scholarly journals Stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic: examining the psychological and financial impact of border restrictions

Author(s):  
Pippa McDermid ◽  
Adam Craig ◽  
Meru Sheel ◽  
Katrina Blazek ◽  
Siobhan Talty ◽  
...  

Objective: With the easing of COVID-19-related international travel restrictions in late 2021 it is time to consider the direct and indirect social, emotional, and financial impacts that these border closures have had. The study aims to evaluate the psychological and financial distress reported by people stranded abroad due to international travel restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between July and September 2021, we implemented a cross-sectional online survey targeting individuals stranded abroad due to international travel restrictions. The survey collected data about COVID-19 travel restriction-related travel impacts; personal stress, anxiety, and depression (using the validated DASS-21tool); as well as impacts on housing and financial security; and demographic data. Findings: We had 1054 participants complete the survey; most were trying to return to the Oceania region (75.4%), with 45% stranded in Europe. Overall, 64.2% reported financial distress while stranded abroad. 64.4% (x̄ =9.43, SD=5.81) reported either a moderate or severe (based on the DASS-21 classification) level of depression, 41.7% for anxiety (x̄ =5.46, SD=4.74), and 58.1% for stress (x̄ =10.64, SD=5.26). Statistically significant factors associated with moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress were financial stress, an employment change, being <30yrs, having a high perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 abroad and being stranded for >2 months. Conclusion: The study is among the first to explore the psychological and financial distress-related impacts associated with being stranded abroad due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. It highlights a range of unintended consequences that arise from pandemic-related travel restriction, identifies the health and social needs for a particularly vulnerable population, and provides clues as to the types of support that may be adopted to best support them. This research will assist policymakers in identifying support packages for people stranded abroad due to global disaster.

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 765
Author(s):  
Amel Ahmed Fayed ◽  
Abeer Salem Al Shahrani ◽  
Leenah Tawfiq Almanea ◽  
Nardeen Ibrahim Alsweed ◽  
Layla Mohammed Almarzoug ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess the willingness to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and seasonal influenza vaccines and vaccine uptake during the early stage of the national vaccination campaign in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adult Saudis between 20 January and 20 March 2021. The questionnaire addressed vaccine hesitancy, perceived risk, willingness, and vaccine uptake. Approximately 39% of the participants expressed vaccine hesitancy, and 29.8% and 24% felt highly vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, respectively. The majority (59.5%) were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, although only 31.7% were willing to receive the flu vaccine. Adjusted analysis showed that vaccine hesitancy (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.27–0.43) and the perception of being at high risk (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.68–4.60) independently affected the intention to be vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy was similar among those who were willing to be vaccinated (29.8%) and those who had already been vaccinated (33.1%). The perceived risk was significantly higher among those who had been vaccinated (48.1%) than among those who were willing to be vaccinated but had not yet been vaccinated (29.1%). In conclusion, the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia is high. Saudis who received the vaccine had a similar level of vaccine hesitancy and a higher level of perceived risk.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cylie M. Williams ◽  
Anna Couch ◽  
Terry Haines ◽  
Hylton B. Menz

Abstract Background On the 19th of January, 2020, the Chief Medical Officer of Australia issued a statement about a novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2. Since this date, there have been variable jurisdictional responses, including lockdowns, and restrictions on podiatry practice. This study aimed to describe impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the podiatry profession in Australia. Methods This was a cross sectional study of Australian podiatrists using demographic data collected between 2017 and 2020, and pandemic-related question responses collected between 30th March and 31st August, 2020. Data were collected online and participants described their work settings, patient funding types, business decisions and impacts, and information sources used to guide practice decisions during this time-period. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse open-ended questions about their practice impact of SARS-CoV-2. Results There were 732 survey responses, with 465 Australian podiatrists or podiatric surgeons providing responses describing pandemic impact. From these responses, 223 (49% of 453) podiatrists reported no supply issues, or having adequate supplies for the foreseeable future with personal protective equipment (PPE) or consumables to support effective infection prevention and control. The most frequent responses about employment, or hours of work, impact were reported in the various categories of “business as usual” (n = 312, 67%). Participants described most frequently using the local state and territory Department of Health websites (n = 347, 75%), and the Australian Podiatry Association (n = 334, 72%) to make decisions about their business. Overarching themes which resounded through open-ended comments was that working through the pandemic was likened to a marathon, and not a sprint. Themes were: (i) commitment to do this, (ii) it’s all in the plan, but not everything goes to plan, (iii) my support team must be part of getting through it, (iv) road blocks happen, and (v) nothing is easy, what’s next? Conclusion Podiatrists in Australia reported variable pandemic impact on their business decisions, PPE stores, and their valued sources of information. Podiatrists also described their “marathon” journey through the pandemic to date, with quotes describing their challenges and highlights. Describing these experiences should provide key learnings for future workforce challenges, should further restrictions come into place.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Useche ◽  
Luis Montoro ◽  
Francisco Alonso ◽  
Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios

The increasing number of registered road crashes involving cyclists during the last decade and the high proportion of road crashes resulting in severe injuries and fatalities among cyclists constitutes a global issue for community health, urban development and sustainability. Nowadays, the incidence of many risk factors for road crashes of cyclists remains largely unexplained. Given the importance of this issue, the present study has been conducted with the aim of determining relationships between infrastructural, human factors and safety outcomes of cyclists. Objectives: This study aimed, first, to examine the relationship between key infrastructural and human factors present in cycling, bicycle-user characteristics and their self-reported experience with road crashes. And second, to determine whether a set of key infrastructural and human factors may predict their self-reported road crashes. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 1064 cyclists (38.8% women, 61.2% men; M = 32.8 years of age) from 20 different countries across Europe, South America and North America, participated in an online survey composed of four sections: demographic data and cycling-related factors, human factors, perceptions on infrastructural factors and road crashes suffered. Results: The results of this study showed significant associations between human factors, infrastructural conditions and self-reported road crashes. Also, a logistic regression model found that self-reported road crashes of cyclists could be predicted through variables such as age, riding intensity, risky behaviours and problematic user/infrastructure interactions. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that self-reported road crashes of cyclists are influenced by features related to the user and their interaction with infrastructural characteristics of the road.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Zeng ◽  
Qian Fang ◽  
Shan He ◽  
Qiping An ◽  
Juan Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Nurses play a core role and encompass the main workforce in health care systems. Their role model of health promoting behaviors would directly or indirectly affect their clients’ beliefs or attitudes of health promotion. There is limited evidence on health promoting lifestyle behaviors in clinical registered nurses. To explore the health promoting lifestyle behaviors and associated influencing factors among clinical registered nurses in China.Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted in 2020. Participants were asked to complete social demographic information as well as the revised Chinese edition of Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile. Independent-Sample T Test, One-Way ANOVA and categorical regression (optimal scaling regression) were main methods to analysis the relationship between demographic data and score of health promoting lifestyle behaviors.Results: 19422 nurses were included in the study. The mean score of self-actualization, health responsibility/physical activity, nutrition, job safety, interpersonal support and overall Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile were, 27.61±5.42 out of a score of 36, 22.71±7.77 out of a score of 44, 10.43±2.97 out of a score of 16, 22.05±3.97 out of a score of 28, 20.19±4.67 out of a score of 28, and 102.99±19.93 out of a score of 144, respectively. There was a significant relationship among Hospital levels, working years, nightshift status, and monthly income per person and mean score of all subscales and the overall Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (P<0.05).Conclusions: Nurses participated in the study presented moderate level of health promoting lifestyle behaviors. Hospital levels, working years, nightshift status, and monthly income per person were predictors for all subscales and overall HPLP.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarina Rebecca Chaiken ◽  
Lisa Han ◽  
Blair G Darney ◽  
Leo Han

