The Impact of a Messaging Intervention on Parents’ School Hesitancy During COVID-19

2022 ◽  
pp. 0013189X2110708
Author(s):  
Morgan S. Polikoff ◽  
Daniel Silver ◽  
Marshall Garland ◽  
Anna Rosefsky Saavedra ◽  
Amie Rapaport ◽  
...  

Throughout the 2020–2021 school year, families’ access to—and desire to participate in—in-person educational experiences was highly unequal. Concerns about “school hesitancy” in light of COVID-19 have continued into the 2021–2022 school year, driven both by concerns about well-being and concerns about safety. Using a nationally representative sample of families, we tested a messaging intervention aimed at reducing school hesitancy. We found that targeted messaging to address well-being and safety concerns substantially improved parent reports of their likelihood of sending their child back for in-person learning for parents who were previously unsure. The findings suggest the importance of careful COVID-related communication from schools.

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-216030
Author(s):  
Benjamin J Gray ◽  
Richard G Kyle ◽  
Jiao Song ◽  
Alisha R Davies

BackgroundThe public health response to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a detrimental impact on employment and there are concerns the impact may be greatest among the most vulnerable. We examined the characteristics of those who experienced changes in employment status during the early months of the pandemic.MethodsData were collected from a cross-sectional, nationally representative household survey of the working age population (18–64 years) in Wales in May/June 2020 (n=1379). We looked at changes in employment and being placed on furlough since February 2020 across demographics, contract type, job skill level, health status and household factors. χ2 or Fisher’s exact test and multinomial logistic regression models examined associations between demographics, subgroups and employment outcomes.ResultsOf our respondents, 91.0% remained in the same job in May/June 2020 as they were in February 2020, 5.7% were now in a new job and 3.3% experienced unemployment. In addition, 24% of our respondents reported being placed on furlough. Non-permanent contract types, individuals who reported low mental well-being and household financial difficulties were all significant factors in experiencing unemployment. Being placed on ‘furlough’ was more likely in younger (18–29 years) and older (60–64 years) workers, those in lower skilled jobs and from households with less financial security.ConclusionA number of vulnerable population groups were observed to experience detrimental employment outcomes during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted support is needed to mitigate against both the direct impacts on employment, and indirect impacts on financial insecurity and health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-229
Author(s):  
Bernardin Senadza ◽  
Edward Nketiah-Amponsah ◽  
Samuel Ampaw

Abstract This paper examines the impact of participation in both farm and nonfarm activities on both household consumption expenditure per adult equivalent and household per capita income, in rural Ghana. The objective is to ascertain whether the results are sensitive to the choice of well-being measure. We use a nationally representative dataset on 8,059 rural farm households collected in 2012/13. In order to account for potential selectivity and endogeneity biases, which previous studies failed to correct for, we adopt the endogenous switching regression (ESR) estimation technique. We find diversified households to be systematically different from their undiversified counterparts in terms of socioeconomic and demographic centeracteristics, thus justifying the empirical method used. Our results indicate a higher observed mean consumption for the diversified sub-sample compared to its counterfactual, implying that households participating in nonfarm enterprise activities in addition to farming have greater mean consumption compared to households engaged solely in farming. Similar conclusions are reached when income instead is used as the well-being indicator. Our findings, thus, indicate that the well-being implication of farm-nonfarm diversification is insensitive to the choice of well-being measure.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esme Fuller-Thomson ◽  
Kaitlyn E. N. Howden ◽  
Lilia R. Fuller-Thomson ◽  
Senyo Agbeyaka

