Relationship between social support and psychological resilience and post-traumatic stress disorder in college students

Objective To investigate the characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in college students during the outbreak of COVID-19, and to explore the mediating role of psychological resilience between social support and PTSD. Methods By using direct selection method, 572 college students in Anhui and Shanghai were selected and administered with General Characteristics Questionnaire, the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version(PCL-C), Psychological Resilience Scale(PRS) and Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS). Results Among the participants, 25.0% had moderate PTSD symptoms, 11.7% had obvious PTSD symptoms, and the positive rate of PTSD was 36.7%. The prevalence of PTSD in college students was higher in males than in females (X2=4.31, P < 0.05). The junior students were higher than other students (X2=16.81, P < 0.01). The scores of social support, psychological resilience and PTSD were (33.79+or-4.83), (92.17+or-13.39) and (35.50+or-11.39), respectively. The correlations of all variables were statistically significant(r=-0.49-0.76, P < 0.05);The mediation test showed that social support could not only negatively predict PTSD directly(direct effect was -0.35), but also indirectly affect PTSD through psychological resilience(indirect effect was -0.32). Conclusion More than one third of college students have PTSD symptoms, and psychological resilience plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between social support and PTSD, social support can both directly and negatively predict PTSD and indirectly affect PTSD by increasing an individual's psychological resilience.

Impact of COVID-19-induced home quarantine on parental stress, as well as anxiety and depression among children

Background: One of the most important harmful effects related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the psychological effects that can affect all population groups. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of home quarantine caused by COVID-19 on parents' stress, as well as children's anxiety and depression. Methods: This study included 230 parents who had children aged 5-12 years. The data were collected using the Children Symptom Inventory (CSI-4) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), which were sent to people through the social messenger WhatsApp. (22). Different variables including the impact of the event, avoidance, intrusion, hyperarousal, anxiety, and depression were measured and analyzed using these two questionnaires. Results: The results of the correlation analysis showed that the impact of the quarantined event caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the IES-R subscales in parents were directly and significantly related to the anxiety and depression scores in their children. In addition, multivariate regression analysis showed that higher IES-R scores by parents can significantly predict higher anxiety and depression scores in children. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the home quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic causes stress in parents and this also increases anxiety and depression in their children. Therefore, it is suggested that in addition to the management, control, and treatment of these types of pandemic diseases, special attention be paid to their psychological effects, especially during home quarantine.

Antecedents and intervention mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during COVID-19 in China. (Special Issue: The sharing economy in a post-pandemic world.)

Purpose: COVID-19 affects the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation industry. With regard to prospect theory, individuals' negative emotions, such as institutional distrust, are easily evoked and impede consumption intention in an environment of permeating uncertainty and risks. While existing research indicates the negative effects of institutional distrust, scant research has explored its antecedents and intervention mechanisms. This study thus aims to unveil the influencing factors and explore mitigating mechanisms of customers' institutional distrust of P2P accommodations. Design/methodology/approach: Online reviews data were used to identify the underlying critical issues. The authors developed a model to depict how institutional distrust is formed under the boundary condition of subjective norm by the results. The model was verified using a questionnaire survey. Finally, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to ensure its robustness. Findings: The external environment and internal platform effectiveness are two critical aspects affecting institutional distrust of P2P accommodations. The external environment influences institutional distrust through perceived threat, explaining the formation mechanism of customers' institutional distrust through customers' internal psychology. Furthermore, the authors found subjective norm moderating the effect of perceived threat on customers' institutional distrust. Research limitations/implications: This is one of the first studies, to the best of the authors' knowledge, to explore institutional distrust of P2P accommodations after COVID-19. The finding contributes to studies on P2P accommodation by uncovering the contingent role of subjective norm in influencing customers' institutional distrust. Originality/value: This is a pioneering study that explores the antecedents and mitigating mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during the new normal of COVID-19.