BACKGROUND The majority of patients use the internet to search for health information. While there is a vast repository of searchable information online, much of the content is unregulated and therefore potentially incorrect, conflicting, or confusing. Abortion information online is particularly prone to being inaccurate as anti-choice websites publish purposefully misleading information in formats that appear as neutral resources. To understand how anti-choice websites appear neutral, we need to understand the specific website features of anti-choice features that impart trust to viewers. OBJECTIVE We sought to identify characteristics of false or misleading abortion websites that make these websites appear trustworthy to the public. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using Amazon.com Inc’s Mechanical Turk platform. We used validated questionnaires to ask participants to rate eleven anti-choice sites and one neutral site identified by experts, focusing on site content, creators, and design. We collected socio-demographic data and participant views on abortion. We used a composite measure of “mean overall trust” as our primary outcome. Using correlation matrices, we determined which website characteristics were most associated with overall trust. Finally, we used linear regression to identify participant characteristics associated with overall trust. RESULTS Our analytic sample included 498 participants ranging from ages 22 to 70, 50.1% of whom identified as female. Across eleven anti-choice sites, creator trust (“I believe that the creators of this site are honest and trustworthy”) had the highest correlation coefficient with overall trust (0.70). Professional appearance (0.59), look and feel (0.59), perception that the information is created by experts (0.59), association with a trustworthy organization (0.58), valued features and functionalities (0.54), and interactive capabilities (0.52) all demonstrated strong relationships with overall trust. At the individual level, pro-choice leaning was associated with higher overall trust of the neutral site (B: -0.43, CI: -0.87, 0.01) and lower overall trust of the anti-choice sites (B: 0.52, CI: 0.05, .99). CONCLUSIONS The overall trustworthiness of anti-choice websites is most associated with design characteristics and perceived trustworthiness of the site creator. Those who believe that access to abortion should be limited are more likely to trust anti-choice websites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-223
Author(s):  
Sonu Punia ◽  
◽  
Mohini Mohini ◽  
Shailja Sharma ◽  
Varun Singh ◽  
...  

Objective. The aim of this research was access the effect of lockdown on the psychological health status of people. Methods. This was an online questionnaire survey developed and circulated among people using snow-ball sampling techniques from April to mid of June 2020. The online survey collected information on demographic data and psychosocial health elements. Results. This study included 604 peoples (59.1% were female and 40.8% were females) of Haryana. Of the total respondents, 57.6% were in age group of 18-30 years, 40.8% were in 31-45 years and 1.5% was in 45-60 years group. 90% of people have normal self- reported BMI, 6.5% were overweight, 3% were underweight and 0.5% people have obesity. 74% respondents were graduate, 11.5% postgraduate, 3.2% were PhD, and 9.2% were 12th pass. 31.8% were unemployed, 35.9% were student, 15.8% regular government employee, 4.7% were self- employed and 2.5% were adhoc/contract employee. 79.5% people reside in urban community and 16% in rural community and 4.5% in semi-urban area. Most of the respondents have agree with the statement that lockdown induced constant sense of insecurity (72.9%); anxiety (58.7%),psychological stress (66.4%); work & financial stress (52.4%), phobia of infection (50.9%); stigma towards symptomatic people, which might be because of simple flu (55.2%); stress from watching & listening COVID-19 news (38.6%); stress from practice of prevention measure (31.9%). Most of people also agree with that behavior-change modification (follow preventive regulations) can improve mental stress (53.2%). Conclusion. Majority of people has realized the lockdown have significant impact on psychological health status of people.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-48
Author(s):  
Kate Ogg ◽  
Chanelle Taoi

Abstract COVID-19 has presented a number of challenges for the international refugee protection regime. An issue that has received little attention is the relationship between states tightening their borders in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and their non-refoulement obligations. This raises the question of how international law responds when non-refoulement obligations may conflict with other international human rights such as the rights to life and health. Further, the legal analysis of whether a particular COVID-19 border policy is in violation of non-refoulement obligations must take into account how the travel restriction will be implemented. This article provides an overarching analysis of non-refoulement provisions in international refugee and human rights law and which COVID-19 international travel restrictions may be in breach of these obligations. We examine different types of COVID-19 travel restrictions and argue that many are undoubtedly violations of non-refoulement, but others raise unsettled questions of international law. Nevertheless, there is jurisprudence and scholarship to support the proposition that a state’s non-refoulement obligations can be triggered even in these more contested scenarios.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viraiyan Teeroovengadum ◽  
Boopen Seetanah ◽  
Eric Bindah ◽  
Arshad Pooloo ◽  
Isven Veerasawmy

