Principal Perspectives on School Staffing Struggles: Finding from the 2022 Learn Together Survey. American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A827-14

In this report, a nationally representative sample of kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) public school principals were asked about their experiences with covering classrooms and hiring staff. In the spring of the 2021-2022 school year, which coincided with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) omicron variant surge, most principals struggled to keep classrooms consistently staffed and many reported that hiring had become more challenging since the previous school year. Principals indicated that a lack of substitute teachers -- not an increase in open teaching positions -- was the main reason for classroom coverage shortages. In addition to day-to-day coverage issues, most principals reported that teacher vacancies were on the rise. Most of these principals believed that vacancies had grown more difficult to fill than in the prior school year, largely because of declining applicant counts. Principals' preferences when hiring teachers lend further insight into potential drivers of hiring challenges. A large majority of principals expressed strong preferences for like-minded teachers whose mindsets aligned with the vision and culture of the schools. Few principals prioritized the diversity of the educator workforce at their schools.

The Syncretic Effect of Dual-Source Data on Affective Computing in Online Learning Contexts: A Perspective from Convolutional Neural Network with Attention Mechanism

Affective computing (AC) has been regarded as a relevant approach to identifying online learners' mental states and predicting their learning performance. Previous research mainly used one single-source data set, typically learners' facial expression, to compute learners' affection. However, a single facial expression may represent different affections in various head poses. This study proposed a dual-source data approach to solve the problem. Facial expression and head pose are two typical data sources that can be captured from online learning videos. The current study collected a dual-source data set of facial expressions and head poses from an online learning class in a middle school. A deep learning neural network using AlexNet with an attention mechanism was developed to verify the syncretic effect on affective computing of the proposed dual-source fusion strategy. The results show that the dual-source fusion approach significantly outperforms the single-source approach based on the AC recognition accuracy between the two approaches (dual-source approach using Attention-AlexNet model 80.96%;single-source approach, facial expression 76.65% and head pose 64.34%). This study contributes to the theoretical construction of the dual-source data fusion approach, and the empirical validation of the effect of the Attention-AlexNet neural network approach on affective computing in online learning contexts.

Transformation of the Functions of Higher School Teachers in Conditions of Uncertainty: Problem Statement

Introduction. In modern social and educational conditions, the process of uncertainty in pedagogical practice occurs at a rapid pace, due to the globalisation and digitalisation of education, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there are teachers' transformations and new functions, which cannot affect their pedagogical capabilities;therefore, the article presents a problem on this issue.Aim. The aim of this problematic article is to consider from different points of view the phenom- enon of uncertainty in pedagogical activity and the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in the conditions of uncertainty caused by the digitalisation of education. Methodology and research methods. The work was based on the methodology of interdisciplinary analysis of theoretical sources, foreign and Russian pedagogical experience in the field of uncertainties;the method of questioning and interviewing teachers of higher education was used to identify attitudes to professional activity in conditions of uncertainty.Results and scientific novelty. In the course of the study, it was found that at the present stage of education development, the transformation of the functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty is not investigated either in Russian pedagogical practice or abroad due to the undeveloped theoretical provisions in this area of pedagogical activity. The problem is posed in the field of transfor- mation of the capabilities and functions of higher school teachers in conditions of uncertainty from the perspective of different sciences. The scientific novelty of the research is the following developed provi- sions: 1) a new interpretation of the concept of "professional functions of a teacher" is proposed, includ- ing professional competence and professional activity of a teacher in a digital educational environment within his/her subject area at the university;2) a pedagogical model of transformation of teacher func- tions in a digital educational environment is developed, including the functions of teaching, upbringing, methodological function, as well as the function of digital didactics and the digital competence function of the teacher;3) the uncertainty factors and their content that influence the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers are identified: technological management of pedagogical ac- tivity;pedagogical practice without emotional contact between the subjects of the educational process;self-realisation in a virtual environment;the need for design thinking;personal growth of a teacher in a digital educational environment;transformation of the functions of managing their own pedagogical practice;4) a classification of uncertainties encountered in the professional activities of higher school teachers has been developed based on two characteristics - belonging to professional educational activ- ities and digital support of pedagogical practice.Practical significance. The proposed classification and uncertainty factors influencing the process of transformation of the functions of higher school teachers can be used in pedagogical practice to deter- mine internal and external influences on teachers in the digital educational environment.