Factors associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among never-smokers have received little research attention. One potential risk factor for COPD is obesity, which is of particular importance in light of the global obesity epidemic. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between COPD and levels of obesity in a nationally representative sample of non-Hispanic white never-smokers. Data were drawn from the 2012 Center for Disease Control’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Pearson’s chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were conducted in a large nationally representative sample of non-Hispanic white respondents aged 50 and over (76,004 women; 37,618 men) who reported that they had never smoked. A dose-response relationship was observed for both men and women: the prevalence of COPD increased from 2.5% in men and 3.5% in women who were of a healthy weight (BMI < 25) to 7.6% in men and 13.4% in women who had a BMI of 40 or higher. Even after adjusting for 7 potential confounds (e.g., age, education, and income), the odds of COPD were 3.21 higher for men (95% CI = 2.46, 4.20) and 4.00 higher for women with class III obesity (95% CI = 3.52, 4.55) in comparison with those of healthy weight. Regular screening for COPD is warranted in never-smoking obese patients who are aged 50 and over. Future research is needed to investigate plausible mechanisms for this association, including (1) the role of chronic inflammation associated with obesity and (2) the impact of central obesity on respiratory system mechanics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana María Casino-García ◽  
María José Llopis-Bueno ◽  
María Gloria Gómez-Vivo ◽  
Amparo Juan-Grau ◽  
Tamar Shuali-Trachtenberg ◽  
...  

The educational inclusion of gifted students requires not only equity but also emotional accessibility and social participation. However, different studies indicate that gifted students constitute a vulnerable group (for example, the incidence of bullying is higher). Psychosocial variables are determinants for the development and expression of giftedness, particularly during adolescence. This study analyzes the impact of an inclusive extracurricular enrichment program for gifted secondary school students on the well-being of adolescents. The program was based on the enrichment model of Renzulli and Reis (2016). The objective was to develop a cluster to facilitate high-achieving learning in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors from their schools as well as university professors and students that would address their emotions and socialization across the board and benefit or involve their peers in their regular classrooms. The intervention took place over two years: eight sessions, one afternoon per week, for five months during each school year. The sample consisted of 47 students from the first and second years of compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria - ESO) (age, mean (M) = 12.57, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) during the first year and 27 students from the first, second, and third years of ESO (age, M = 13.48, SD = 0.94) during the second year; 61.4% were girls. Participants completed a questionnaire before (T1) and (T3) and after (T2) and (T4) each intervention. The results show better outcomes for psychological and subjective well-being, more positive moods, and a significant reduction in school fears. The results from this study indicate the importance of educational screening and support for gifted students to promote their well-being through collaborative enrichment activities.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Professor Michael Edwin Bernard ◽  
Kate Walton

This research investigated the impact of a social and emotional learning program, You Can Do It! Education (YCDI), on different aspects of student social and emotional wellbeing. YCDI was implemented on a whole-school basis in six primary schools with six matched schools serving as controls. At the end of the school year, students in grade 5 in both types of schools completed the Attitudes to School Survey (Victorian Department of Education) and, again, at the end of the following school year when they were in grade 6. Results indicated significant improvements over time on different aspects of student well-being in the YCDI schools and not in the non-YCDI schools. The positive impact of a train-the-trainer model used in this study in a variety of schools under naturally occurring conditions holds promise for low-cost, preventive mental health programs.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A86-A86
Author(s):  
S Iao ◽  
K Shedden ◽  
E C Jansen ◽  
L M O’Brien ◽  
R D Chervin ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Sleep hygiene recommendations discourage eating close to bedtime, though published data on the impact are not consistent. Associations between eating or drinking, within 1-hour prior to bedtime, sleep duration and sleep fragmentation were examined in a nationally-representative sample. Methods Data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), administered to a nationally representative sample of n=201,151 US residents aged ≥15 years were utilized. In an annual phone interview, ATUS participants were asked to record their activities during a 24-hour period (04:00am to 04:00am on the interview day) and were randomly selected to report weekdays or weekend activities. The present analysis included data from 2003–2018 and restricted to weekday respondents (n=124,242). Reporting of eating/drinking activities within 1-hour prior to bedtime was considered as a dichotomous variable (yes/no). Sleep fragmentation was defined as any awakening during the primary sleep episode (yes/no). Linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, cohabitation, education and employment, were used to examine associations between eating/drinking and sleep duration or sleep fragmentation. Results In this ATUS sample, 56% of respondents were female and the mean age was 45 years. Mean sleep duration was 8.02 (0.007) hours, and 6% of survey participants ate/drank within 1-hour prior to bedtime. Overall, eating/drinking within 1-hour prior to bedtime was associated with longer sleep duration (p&lt;0.01). Women and men who ate/drank within 1-hour prior to bedtime, in comparison to those who did not, had 35 minutes and 26 minutes longer sleep duration (p- value&lt;0.0001) Eating/drinking activities within 1-hour prior to bedtime were associated with 1.8 higher odds of fragmented sleep (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion In this large population-based survey, weekday eating or drinking within 1-hour prior to bedtime was associated with sleep fragmentation and longer sleep duration. Causal pathways would be difficult to discern, though sleep fragmentation could lead to compensatory increases in sleep duration. Support None