A new travel group - digital nomad: concept, evolution, and research progress

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, digital nomads, a group of people who work remotely while traveling, have been emerging as a hot research topic in the global academic community. With the rising number of digital nomads in China, several tourist destinations, such as Dali in Yunnan, and Anji in Zhejiang, have evolved into digital nomad destinations, and this trend is expanding. However, the concept of digital nomads remains relatively unexamined by China's academic community, as evidenced by the limited academic research and considerable lag of academic research behind industry practice. First, this paper establishes the conceptual foundations of digital nomads based on content analysis. It offers a detailed definition established through an exploration of the work, travel, and lifestyle perspectives of digital nomads. Six indicators have been identified to distinguish digital nomads from remote workers, business travelers, and working tourists, including location independence, mobility, work focus, work digitization, precarity, and travel frequency. Further, the characteristics (including the pursuit of freedom, uninterrupted travel, working while traveling, professional and informational literacy, and invasion and integration of the destination culture) and supporting systems (co-spaces, digital and technical support, and economic and social support) are discussed. Next, this paper investigated the origin and evolution of digital nomads through an analysis of the evolutionary paths of work style from nomadic worker to digital knowmad, and from knowledge worker to digital knowledge worker to digital knowmad, the evolution of leisure travel style from backpacker to flashpacker to flashpacker nomad and the evolution of lifestyle from nomad to global/neo-nomad to digital nomad. Finally, the current state of digital nomad research is surveyed, highlighting research themes, key theoretical frameworks, gaps in knowledge, and areas for future research. Insights into digital nomads are explored, including (1) the applicability of conceptual definitions of digital nomads at the operational level, (2) the practical validity of theoretical frameworks for digital nomad research, (3) the impact of digital nomads on the evolution of destinations, the urban-rural development, digital economic development, and the mechanisms involved, and (4) the emerging research on digital nomads in China with a focus on understanding the unique economic, social and cultural characteristics of digital nomads in China compared to other countries. Based on the insights shared in this paper, future research directions for digital nomads are envisaged. This paper establishes a baseline for the research on digital nomads to guide future scholarly attention toward digital nomad research and provide a basis for the development and practical application of relevant theories in the context of the digital economy.

Integrated quantitative evaluation framework of sustainable development – The complex case of the Yangtze River Delta

Sustainable development is central to the current societal functioning, whose complexity demands consideration on a regional scale. However, there are disparate methods to express sustainable development, many of which use qualitative analysis cumbersome for policy-makers. Previous studies focused on environmental, economic, and social impacts without fully considering the regulation mechanisms of the plethora of administrative bodies. To fill this research gap, this research establishes an integrated assessment framework involving four pillars: environment and ecology, society and culture, economics, and governance and policy. Further, indicator systems and quantitative analysis give comparable and objective results. The current study applied them to one of the most economically significant and developed Chinese regions, the Yangtze River Delta. The result shows a dynamic variation in regional sustainability from 2010 to 2019, indicating an annual increase. Although economic and societal development has been increasing steadily, environmental development has stagnated in the past two years, and the influencing policy has fluctuated dramatically. Our analysis was done in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. Even though all regions showed increasing sustainability, we observed an imbalance in regional sustainable development. Achieving a regional approach and enhanced regional coordination in the Yangtze River Delta is imperative and cannot be ignored by local, regional, and national policy-makers. More importantly, this study created a model capable of predicting the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on regional sustainable development. The model showed that, compared with predicted values, a 6.65% decrease in the integrated sustainability index ensued, attributed to the pandemic in Zhejiang province. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Association between acute stress response and peer bullying behaviors among middle school students

Objective: To explore the association between acute stress response during the outbreak of COVID-19 and peer bullying behaviors during the normalized management of COVID-19 among middle school students, and to provide a basis for developing relevant measures for peer bullying prevention.

Clinical analysis on clinical value of initial chest CT findings in patients with COVID-19

Objective: To assess the clinical value of initial chest CT findings in patients with COVID-19.

Epidemiological characteristics and incubation period of coronavirus disease 2019 in Anhui Province. (Special Issue: Spatio-temporal dynamics analysis, risk assessment and emergency management for COVID-19 epidemic.) [Chinese]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and incubation of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)from Jan. 22 to Mar. 8, 2020 in Anhui Province, in order to provide the basis for further understanding of the transmission pattern of COVID-19 and formulating regional control measures.

Data-Driven Evaluation and Optimisation of Livelihood Improvement Efficiency

In this study, we developed a data-driven approach for the evaluation and optimisation of livelihood improvement efficiency (LIE) to address slowing global economic growth and the decline in well-being in the broader population, enhance the quality of people’s livelihoods, and promote sustainable social development. We designed a questionnaire survey and constructed an evaluation index system based on a comprehensive consideration of economic resources, social security and employment, education, and health. Using principal component analysis, entropy weighting, and data envelopment analysis, we optimised the evaluation indicators and quantitatively assessed LIE. We used a Tobit regression model to analyse the factors influencing LIE and provide decision-making support for proposing countermeasures to optimise LIE. Based on the research data, we administered the questionnaire survey to 3125 residents in 16 cities in China’s Anhui Province and demonstrated the applicability of the aforementioned method. The results indicate that there is room for optimising LIE in cities in Anhui Province, which needs to be achieved through the following steps: controlling costs and avoiding waste, encouraging entrepreneurship, increasing income, guiding the direction of industrial growth, optimising regional population structure, and promoting public participation to enhance people’s livelihoods.