Explainable artificial intelligence approach towards classifying educational android app reviews using deep learning

Mobile application developers rely largely on user reviews for identifying issues in mobile applications and meeting the users' expectations. User reviews are unstructured, unorganized and very informal. Identifying and classifying issues by extracting required information from reviews is difficult due to a large number of reviews. To automate the process of classifying reviews many researchers have adopted machine learning approaches. Keeping in view, the rising demand for educational applications, especially during COVID-19, this research aims to automate Android application education reviews' classification and sentiment analysis using natural language processing and machine learning techniques. A baseline corpus comprising 13,000 records has been built by collecting reviews of more than 20 educational applications. The reviews were then manually labelled with respect to sentiment and issue types mentioned in each review. User reviews are classified into eight categories and various machine learning algorithms are applied to classify users' sentiments and issues of applications. The results demonstrate that our proposed framework achieved an accuracy of 97% for sentiment identification and an accuracy of 94% in classifying the most significant issues. Moreover, the interpretability of the model is verified by using the explainable artificial intelligence technique of local interpretable model-agnostic explanations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A Case of X-Linked Moesin-Associated Immune Deficiency in a Pediatric Patient

Background: X-Linked Moesin-Associated Immune Deficiency (X-MAID) is a rare severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) subtype that can present at any age due to its variability. Depending on severity, patients demonstrate failure to thrive, recurrent bacterial and viral infections, and increased susceptibility to varicella zoster. It has been characterized by marked lymphopenia with hypogammaglobulinemia and impaired T-cell migration and proliferation. Case Presentation: This is a report of a Cuban 7-year-old male with poor weight gain and facial dysmorphia. He had a history of recurrent bacterial gastrointestinal infections and pneumonia beginning at 4 months of age. He additionally had 4-6 upper respiratory tract and ear infections annually. While still living in Cuba, he was admitted for a profound EBV infection in the setting of significant leukopenia. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed no malignancy. After he moved to the United States, his laboratory work-up revealed marked leukopenia with low absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte count with low T and B cells, very low immunoglobulin levels IgG, IgA, and IgM, and poor vaccination responses to streptococcus pneumonia, varicella zoster, and SARS-CoV-2. Genetic testing revealed a missense pathogenic variant c.511C>T (p.Arg171Trp) in the moesin (MSN) gene associated with X-MAID. He was managed with Bactrim and acyclovir prophylaxis, and immunoglobulin replacement therapy, and considered for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Discussion(s): Diagnosis of X-MAID should be considered in patients with recurrent infections and profound lymphopenia. As with SCID, early diagnosis and intervention is of utmost importance to prevent morbidity and mortality. This case demonstrates the importance of genetic testing in identifying this disease as it may prompt an immunologist to consider HSCT if conservative management is suboptimal. In the current literature, HSCT appears promising, but the long-term outcomes have yet to be described.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc.

Embracing DDMT Teaching Model and Design Thinking for Organization Development

The multi-generational workforce presents challenges for organizations, as the needs and expectations of employees vary greatly between different age groups. To address this, organizations need to adapt their development and learning principles to better suit the changing workforce. The DDMT Teaching Model of Tsing Hua STEAM School, which integrates design thinking methodology, aims to address this challenge. DDMT stands for Discover, Define, Model & Modeling, and Transfer. The main aim of this study is to identify the organization development practices (OD) and gaps through interdisciplinary models such as DDMT and design thinking. In collaboration with a healthcare nursing home service provider, a proof of concept using the DDMT-DT model was conducted to understand the challenges in employment and retention of support employees between nursing homes under the healthcare organization. The paper highlights the rapid change in human experiences and mindsets in the work culture and the need for a design curriculum that is more relevant to the current and future workforce. The DDMT-DT approach can help organizations address these challenges by providing a framework for HR personnel to design training curricula that are more effective in addressing the issues of hiring and employee retention. By applying the DDMT-DT model, HR personnel can better understand the needs and motivations of the workforce and design training programs that are more relevant to their needs. The proof-of-concept research pilot project conducted with the healthcare nursing home service provider demonstrated the effectiveness of the DDMT-DT model in addressing the issues of hiring and employee retention. The project provides a valuable case study for other organizations looking to implement the DDMT-DT model in their HR practices. Overall, the paper highlights the importance of adapting HR practices to better suit the changing workforce. The DDMT-DT model provides a useful framework for organizations looking to improve their HR practices and better address the needs of their workforce.

