scholarly journals “Over by Christmas”: The impact of war-metaphors and other science-religion narratives on science communication environments during the Covid-19 crisis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Kohlt
Keyword(s):  
Science Communication ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
British Society ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
War Narratives ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Communication Environments ◽  
Effective Science ◽  
The Impact

Narratives are crucial for understanding the world, making decisions within it, but may also distort realities, and redirect actions in more damaging directions. This underlines their vital role in public health crisis. Studies of narrative in health crises have negatively assessed the overall impact of warfare rhetoric, judging according to discrepancies between projected and achieved outcomes. Yet the warfare narrative dominated the framing of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Through a historical alignment of Christian, military and national virtues, the warfare narrative provided a guiding framework for collective response to crisis, simultaneously hoping to reassure and ‘bring the Nation together’. The narrative, however, polarised British society, accentuating divisions and exacerbating political tensions coinciding with the pandemic. This article analyses the implications and effects that Covid-19 war narratives had on public life, and what their usage tells us about effective science communication in a crisis.

scholarly journals Investigating Community Pharmacy Take Home Naloxone Dispensing during COVID-19: The Impact of One Public Health Crisis on Another

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
George Daskalakis ◽  
Ashley Cid ◽  
Kelly Grindrod ◽  
Michael A. Beazely
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Pharmacy Technicians ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Overdose Deaths

A recent report found that the number of opioid-related deaths in Ontario in the first 15 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic was 38.2% higher than in the 15 weeks before the pandemic. Our study sought to determine if pharmacy professionals self-reported an increase or decrease in naloxone provision due to the pandemic and to identify adjustments made by pharmacy professionals to dispense naloxone during the pandemic. A total of 231 Ontario community pharmacy professionals completed an online survey. Pharmacy professionals’ barriers, facilitators, and comfort level with dispensing naloxone before and during the pandemic were identified. The sample consisted of mostly pharmacists (99.1%). Over half (51.1%) reported no change in naloxone dispensing, while 22.9% of respondents reported an increase and 24.7% a decrease. The most common adjustments made during the pandemic were training patients how to administer naloxone over video or phone, delivering naloxone kits, and pharmacy technicians offering naloxone at prescription intake. Over half (55%) of participants said the top barrier for dispensing was that patients did not request naloxone. Naloxone distribution through pharmacies could be further optimized to address the increased incidence of overdose deaths during the pandemic. Future research should investigate the reasons for changes in naloxone dispensing.

scholarly journals The Social Practices of Food Bank Volunteer Work

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Richard Philip Lee ◽  
Caroline Coulson ◽  
Kate Hackett
Keyword(s):  
Social Practice ◽  
Food Aid ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Practice Approach ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The on-going rise in demand experienced by voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) providing emergency food aid has been described as a sign of a social and public health crisis in the UK (Loopstra, 2018; Lambie-Mumford, 2019), compounded since 2020 by the impact of (and responses to) Covid 19 (Power et al., 2020). In this article we adopted a social practice approach to understanding the work of food bank volunteering. We identify how ‘helping others’, ‘deploying coping strategies’ and ‘creating atmospheres’ are key specific (and connected) forms of shared social practice. Further, these practices are sometimes suffused by faith-based practice. The analysis offers insights into how such spaces of care and encounter (Williams et al., 2016; Cloke et al., 2017) function, considers the implications for these distinctive organisational forms (the growth of which has been subject to justified critique) and suggests avenues for future research.

scholarly journals The Impact of Learning Kurdish ‘Mother-Tongue’ in London on Mainstream Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-81
Author(s):  
Sheelan Shakir Kadir
Keyword(s):  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Mainstream Education ◽  
Supplementary Schools ◽  
Historical Issues ◽  
The Impact

This study investigates the impact of a group of Kurdish children learning their mother-tongue, in two Kurdish Saturday schools in North London, and particularly the impact on the children’s integration into mainstream schooling. There are some historical issues surrounding ethnic minority children’s education that have been labelled as problematic towards their educational achievements in the United Kingdom. The responsibility of teaching the mother-tongue to those children takes place formally in supplementary or Saturday schools in their community rather than in mainstream schools. Many researches have revealed that learning their mother tongue is beneficial for children in general. In particular, this research focuses on the impacts on Kurdish children in mainstream education, since the number of children from diverse backgrounds is increasing, including the number of children from the Kurdish community. Mixed method research has been undertaken to examine this issue, including a semi- structured questionnaire and group interview used to collect data, as this research depended on students’ as well as parents’ views in integrating their child in some state schools. The findings revealed that learning the mother-tongue is beneficial for children from diverse backgrounds and that supplementary schools play a vital role in learning the mother-tongue on children’s attitude in mainstream education.

scholarly journals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Microbial Sciences—the Texas Perspective

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo G. Torres ◽  
Maria Elena Bottazzi ◽  
Floyd L. Wormley
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Professional Roles ◽  
Scientific Careers ◽  
Effective Science ◽  
Guiding Principles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Equity And Inclusion ◽  
The Way

