The impact of COVID-19 on households’ water use in Uganda

Abstract The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 necessitated the promotion of better hygiene practices to curb the spread of the virus. Better hygiene requires that households have a stable supply of water. However, little is known about the predictors of changes in water use in emergency situations such as COVID-19 in Uganda. This study uses data from a cross-sectional survey to examine the changes in the quantities of water used by 1639 Ugandan households due to COVID-19. This article also explores the factors that are associated with changes in water use. The month March 2020 is used in this study as a cut-off because this is the month in which the government implemented a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. Results indicate that most households had an increase in the quantity of water used after March 2020 when compared to the period before March 2020. Household characteristics that were associated with a change in the quantity of water used were age, sex, education, main occupation of household head, household size and region of residence. The results can be used to inform the prediction and demand modelling of household water use for improved water interventions for equitable water supply under emergencies.

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Citizen Responses to Government Restrictions in Switzerland During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey

JMIR Formative Research ◽

10.2196/20871 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (12) ◽

pp. e20871 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kevin Selby ◽

Marie-Anne Durand ◽

Alexandre Gouveia ◽

Francesca Bosisio ◽

Gaia Barazzetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Sex Education ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Free Text ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Literacy Knowledge ◽

Lower Health ◽

The Government ◽

Lower Health Literacy

Background The success of government-recommended mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic depends largely on information uptake and implementation by individual citizens. Objective Our aim was to assess citizens’ knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 recommendations in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Methods A cross-sectional electronic survey with open and closed questions was disseminated by community-based partners prior to the relaxation of government restrictions. Outcomes included citizen knowledge (9-question measure) and worry about the virus, perception of government measures, and recommendations for improvements. Comparisons used linear regression, controlling for age, sex, education, and health literacy. Free-text answers were analyzed thematically. Results Of 807 people who accessed the survey, 684 (85%) completed all questions and 479 (60%) gave free-text recommendations. Overall, 75% were female, the mean age was 48 years, and 93% had high health literacy. Knowledge scores were high, with a median score of 8 out of 9. Mean levels of worry about the COVID-19 pandemic were higher in women than men (55/100 versus 44/100, P<.001), and in respondents with lower health literacy (57/100 versus 52/100, P=.03). Self-reported adherence to recommendations was high (85%) and increased with age and worry (both P<.001). Respondents rated their own adherence higher than others (85% versus 61%, P<.001). Moreover, 34% of respondents reported having self-quarantined; this rose to 52% for those aged ≥75 years. Those who had self-quarantined reported higher levels of fear. Nearly half (49%) of respondents felt the government response had been adequate, though younger age and higher levels of worry were associated with considering the response to be insufficient (both P<.001). Analysis of open-text answers revealed 4 major themes: access to and use of masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer; government messaging; lockdown and lockdown exit plan communication; and testing for COVID-19. Conclusions Knowledge, adherence, and satisfaction regarding government recommendations and response were high in this sample, but many desired greater access to personal protective equipment. Those with lower health literacy and those who have been in self-isolation reported greater concerns about the pandemic.

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Prevalence and Factors for Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic among College Students in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094974 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4974

Author(s):

Jing Guan ◽

Cuiping Wu ◽

Dandan Wei ◽

Qingqing Xu ◽

Juan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Large Scale ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Preventive Behaviors ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Potential Factors ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

Background: Knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of college students remains limited. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and explore the potential risk and protective factors of anxiety. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was adopted and a total of 24,678 college students were included from Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, during February, 2020. Anxiety was assessed by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder tool (GAD-7). Multiple logistic regression models were established for exploring potential factors of anxiety. Results: The overall prevalence of anxiety was 7.3%. After adjusting for potential confounders, sex, place of residence, worried level, fear level, cognitive levels, and behavior status were found to be associated with anxiety (p < 0.05). Students with positive preventive behaviors showed a protective effect against the anxiety symptoms compared to those with negative preventive behaviors. In contrast to the high-cognition category, participants at a low cognitive level were 14.9% more likely to present anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: This large-scale study assessed the prevalence of anxiety and its potential influencing factors among college students. It suggests that the government could strengthen health education related to COVID-19 and supervise the performance of preventive behaviors to handle anxiety.