The Recover Study: A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Relationship Between Ontario Parents' Resilience and COVID-19-Related Stressors

Resilience, or the ability to bounce back despite facing adversities, may influence parents' abilities to handle the multitude of parent-specific COVID-19-related challenges that have faced them. This cross-sectional study examined (1) the relationship between parents' resilience and their COVID-19-related family stressors;(2) parents' perceptions of their greatest stressors throughout the pandemic;and (3) non-school-related challenges and their resultant impact on parents' and children's resilience. Via an online survey, data was collected from 63 parents (Mage = 37.09;82.54% female). A significant relationship was found between parents' resilience and both their COVID-19-related stressors and family stressors. Parents described stressors challenging their resilience, including impacts on their mental health, managing occupational and educational responsibilities, social isolation, and economic setbacks, while also noting the impacts of social isolation, missing extracurricular activities, and lacking routines for their children. Overall, Ontario parents high in resilience are likely better positioned to adapt to pandemic-related stressors. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Family Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Getting Students to (and Through) Advanced Math: Where Course Offerings and Content Are Not Adding Up. American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A827-10

This report uses Spring 2022 data from nationally representative surveys of principals and math teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) to explore students' opportunities to prepare for and take advanced math. The authors found that small high schools, high schools in rural areas, and high schools that predominantly serve students from historically marginalized communities tend to offer fewer advanced math courses (e.g., precalculus, Advanced Placement math courses) and that uneven access to advanced math begins in middle school. K-12 teachers who work in schools that predominately serve students living in poverty are more likely to report skipping standards-aligned content and replacing the skipped content with concepts from previous grade levels. Also, more than half of K-12 math teachers said they need additional support for delivering high-quality math instruction, especially teachers who work in schools that serve predominantly high-poverty students. In the wake of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students living in poverty and students of color, these results highlight a critical need for resources to support teachers and to increase student access to advanced courses. [For technical information about the surveys and analysis in this report, see "Learn Together Surveys. 2022 Technical Documentation and Survey Results. Research Report. RR-A827-9" (ED626092).]

Secondary school students' school-related stressors during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Sabah, Malaysia

IntroductionDue to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption of education systems worldwide, secondary schools in Malaysia have shifted to online classes to ensure educational continuity. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the various effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on secondary school students. MethodsA self-reported survey with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data involving 1,067 secondary school students from eight schools in Sabah, Malaysia. The participants were mostly male (53.4%), with a mean age of 14.8 (SD = 1.64). The study involved students from various levels/grades, including transition class, forms 1-5, lower six, and upper six. ResultsStudents faced a variety of school-related stressors, including academic failure due to a poor online course;general mental health issues;a poor internet connection;a lack of in-person interaction;a SOP restriction;an inability to focus;too many homework assignments;burnout;becoming lazier;home conditions;and financial difficulties. DiscussionThe implications for classroom practice, policy formulation, and future research are examined.

Evidence of Stress Reactions and Positive Changes in Primary School Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Theoretical Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis, and international studies reveal the psychosocial effects on children from both the children's and the parents' perspectives. Objective: Because the COVID-19 pandemic is a novel crisis that affects everyone, the present qualitative substudy of the COVID-19 Children's Study explored the changes in children resulting from this emergency from the perspective of primary school pedagogues. Method: To this end, we conducted 11 focus-group discussions in spring 2021 with 31 primary school teachers and principals from North Tyrol. We analyzed the focus groups using thematic analysis. Results: The primary school pedagogues observed both stress reactions and positive changes in the pupils. Stress reactions were devided into behavioral, emotional and physical symptoms. Positive changes observed were behavioral changes, such as more independence;and emotional changes, such as more connectedness. Discussion and conclusion: It is important to take the numerous stress reactions of children described above seriously in schools and society. In addition to the negative effects, positive changes also took place in the children, and these should be promoted and strengthened as resources in the sense of resilience in the further course of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Impact of the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on climateric women's health: websurvey

