA; (2) a measure of the built environment; (3) a measure of the social environment; and (4) an analysis between built environment, social environment, and PA. A systematic literature search of 4358 articles resulted in 87 articles. RESULTS: Several populations were present within the sample including various age groups and different countries. As previously established, the built environment and social environment were consistently associated with PA; however, mediating factors between these 2 layers were less clear. Further, there was a lack of longitudinal and experimental study designs. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a need for longitudinal and experimental designs with validated and granular measures. As communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, a thorough understanding of how built environment factors enhance or detract from social connectedness and how this reciprocal relationship impacts PA behavior is needed for future policy, environment, and systematic change.

Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers' Motor and Social-Emotional Competence.

This study examined the relationship between the quality of the kindergarten physical and social environment to promote physical activity (PA) and preschoolers' motor and social-emotional competence. Two Portuguese kindergartens (Gondomar city) were selected from a pool of seventeen with an assessment of kindergarten PA best practices (one with high PA practices, the other with low). Thirty-six children (M = 4.42; SD = 1.00 years) without neuromotor disorders participated in this study. Motor and social-emotional competence were assessed with standardized motor skills tasks and parent report of child behaviors. Children from the kindergarten with higher compliance with PA best practices showed significantly better motor competence. No statistically significant differences were found for social-emotional competence scores. These findings emphasize the critical importance of kindergarten in promoting preschoolers' motor competence by assuring a physical and social environment that enhances their PA practice. This is a particularly relevant concern for directors and teachers during the post-pandemic period, given the developmental delays and decreases in physical activity preschool children experienced across the pandemic period.

A Qualitative Study of Hospital Interior Environments during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Human beings have encountered different infectious diseases. However, there is not much validated data available on the physical environments of hospitals when responding to highly contagious viruses, such as COVID-19. This study was conducted to assess the physical environments of hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. There exists a need to analyze whether the physical environments of hospitals were conducive or obstructive to medical practice during the pandemic. A total of forty-six staff working in intensive care units, progressive care units, and emergency rooms were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Out of this group, fifteen staff members participated in the interview. They were asked to list the changes made to the hospital's physical environment during the pandemic, which included equipping the hospital environment for medical practice and protecting staff from becoming infected. They were also asked about desirable improvements that they believe could increase their productivity and ensure safety. The results indicated the difficulty in isolating COVID-19 patients and converting a single occupancy room into a double occupancy room. Isolating COVID-19 patients made it easier for staff to care for the patients, but it made them feel isolated and at the same time increased the walking distance. Signs indicating a COVID area helped them to prepare for medical practices ahead of time. Glass doors provided greater visibility and enabled them to monitor the patients. However, the dividers installed at nursing stations were obstructive. This study suggests that further research should be conducted once the pandemic is over.

Supportive or Hindering Physical Environments in Hospital Units Dealing With COVID-19 Patients.

PURPOSE: This project was designed to discover how hospital units with COVID-19 patients influenced staff's medical practices and health conditions. BACKGROUND: Although hospital environments have well-known associations with health outcomes, findings are limited in demonstrating the role of physical environments during a global pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted from three units in a university hospital and a total of 113 staff participated. They rated the impact of physical environments on staff members' medical practice and their health conditions before and mid-pandemic. They also specified physical changes, hindering and helpful features, and future improvements in open-ended questions. RESULTS: The perceived supportiveness of the physical environments on communication significantly dropped from before-pandemic to midpandemic, followed by mental health and feeling of connection and engagement. Separating COVID-19 patients helped staff workflow, but staff felt disconnected and had poor visibility. CONCLUSION: Based on painful lessons, interdisciplinary researchers, including healthcare professionals, designers, and administrators, should further collaborate to create supportive hospital environments.

The Attitudes of Al Ain University Students to the Challenges of Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study explored The Attitudes University Students to the Challenges of Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Al Ain University as a case study. To address this goal, we administered an electronic questionnaire to gather data on the technical, pedagogical, and social and physical environment challenges faced by the students. A random sample of 200 members was selected from the online student community, representing 5% of the whole (with a 60/40% female/male split). An analytical descriptive approach was used to assess the results. The main findings were that numerous distractions at home reduced the students' concentration during distance learning, and most faced technical problems with taking electronic exams and studying the curriculum. Students also found that the teaching methods did not suit the process of distance learning. More positively, they also believed that distance learning increased their ability to interact and participate because the barrier of fear was eliminated. These findings suggest several courses of action for modifying course descriptions and curricula to make strategies of teaching and evaluation more suited to distance learning. Such descriptions were designed for face-to-face learning and therefore changes are needed to cope with the requirements of increased amounts of distance learning and teaching. © 2022 IEEE.

