The coronavirus pandemic, libraries and information: a thematic analysis of initial international responses to COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Kosciejew
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
English Speaking

Purpose This study aims to present and discuss the international library and information community’s initial responses to the coronavirus pandemic. It chronicles official statements from various library and information associations as they were released in real-time, thereby providing a contemporary and historical snapshot of the early stages of this global health crisis. The aim is to both historically and thematically contextualize these initial responses to help establish a foundation upon which to anchor, build, extend and analyze approaches to the pandemic as it unfolded (and indeed as it continues to unfold at the time of this writing in June 2020). Design/methodology/approach Drawing upon a qualitative documentary analysis of statements on COVID-19 released by various international library and information associations, this study provides a thematic analysis of these contemporary policies. Specifically, this thematic analysis was carried out to identify and illuminate major themes appearing within the statements. Further, a comparative thematic analysis was then undertaken to compare the themes across all statements to discover and determine convergences or divergences in content and coverage. Findings The formal statements released by these organizations feature and share many similar themes in their initial responses to COVID-19, including support for/solidarity with libraries; information provision; maintaining services; digital migration of services; workplace arrangements/concerns; contextual contingencies of libraries (diversity of kinds, circumstances and challenges); health concerns and proper/good hygiene; countering dis/misinformation; external collaborations with public health agencies; and partnerships with industry including publishers. Research limitations/implications Although this study’s purview is admittedly limited in size and scope – involving six, albeit major, library and information associations from mainly English speaking countries – it can be used as a foundation for further studies into how libraries and information centres in other English and non-English speaking countries responded to the coronavirus pandemic. Practical implications This study can help inform current, alternative, contingency or other future library responses geared towards or tailored for the coronavirus or other health-related crises. It can also be used as a baseline to track the trajectory of library responses and actions as they unfolded throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Social implications By providing the start of an account and analysis of the international library and information science (LIS) community’s initial responses, this study also contributes to the broader (ongoing) conversation about the coronavirus pandemic and intervenes in emerging historical examinations of this crisis. This study could be of interest to LIS scholars and practitioners, in addition to public health researchers, public policymakers, cultural studies academics and historians, interested in how different and intersectional efforts – in this case, the international LIS community – contributed and can contribute to this pandemic and other similar or parallel crises. Originality/value The international library and information community’s initial responses to this global health crisis are contextualized, thereby serving as a foundation upon which to anchor, build and extend other research on responses to the pandemic as it unfolded. Drawing upon a qualitative documentary analysis of these statements, this study presents and discusses the international library community’s initial responses to the coronavirus pandemic. It chronicles these statements as they were released in real-time, thereby providing a contemporary and historical snapshot of the early stages of this crisis. The aim is to both historically and thematically contextualize the international library and information community’s initial responses to help establish a foundation upon which to anchor, build, extend and update the international library community’s responses to the pandemic as it unfolded (and indeed as it continues to unfold at the time of this writing in June 2020). This foundation, it is hoped, will help illuminate their respective positions, circumstances, convergences, divergences and areas of possible (future) cooperation, coordination and collaboration.

scholarly journals Perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 infection from event attendance: results from Louisiana, USA, two weeks preceding the national emergency declaration

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Li ◽  
Bingcheng Yang ◽  
Jerrod Penn ◽  
Bailey Houghtaling ◽  
Juan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Preference ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
Income Group ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Preference Study

Abstract Background Individual perceptions of personal and national threats posed by COVID-19 shaped initial response to the pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in residents’ awareness about COVID-19 and to characterize those who were more aware and responsive during the early stages of the pandemic in Louisiana. Methods In response to the mounting threat of COVID-19, we added questions to an ongoing food preference study held at Louisiana State University from March 3rd through March 12th, 2020. We asked how likely it was that the spread of the coronavirus will cause a national public health crisis and participants’ level of concern about contracting COVID-19 by attending campus events. We used regression and classification tree analysis to identify correlations between these responses and (a) national and local COVID case counts; (b) personal characteristics and (c) randomly assigned information treatments provided as part of the food preference study. Results We found participants expressed a higher likelihood of an impending national crisis as the number of national and local confirmed cases increased. However, concerns about contracting COVID-19 by attending campus events rose more slowly in response to the increasing national and local confirmed case count. By the end of this study on March 12th, 2020 although 89% of participants agreed that COVID-19 would likely cause a public health crisis, only 65% of the participants expressed concerns about contracting COVID-19 from event attendance. These participants were significantly more likely to be younger students, in the highest income group, and to have participated in the study by responding to same-day, in-person flyer distribution. Conclusions These results provide initial insights about the perceptions of the COVID-19 public health crisis during its early stages in Louisiana. We concluded with suggestions for universities and similar institutions as in-person activities resume in the absence of widespread vaccination.