Buffering effect of positive childhood experiences on mental health risks among adolescents

Objective: To explore the buffering effect of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on mental health risks among adolescents before and after COVID-19 epidemic. Methods In October 2019 (before the outbreak of COVID-19), 1 322 students from grades 4 to 9 were recruited from primary and secondary schools in two counties of Chizhou city, Anhui Province. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect general demographic information, PCEs, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, self-harm behavior, suicidal ideation. Follow-up survey was conducted after school re-opening (May 2020). Mental health status before and after the COVID-19 epidemic was compared among students with different PCEs by multiple logistic regression analyses.

Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on travel behavior based on EV charging big data

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many governments around the world to implement strict lockdown measures and order citizens to stay at home, which has caused a major change in travel patterns. This study leveraged electric vehicle charging big data in Hefei, Anhui Province, China to estimate electric vehicle charging demand in the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic using multi-layer perceptron model, which quantified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we employed the vector autoregressive model to investigate the dynamic relationships between the changes in charging demand and various explanatory factors. The results suggest that the daily average charging demand in Hefei decreased by 78.3% compared to the predicted value during the pandemic. Furthermore, according to the variance decomposition and impulse response function analysis, national confirmed COVID-19 cases play a dominant role in reducing charging demand. The number of daily hospitalizations and Migration Scale Index also have significant and robust effect on the decrease in charging demand. The Air Quality Index and Baidu Index are susceptible to external factors and do not have a direct impact on the change in charging demand. Findings support a better understanding of changes in travel behavior during the pandemic and provide policy makers with references to deal with similar events. © 2021 IEEE

The Boosting Effect of Online Retailing on Household Consumption during Covid-19

The outbreak of Covid-19 has posed severe negative impact on household consumption. This paper investigates the boosting effect of online retailing on household consumption during the epidemic period. Based on the data of Anhui Province in China, this paper show that during the epidemic period, every 1% increase in the growth rate of online retail sales could increase the proportion of total retail sales of consumer goods above the quota in GDP by 4.27%. Therefore, we provide reliable empirical evidence of promoting consumer consumption through the development of online retail under the normalization of the epidemic situation. © 2021 ACM.

Mental health status of rural residents in Southwest Anhui province during prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019

Objective: To explore the mental health status of rural residents in Southwest Anhui province and its influencing factors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.

The relationship between online learning and eye strain in college students during the COVID-19 outbreak

Objective To describe online learning and eye strain situation of college students during the COVID-19 outbreak, to provide a scientific basis for guiding students' eye health. Methods A self-filled electronic questionnaire survey through questionnaire star was administered to college students across China. Information about online learning and eye strain of 1 046 college students during the epidemic was collected in Hefei, Anhui Province from March 16 to 20, 2020. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the association between online learning and eye strain of college students. Results The rate of eye strain during online learning was 72.1%, totally of 68.4% in 421 male students and 74.6% in 625 female students. Boys with online learning time < 6 h/d, slow internet access, difficulty in understanding online class reported higher rate of eye strain than girls(X 2=17.36, 8.72, 7.02, P < 0.05). Freshmen reported the highest rate of slow internet access occasionally and active online class(X 2=15.26, 16.11, P < 0.05), junior students reported highest rate of online learning time < 6 h/d, and easy understandable online class(X 2=15.33, 32.59, P < 0.05), medical college students reported higher rate of slow internet access, inactive online class than non-medical college students(X 2=11.79, 11.03, P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that odds ratio(OR) of eye strain in females was 1.40 (1.06-1.87), compared with males;the OR of eye strain were 1.43 (1.01-2.03) and 1.54 (1.10-2.15) in the groups with online learning time 6- < 8 h/d and 8 h/d, respectively, compared with the group with online learning time < 6 h/d, the OR of eye strain in the groups with slow internet access was 2.28 (1.25-4.14), compared with students without slow internet access, the OR of eye strain in the capable-to-understand and difficult-to-understand group were 2.54 (1.73-3.74) and 5.40 (2.70-10.80) respectively, compared with the easy-to-understand group. Conclusion Female students, online learing time 8 h/d, slow internet access, difficult to understand class content were positively related with college students eye strain. Attention should be paid to the eye health of college students to reduce the adverse effects of online learning on vision.during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Investigation on cognitive level of covid-19 of medical staffs in Anhui province