Row-by-Column, Plexiglass & Zoom, Oh My! A K-12 COVID-19 Storm / A Pilot

We are 21 years into the 21st century, and educational practices across North America were woefully unprepared to 'flip the switch' to online learning, at times no education occurred at all, not online or onsite. The COVID-19 pandemic disruptor storm peeled off the layers of blindfolds time accrued in an instant. Issues included three areas. Area one--unpreparedness: digital illiteracy relative to online learning and corresponding teaching models, equity issues pertaining to internet access and computer access, platforms that varied and were unreliable. Area two--inconsistent: (if any) guidelines on how to teach onsite, or those from a disease control group dictating a six-foot distancing, masks, plexiglass, and row-by-column with eyes facing forward (back to a 19th century teaching didactic model), and smaller class sizes. Area three-time/space continuum: the combining of online and onsite, teaching loads, and maintenance. This 'alpha' research study tried to capture a historic moment in time. A Human-centered Research Design (HcRD) protocol with three techniques to mitigate bias was used: (1) online survey, (2) focused interviews, and (3) crowd-sourced photographic content across two countries--USA and Canada as a convenience sample. The findings will reveal a 'just-in-time' snap shot of the tactics used pre- and current-, as well as ideas for post-pandemic--this research's differentiator. The storm of COVID-19 played unprecedented havoc on schools across North America, but there are important learnings and these, along with some insights will be shared.

UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018-2021 Goal Area 4: Every Child Lives in a Safe and Clean Environment. Evidence and Gap Map Research Brief. Innocenti Research Brief 2022-07

This research brief is one of a series of six briefs, which provide an overview of available evidence shown in the Campbell-UNICEF Mega-Map of the effectiveness of interventions to improve child wellbeing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Five of the six briefs summarize evidence as mapped against the five Goal Areas of UNICEF's Strategic Plan 2018-2021, although it is anticipated that they will also be useful for others working in the child well-being space. The sixth brief maps the COVID-19-relevant studies. This brief provides an overview of the available evidence related to interventions to ensure that every child lives in a safe and clean environment. The purpose of the research brief is to: (1) Make potential users aware of the map and its contents, (2) Identify areas in which there is ample evidence to guide policy and practice, and so encourage policymakers and practitioners to use the map as a way to access rigorous studies of effectiveness, and (3) Identify gaps in the evidence base, and so encourage research commissioners to commission studies to fill these evidence gaps. [This brief is an update of the 2020 version. It was written with assistance from Yashika Kanojia.]

Self-Care and Mental Health Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social and Physical Environment Features of Interactions Which Impact Meaningfulness and Mitigate Loneliness.

The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted patterns and limited opportunities for social interaction, which increased already high loneliness rates among college students. Meaningful social interactions can mitigate negative mental health outcomes such as loneliness and bolster social support, which is in turn linked to better self-care practices. Social connection can aid in self-care through social support as well as be considered a self-care practice itself to counter the negative effects of loneliness. This study examined the social interaction patterns of 132 college students from a mid-sized United States university during the pandemic to understand which characteristics support meaningful interactions. Students completed an online survey from October through December 2020 to report details of their 2020 and 2019 social interactions, as well as their most recent interactions, including time spent, the mode (in-person versus virtual), their relationship to others in the interaction, the type of activity and privacy of the setting. Results found that students spent significantly less time interacting with non-roommates in-person in 2020, and more time in voice and video calls. No differences were found for texting and in-person roommate interactions. Meaningfulness was significantly higher for interactions with family or friends. Students reported the highest meaning for interactions that were planned and in-person, with lowest meaning for planned virtual interactions. No differences were observed for meaningfulness based on the type of interaction activity or privacy of the setting. Understanding the characteristics of the most meaningful interactions can help college students prioritize social interactions that may best promote self-care, mitigate loneliness, and bolster social support. High meaningfulness scores for planned in-person interactions suggests that these types of interactions may be most valuable for maintaining existing self-care patterns, engaging in self-care activities, and receiving support. Self-care activities for college students, including social interactions, were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have further exacerbated loneliness. College students should be encouraged to consciously engage in person with family and friends to practice self-care and maintain or improve mental health. Strategically selecting interactions that will optimize meaningfulness may therefore be critical to helping students to maintain positive mental health during and beyond the pandemic.

