COVID-19 pandemic and comfort food consumption based on gender in a Brazilian sample: which variables are related to this behavior?

PurposeThis study aims to identify comfort food (CF) consumption and its associated factors during the pandemic period. The study also involves an online survey conducted five months after the quarantine started in Brazil. Design/methodology/approachData on lifestyle, eating habits and anthropometric data were collected before and during the pandemic, and the differences in these habits were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to identify predictors of CF consumption by gender. FindingsA total of 1,363 individuals were included in the sample, with a median age of 31 years old, of whom 80.3% were women. Since individuals were free to respond about the food consumed without predetermined categories, it was possible to carry out a faithful assessment of the occurrence of this behavior. At the same time, allowing the subjectivity and symbolism inherent to the concept of CF to be embraced. CF consumption was present for 54%, with "sweets" being the most mentioned group by both genders. The factors associated with CF consumption in women during the pandemic were increased snacking, increased bread, candies and alcoholic beverage intake, increased time spent at work, worsened sleep quality, reduced meals, perceived stress (PS), emotional eating (EE), age and increased frequency of meat intake. In men, the predictors for CF consumption were remote full-time work/study, PS, EE and early waking time. For both genders, CF consumption during the pandemic period was associated with PS and EE. Originality/valueThis study provides an important overview of the possible contributions of the pandemic on behaviors and food choices related to the consumption of CF in Brazilians. This information is valuable to support further studies to investigate and treat the impacts of the pandemic on lifestyle, eating habits and behavior, mental health and other factors in the postpandemic period.

Education as a Public Law: Reflections on Learning in Pandemic Times

The pandemic of the new coronavirus, among so many aspects, has restricted access to schools, as a coping measure to reduce contagion. Thus, this article aimed to promote a dialogue on the impacts of COVID-19 on education, in the year 2020, having as its main focus an analysis of the challenges and legal strategies (at the federal level) to guarantee the right to learning and its consequences in the midst of actions undertaken during the pandemic. It is a documentary research carried out from the analysis of the educational legislation proposed to meet the pandemic scenario and the current scientific publications. The results showed that the Brazilian educational legislation directed the adoption of strategies to guarantee the right to learning through remote education and those, added to the experienced situation, reinforced the picture of social inequality in the country.

Is "stay-at-home” synonymous of inactivity? Factors related to sedentary lifestyle in a Brazilian sample during COVID-19 initial quarantine

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle (<150 min of physical exercise/week) and associated factors of this behavior in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach: An observational study was conducted through an online questionnaire in August–September 2020 (5.5 months after the beginning of the pandemic in the country). Socioeconomic, lifestyle, anthropometric, dietary and perceived stress data were evaluated as possible related factors to a sedentary lifestyle through multiple logistic regression analysis. Findings: A total of 1,347 individuals were evaluated (median of 31 years old, 80.1% women), of whom 76.7% were considered sedentary. Associated factors to a sedentary lifestyle were being overweight;a greater difference between current weight and prepandemic weight;female sex;lower percentage of home-cooked meals;greater increase in the frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages;higher frequency of consumption of cereals, sausages and sweets during the pandemic;and higher score of perceived stress. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, no studies have aimed to reveal the associated factors to a sedentary lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Protective factors against a sedentary lifestyle were eating breakfast, being a student, living with parents, a higher frequency of fruit consumption, a higher rate of alcohol consumption and a higher cognitive restriction of food intake during the pandemic. Most of the study participants were sedentary, especially women. A sedentary lifestyle was associated with worse lifestyle/eating habits and stress. Such findings encourage an interdisciplinary approach because habits and lifestyle have numerous interferences. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Perceived Coronavirus Threat: Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Perceived Coronavirus Threat Questionnaire to Brazil

The COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on the mental health of the general population. Negative consequences related to fear, anxiety, stress and insecurity are associated with a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The present study aims to describe the process of translation and cultural adaptation of the Perceived Coronavirus Threat Questionnaire (PCTQ) to the Brazilian context. This investigation is characterized as transversal and with a quantitative approach. For the process of translating and culturally adapting the Perceived Coronavirus Threat Questionnaire (PCTQ) to the Brazilian context, the steps recommended by Beaton were followed. The Coronavirus Perceived Threat Questionnaire was adapted by a committee of experts and that has shown good applicability. We will continue with the other steps of the validation process so that we can make it available for use in Brazil in the future. It is also concluded that the participation of experts was effective for the validation of the instrument and proof of the representation of the proposed model. In addition, the instrument presents itself as an important tool in aging, since the assessment of the perceived threat of covid enables interventions that reduce stress, insecurity and fear, preventing the decline of mental health and the development of anxiety and depression. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Impact of Pandemic Covid-19 in the Tourism Sector in Curitiba (Pr): A Comparison of 2019 and 2020

