scholarly journals Do predictors of adherence to pandemic guidelines change over time? A panel study of 21,000 UK adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam Wright ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Social Motivations ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Predictors Of Adherence

AbstractIn the absence of a vaccine, governments have focused on behaviour change (e.g. social distancing and enhanced hygiene procedures) to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing research on the predictors of compliance with pandemic measures has often produced discrepant results. One explanation for this may be that the determinants of compliance are context specific. Understanding whether this is the case is important for designing public health messaging and for evaluating the generalisability of existing research. We used data from the UCL COVID-19 Social Study; a large weekly panel of UK adults from first five months of lockdown in the UK (n = 21,000). We tested whether the extent to which demographic, socio-economic position, personality traits, pro-social motivations, and the living environment predict compliance changed across the pandemic. Low compliance was strongly related to younger age and also to risk attitudes, empathic concern, and high income, among other factors. But the size of some of these associations was larger in later months when less stringent lockdown and household mixing measures were in place, suggesting context-specific effects. The results also showed that compliance fell faster across some groups, suggesting the importance that public health communications adopt a plurality of messages to maximize broad adherence.

Trajectories of eating behavior during COVID-19 lockdown: Longitudinal analyses of 22,374 adults in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritz Herle ◽  
Andrea Smith ◽  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Eating Behavior ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Trajectories Of Change ◽  
The Uk

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the implementation of stay-at-home and lockdown measures. It is currently unknown if the experience of lockdown leads to long term changes in individual’s eating behaviors.Objective: The objectives of this study were: i) to derive longitudinal trajectories of change in eating during UK lockdown, and ii) to identify risk factors associated with eating behavior trajectories. Design: Data from 22,374 UK adults from the UCL COVID-19 Social study (a panel study collecting weekly data during the pandemic) were analyzed from 28th March to 29th May 2020. Latent Class Growth Analysis was used to derive trajectories of change in eating. These were then associated with prior socio-economic, heath-related and psychological factors using multinomial regression models. Results: Analyses suggested five trajectories, with the majority (64%) showing no change in eating. In contrast, one trajectory was marked by persistently eating more, whereas another by persistently eating less. Overall, participants with greater depressive symptoms were more likely to report any change in eating. Loneliness was linked to persistently eating more (OR= 1.07), whereas being single or divorced, as well as stressful life events, were associated with consistently eating less (OR= 1.69). Overall, higher education status was linked to lower odds of changing eating behavior (OR= 0.54-0.77). Secondary exploratory analyses suggest that participants self-reported to have overweight were most common amongst the consistently overeaters, whereas underweight participants persistently ate less. Conclusion: In this study, we found that one third of the sample report changes in quantities eaten throughout the first UK lockdown period. Findings highlight the importance of adjusting public health programs to support eating behaviors in future lockdowns both in this and potential future pandemics. This is particularly important as part of on-going preventive efforts to prevent nutrition-related chronic diseases.

scholarly journals Time-use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a panel analysis of 55,204 adults followed across 11 weeks of lockdown in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Hei Wan Mak ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Panel Analysis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

There is currently major concern about the impact of the global COVID 19 outbreak on mental health. But it remains unclear how individual behaviors could exacerbate or protect against adverse changes in mental health. This study aimed to examine the associations between specific activities (or time use) and mental health and wellbeing amongst people during the COVID 19 pandemic. Data were from the UCL COVID 19 Social Study; a panel study collecting data weekly during the COVID 19 pandemic. The analytical sample consisted of 55,204 adults living in the UK who were followed up for the strict 11 week lockdown period from 21st March to 31st May 2020. Data were analyzed using fixed effects and Arellano Bond models. We found that changes in time spent on a range of activities were associated with changes in mental health and wellbeing. After controlling for bidirectionality, behaviors involving outdoor activities including gardening and exercising predicted subsequent improvements in mental health and wellbeing, while increased time spent on following news about COVID 19 predicted declines in mental health and wellbeing. These results are relevant to the formulation of guidance for people obliged to spend extended periods in isolation during health emergencies, and may help the public to maintain wellbeing during future pandemics.