The way that diversity, equity, and inclusion impact scientific careers varies for everyone, but it is evident that institutions providing an environment where being different or having differences creates a sense of being welcomed, supported, and valued are beneficial to the scientific community at large. In this commentary, three short stories from Texas-based microbiologists are used to depict (i) the importance of bringing the guiding principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion within their professional roles, (ii) the need to apply and translate those principles to support and enable successful scientific careers among peers and trainees, and (iii) the impact of effective science communication to increase the understanding of microbial environments among the community at large.

scholarly journals Clinical spectrum, geographical variability of COVID-19 and its implications

Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Hasanul Banna Siam ◽  
Abdullah Al Mosabbir ◽  
Nahida Hannan Nishat ◽  
Ahsan Ahmed ◽  
Mohammad Sorowar Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Coming Out ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Clinical Spectrum ◽  
Surveillance Strategy ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Atypical Symptoms ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Common

: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a worldwide unprecedented public health crisis. Initially, COVID-19 was considered as a disease of the respiratory system as fever and at least one respiratory symptom was used to identify a suspected COVID-19 case. But there are now numerous reports of COVID-19 patients presenting with myriads of extrapulmonary symptoms and a substantial number of patients are asymptomatic as well. Additionally, there are significant clinical and epidemiological variations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCOV-2) infection across different geographical locations. The updated research thus challenges the existing surveillance system that is mainly based on fever and respiratory symptoms. As countries are coming out of lockdown to save economic fallout, a revised surveillance strategy is required to effectively identify and isolate the correct patients. Besides, since developing countries are becoming the new epicenters of pandemic and there are limited resources for RT-PCR based tests, so documenting the clinical spectrum can play a vital role in the syndromic clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. A plethora of atypical symptoms also aids in guiding better treatment and remains as a source for further research. It is therefore crucial to understand the common and uncommon clinical manifestations of SARS-COV-2 infection and its variability across different geographic regions.

Using Frames to Make Scientific Communication More Effective

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Druckman ◽  
Arthur Lupia
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Scientific Communication ◽  
Political Polarization ◽  
Scientific Finding ◽  
Effective Science ◽  
The Impact

Science can serve as a valuable foundation for the making of public policy. For science to have this effect, it must be effectively communicated to individuals, organizations, and institutions. Effective science communication often involves frames that highlight particular aspects of a scientific finding or issue. This chapter discusses ways in which frames can be used to facilitate effective scientific communication—particularly we explore the impact of frames with regard to attention limitations, political polarization, and the politicization of science. We also highlight unanswered questions and challenges. The main lesson of this chapter is that there are certain conditions under which choosing particular frames yields more effective communication. While understanding these conditions does not guarantee success, it can help science communicators avoid common mistakes.

scholarly journals Can a Digital Awareness Campaign Change Knowledge and Beliefs Regarding Cochlear Implants? A Study in Older Adults in 5 European Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 004695802091056
Author(s):  
Patrick S. C. D’Haese ◽  
Vincent Van Rompaey ◽  
Marc De Bodt ◽  
Paul Van de Heyning
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Awareness Campaign ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Knowledge And Beliefs ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact

There are 466 million people living with a disabling hearing loss and the challenges of managing this public health crisis cannot be underestimated. Yet, adult utilization of cochlear implants is poor with less than 10% of suitable candidates receiving one. The aim of this study was to investigate the awareness levels regarding cochlear implants in older adults after a digital campaign to raise awareness of cochlear implantation in this population. To address the lack of awareness of the cochlear implants in the general population, adverts were placed in online medical magazines and mainstream newspapers. Data were collected in 400 subjects via an online market research questionnaire, in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and compared with baseline data collected in a previous study. Median click rates were in line with expectations for the medical industry and approximately 22 000 individuals clicked through to the cochlear implant Web site. However, there were few significant differences between the 2 sets of data. The Internet was consulted as much as the doctor for medical information in Germany, Austria, and Sweden. The study reinforces the importance of the Internet in accessing information about health, including hearing loss. The click through rates shows that there is interest in learning about cochlear implants. Further work is needed to assess the impact of this type of campaign on individuals who have already been identified as hearing impaired.

scholarly journals Apuntes para la gestión del turismo en España tras la crisis sanitaria de la Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-194
Author(s):  
Patricia Arold Lario ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mass Tourism ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Foreign Tourism ◽  
The Impact

The impact caused in the tourism sector by the public health crisis linked to coronavirus COVID‑19 and the need to protect the population from subsequent infection marks a necessary change in the model of tourism in coastal areas in Spain where mass tourism was the norm. Relevant reforms must be made to soften the economic effects of the drop in foreign tourism. In the case of cultural tourism in urban areas and inland, there is an en excellent opportunity to make structural changes in management that pre‑Covid was already experiencing serious problems. In this document we attempt to highlight the elements that may be key to future reform.

scholarly journals Slump in Hospital Admissions for Stroke, a Fact of an Uncertain Nature That Requires Explanation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
José M. Ramírez-Moreno ◽  
Juan Carlos Portilla-Cuenca ◽  
Roshan Hariramani-Ramchandani ◽  
Belen Rebollo ◽  
Inés Bermejo Casado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Stroke Units ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Dramatic Decline ◽  
Collateral Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Operational Capacity