Objective During the COVID-19 epidemic period, we investigated the cognitive level of COVID-19 knowledge of medical staffs in Anhui Province and analyzed the influencing factors of cognitive level of COVID-19 knowledge. Methods From February 12, 2020 to March 4, 2020, a self-made questionnaire was used to evaluate the knowledge of COVID-19 among medical staff in Anhui Province. A total of 15 342 valid questionnaires were obtained. By SPSS 17.0 statistical software, and descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the cognitive level of COVID-19 knowledge of medical staffs and the influencing factors. Results The total score of COVID-19 knowledge of medical staffs in Anhui Province was (6.95±2.67) points, the average score of diagnosis knowledge was (2.58±1.74) points, the average score of treatment knowledge was (1.53±1.03) points, and the score of nosocomial infections knowledge was (2.84±1.01) points. There were significant differences in COVID-19 diagnosis knowledge, nosocomial infections knowledge and total score between doctors and nurses (all P < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the scores in senior and intermediate professional title groups were higher than those in primary professional title group;the scores in master′s degree group and above and undergraduate education group were higher than those in junior college education group;the knowledge scores in municipal, county-level hospitals, primary medical institutions and private medical institutions were lower than those in provincial hospital group;the scores in patients aged 30~ years and ≥40 years were lower than those in group < 30 years. The scores in senior and intermediate professional title groups were higher than those in junior professional title group;the scores in municipal, county-level hospitals, primary medical institutions and private medical institutions were lower than those in provincial hospitals;the scores of 30~ years old and ≥40 years old were lower than those of < 30 years old group, and the scores of nurses with bachelor′s degree were higher than junior college degree or below (all P < 0.05). Conclusions The score of COVID-19 knowledge of medical staffs in Anhui Province is low, so we should train them COVID-19 knowledge systematically. We should pay attention to the influencing factors like occupation, title, education background, age and hospital rank when selecting and training anti-epidemic medical staffs. © 2021, Publication Centre of Anhui Medical University. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological and clinical features of 125 Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Fuyang, Anhui, China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of patients with COVID-19 in Anhui province of China. METHOD: In this descriptive study, we obtained epidemiological, demographic, manifestations, laboratory data and radiological findings of patients confirmed by real-time RT-PCR in the NO.2 People's Hospital of Fuyang City from Jan 20 to Feb 9, 2020. Clinical outcomes were followed up to Feb 18, 2020. RESULTS: Of 125 patients infected SARS-CoV-2, the mean age was 38.76 years (SD, 13.799) and 71(56.8%) were male. Common symptoms include fever [116 (92.8%)], cough [102(81.6%)], and shortness of breath [57(45.6%)]. Lymphocytopenia developed in 48(38.4%) patients. 100(80.0%) patients showed bilateral pneumonia, 26(20.8%) patients showed multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity. All patients were given antiviral therapy. 19(15.2%) patients were transferred to the intensive care unit. By February 18, 47(37.6%) patients were discharged and none of patients died. Among the discharged patients, the median time of length of stay was 14.8 days (SD 4.16). CONCLUSION: In this single-center, retrospective, descriptive study, fever is the most common symptom. Old age, chronic underlying diseases and smoking history may be risk factors to worse condition. Certain laboratory inspection may contribute to the judgment of the severity of illness.

Analysis on epidemic situation and spatiotemporal changes of COVID-19 in Anhui / 中华预防医学杂志

We used the epidemic data of COVID-19 published on the official website of the municipal health commission in Anhui province. We mapped the spatiotemporal changes of confirmed cases, fitted the epidemic situation by the population growth curve at different stages and took statistical description and analysis of the epidemic situation in Anhui province. It was found that the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was 156/100 000 by February 18, 2020 and the trend of COVID-19 epidemic declined after February 7, changing from J curve to S curve. The actual number of new cases began to decrease from February 2 to February 4 due to the time of case report and actual onset delayed by 3 to 5 days.

Suboptimal health status of nurses in Wuhan, China during the COVID-19 outbreak

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes the suboptimal health status (SHS) and influencing factors of nurses in Wuhan Hospital, China during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. METHODS: This study was conducted through an online survey, from March 1-7, 2020, in Wuhan, China. The data collection tools, such as Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale, were used. RESULTS: The average value of suboptimal health status was 28.44 (standard deviation=15.15). The overall prevalence of SHS was 35.1%. Suboptimal health status of the nurses was significantly different based on their gender, age, whether they directly care for COVID-19 patients, anxiety level, and stress perception expect education. Multivariate analysis found that average sleep times per day, female, age, directly participate in the rescue of COVID-19, self-infection, and anxiety were the influencing factors of suboptimal health status. CONCLUSIONS: First-line nurses have poor suboptimal health status in Wuhan.