scholarly journals Localising Vaccination Services: Qualitative Insights on an Orthodox Jewish Collaboration with Public health during the UK coronavirus Vaccine Programme

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Kasstan ◽  
Sandra Mounier-Jack ◽  
Louise Letley ◽  
Katherine M Gaskell ◽  
Chrissy H Roberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Orthodox Jewish ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Religious Minorities ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Uk

AbstractEthnic and religious minorities have been disproportionately affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and are less likely to accept coronavirus vaccinations. Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish neighbourhoods in England experienced high incidences of SARS-CoV-2 in 2020-21 and measles outbreaks (2018-19) due to suboptimal childhood vaccination coverage. The objective of our study was to explore how the coronavirus vaccination programme (CVP) was co-delivered between public health services and an Orthodox Jewish health organisation.Methods included 28 semi-structured interviews conducted virtually with public health professionals, community welfare and religious representatives, and household members. We examined CVP delivery from the perspectives of those involved in organising services and vaccine beneficiaries. Interview data was contextualised within debates of the CVP in Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish print and social media. Thematic analysis generated five considerations: i) Prior immunisation-related collaboration with public health services carved a role for Jewish health organisations to host and promote coronavirus vaccination sessions, distribute appointments, and administer vaccines ii) Public health services maintained responsibility for training, logistics, and maintaining vaccination records; iii) The localised approach to service delivery promoted vaccination in a minority with historically suboptimal levels of coverage; iv) Co-delivery promoted trust in the CVP, though a minority of participants maintained concerns around safety; v) Provision of CVP information and stakeholders’ response to situated (context-specific) challenges and concerns.Drawing on this example of CVP co-delivery, we propose that a localised approach to delivering immunisation programmes could address service provision gaps in ways that involve trusted community organisations. Localisation of vaccination services can include communication or implementation strategies, but both approaches involve consideration of investment, engagement and coordination, which are not cost-neutral. Localising vaccination services in collaboration with welfare groups raises opportunities for the on-going CVP and other immunisation programmes, and constitutes an opportunity for ethnic and religious minorities to collaborate in safeguarding community health.

scholarly journals COVID19 admission risk tools should include multi-ethnic age structures, multimorbidity and deprivation metrics for air pollution, household overcrowding, housing quality and adult skills

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina A. Soltan ◽  
Justin Varney ◽  
Benjamin Sutton ◽  
Colin R. Melville ◽  
Sebastian T. Lugg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Comorbidity Scores ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Age Structures

Abstract Background-Ethnic minorities account for 34% of critically ill COVID-19 patients despite constituting 14% of the UK population. Internationally, researchers have called for studies to understand deterioration risk factors to inform clinical risk tool development. Methods-Multi-centre cohort study of hospitalised COVID-19 patients (n=3671) exploring determinants of health, including Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) sub-indices, as risk factors for presentation, deterioration and mortality by ethnicity. Receiver operator characteristics were plotted for CURB65 and ISARIC4C by ethnicity and area under the curve (AUC) calculated.Results-Ethnic minorities were admitted with higher Charlson Comorbidity Scores than age, sex and deprivation matched controls and from the highest IMD sub-indices of at least one deprivation form: Indoor Living Environment(LE), Outdoor LE, Adult Skills and Wider Barriers to Housing and Services. Admission from the highest sub-indices of these deprivation forms was associated with multilobar pneumonia on presentation and ITU admission. AUC did not exceed 0.7 for CURB65 or ISARIC4C among any ethnicity except ISARIC4C among Indian patients 0.83 (0.73-0.93). Ethnic minorities presenting with pneumonia and low CURB65(0-1) had higher mortality than Caucasians (22.6% vs.9.4%; p<0.001); Africans were at highest risk (38.5%; p=0.006), followed by Caribbean (26.7%; p=0.008), Indian (23.1%; p=0.007) and Pakistani (21.2%; p=0.004).Conclusions-Ethnic minorities exhibit higher multimorbidity despite younger age structures and disproportionate exposure to unscored risk factors: obesity and deprivation. Household overcrowding, air pollution, housing quality and adult skills deprivation are associated with multi-lobar pneumonia on presentation and ITU admission which are mortality risk factors. Risk tools need to reflect risks predominantly affecting ethnic minorities.