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Clark ◽  
Naohiro Ogawaf

AbstractJapan is the most rapidly ageing developed country in the world. Economic, political, and social changes will be necessary in the next 20 years as Japan attempts to adjust to the rapid ageing of its population. This paper examines survey responses by Japanese men and women regarding their attitudes toward the ageing of their country's population, concerns about the impact of anticipated demographic changes on their economic well-being in retirement, and preferences among alternative policy options for changes in the Japanese social security programme. Responses to a nationally representative survey, conducted by Mainichi Newspapers in 1992, were analysed. Key findings indicate that: (1) the Japanese are concerned about the impact of population ageing on their economic well-being in retirement, (2) most Japanese anticipate that earnings will be an important source of their retirement income, but they are worried about employment opportunities, (3) they favour increasing social security taxes instead of cutting retirement benefits, and (4) they favour raising the age of eligibility for social security benefits.


Field Methods ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget Kelly ◽  
Marjorie Margolis ◽  
Lauren McCormack ◽  
Patricia A. LeBaron ◽  
Dhuly Chowdhury

The literature on factors that influence participation in qualitative research is lacking. We conducted an experiment with a nationally representative sample to test the impact of different incentive types and amounts on willingness to participate in a hypothetical qualitative interview. We randomized participants from an online panel to one of the five versions of a recruitment ad: no incentive, a nonmonetary incentive, US$25, US$50, or US$75 ( N = 4,136). All three monetary incentives resulted in greater willingness to participate than no incentive or a nonmonetary incentive. No differences emerged between no incentive and a nonmonetary incentive (drawing for noncash prize). Among those who had at least some willingness, US$75 produced more willingness than US$25. The US$50 and US$75 amounts did not differ. Results suggest incentives matter in achieving participation in qualitative research, but there may be diminishing returns. Nonmonetary incentives may not result in higher participation than no incentive at all.


2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-215213
Author(s):  
Catherine K Ettman ◽  
Salma M Abdalla ◽  
Gregory H Cohen ◽  
Laura Sampson ◽  
Patrick M Vivier ◽  
...  

BackgroundCOVID-19 and related containment policies have caused or heightened financial stressors for many in the USA. We assessed the relation between assets, financial stressors and probable depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsBetween 31 March 2020 and 13 April 2020, we surveyed a probability-based, nationally representative sample of US adults ages 18 and older using the COVID-19 and Life stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-being survey (n=1441). We calculated the prevalence of probable depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (cut-off ≥10) and exposure to financial stressors by financial, physical and social assets categories (household income, household savings, home ownership, educational attainment and marital status). We estimated adjusted ORs and predicted probabilities of probable depression across assets categories and COVID-19 financial stressor exposure groups.ResultsWe found that (1) 40% of US adults experienced COVID-19-related financial stressors during this time period; (2) low assets (OR: 3.0, 95% CI 2.1 to 4.2) and COVID-19 financial stressor exposure (OR: 2.8, 95% CI 2.1 to 3.9) were each associated with higher odds of probable depression; and (3) among persons with low assets and high COVID-19 financial stressors, 42.7% had probable depression; and among persons with high assets and low COVID-19 financial stressors, 11.1% had probable depression. Persons with high assets and high COVID-19 financial stressors had a similar prevalence of probable depression (33.5%) as persons with low assets and low COVID-19 financial stressors (33.5%). The more assets a person had, the lower the level of probable depression.ConclusionPopulations with low assets are bearing a greater burden of mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.


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