scholarly journals Changes in social behavior over time in the COVID-19 pandemic

Author(s):  
Megan M Sheehan ◽  
Elizabeth R. Pfoh ◽  
Sidra Speaker ◽  
Michael B. Rothberg

Public health recommendations aimed at limiting spread of SARS-CoV-2 have encouraged social distancing and masks as economies across the United States re-open. Understanding adherence to these guidelines will inform further efforts to reduce transmission. In this repeated cross-sectional survey study, we describe changes in social behavior in Ohio during periods of declining and rising cases. While essential activities remained consistent over time, more individuals attended gatherings of 10 or more people as cases rose, particularly in the 18-29 age group. A majority of individuals wore masks. It appears necessary to continue limiting gatherings and encourage mask-wearing, particularly among younger groups.

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 553-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly C. Lee ◽  
Shareen Y. El-Ibiary ◽  
Karen Suchanek Hudmon

Objective: To evaluate the extent of research training and productivity among junior faculty in US schools of pharmacy. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted to characterize junior faculty’s ( a) research training and productivity, ( b) perceived ability to meet research demands, ( c) confidence and resources for research, and ( d) interest in receiving further research training. Main Results: Surveys were completed by 349 faculty members (36.7% response). More than 60% completed a pharmacy practice residency and fewer than 15% completed a fellowship. Respondents reported lack of formal training in most research skills during their postgraduate training. Most reported that they are able to meet the teaching, clinical, and service expectations of their departments; however, fewer than half believed that they are able to meet the research expectations. Conclusions: Study respondents reported lack of adequate research training during their postgraduate experiences and current faculty positions. Confidence among faculty to conduct research was also low compared to their confidence to fulfill other expectations of their position. Adequate preparation of current and future academicians is critical to ensuring the success and retention of faculty in the United States.


Author(s):  
Marcus Roll ◽  
Lara Canham ◽  
Paul Salamh ◽  
Kyle Covington ◽  
Corey Simon ◽  
...  

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to develop a survey addressing an individual’s non-cognitive traits, such as emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, social intelligence, psychological flexibility, and grit. Such a tool would provide beneficial information for the continued development of admissions standards and would help better capture the full breadth of experience and capabilities of applicants applying to doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study involving learners in DPT programs at 3 academic institutions in the United States. A survey was developed based on established non-proprietary, non-cognitive measures affiliated with success and resilience. The survey was assessed for face validity, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify subgroups of factors based on responses to the items. Results: A total of 298 participants (90.3%) completed all elements of the survey. EFA yielded 39 items for dimensional assessment with regression coefficients < 0.4. Within the 39 items, 3 latent constructs were identified: adaptability (16 items), intuitiveness (12 items), and engagement (11 items). Conclusion: This preliminary non-cognitive assessment survey will be able to play a valuable role in DPT admissions decisions following further examination and refinement.


Author(s):  
M. Todd Greene ◽  
Sarah L. Krein ◽  
Anita Huis ◽  
Marlies Hulscher ◽  
Hugo Sax ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To assess the extent to which evidence-based practices are regularly used in acute care hospitals in different countries. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Participants and setting: Infection preventionists in acute care hospitals in the United States (US), the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan. Methods: Data collected from hospital surveys distributed between 2015 and 2017 were evaluated to determine the use of practices to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central-line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Descriptive statistics were used to examine hospital characteristics and the percentage of hospitals reporting regular use of each infection prevention practice. Results: Survey response rates were 59% in the United States, 65% in the Netherlands, 77% in Switzerland, and 65% in Japan. Several recommended practices were used in the majority of hospitals: aseptic catheter insertion and maintenance (CAUTI), maximum sterile barrier precautions (CLABSI), semirecumbent patient positioning (VAP), and contact precautions and routine daily cleaning (CDI). Other prevention practices for CAUTI and VAP were used less frequently, particularly in Swiss and Japanese hospitals. Established surveillance systems were also lacking in Dutch, Swiss and Japanese hospitals. Conclusions: Most hospitals in the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan have adopted certain infection prevention practices. Clear opportunities for reducing HAI risk in hospitals exist across all 4 countries surveyed.


Author(s):  
Ali S. Raja ◽  
Joshua D. Niforatos ◽  
Nancy Anaya ◽  
Joseph Graterol ◽  
Robert M. Rodriguez