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Citizen Responses to Government Restrictions in Switzerland During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20871 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kevin Selby ◽

Marie-Anne Durand ◽

Alexandre Gouveia ◽

Francesca Bosisio ◽

Gaia Barazzetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Sex Education ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Free Text ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Literacy Knowledge ◽

Lower Health ◽

The Government ◽

Lower Health Literacy

BACKGROUND The success of government-recommended mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic depends largely on information uptake and implementation by individual citizens. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to assess citizens’ knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 recommendations in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. METHODS A cross-sectional electronic survey with open and closed questions was disseminated by community-based partners prior to the relaxation of government restrictions. Outcomes included citizen knowledge (9-question measure) and worry about the virus, perception of government measures, and recommendations for improvements. Comparisons used linear regression, controlling for age, sex, education, and health literacy. Free-text answers were analyzed thematically. RESULTS Of 807 people who accessed the survey, 684 (85%) completed all questions and 479 (60%) gave free-text recommendations. Overall, 75% were female, the mean age was 48 years, and 93% had high health literacy. Knowledge scores were high, with a median score of 8 out of 9. Mean levels of worry about the COVID-19 pandemic were higher in women than men (55/100 versus 44/100, P<.001), and in respondents with lower health literacy (57/100 versus 52/100, P=.03). Self-reported adherence to recommendations was high (85%) and increased with age and worry (both P<.001). Respondents rated their own adherence higher than others (85% versus 61%, P<.001). Moreover, 34% of respondents reported having self-quarantined; this rose to 52% for those aged ≥75 years. Those who had self-quarantined reported higher levels of fear. Nearly half (49%) of respondents felt the government response had been adequate, though younger age and higher levels of worry were associated with considering the response to be insufficient (both P<.001). Analysis of open-text answers revealed 4 major themes: access to and use of masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer; government messaging; lockdown and lockdown exit plan communication; and testing for COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge, adherence, and satisfaction regarding government recommendations and response were high in this sample, but many desired greater access to personal protective equipment. Those with lower health literacy and those who have been in self-isolation reported greater concerns about the pandemic.

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THE NPFM IN EMERGING ECONOMIES: THE MODIFIED BUDGETING SYSTEM (MBS) IN MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT

Indonesian Management and Accounting Research ◽

10.25105/imar.v9i1.1285 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Muslim Har Sani Mohamad ◽

Yusuf Karbhari

Keyword(s):

Emerging Economies ◽

Financial Management ◽

Central Government ◽

Resistance To Change ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Management Processes ◽

New Public ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

This study examines the impact of the MBS on overall financial management in the Malaysian central government organisations. This study adopted cross sectional survey with two main stages of data collection - questionnaire and interview surveys. Providing evidence on the applicability of NPFM in developing countries, generally the respondents agreed that the MBS had improved financial management processes of their organisations by virtue of Expenditure Target, greater autonomy to operational managers and result based performance measures. However, structural weaknesses related to annuality and resistance to change by managers might undermine the reforms. Problems including shortfall of allocations and delays in receiving funds at responsibility centres should be addressed by the government. More importantly, this study provides evidence about the effectiveness of the NPFM mechanisms, which has its western origin, to civil service organisations in emerging economies.Keywords : New Public Financial Management (NPFM), Modified Budgeting System (MBS), Evaluation, Emerging Economies, Malaysia, Financial Management

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The Impact of Government Policies on the Growth and Development of SMEs interprises in Bauchi State Nigeria

SocioEconomic Challenges ◽

10.21272/sec.5(2).111-119.2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 111-119

Author(s):

Yakubu Yahaya ◽

Umar Ayuba Dutse ◽

Sule Bello

Keyword(s):

State Government ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Due Process ◽

Survey Design ◽

Government Policies ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Qualitative Approaches ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