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted society: causing the collapse of health systems around the world, and also had a significant impact on the economy, personal care, mental health and the quality of life of the population. Few studies have been done about pandemic and the climacteric population, and the impact on quality of life and health. Our objective was to Investigate changes in the health and health care of climacteric women residing in Brazil during the pandemic period. Cross-sectional study with climacteric women aged between 40 and 70 years, residing in Brazil. The evaluation was carried out using a Google Docs electronic form with questions related to sociodemographic, clinical, gynecological data, treatments, access to health services and consultations, as well as changes in behavior. The Menopause Rating Scale - MRS was applied to assess climacteric symptoms, validated for Portuguese. Result(s): 419 women answered the questionnaire. More than 45% were between 51 and 60 years of age, 56.6% being married and residing in Brazilian capitals. 60% of participants reported weight gain during the pandemic. 50.8% of participants reported a decrease in the weekly practice of physical activity More than 80% reported worsening mental health during this period, and 66.1% had a change in their sleep pattern. More than half reported having difficulty accessing gynecological consultations. Women living in capital cities reported a greater increase in alcohol consumption (p=0.002). Food intake increased for 54.9%;the category of civil servant was associated with a significant increase in consumption in relation to other professions (p=0.038). Women whose family incomes changed during the pandemic had a higher prevalence of weight gain (p=0.033) and also had a higher occurrence of changes in sleep quality (72.6% vs. 61.5%;p=0.018). Women with a high school education had a higher occurrence of alterations in personal and health care outcomes (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): We observed an important reduction in the health care of climacteric women during the pandemic period. Changes in life habits, such as increased food consumption and reduced physical activity, were quite prevalent. There was a deterioration in mental health, with a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms and changes in sleep quality. Despite the attenuation of the pandemic, attention should be given to the health care of this population, as the changes may have repercussions for many years.Copyright © 2023

Evaluation on College Students' Anxiety and Social Media Usage during Shanghai Closure

As COVID-19 mutates, the highly infectious omicron mutants (BA. 5.2., BF. 7) tension shrouded China. Given the internet information explosion and youth social media addiction, observing the mental impact on college students during the 2022 Shanghai closure is worthwhile. A pilot survey study was conducted to explore the anxiety levels of college students during the closure. The sample size was limited to 101 second-year college students. In addition to demographics, the survey involved the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, self-perceived COVID-19 anxiety, frequency of COVID-19 information reception, number of social media accounts, and number of electronic devices. Though 68.4% of students equipped with two electronic devices (N = 95) exceeded the students with only one electronic device, a Chi-square test showed that students with only one electronic device had the highest anxiety index (mean = 50). Further, the Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that the number of electronic devices affected the students' anxiety level (p = 0.027) while social media membership did not (p = 0.565). As a result, it was suggested that social media usage and pandemic information inputs among college students were significant concerns that required special attention from the government, schools, teachers, and families.

Child, adolescent, and parent mental health in general population during a year of COVID-19 pandemic in belgium: a cross-sectional study

Background: This study aims to evaluate the mental health status of children, adolescents and their parents during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium. Method(s): Analysis compared results before and during the second national lockdown, which started on November 2nd 2020. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May 2020 and April 2021. Result(s): Two hundred and eighteen adults and 273 children fully completed the survey. Almost one in five children (17.9%) presented moderate-to-severe scores of depression. Adolescents presented a higher level of depression than children (p = 0.007). The rate of moderate-to-severe depression scores (10.8% to 21%, p = 0.007) and internalized symptoms increased during the second lockdown (p < 0.001). Parents' depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.027) levels also increased during the second lockdown. Logistic regression showed that the use of psychotropic medication in parents and parents' depression scores were risk factors for children to have worse depression scores. Conclusion(s): The second lockdown appears to worsen the effects of the pandemic on children's and parents' mental health. There is a need to implement specific interventions targeting both children/adolescents and their parents to support them during lockdown periods and improve mental health outcomes.Copyright © 2022, The Author(s).

Online Psycho-Educational Intervention in Mathematical Learning Difficulties

The present study shows the results of six case studies referring to an intervention applied to mathematical learning difficulties. Participants were 8 to 12 years old. The intervention considered mathematics as a language and it is theoretically based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Peircean semiotics. The objective was to work on the development of academic skills associating mathematics with interactional social skills. The analysis was based on qualitative data collected during the intervention process and quantitative data from scales and instruments with pre- and post-intervention measures. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic context, some methodological issues were affected, mainly because the evaluations took place before and in the midst of the pandemic. Social impacts of the pandemic have unevenly affected participants, especially adolescents and children. The pandemic had a worse effect on adolescents than on children, especially regarding procedures that involve memory, and those with attentional problems also had worse results.

The impact of dynamic adaptive teaching model on surgical education.