Purpose This study aims to confirm the expected impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) related to perceived travel risk on the likelihood of tourists to visit a destination. It then aims at identifying the key predictors of perceived travel risk in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. A theoretically grounded framework is proposed which can be further improved to understand and predict international travel behaviours within the context of global pandemics. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design is adopted. In the first phase referred to as Study 1, a cross-sectional design is used based on a sample of 217 international outgoing tourists surveyed at the Mauritian International Airport and data is analysed using hierarchical regression. In Phase 2, referred to as Study 2, a purposive sample of tourists around the world are interviewed and data is analysed using the thematic analysis technique. Findings The results show that amongst those tourists who are willing to travel in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, the related perceived risk is likely to influence their travelling intention. Several key predictors of perceived travel risks are uncovered, those are categorised as COVID-19 status; transportation services; national sanitary measures; health-care services; accommodation services; ecotourism facilities. Moreover, the potential effects of those factors on perceived COVID-19 related travel risk are likely to be moderated by the trustworthiness of the information. Practical implications The implications of the study are important for researchers and policymakers to better understand and predict travellers’ behaviour in times of pandemics. These implications are also important to tourism marketers and transport and hospitality service providers to more effectively manage and mitigate the effect of such events. Originality/value The study provides an original comprehensive model grounded in the social cognitive theory and protection motivation theory to understand the predictors of perceived travel risks in relation to COVID-19 at a destination.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Simons ◽  
Raymond Effah ◽  
David Baldwin

Objectives To find out how, why and when medical students think wellbeing should be measured. Design A mixed methods study comprising a cross-sectional online survey (November 2020-March 2021) and semi-structured on-line interviews. Views on the frequency of availability for measurement, the format, type and purpose of measurement, and with whom wellbeing should be discussed were measured. When an outcome was scored 7-9 on a 9-point Likert scale of agreement by ≥75% of participants it was considered critical, in line with COMET and GRADE processes for rating recommendations. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken on the interview transcripts by two independent researchers. Setting All Medicine programmes at University of Southampton. Participants Medical students from all years took part in the survey (n=118) and interviews (n=16). Results Participant demographics were similar to national medical student demographics. Most participants (94%) felt able to give 5 minutes to measure their wellbeing at least once a month. No single format of measurement was rated critical. Research, governance and individual feedback all reached the 75% threshold for the purpose being considered critically important. Only subjective assessments undertaken by the individual in real-time were rated as critically important (78.1%) measurement tools. Students selected that they would discuss their wellbeing with other medical students (n=87) nearly as often as they selected a member of the Faculty (n=104). Top determinants of wellbeing picked by medical students were energy, ability to do activities of daily living, and negative feelings. Five interview themes further explained these findings. Conclusions Five recommendations about self-care teaching, quality-assured pastoral and peer support, proactive wellbeing check-ins and demographic data are discussed in light of these findings. Methods to achieve them are suggested, which are medical student-centred, and which make use of existing resources.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
lulua falah alasousi ◽  
sara alhammouri ◽  
sara alabdulhadi

Background: Rising fear and panic among public during COVID19 pandemic increase concern regarding anxiety cases in Kuwait. Media capture our attention during this period looking for daily virus update lead to more fear . Our purpose of this study to examine the relationship between anxiety and media exposure among Kuwaiti during COVID19 outbreak Method: cross sectional study among Kuwaiti citizen between age23-55yrs old was conducted from April,21,2020 to May,15,2020 using online survey. Total of 1230 participants involve in the current study after exclusion criteria removed. Beside demographic data and media exposure anxiety was assessed using generalized anxiety disorder scale GAD-7. multivariable regression was used to identify the correlation between anxiety and media exposure Result: the result show that there is positive correlation between media exposure and anxiety during COVID19 outbreak in Kuwait (p<.001), furthermore it revealed that there is significant relationship between the frequency of exposure and anxiety(<.001) Conclusion: from this study we can understand that during COVID19 pandemic exposure to media can cause anxiety therefore measures should be taken by the governments to fight misinformation and physician should pay more attention to mental health disease during this period.


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