Understanding barriers to consumers to stop washing raw poultry through in-depth interviews

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Gilman ◽  
Shauna C. Henley ◽  
Jennifer Quinlan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Transtheoretical Model ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Raw Poultry ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Health Messaging

PurposeFoodborne illness from poultry may be associated with improper handling that results in cross contamination. Washing of raw poultry is one practice that can lead to cross contamination. Some consumers continue to wash raw poultry after learning that not washing raw poultry is the safe behavior. There is a need to better understand why some consumers continue this practice and identify barriers to them adopting the correct behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis research utilized qualitative, in-depth interviews to understand some consumer's barriers to adopting the behavior of not washing raw poultry. The interview questioning route was iteratively developed and designed to allow both structure and flexibility. Questions were anchored in the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Interviews (N = 23) were conducted over Zoom. Thematic analysis identified themes around consumers' resistance to adopting the correct behavior for handling raw poultry.FindingsResults from the thematic analysis indicate that chicken preparation methods were primarily influenced by family. A desire to control the process of preparing food, lack of trust in chicken processing, and the habitual nature of the behavior all contributed to the continuation of washing raw poultry. Over half of the participants (61%) expressed interest in changing behaviors in the future. Needing supporting scientific evidence, and an alternative behavior to replace washing were two key factors to support the development of future public health messaging.Originality/valueThis study investigates the barriers to safe raw poultry handling utilizing in-depth interviews and contributes to the development of more effective public health messaging.

Strategic crisis response: managerial implications and direction for recovery and survival

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramendra Thakur ◽  
Dena Hale
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Attribution Theory ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Crisis Response Strategy ◽  
Managerial Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide managers with insights to help survive a crisis, create advantage during slow-growth recoveries and thrive when the crisis is over. Given the environment at the time of this paper, this paper focuses on widespread crises, such as a public health crisis like COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach The authors offer a conceptual framework, grounded in the attribution theory and situation crisis communication theory (SCCT), for managers to use when determining which crisis response strategy is most appropriate to use during a crisis. Propositions based on this framework are provided. This paper focuses on widespread crises, such as a public health crisis, particularly on the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the framework proposed for organizational crisis response strategy and recovery, several insights for managers across a variety of industries emerge. Consideration of the best strategic approach to a crisis is essential, and time is critical. This framework provides a starting point for creating a proper response strategy when a crisis arises that is not within the organization’s crisis management planning. Managerial implications for several industries, such as restaurant, hotel, airline, education, retail, medical and other professional services, and theoretical implications to further the advancement of understanding are provided. Findings The findings of this paper demonstrate that organizations that apply an accommodative strategy during unintentional crises will survive, while during intentional crises, they will thrive in the marketplace. Similarly, organizations that apply an offensive strategy during unintentional crises will thrive, while during intentional crises, they will survive in the marketplace. Practical implications This paper provides a framework highlighting strategies that best protect an organization during both internally and externally caused crises. The response strategy and crisis framework are based on the attribution theory and SCCT. Building on this framework, six propositions are postulated. In keeping with this strategy and crisis framework, this study provides several crisis response insights for managers across a variety of industries. These suggestions act as a guide for managers when assessing how to respond in the early days of a crisis and what to do to recover from it. Originality/value This paper provides a crisis-strategy matrix, grounded in the attribution theory and SCCT, to provide decision-making guidance to help managers survive a crisis, create advantage during slow-growth recoveries and thrive when the crisis is over. The authors provide multiple industry insights related to the “how to” and the “what to” in the recovery from and survival through internally and externally caused crises.