(1) Background: The impact of the health crisis caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has provoked collateral effects in the attention to pathologies with time-dependent treatments such as strokes. We compare the healthcare activity of two stroke units in the same periods of 2019 and 2020, with an emphasis on what happened during the state of alarm (SA). (2) Materials and methods. Hospitals in the region implemented contingency plans to contain the pandemic; in this planning, the stroke units were not limited in their operational capacity. The SA was declared on 15 March and remained in place for 10 weeks. For the analysis, the data were grouped by consecutive calendar weeks. (3) Results. When the SA was declared the number of calls to the emergency telephone went from 1225 to 3908 calls per week (318% increase). However, the activation of the stroke code went from 6.6 to 5.0 (p = 0.04) and the activity in both stroke units decreased. The largest drop in hospitalizations was for transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) with 35.7% less, 28 vs. 18, (p = 0.05). Reperfusion therapies fell by 37.5%; Poisson regression model 0.64; (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43–0.95). The overall activity of the telestroke suffered a reduction of 28.9%. We also observed an increase in hospital mortality. (4) Conclusion. The excessive duration of the pandemic precludes any hope of resolving this public health crisis in the short or medium term. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the multifactorial nature of this dramatic decline in stroke admissions and its negative impact.

scholarly journals POS1175 ASSESSMENT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATIC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES IN EUROPE. RESULTS FROM THE REUMAVID STUDY (PHASE 1)

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 868-869
Author(s):  
M. Garrido-Cumbrera ◽  
H. Marzo-Ortega ◽  
J. Correa-Fernández ◽  
S. Sanz-Gómez ◽  
L. Christen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Musculoskeletal Diseases ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis affecting people worldwide, including those with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).Objectives:REUMAVID aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the wellbeing, mental health, disease activity and function, access to health care and treatment, support services, and hopes and fears of people RMDs.Methods:REUMAVID is an international collaboration led by the Health & Territory Research group at University of Seville, Spain, together with a multidisciplinary team including patient organization and rheumatologists. This cross-sectional study consisting of an online survey gathering data from patients with a diagnosis of 15 RMDs in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Participants are recruited by patient organizations. Data is collected in two phases: 1) during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020), and 2) as a follow-up to the pandemic (Winter 2020). This analysis presents descriptive results of the aggregated data, summarizing continuous and categorical variables.Results:A total of 1,800 RMD patients have participated in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (from early April to mid-June 2020). The most frequent reported diagnosis were axial spondyloarthritis (37.2%), rheumatoid arthritis (29.2%) and osteoarthritis (17.2%). Mean age was 52.6±13.2, 80.1% were female, 69.6% were in a relationship or married and 48.6% had university studies. In total, 1.1% had tested positive for COVID-19, 10.8 % reported symptoms but were not tested, while 88.1% did not experience any symptoms. 46.6% reported worsening health during the pandemic. 63.9% perceived their health status to be “fair to very bad”. Access to care was limited with 58.4% being unable to keep the rheumatologist appointment, of which, 35.2% were cancelled by the provider and 54.4% was attended by phone or online. 15.8% changed their medication, for which 65.5% were changed by the provider and 24.6% by own decision. Reported wellbeing and psychological health during the pandemic was poor, with 49.0% reporting poor wellbeing according to the WHO-5 scale, 57.3% marking as anxiety and 45.8% as depression in the HADS scale. During the pandemic, 24.6% smoked and 18.2% drank more than before and 54.5% were unable to exercise at home.Conclusion:Results from the first phase of REUMAVID show disturbance of the healthcare quality, substantial changes in harmful health behaviors and an unprecedented impairment of mental health in REUMAVID participants. REUMAVID will continue to collect information in order to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in people affected by RMDs across Europe.Acknowledgements:This study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG. We would like to thank all patients that completed the survey as well as all of the patient organisations that participated in the REUMAVID study including: the Cyprus League Against Rheumatism (CYPLAR) from Cyprus, the Association Française de Lutte Anti-Rhumatismale (AFLAR) from France, the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ELEANA) from Greece, the Associazione Nazionale Persone con Malattie Reumatologiche e Rare (APMARR) from Italy, the Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases (LPCDR), from Portugal, the Spanish Federation of Spondyloarthritis Associations, the Spanish Patients’ Forum (FEP), UNiMiD, Spanish Rheumatology League (LIRE), Andalusian Rheumatology League (LIRA), Catalonia Rheumatology League and Galician Rheumatology League from Spain, and the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS), National Rheumatoid Arthritis (NRAS) and Arthritis Action from the United Kingdom.Disclosure of Interests:Marco Garrido-Cumbrera: None declared, Helena Marzo-Ortega Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Biogen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Takeda and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis, José Correa-Fernández: None declared, Sergio Sanz-Gómez: None declared, Laura Christen Employee of: Novartis Pharma AG, Victoria Navarro-Compán Grant/research support from: Abbvie, BMS, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document