The physical activity and health promotion activities of global university students: a review of reviews.

University students globally are reportedly living unhealthy lifestyles, challenging universities to develop physical activity (PA) and health promotion (HP) intervention strategies. The current study aimed to review global universities' physical activity and health promotion activities to inform the PA and HP guidelines for Eswatini university students in the Sub-Saharan region. An electronic search was performed for review articles published between 1996 and 2021, using Cochrane, Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Medline Web of Science databases. The documents reviewed showed that some global universities under investigation follow the health promoting university (HPU) concept influenced by the Ottawa charter (1986). The review articles further showed that implementing the healthy university concept differs due to cultural and contextual differences from one institution to another. The reviews showed the main item areas as smoking control/alcohol and drug abuse, mental health, sexual health, physical activities, healthy eating habits/diet categorized under health promotion. The main PA activities were pedometer activity tracking, measurement of PA using validated questionnaires, sports, games, among other intervention activities. The HPU concept is thus a good starting point that can be promoted and spread to all other universities globally with different charters' guidance, including the Ottawa charter and the Okanagan charter.

Physical environment research of the family ward for a healthy residential environment.

Climate change and population aging are two of the most important global health challenges in this century. A 2020 study by the Environmental Protection Agency showed that average people, particularly older adults, spent 90% of their time at home. This is even more evident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Home-based care models have become a new trend. The health and comfort of the living environment profoundly impacts the wellbeing of older adults. Therefore, research on the physical environment of the family wards has become an inevitable part of promoting the health of older adults; however, current research is still lacking. Based on the study and analysis of continuous monitoring data related to elements of the physical environment (thermal comfort, acoustic quality, lighting quality, and indoor air quality) of family wards, this paper explores the living behaviors of the participants in this environmental research (open or closed windows, air conditioning, artificial lighting, and television) on the indoor physical environment. (1) While referring to the requirements of international standards for an indoor aging-friendly physical environment, we also discuss and analyze the physical environment parameter values according to Chinese standards. (2) People's life behaviors have different degrees of influence on the elements of indoor physical environments. For example, opening doors and windows can alleviate the adverse effects of indoor environmental quality on the human body better than simply turning on the air conditioner. (3) Owing to the decline in physical function, older adults need special care. Studying the status quo of physical environmental elements and proposing suitable environmental improvement measures for aging are of great significance. (4) This research aims to address global warming and severe aging and to contribute to sustainable environmental development.

Group Differences: The Relationship between Social Media Use and Depression during the Outbreak of COVID-19 in China.

The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 triggered more psychological problems than usual among the public. During this epidemic, the use of social media was very high, and several studies confirmed a positive correlation between social media use and people's psychological problems. The Chinese government has subsequently implemented a series of policies concerning the social media environment to tackle this "infodemic". After the containment of the first COVID-19 outbreak, China saw a new wave of COVID-19 cases in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province in January 2021. How the optimized social media could have impacted public mental health remained to be revealed. Our research data come from an online survey of Chinese residents during the regional epidemic in Shijiazhuang, with a total of 904 valid samples from 18 different provinces in China. The results showed that this new round of outbreaks caused a high incidence of depression (38.9%) among the public. Compared with relatively advantaged groups, disadvantaged groups have a higher depression. Attributed to the optimization of the social media environment, the prevalence of social media use during the epidemic helped to markedly mitigate anxieties from depression. This is particularly demonstrated in vulnerable groups. We found, for the first time, a change in the relationship between social media use and resident depression, and more importantly, a stronger correlation between social media use and depression in relatively disadvantaged groups. Therefore, during the epidemic, actively optimizing the social media environment has a significant and positive effect on the mental health of residents, especially vulnerable groups.