scholarly journals The ZKIR Assay, a Real-Time PCR Method for the Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Closely Related Species in Environmental Samples

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elodie Barbier ◽  
Carla Rodrigues ◽  
Geraldine Depret ◽  
Virginie Passet ◽  
Laurent Gal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Complex Matrices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Pcr Method

ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae is of growing public health concern due to the emergence of strains that are multidrug resistant, virulent, or both. Taxonomically, the K. pneumoniae complex (“Kp”) includes seven phylogroups, with Kp1 (K. pneumoniae sensu stricto) being medically prominent. Kp can be present in environmental sources such as soils and vegetation, which could act as reservoirs of animal and human infections. However, the current lack of screening methods to detect Kp in complex matrices limits research on Kp ecology. Here, we analyzed 1,001 genome sequences and found that existing molecular detection targets lack specificity for Kp. A novel real-time PCR method, the ZKIR (zur-khe intergenic region) assay, was developed and used to detect Kp in 96 environmental samples. The results were compared to a culture-based method using Simmons citrate agar with 1% inositol medium coupled to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry identification. Whole-genome sequencing of environmental Kp was performed. The ZKIR assay was positive for the 48 tested Kp reference strains, whereas 88 non-Kp strains were negative. The limit of detection of Kp in spiked soil microcosms was 1.5 × 10−1 CFU g−1 after enrichment for 24 h in lysogeny broth supplemented with ampicillin, and it was 1.5 × 103 to 1.5 × 104 CFU g−1 directly after soil DNA extraction. The ZKIR assay was more sensitive than the culture method. Kp was detected in 43% of environmental samples. Genomic analysis of the isolates revealed a predominance of phylogroups Kp1 (65%) and Kp3 (32%), a high genetic diversity (23 multilocus sequence types), a quasi-absence of antibiotic resistance or virulence genes, and a high frequency (50%) of O-antigen type 3. This study shows that the ZKIR assay is an accurate, specific, and sensitive novel method to detect the presence of Kp in complex matrices and indicates that Kp isolates from environmental samples differ from clinical isolates. IMPORTANCE The Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex Kp includes human and animal pathogens, some of which are emerging as hypervirulent and/or antibiotic-resistant strains. These pathogens are diverse and classified into seven phylogroups, which may differ in their reservoirs and epidemiology. Proper management of this public health hazard requires a better understanding of Kp ecology and routes of transmission to humans. So far, detection of these microorganisms in complex matrices such as food or the environment has been difficult due to a lack of accurate and sensitive methods. Here, we describe a novel method based on real-time PCR which enables detection of all Kp phylogroups with high sensitivity and specificity. We used this method to detect Kp isolates from environmental samples, and we show based on genomic sequencing that they differ in antimicrobial resistance and virulence gene content from human clinical Kp isolates. The ZKIR PCR assay will enable rapid screening of multiple samples for Kp presence and will thereby facilitate tracking the dispersal patterns of these pathogenic strains across environmental, food, animal and human sources.

COVID-19 crisis risks deeper European rifts on privacy

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Digital Strategy ◽  
Mass Surveillance ◽  
The Eu

Subject New privacy guidelines. Significance The EU wants contact tracing apps for tackling COVID-19 to be effective, secure and privacy-compliant. Its efforts have exposed how its existing rules on data are adapting (or not) to the extraordinary public health crisis. Impacts Fear of mass surveillance and data breaches will reduce public participation in tracer apps, casting doubts over their effectiveness. The EU’s digital strategy, notably in terms of reviewing the effectiveness of GDPR, may be rethought in response to the COVID-19 crisis. If tracer apps are not inter-operable across national borders, lifting intra-EU travel restrictions will become harder.