Tourism has a broad multiplier effect and its ability to stimulate the economy is one of its most important global outcomes. This is an effect of tourist expenditure during a travel which, when converted into revenue is used to pay salaries and wages implies return of capital and tax payments. Communities and countries depend on the economic benefits of the sector, what increases vulnerability of destinations to extremes and susceptible of interfering in the dynamics of activity. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic called for social isolation measures as a way of avoiding contagion, triggering an worldwide economic crisis unprecedented in the area of tourism. Several countries' hospitality and tourism operations have been canceled, cross-border and, in some cases, domestic travel have been virtually ceased. It is in this crisis scenario where the debate in this article takes place, into an analysis of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector of the city of Curitibathrough comparative analysis between 2019 and 2020. The research has a qualitative and quantitative nature as it quantifies data for comparison purposes and, in addition, a qualitative analysis is made to support the results concerning the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector in Curitiba. As a result, the need of extending the timeframe for analysis to check whether the pace of economic recovery in Curitiba will keep up with the national and international scene is evident. It is considered important to conduct comparative research with municipalities which have a similar tourist profile.

The quality of sleep of physiotherapists in a public hospital during the covid-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION: The covid-19 pandemic has made it necessary to study the impact of the pandemic and the new work routines imposed on workers on the health status of health professionals, especially hospital-based physical therapists. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness of hospital-based physical therapists during the covid-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an observational, cross-sectional, prospective study conducted in a public hospital in northeastern Brazil. The research had as target audience, hospital-based physical therapists working or not in covid sectors during the covid-19 pandemic. We applied the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and questionnaires with demographic, work, health, and stress perception characteristics. RESULTS: Forty-five physical therapists participated in the study, and it was observed that 62.2% were female, 66.7% reported working 60h per week, and 55.6% worked in the covid and non-covid sectors. A high frequency of poor sleep quality (68.9%) was observed regardless of workload or work sector. In addition, there was a higher prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (43.3%) among physical therapists who worked 60h per week. CONCLUSION: Hospital-based physical therapists in a public institution have poor sleep quality, and those who work more hours have a higher prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness. © 2021, BAHIANA - School of Medicine and Public Health. All rights reserved.

ENROLLMENT AS A STUDENT'S RIGHT IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This text addresses the right to school enrollment in the pandemic times of the new coronavirus. It starts from the principle that school enrollment is supported by the right to education, as advocated in the Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil (1988), symbolizing the student identity validation. For this purpose, it is referenced the norms and laws that govern the Brazilian legal system to analyze information in the public domain and also emergency education and mapping the situation of education provision in the country are presented, exposing strategies to validate the school year, as well as alternatives to ending the studies. In this way, it was configured as a qualitative, exploratory and documentary research that gathers a set of relevant data for context and problematization of the student's path. We found that the pandemic reached the right to enroll, on a larger scale in public educational establishments, and that decision-making to validate this right was postponed, due to circumstances imposed by COVID-19.

Risk factors for critical illness and death among adult Brazilians with COVID-19

INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has infected more than 9,834,513 Brazilians up to February 2021. Knowledge of risk factors of coronavirus disease among Brazilians remains scarce, especially in the adult population. This study verified the risk factors for intensive care unit admission and mortality for coronavirus disease among 20-59-year-old Brazilians. METHODS: A Brazilian database on respiratory illness was analyzed on October 9, 2020, to gather data on age, sex, ethnicity, education, housing area, and comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for coronavirus disease. RESULTS: Overall, 1,048,575 persons were tested for coronavirus disease;among them, 43,662 were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 34,704 patients died. Male sex (odds ratio=1.235 and 1.193), obesity (odds ratio=1.941 and 1.889), living in rural areas (odds ratio=0.855 and 1.337), and peri-urban areas (odds ratio=1.253 and 1.577) were predictors of intensive care unit admission and mortality, respectively. Cardiovascular disease (odds ratio=1.552) was a risk factor for intensive care unit admission. Indigenous people had reduced chances (odds ratio=0.724) for intensive care unit admission, and black, mixed, East Asian, and indigenous ethnicity (odds ratio=1.756, 1.564, 1.679, and 1.613, respectively) were risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for intensive care unit admission and mortality among adult Brazilians were higher in men, obese individuals, and non-urban areas. Obesity was the strongest risk factor for intensive care unit admission and mortality.