Every business or start-up was e-ray by the government official ranging from local, state and federal level in Nigeria. Therefore, for SMEs to operate it’s a perquisite to follow the due process from registration by ministry of commerce and industry at state level and the various agencies responsible for registration. This challenge represents both widespread personal misfortune for individuals and a lost opportunity for critical national and global economic development. This study examines the challenges that affect the growth and development of small and medium enterprises in Bauchi state, Nigeria .The study was guided by an epistemological research philosophy adopting a positivist research paradigm. The research design was cross-sectional survey design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population for this study was 754 registered small and medium scale owned enterprises registered with the Bauchi state government by December 2019 and the sample size was 172 respondents derived using Fisher’s formulae. This study used a self-administered, closed, and open-ended questionnaire to obtain quantitative data. The study used descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median and proportions using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 and Microsoft Excel. Regression analysis and correlation analysis were used to determine the direction and strength of the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables.. The questionnaires were administered among the seventy (70) management staff members of the one hundred and seventy two (172) selected SMEs in Bauchi state Nigeria through purposive sampling method, and this was done personally by the researcher. Descriptive and inferential statistics was use to analyze and interpret the data use in this research. The study reveals that government policies is a major challenges that help SMEs to grow and achieve its stated objectives in global competitive environment. On same vain this study is so keen and motivated to established evidence on these challenges ascertain especially, in a context of current phenomena SMEs face in Bauchi state. Finally, the study will utilize the element of contingency theory, as these SMEs require sound institutional framework to mitigate these challenges. However, anecdotal evidence shows that SMEs in developing countries like Nigeria are faced with a lot of challenges that have hampered their growth in recent times. Among these challenges are: intermittent power supply, indiscriminate tax levies government policy, low accessibility to loans from financial institutions and inability to keep proper financial records. The study reveals that Government policies have a significant impact on the growth and development of SMEs in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Subsequently, the study recommends that management of SMEs should adopt good strategy in order to overcome these challenges.

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Understanding the Impact of Public Health Advice on Paediatric Healthcare Use During COVID-19: A Cross-sectional Survey of Parents

10.21203/rs.3.rs-56016/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emma Nicholson ◽

Thérése McDonnell ◽

Ciara Conlon ◽

Michael Barrett ◽

Fergal Cummins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Perception Of Risk ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Service Usage ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Health Advice ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Hospital avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported with a significant decrease in attendance at emergency departments among paediatric populations with potential increased morbidity and mortality outcomes. The present study sought to understand parents’ experiences of healthcare during the initial public health stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods A cross-sectional survey of parents of children under the age of 16 (N = 1044). The survey collected demographic information to profile parents and children, capture relevant health information such as pre-existing conditions and/or chronic illness or disability, and health service usage during the pandemic. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and regression analyses were used to determine the factors that influenced avoidance and hesitancy. Results23% of parents stated that they were much more hesitant to access health services upon implementation of the initial public health restrictions. Parents with a higher perception of risk of their children contracting COVID-19 (χ2 (3) =33.8618, p< 0.000), and stronger levels of concern regarding the effects of COVID-19 (χ2 (3) =23.9189, p< 0.000) were more likely to be hesitant. Stress also appeared to be a factor in hesitancy with higher than normal stress levels significantly associated with hesitancy (RRR= 2.31, CI: 1.54 - 3.47), while those with severe/extremely severe stress were over three times more likely to be hesitant (RRR:3.37, CI:1.81 - 6.27). Approximately one third of the sample required healthcare for their children during the public health restrictions to delay the spread of COVID-19, however, one in five of these parents avoided accessing such healthcare when needed. Of those that required healthcare, parents who avoided were more likely to report that the services were needed more by others (χ2 (1) 20.3470, p<0.000). Those who felt that the government advice was to stay away from health services were 1.7 times more likely to be much more hesitant (RRR:1.71, CI; 1.10 – 2.67).ConclusionThe misinterpretation of government public health advice, stress and the perception of risk each contributed to parental avoidance of or hesitancy to utilize healthcare services during the public health measures imposed to combat COVID-19.