Russia's COVID-19 challenge will come outside Moscow

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Safety Nets ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Social Safety Nets

Subject Russian health crisis. Significance Russia now has the world's second-highest number of cases, increasing by 9,000-10,000 per day during May. Moscow is the epicentre, but the virus is spreading, placing further pressure on the national health system. More than half of Russia's 85 regions have reported at least 1,200 cases. Impacts Early relaxation of lockdown would be damaging in regions where COVID-19 is still in the emerging phase. As cases rise, shortages of protective equipment and lax infection control procedures will become the largest public health challenges. Economic contraction will hamper government social policy programmes and expose the fragility of the health and social safety nets.

Suga will hold Japan steady in short term only

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Presidential Election

Significance He leaves office having failed to achieve his ambition to reform Japan’s constitution, and is widely seen as having mismanaged the most serious public health crisis in decades. Impacts New foreign policy initiatives are unlikely until after the US presidential election. Abe could make a decision before leaving office on whether Japan should acquire pre-emptive strike capabilities. No moves on constitution revision are likely for the next twelve months at least. Japan would be at a disadvantage if a foreign policy crisis were to occur in the next twelve months, and the next few weeks in particular. Whether the Olympics next summer go well will have some influence on whether Suga stays on as leader.

Focus on politics will allow Mali’s epidemic to grow

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
International Security ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Crisis

Subject COVID-19 impact on Mali. Significance COVID-19 is a serious threat in Mali but increasingly, many leaders’ and citizens’ attention is focused on other issues, especially the massive mobilisations of citizens calling for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign. Nevertheless, the public health crisis is not yet contained, and the pandemic is taking a toll on the economy and the food security outlook. Impacts The secondary impacts of COVID-19 could begin to accumulate, for example in terms of excess malaria deaths, as resources are diverted. Insecurity persists in northern and central Mali, but so far looks likely to simply continue along pre-existing (worsening) trends. COVID-19 has infected personnel in key international security deployments, but is unlikely to disrupt operations significantly.

scholarly journals Beware the Kindleberger Trap in Global Health Governance

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Jin Jiyong
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Public Goods ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Health Governance ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Global Public Goods ◽  
Health Governance ◽  
Health Crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic is both a public health crisis and a stress test for global health governance. Effective health governance hinges on the provision of global public goods for health. Generally, the hegemon underwrites the operation and stability of the global public health architecture by ensuring the sustained supply of global public goods for health. But when the hegemon is unable or unwilling to shoulder this responsibility, global health governance may run the risk of falling into a Kindleberger Trap. The leadership vacuum that is opening up amid the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating the process. At present, China should adopt a three-pronged approach to promote bilateral health cooperation with leading countries like the United States, strengthen regional institution-building with ASEAN, South Korea, Japan, and Belt and Road countries, and improve the performance, credibility, and integrity of global organizations like the WHO and G-20. The Kindleberger Trap in global health governance can be overcome by adapting regional health coordination to make it more agile and effective.

scholarly journals Assessing the quality, readability and reliability of online information on COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e3591210680
Author(s):  
Paulo Cardoso Lins-Filho ◽  
Millena Mirella Silva de Araújo ◽  
Thuanny Silva de Macêdo ◽  
Andressa Kelly Alves Ferreira ◽  
Maria Cecilia Freire de Melo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Reading Levels ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Quality ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Health Related

During a public health crisis, the dissemination of reliable information, advice and experts’ opinions is essential for improving public comprehension of potential or actual health threats and enables the public to take informed decisions about risk mitigation measures. This study aimed to assess the quality, reliability and readability of internet-based information on COVID-19 available on Brazil’ most used search engines. A total of 68 websites were selected through Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The websites content quality and reliability were evaluated using the DISCERN questionnaire, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria, and the presence of the Health on Net (HON) certification. Readability was assessed by the Flesch Reading Ease adapted to Brazilian Portuguese (FRE-BP). The web contents were considered moderate to low quality according to DISCERN and JAMA mean scores. Most of the sample presented very difficult reading levels and only 7.4% displayed HON certification. Websites of Governmental and health-related authorship nature showed lower JAMA mean scores and quality and readability measures did not correlate to the webpages content type. COVID-19 related contents available online were considered of low to moderate quality and not accessible to general population. These findings indicate the need for further efforts on improving the quality of health-related content on internet, especially during public health emergencies.

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