Objective To investigate the impact of dynamic adaptive teaching model on surgical education. Methods Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we adopted dynamic adaptive teaching model in the Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, which divided the whole curriculum into several individual modules and recombined different modules to accommodate to student's levels and schedules. Meanwhile, adaptive strategy also increased the proportion of online teaching and fully utilized electronic medical resources. The present study included quantitative teaching score (QTS) recorded from January 2020 to June 2020, and used the corresponding data from 2019 as control. The main endpoint was to explore the impact of dynamic adaptive teaching model on overall QTS and its interaction effect with trainer's experience and student category. Results Totally, 20 trainers and 181 trainees were enrolled in the present study. With implementation of dynamic adaptive strategy, the overall QTS decreased dramatically (1.76+/-0.84 vs. 4.91+/-1.15, t=4.85, P=0.005). The impact was consistent irrespective of trainers' experience (high experience trainers: 0.85+/-0.40 vs. 2.12+/-0.44, t=4.98, P=0.004;medium experience trainers: 0.85+/-0.29 vs. 2.06+/-0.53, t=4.51, P=0.006;and low experience trainers: 0.10+/-0.16 vs. 0.44+/-0.22, t=2.62, P=0.047). For resident (including graduate) and undergraduate student teaching, both QTS was lower with dynamic strategy (residents: 0.18+/-0.34 vs. 0.97+/-0.14, t=4.35, P=0.007;undergraduate students 1.57+/-0.55 vs. 3.77+/-1.24, t=3.62, P=0.015), but dynamic strategy was effective for post-doc student subgroup and reached comparable QTS as traditional model (0.00+/-0.00 vs. 0.17+/-0.41, t=1.00, P=0.363). Conclusions Dynamic adaptive teaching strategy could be a useful alternative to traditional teaching model for post-doc students. It could be a novel effective solution for saving teaching resources and providing individualized surgical teaching modality.Copyright © 2023, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. All rights reserved.

Preparing special education intern teachers remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the effectiveness of remote teacher preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically special education teachers participating at an Intern Credentialing Program in Northern California.In addition to remote teacher preparation, the study explored how intern teachers experienced delivering special services remotely, how they perceived the Intern Program prepared them compared to traditional programs, and how they experienced their preparation to become agents of change in public education. Data for this study was collected through field journals, surveys and interviews. The findings of this study revealed that Intern Teachers experienced remote Teacher Education as having more benefits than challenges, however the delivery of services to students with disabilities had more challenges than benefits. The interviews indicated that the Intern Teachers believe they are not well prepared to be agents of change.Implications of the study include recommendations to continue teacher education remotely, to develop a tool to determine student benefit from delivery of special services remotely, and to add to teacher education programs curriculum and activities that support diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the classroom through the frameworks of Emancipatory Pedagogies, Critical Race Theory, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Discrit. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Flexible curriculum design for quantitative skills development: Building on the insights gained during COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, technology-enhanced learning and its relation to student engagement, and the necessity of good student-staff relationships for creating a successful education environment were evident. The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education to adapt to a challenging technology-led learning environment that demanded, inter alia, high levels of flexibility and human-centredness. Valuable lessons were learned that highlighted new perspectives on curriculum design and delivery in a normalised, technology-driven environment. Against the background of COVID-19-related literature on teaching and learning, the authors reflect on their insights regarding curriculum design and delivery of two quantitative skills modules during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on further curriculum planning. The focus of the article is on the intentional flexibility built into curriculum offerings during 2020-2022. The study reviewed flexibility on three levels, namely student, facilitator (staff) and delivery levels, through a multi-method research methodology. Quantitative data related to the academic performance of 2 949 students enrolled for the two quantitative skills modules from 2020 to 2022. Qualitative data related to themes through thematic analysis of student and facilitator surveys, focusgroup discussions and semi-structured interviews. The improved student academic performance reported by the study could be attributed to, amongst other factors, 1) flexibility of the selected delivery option, 2) positive staff and student experiences and engagement, and 3) intentional inclusion of activities promoting student-staff relationships. The good academic results obtained during the pandemic led to important curriculum decisions for a normalised future for these modules, which will be built on flexibility and human-centredness. Among these decisions is to continue presenting the modules in an online environment, even though traditional face-to-face teaching options are available.