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PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF STREET HAWKING ON THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN IN ANYIGBA, DEKINA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Pakistan Journal of Public Health ◽

10.32413/pjph.v8i1.138 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 01-07

Author(s):

Alfred Eboh

Keyword(s):

Local Government ◽

Survey Design ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Well Being ◽

Local Government Area ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Effects ◽

The Government

Background: The hawking of wares by children has been a serious issue confronting the Nigerian society. Children hawk in some of the most horrible conditions conceivable, where they face a serious risk of injury, chronic illness, kidnapping, rape or death. Objective: The focus of this study was to assess the perceived effects of street hawking on the well-being of children in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. Methods: The population of this study consists of parents of the street hawkers in Anyigba while cross-sectional survey design was used through the purposive sampling technique to choose the sample size of one hundred and sixty-two (162) respondents. The validated structured questionnaire and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) served as the instruments for the data collection respectively. The hypotheses were tested using Chi-Square at a predetermined 0.05 level of significance. The quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the SPSS (version 20). Results: The results indicated among others that street hawking had significant social implications and physical consequences on children's moral behaviour as well as health status in the study area. Conclusion: The study, therefore, concluded that the government of Kogi State should carry out an enlightenment campaign through the media and religious institutions on the negative consequences of street hawking are recommended as panacea. Also, the child right act instrument and its implementation should be strengthened in order to curb street hawking in the study area.

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Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 During the First Nationwide Lockdown in Vietnam: Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24776 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽

Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽

Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽

Thanh Vo Van ◽

Toi Phung Lam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

General Population ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Survey Study ◽

Limited Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Event Scale ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

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COVID-19 Psychological Impact on Health Care Workers in Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116076 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6076

Author(s):

Hasan S. Alamri ◽

Wesam F. Mousa ◽

Abdullah Algarni ◽

Shehata F. Megahid ◽

Ali Al Bshabshe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Psychological Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Care Workers ◽

The Impact

Objective: Little is known about the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) among the health care workers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 among the health care workers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May till mid-July among 389 health care workers from government and private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using a pre-structured online questionnaire that measured adverse psychological outcomes, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. The Pearson chi-square test was used to assess the distribution of depression and anxiety among health care workers. Results: A high level of anxiety was recorded among the health care workers, and 69.3% of health care workers below the age of 40 were found to have depression. There was a significant increase in depression among staff with chronic health problems (72.1% vs. 61.9%; p = 0.048). High anxiety levels were detected among young staff compared to others (68.7% vs. 43.8%; p = 0.001). Moreover, 82.1% of the female staff were anxious, as compared to 55.6% of the males (p = 0.001). Conclusions: We found increased prevalence of adverse psychological outcomes among the health care workers in Saudi Arabia during the outbreak of COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need for proper screening and development of corresponding preventive measures to decrease the adverse psychological outcomes.

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Are e-learning Webinars the future of medical education? An exploratory study of a disruptive innovation in the COVID-19 era

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951120004503 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Colin J. McMahon ◽

Justin T. Tretter ◽

Theresa Faulkner ◽

R. Krishna Kumar ◽

Andrew N. Redington ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Learning ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Survey Design ◽

Hybrid Approach ◽

Disruptive Innovation ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

E Learning ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective: This study investigated the impact of the Webinar on deep human learning of CHD. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional survey design study used an open and closed-ended questionnaire to assess the impact of the Webinar on deep learning of topical areas within the management of the post-operative tetralogy of Fallot patients. This was a quantitative research methodology using descriptive statistical analyses with a sequential explanatory design. Results: One thousand-three-hundred and seventy-four participants from 100 countries on 6 continents joined the Webinar, 557 (40%) of whom completed the questionnaire. Over 70% of participants reported that they “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the Webinar format promoted deep learning for each of the topics compared to other standard learning methods (textbook and journal learning). Two-thirds expressed a preference for attending a Webinar rather than an international conference. Over 80% of participants highlighted significant barriers to attending conferences including cost (79%), distance to travel (49%), time commitment (51%), and family commitments (35%). Strengths of the Webinar included expertise, concise high-quality presentations often discussing contentious issues, and the platform quality. The main weakness was a limited time for questions. Just over 53% expressed a concern for the carbon footprint involved in attending conferences and preferred to attend a Webinar. Conclusion: E-learning Webinars represent a disruptive innovation, which promotes deep learning, greater multidisciplinary participation, and greater attendee satisfaction with fewer barriers to participation. Although Webinars will never fully replace conferences, a hybrid approach may reduce the need for conferencing, reduce carbon footprint. and promote a “sustainable academia”.

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