scholarly journals Are we all in this together? Longitudinal assessment of cumulative adversities by socioeconomic position in the first 3 weeks of lockdown in the UK

2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-214475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam Wright ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Longitudinal Assessment ◽  
Adverse Experiences ◽  
University College London ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Over Time

BackgroundDespite media claims that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is uniting societies and countries in shared experience, there has been concern that the pandemic is in fact exposing and widening existing inequalities within societies. Data have shown these differences for cases and fatalities, but data on other types of adversities are lacking. Therefore, this study explored the changing patterns of adversity relating to the COVID-19 pandemic by socioeconomic position (SEP) during the early weeks of lockdown in the UK.MethodsData were from 12 527 UK adults in the University College London COVID-19 Social Study (a panel study that involves online weekly data collection from participants during the COVID-19 pandemic). We analysed data collected from 25 March to 14 April 2020. The sample was well-stratified and weighted to population proportions of gender, age, ethnicity, education and country of living. We used Poisson and logit models to assess 10 different types of adverse experiences depending on an index of SEP over time.ResultsThere was a clear gradient across the number of adverse events experienced each week by SEP. This was most clearly seen for adversities relating to finances (including loss of employment and cut in income) and basic needs (including access to food and medications) but less for experiences directly relating to the virus. Inequalities were maintained with no reductions in discrepancies between socioeconomic groups over time.ConclusionsThere were clear inequalities in adverse experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the early weeks of lockdown in the UK. Results suggest that measures taken to try to reduce such adverse events did not go far enough in tackling inequality.

scholarly journals Loneliness during lockdown: trajectories and predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 35,712 adults in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Growth Trajectories ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Growth Mixture ◽  
Growth Mixture Modelling ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThere are increasing worries that lockdowns and “stay-at-home” orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a rise in loneliness, which is recognised as a major public health concern. But profiles of loneliness during the pandemic and risk factors remain unclear.Data from 35,712 UK adults in the UCL COVID-19 Social Study (a panel study collecting data weekly during the pandemic) were analysed from 21/03/2020-03/05/2020. The sample was well-stratified and weighted to population proportions of gender, age, ethnicity, education and geographical location. Growth mixture modelling was used to identify the latent classes of loneliness growth trajectories and their predictors.Analyses revealed four classes, with the baseline loneliness level ranging from low to high. In the first six weeks of lockdown, loneliness levels increased in the highest loneliness group, decreased in the lowest loneliness group, and stayed relatively constant in the middle two groups. Younger adults (OR = 2.17–6.81), women (OR = 1.59), people with low income (OR = 1.3), the economically inactive (OR = 1.3–2.04) and people with mental health conditions (OR = 5.32) were more likely to be in highest loneliness class relative to the lowest. Further, living with others or in a rural area, and having more close friends or greater social support were protective.Perceived levels of loneliness in the first few weeks of lockdown during COVID-19 were relatively stable in the UK, but for many people these levels were high with no signs of improvement. Results suggest that more efforts are needed to address loneliness, especially amongst young people.

scholarly journals Trajectories of depression and anxiety during enforced isolation due to COVID-19: longitudinal analyses of 59,318 adults in the UK with and without diagnosed mental illness