Investigation of high school students' motivation for physical activity participation and eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period

The aim of this study is to determine the motivation of high school students to participate in physical activity and their eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period as well as to examine the relationship between the two variables. In addition, it was also determined whether the motivation for participate in physical activity and eating attitudes differ according to gender, weekly exercise, spending time with technology, family communication times, and participation in exercise during and before the pandemic. A total of 576 high school students, including 406 girls and 170 boys, participated in the study. "Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity (MSPPA)", "Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40)" and "Personal Information Form (KBF)" were used as data collection tools. Data were evaluated using correlation, multiple linear regression, MANOVA and t-test analysis techniques. It was concluded that the motivation of the students to participate in physical activity was moderate, and they did not have eating disorders. It was observed that physical activity motivation did not predict eating attitude, but there were positive and low relationships between sub-factors in relational dimension. According to gender, it was determined that the eating attitudes of female students were more positive than male students. It has been found that the motivation to participate in physical activity is higher for those who exercise before and during the pandemic than those who do not. Consequently, it can be said that during the COVID-19 process, high school students' motivation to participate in physical activity is at a moderate level, and their eating attitudes are generally not at the level of behavioral disorders.

Impact of COVID-19 Lock Down on Quality of Life among Primary Caregivers of Individuals with Schizophrenia in Rural Areas

BACKGROUND: The lockdown would become the primary strategy for facing covid-19 as it quickly mutates which might cause repeated pandemics;however, it negatively affects individuals' quality of life (QOL). The schizophrenia caregivers experience considerable stress. The research on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on QOL of schizophrenia caregivers is essential, especially for those who reside in rural areas. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of lockdown-related COVID-19 on QOL among primary caregivers of schizophrenia patients living in a rural area. METHOD(S): This study recruited 204 primary caregivers (15-79 years). This study used the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) to asses QOL's primary caregiver. Evaluate the possible change in caregivers' QOL before and during the COVID-19 lockdown using paired t-test for repeated measures. RESULT(S): The mean age of the caregivers was 46.61 years (SD = 12.79), ranging from 15 to 79 years, with a preponderance of male (54.5%), aged 38-47 years old (29.7%), married (81.2%), employed (57.4%), and had senior high school level of education (34.7%). Majority were parents (26.2%) of the ill relative, and took care of the patients more than 5 years (52.5%). There was a statistical difference (p < 0.05) in caregivers' QOL between before and during the COVID-19 lockdown, including in physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environment domain. CONCLUSION(S): Implementing a lockdown policy related to COVID-19 has negatively impacted the caregivers' QOL. The degradation of caregivers' QOL showed from before to during COVID-19 lockdown. Further study needs to explore the QOL of other mental illness caregivers regarding COVID-19 lockdown. This finding becomes a reference for a government to modify some policy-related lockdowns to minimize their negative impact.Copyright © 2023 Utomo Utomo, Eko Mulyadi, Endang Fauziyah.

Innovative Methods for Integrating Social Determinants of Health Data with Administrative Claims to Facilitate Health Equity Research

Objectives: The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of considering Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in healthcare research. Administrative claims databases are widely used for research, but often lack SDoH data or sufficient transparency in how these data were obtained. This study describes innovative methods for integrating SDoH data with administrative claims to facilitate health equity research. Method(s): The HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRD) contains medical and pharmacy claims from a large, national US payer starting in 2006 and includes commercial (Comm), Medicare Advantage (MCare), and Medicaid (MCaid) populations. The HIRD includes individually identifiable information, which was used for linking with SDoH data from the following sources: national neighborhood-level data from the American Community Survey, the Food Access Research Atlas, and the National Center for Health Statistics' urbanicity classification;and member-level data on race/ethnicity from enrollment files, medical records, self-attestation, and imputation algorithms. We examined SDoH metrics for members enrolled as of 05-July-2022 and compared them to the respective US national data using descriptive statistics. We also examined telehealth utilization in 2022. Result(s): SDoH data were available for ~95% of currently active members in the HIRD (Comm/MCare/MCaid 12.5m/1m/7.6m). Socioeconomic characteristics at the neighborhood-level differed by membership type and vs. national data: % of members with at least a high-school education (90/88/84 vs. 87);median family income ($98k/$76k/$70k vs. $82k);% of members living in low-income low-food-access tracts (9/14/18 vs. 13);urban (57/52/47 vs. 61). At the member-level, the % of White Non-Hispanics, Black Non-Hispanics, Asian Non-Hispanics, and Hispanics were 61/6/5/6 (Comm), 76/12/2/2 (MCare), and 45/26/5/19 (MCaid). Imputation contributed 15-60% of race/ethnicity values across membership types. Telehealth utilization increased with socioeconomic status. Conclusion(s): We successfully integrated SDoH data from a variety of sources with administrative claims. SDoH characteristics differed by type of insurance coverage and were associated with differences in telehealth utilization.Copyright © 2023