AbstractImportanceAlthough widespread vaccination will be the most important cornerstone of the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a critical question remains as to how much of the United States population will accept it.ObjectiveDetermine: 1) rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the United States public, 2) patient characteristics associated with hesitancy, 3) reasons for hesitancy, 4) healthcare sites where vaccine acceptors would prefer to be vaccinated.Design43-question cross-sectional survey conducted November 17-18, 2020, distributed on Amazon Mechanical Turk, an online labor marketplace where individuals receive a nominal fee (here, $1.80) for anonymously completing tasks.Eligible ParticipantsUnited States residents 18-88 years of age, excluding healthcare workers. A total 1,756 volunteer respondents completed the survey (median age 38 years, 53% female).Main Outcome MeasureMultivariable logistic regression modeled the primary outcome of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (defined as non-acceptance or being unsure about acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine) with respondent characteristics.ResultsA total 663 respondents (37.8%) were COVID-19 vaccine hesitant (374 [21.3%] non-acceptors and 289 [16.5%] unsure about accepting). Vaccine hesitancy was associated with not receiving influenza vaccination in the past 5 years (odds ratio [OR] 4.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.26-5.07, p<0.01), female gender (OR 2.12, 95%CI 1.70-2.65, p<0.01), Black race (OR 1.54, 95%CI 1.05-2.26, p=0.03), having a high school education or less (OR 1.46, 95%CI 1.03-2.07, p=0.03), and Republican party affiliation (OR 2.41, 95%CI 1.88-3.10, p<0.01). Primary reasons for hesitancy were concerns about side effects, need for more information, and doubts about vaccine efficacy. Preferred sites for vaccination for acceptors were primary doctors’ offices/clinics, pharmacies, and dedicated vaccination locations.ConclusionsIn this recent national survey, over one-third of respondents were COVID-19 vaccine hesitant. To increase vaccine acceptance, public health interventions should target vaccine hesitant populations with messaging that addresses their concerns about safety and efficacy.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih Gipson ◽  
John Torous ◽  
Robert Boland ◽  
Erich Conrad

BACKGROUND Mobile technology ownership in the general US population and medical professionals is increasing, leading to increased use in clinical settings. However, data on use of mobile technology by psychiatry residents remain unclear. OBJECTIVE In this study, our aim was to provide data on how psychiatric residents use mobile phones in their clinical education as well as barriers relating to technology use. METHODS An anonymous, multisite survey was given to psychiatry residents in 2 regions in the United States, including New Orleans and Boston, to understand their technology use. RESULTS All participants owned mobile phones, and 79% (54/68) used them to access patient information. The majority do not use mobile phones to implement pharmacotherapy (62%, 42/68) or psychotherapy plans (90%, 61/68). The top 3 barriers to using mobile technology in clinical care were privacy concerns (56%, 38/68), lack of clinical guidance (40%, 27/68), and lack of evidence (29%, 20/68). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that developing a technology curriculum and engaging in research could address these barriers to using mobile phones in clinical practice.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Stein ◽  
Jennifer Chatman ◽  
Juliana Schroeder

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated “Stay-Home” restrictions in the United States have disrupted employees’ lives. We leverage the change brought on by the Stay-Home restrictions to examine corresponding changes in employees’ commitment to their workgroup. Specifically, we advance and test a model predicting that the Stay-Home restrictions prevented workgroups from engaging in rigidly performed, meaningful workplace activities (i.e., ritualistic workplace activities), which subsequently made members feel that the group was less cohesive and ultimately reduced members’ workgroup commitment. We also compare changes in workgroup commitment to changes in workgroup identification, hypothesizing that commitment to one’s group erodes more than identification when workgroups are perceived to be less cohesive. We test our model in a four-wave panel survey of 772 U.S. employees at the onset of the Stay-Home restrictions, which allows us to examine within-person changes to commitment over time. Consistent with our hypotheses, commitment decreased as the duration of Stay-Home restrictions increased, which was mediated by corresponding declines in engaging in ritualistic workplace activities and perceptions of the workgroup’s cohesiveness. Further, commitment to one’s workgroup declined more than did identification with the workgroup, due to the stronger relationship between perceived group cohesion and commitment (vs. identification). We replicated these results in a separate, preregistered cross-sectional survey. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying workgroup commitment, demonstrating that engagement in ritualistic activities, which enhance workgroup cohesion, is linked to stronger commitment— more so than identification—over time.


2021 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. AB29
Author(s):  
Raghav Tripathi ◽  
Angie Y. Wan ◽  
Rishabh S. Mazmudar ◽  
Jeremy S. Bordeaux ◽  
Jeffrey F. Scott

2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 13 ◽  
pp. 259-266
Author(s):  
Michael Benigno ◽  
Kathryn P Anastassopoulos ◽  
Arash Mostaghimi ◽  
Margarita Udall ◽  
Shoshana R Daniel ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt Till ◽  
Florian Arendt ◽  
Thomas Niederkrotenthaler

Background: According to cultivation theory, distorted representations of social reality on television can lead to distorted perceptions of reality among viewers. For example, the death penalty has been abolished in most Western countries a long time ago, but is often portrayed or mentioned in US crime shows, which are very popular outside the United States. Previous research suggests that the amount of television viewing can be associated with erroneous perceptions of the use of the death penalty—even when the death penalty is not used in the respective country. Unfortunately, available evidence on this association is inconclusive.Methods: In a cross-sectional web-based survey, we used quota-based sampling techniques to recruit 1,002 individuals representative of the Austrian population in terms of gender, age, education, and region of residence. We asked about their weekly amount of television viewing and use of US crime dramas and measured their beliefs on the use of the death penalty in Austria.Results: Although television viewing in general was not associated with erroneous perceptions of the death penalty (i.e., no overall across-the-board cultivation effect), data analysis provided supporting evidence for the idea of a genre-specific cultivation effect: The more US crime shows participants watched, the more likely they were to mistakenly believe that the death penalty is used in Austria. This association held true even after controlling for the gender, age, and education of participants.Conclusion: The finding that watching US crime shows, which are based on social reality in the United States, is associated with Austrian viewers' confusion with regards to perceptions of the death penalty is consistent with the genre-specific cultivation hypothesis. Some viewers may be guided more by mediated reality than by actual social reality.


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