Effects of self-efficacy and learning environment on Hong Kong undergraduate students’ academic performance in online learning

Purpose: This paper aims to illustrate the importance of the quality of Online Learning Physical Environment (OLPE) and Online Learning Self-efficacy (OLSE) in predicting academic performance in online learning, which was the primary mode of teaching during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Policy recommendations were made based on the findings from a psychological perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Responses from 104 Hong Kong undergraduate students were collected through a questionnaire survey. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression, simple linear regression, and Pearson correlation. Findings: Despite the fact that OLSE showed no significant direct effect on academic performance in online learning, OLSE was positively correlated with and predictive of OLPE, while OLPE was positively correlated with and predictive of online learning performance. The findings indicated that undergraduate students from low-income families tended to have less superior academic performance, which was associated with poorer OLPE and OLSE. Originality/value: The findings suggested that in order to alleviate learning inequality in online learning, policy makers may allocate funding to enhance OLPE and OLSE of undergraduate students from low-income families. © 2022, Francis C.Y. Kuan and Stephanie Wing Lee.

Exploring the role of the physical environment in building self-efficacy in first-year African engineering students

African engineering students may find themselves facing stereotype threat fueled by negative global narratives. Culturally-responsive pedagogies have the potential to counter these narratives. Specific pedagogical approaches and mechanisms that build self-efficacy should be elucidated, so as to enable more African educators to leverage transformative tools in their teaching. This paper explores the hypothesis that in addition to mastery experiences, which can be experienced through project-based learning, the physical environment also plays a significant role in affecting African students' sense of possibility and therefore self-efficacy. By restricting students from entering the campus environment, as necessarily happened with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, conditions for an experiment were naturally created. By comparing responses to the same surveys administered to the engineering students at Ashesi University (Ghana) between the cohorts who conducted their first year in person versus online, the author studies the extent to which the physical environment influences students' self-efficacy levels. The results suggest that the original hypothesis does not fully hold, and it may require a more nuanced view. While the author expected the initial self-efficacy measures towards design and fabrication reported by the 2020 cohort (online) to be lower, they were somewhat higher than the 2019 cohort (in person), with small effect size for both genders (gmen = 0.172, gwomen = 0.281). The change in self-efficacy levels over the semester were also equally to more significant for the 2020 cohort who attended online compared to the 2021 cohort completing the same mini-course with weekly sessions in-person. These results suggest that intangible sources of self-efficacy may have a greater influence than the tangible items in the physical environment. They may also suggest that the students' presence in the physical environment can equally be substituted with the assurance of the accessibility of the requisite facilities. Further studies should continue unpacking the role of different variables in driving self-efficacy levels of first year African engineering students. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022

Teachers’ Attitudes toward Remote Instruction

COVID-19 pandemic is a global catastrophe that has negatively impacted people’s ability to sustain normal life after its outbreak. This virus is regarded as the greatest challenge that faces governments and civil society organizations around the globe. Educational institutions were among the first ones that took action to deal with the damages caused by the pandemic. However, some problems have prevented the progress of the online teaching process. In this study, the researcher discusses the effects of the social and physical challenges on the progress of online teaching encountered by teachers who are working from home. Specifically, the study aims to explore the social and physical factors that could influence the teaching methods teachers normally use. The study included a sample of 338 male and female teachers in Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates, who used an electronic platform as an alternative plan to share knowledge since classrooms were unavailable for use. The participants filled in a questionnaire which was distributed via social media platforms. Furthermore, the researcher studied the differences between the participants’ responses and attempted to establish a relationship between the standard deviation values and a group of variables, that is, gender, sector, and marital status. The study concluded with some recommendations to enhance teachers’ performance and help them deal with the workload without getting nervous or depressed.

Exploring dimensions of the customer experience at budget hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic: a netnography approach

Purpose In 2020, the world encountered travel restrictions because of pandemic, and the hospitality sector across the globe was one of the most affected industries. The purpose of this study is to further explore real-time experiences of guests who stayed in budget hotels and how pandemic has changed the expectations of its customer segment. Design/methodology/approach The current study uses netnography to examine customer experience of guests who stayed at budget hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 plus on 1,391 customer reviews collected from various travel portals. Findings The results suggested personalization and hygiene were the most significant themes that influence customer experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors' analysis revealed that the use of self-service technologies like contactless services during check-in, checkouts and use of Quick Response codes in restaurants and other services would help reduce the perceived risk of guests and enhance the overall customer experience. Originality/value The branded budget hotel sector has pumped in lot of money envisaging growth just before the COVID crises emerged. Therefore, the fast recovery is of paramount importance for the sector. Additionally, majority of the pandemic-related studies in hospitality sector have focused on luxury hotels and failed to address the real-time experiences of customers with respect to budget hotels of a developing country. The outcome of this study will be relevant for the budget hotels and policymakers because they face the crucial task of reviving and sustaining enterprises and the industry at large.