Food Insecurity and Stress Among Rural Residents in South Carolina: The Moderating Influences of Household Characteristics, Neighborhood Social Environment and Food Environment.

Food insecurity is linked with poor physical and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression and stress. Rural residents in particular face unique challenges obtaining healthy food; the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the relationship between food insecurity and mental health outcomes. This study examines the relationship between food insecurity and stress, and the moderating influence of household characteristics, neighborhood social environment and food environment on this relationship, using a sample of 630 rural South Carolina (SC) residents during COVID-19. Two measures of stress were used in this study: current levels of stress and changes in stress since COVID-19. Results showed a gradient pattern between food insecurity and stress: rural residents with high food insecurity were 6.1 times more likely and those with moderate food insecurity were 3.4 times more likely to report higher level of general stress than those with low food insecurity; rural residents with high food insecurity were 3.3 times more likely and those with moderate food insecurity were 2.0 times more likely to report greater increase in stress after COVID-19 than those with low food insecurity. Neighborhood social environment and food environment provided a buffering effect on the relationship between food insecurity and stress. A stronger social environment after COVID-19 and higher levels of easiness in food access mitigated the negative impacts of food insecurity on stress. Efforts to ameliorate food insecurity should address these broader contextual variables, involving community-level factors.

Race-Ethnicity and Depressive Symptoms Among U.S. Older Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Uncovering the Counterbalancing Mechanisms.

Background and Objectives: Drawing on the counterbalancing framework, this study examined the counteracting roles of coronavirus disease (COVID)-related stressors (i.e., infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact) and psychological resilience in explaining racial-ethnic disparities in depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Design and Methods: A competitive mediation model was fitted using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 Project, which were collected in June 2020 (N = 1,717). A competitive mediation model was specified within which the associations between race-ethnicity categories and depressive symptoms were mediated by infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact, and psychological resilience. A list of pre-COVID covariates and pre-COVID depressive symptoms were adjusted for in this model. Results: Infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact, and psychological resilience were all higher among non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics than among non-Hispanic Whites. Economic impact had a positive whereas psychological resilience had a negative direct effect on depressive symptoms net of pre-COVID covariates and pre-COVID depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses revealed that, compared to non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics had higher depressive symptoms due to their higher family activity disruption and higher economic impact, but their higher levels of psychological resilience also reduced depressive symptoms. The counteracting indirect effects offset each other, resulting in a null total effect of race-ethnicity on depressive symptoms. Discussion and Implications: These findings suggest that interventions addressing the mental health impact of COVID should consider race/ethnicity-specific vulnerabilities and resilience. Future studies need to consider the complex and potentially counterbalancing mechanisms linking race-ethnicity and mental health.

Physical Disability, Psychological Resilience, and COVID-Related Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among U.S. Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study pursued 3 goals: (1) to determine how depressive symptoms among U.S. older adults changed in 2018-2020, a period transitioning to the first wave of coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic, compared to in prepandemic periods, (2) to determine whether physical disability predicts change in depressive symptoms in 2018-2020, and (3) to assess whether psychological resilience moderates the association between physical disability and change in depressive symptoms in 2018-2020. METHODS: Based on biennial longitudinal data of the Health and Retirement Study from 2010 to 2020, we used a before-after design and latent change score model to examine whether depressive symptoms change in 2018-2020 represents a continuation or departure from the overall trend of between-wave changes in 2010-2018. We also used physical disability in 2018 and psychological resilience in 2016-2018 to predict depressive symptoms change score in 2018-2020. RESULTS: In contrast to the relatively stable between-wave change trend in 2010-2018, there was an abrupt elevation in the latent change score of depressive symptoms in 2018-2020, which was primarily driven by increased affective symptoms (e.g., depressed mood, loneliness, unhappiness, and sadness). Increase in depressive symptoms in 2018-2020 was associated positively with physical disability but negatively with psychological resilience. Moderation effect of psychological resilience, however, was not significant. DISCUSSION: Our findings reveal heavier COVID-related mental health burden for older adults with physical disabilities and the potential benefits of enhancing individual psychological resilience. They also suggest that health interventions addressing the COVID impacts need to particularly focus on the affective aspects of depressive symptoms.

A qualitative study of health care access among African American older adults in a socio-demographically under-resourced region during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: In the U.S., health inequities experienced by the African American community, specifically among those ages 65 and older, have been well-documented in research literature. Alongside the findings regarding disparities in disease prevalence and management, researchers have also highlighted disparities in health care access. Despite recent evidence of health inequities experienced by African Americans during the COVID pandemic, there is little research on the lived experience of this group in this critical time, health care access challenges that may be exacerbated by the pandemic, and the community's outlook for the future in addressing health disparities. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of African Americans to gather their perspectives about access to health care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study participants consisted of African Americans, ages 50-85 years, who spoke English as their primary language, who resided in one of 17 counties in South Carolina that represent a region of the State known as the corridor of economic disadvantage. Results: Forty-seven telephone interviews were conducted. While research has shown that certain populations experienced health care access disparities during the early COVID pandemic, these disparities did not appear to be exacerbated in our sample. However, participants noted an increase in the use of telehealth, and identified challenges to using this technology. Participants made recommendations about how to address disparities in health care access in their communities. Conclusion: Our qualitative approach was useful in obtaining perspectives about access to health care during the COVID-19 pandemic from African American older adults. Continued research with older African Americans, particularly those in under-resourced communities are warranted to further elucidate these findings.