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisy Fancourt ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Feifei Bu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Growth Curve Modelling ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundThere is currently major concern about the impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak on mental health.A number of studies suggest that mental health deteriorated in many countries prior to enforced isolation (“lockdown”), but it remains unknown how mental health has changed during lockdown.AimsThis study explored trajectories of anxiety and depression over the first two months of lockdown using data from the UK, and compared the experiences of individuals with and without diagnosed mental illness.MethodsData from 53,328 adults in the UCL COVID-19 Social Study (a well-stratified panel study weighted to population proportions collecting data weekly during the Covid-19 pandemic) were analysed from 21/03/2020-10/05/2020. Growth curve modelling was fitted accounting for socio-demographic and health covariates.Results24.4% of the sample had scores indicating moderate-severe anxiety, and 31.4% indicating moderate-severe depressive symptoms. Over the first two months of lockdown, there was only a slight decrease in anxiety levels amongst participants as a whole and a very small decrease in depression levels between weeks 3-6 that then increased again in weeks 7-8. Adults with pre-existing diagnoses of mental health conditions had higher levels of anxiety and depression but there was no evidence of widening inequalities in mental health experiences compared to people without existing mental illness.ConclusionsResults suggest there has been little improvement in depression and only slight improvements in anxiety since lockdown commenced in the UK. These findings suggest greater efforts need to be made to help individuals manage their mental health during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Time use and mental health in UK adults during an 11-week COVID-19 lockdown: a panel analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Feifei Bu ◽  
Andrew Steptoe ◽  
Hei Wan Mak ◽  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background There is currently major concern about the impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak on mental health. But it remains unclear how individual behaviours could exacerbate or protect against adverse changes in mental health. Aims To examine the associations between specific activities (or time use) and mental health and well-being among people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method Data were from the UCL COVID-19 Social Study, a panel study collecting data weekly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analytical sample consisted of 55 204 adults living in the UK who were followed up for the 11-week strict lockdown period from 21 March to 31 May 2020. Data were analysed using fixed-effects and Arellano–Bond models. Results Changes in time spent on a range of activities were associated with changes in mental health and well-being. After controlling for bidirectionality, behaviours involving outdoor activities such as gardening and exercising predicted subsequent improvements in mental health and well-being, whereas increased time spent following news about COVID-19 predicted declines in mental health and well-being. Conclusions These results are relevant to the formulation of guidance for people obliged to spend extended periods in isolation during health emergencies and may help the public to maintain well-being during future lockdowns and pandemics.

India as a Pioneer of Innovation

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
Context Specific

What does innovation mean to and in India? What are the predominant areas of innovation for India, and under what situations do they succeed or fail? This book addresses these all-important questions arising within diverse Indian contexts: informal economy, low-cost settings, large business groups, entertainment and copyright-based industries, an evolving pharma sector, a poorly organized and appallingly underfunded public health system, social enterprises for the urban poor, and innovations for the millions. It explores the issues that promote and those that hinder the country’s rise as an innovation leader. The book’s balanced perspective on India’s promises and failings makes it a valuable addition for those who believe that India’s future banks heavily on its ability to leapfrog using innovation, as well as those sceptical of the Indian state’s belief in the potential of private enterprise and innovation. It also provides critical insights on innovation in general, the most important of which being the highly context-specific, context-driven character of the innovation project.

Men's perception and understanding of male-factor infertility in the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. S8-S16
Author(s):  
Eleanor L Stevenson ◽  
Cheng Ching-Yu ◽  
Chang Chia-Hao ◽  
Kevin R McEleny
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Male Factor Infertility ◽  
Male Factor ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk

Male-factor infertility is a common but stigmatised issue, and men often do not receive the emotional support and the information they need. This study sought to understand awareness of male fertility issues compared to female fertility among the UK general male public, and also what were perceived as being the optimum methods for providing support for affected men, emotionally and through information. Men feel that male infertility is not discussed by the public as much as female infertility. Lifestyle issues that affect male fertility are not well understood, and men affected by infertility desire more support, including online, from health professionals and through peer support. Health professionals, including those in public health, could offer evidence-based programmes to reduce stigma and increase public knowledge about infertility, as well as offer emotional support to men with infertility problems.

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