The Association between Food Insecurity and Making Hunger-Coping Trade-Offs during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Sources of Food and Easiness in Food Access.

Many individuals make financial, health and food related trade-offs to cope with the challenges of food insecurity and to meet their household needs for healthy, affordable food. A survey (n = 652) was conducted in nine rural counties in South Carolina, USA, during the COVID-19 pandemic from August 2020 to July 2021. We examine if level of food insecurity predicts hunger-coping trade-offs, and whether this relationship is moderated by easiness in food access and dependence on different food source types. Nearly one-third of the respondents experienced food insecurity. Making trade-offs between paying for food and other household expenses was common among the rural residents as on average they made nearly one type of trade-off in the past three months. The number of trade-offs was the highest among highly food insecure respondents (mean = 2.64), followed by moderately food insecure respondents (mean = 1.66); low food insecure respondents had the lowest number of trade-offs (mean = 0.39). The moderating effects of easiness in food access and dependence on food sources varied by level of food insecurity. The results show that individuals at different levels of food insecurity use different strategies to fulfill their food needs and social programs are more often utilized than personal food sources. We conclude with implications for addressing food insecurity in order to reduce the possibility of making trade-offs.

Establishment and preliminary application of an indirect ELISA based on S1 protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

The recombinant expression plasmid pIRES-S1 was constructed according to the gene sequence of PEDV S1 in NCBI (GenBank:JQ517274). The plasmid pIRES-S1 was transfected into ST cells by electrotransfer. After G418 pressurization screening, western-blot detection and suspension domestication, a stable transduction cell pool expressing S1 protein was obtained. The results of Western-blot showed that S1 protein have good reactivity. An indirect ELISA was established by using S1 protein as coating antigen, and the ELISA was used to detect PEDV clinical serum and PEDV negative serum of imported breeder pigs. Take the serum neutralization test as the standard, the results showed that the sensitivity of the ELISA was 96.3% and the specificity was 97.7%.It was significantly consistent with the serum neutralization test (kappa value=0.882, P < 0.05). The ELISA was used to detect the tracking serum of PEDV back-feeding pigs. The results showed that it could accurately evaluate the growth and decline of PEDV Ig G antibody level in infected pigs. Our results suggested that the ELISA based on S1 protein established in this study has high sensitivity and specificity. It could be used to detect PEDV antibody in clinical serum samples and provide an effective basis for immune evaluation of PEDV in pigs.

The Trauma of COVID-19-Fueled Discrimination: Posttraumatic Stress in Asian American Adolescents.

With the emergence of COVID-19 in China, East and Southeast Asian American (ESEAA) students have reported increased incidents of COVID-19-fueled discrimination in online and offline (in-person) settings. Given the recency of this situation, there is a scarcity of research investigating the impact of COVID-19-related discrimination on ESEAA adolescents' mental health, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the current study, therefore, we provide evidence regarding the relations of COVID-19-fueled online and offline discrimination to PTSD symptoms in a sample of ESEAA high school students. We discuss study limitations; future recommendations; and implications for school leaders, school counselors, and other educators.

Effects of policies and containment measures on control of COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging, rapidly evolving disease that spreads through the respiratory system and is highly contagious. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. In China, the pandemic was controlled after 2 mo through effective policies and containment measures. Describing the detailed policies and containment measures used to control the epidemic in Chongqing will provide a reference for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in other areas of the world. AIM: To explore the effects of different policies and containment measures on the control of the COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing. METHODS: Epidemiological data on COVID-19 in Chongqing were prospectively collected from January 21 to March 15, 2020. The policies and prevention measures implemented by the government during the epidemic period were also collected. Trend analysis was performed to explore the impact of the main policy measures on the effectiveness of the control of COVID-19 in Chongqing. RESULTS: As of March 15, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in Chongqing was 1.84/100000 (576 cases) and the infection fatality rate was 1.04% (6/576). The spread of COVID-19 was controlled by effective policies that involved establishing a group for directing the COVID-19 epidemic control effort; strengthening guidance and supervision; ensuring the supply of daily necessities and medical supplies and equipment to residents; setting up designated hospitals; implementing legal measures; and enhancing health education. Medical techniques were implemented to improve the recovery rate and control the epidemic. Policies such as "the lockdown of Wuhan", "initiating a first-level response to major public health emergencies", and "implementing the closed management of residential communities" significantly curbed the spread of COVID-19. Optimizing the diagnosis process, shortening the diagnosis time, and constructing teams of clinical experts facilitated the provision of "one team of medical experts for each patient" treatment for severe patients, which significantly improved the recovery rate and reduced the infection fatality rate. CONCLUSION: The prevention policies and containment measures implemented by the government and medical institutions are highly effective in controlling the spread of the epidemic and increasing the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients.