Examining the Impact of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Pandemic-Related Hardship on Adverse Pregnancy and Infant Outcomes: Design and Launch of the HOPE COVID-19 Study

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread and worsen in many parts of the world. As the pandemic grows, it is especially important to understand how the virus and the pandemic are affecting pregnant women and infants. While early data suggested that being infected with the virus did not increase the risk of adverse pregnancy or infant outcomes, as more information has emerged, it has become clear that risks for some adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes are increased (e.g., preterm birth, cesarean section, respiratory distress, and hospitalization). The Healthy Outcomes of Pregnancy for Everyone in the time of novel coronavirus disease-19 (HOPE COVID-19) study is a multi-year, prospective investigation designed to better understand how the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 impact adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. The study also examines how the pandemic exacerbates existing hardships such as social isolation, economic destabilization, job loss, housing instability, and/or family member sickness or death among minoritized and marginalized communities. Specifically, the study examines how pandemic-related hardships impact clinical outcomes and characterizes the experiences of Black, Latinx and low-income groups compared to those in other race/ethnicity and socioeconomic stratum. The study includes two nested cohorts. The survey only cohort will enroll 7500 women over a two-year period. The survey+testing cohort will enroll 2500 women over this same time period. Participants in both cohorts complete short surveys daily using a mobile phone application about COVID-19-related symptoms (e.g., fever and cough) and complete longer surveys once during each trimester and at 6–8 weeks and 6, 12 and 18 months after delivery that focus on the health and well-being of mothers and, after birth, of infants. Participants in the survey+testing cohort also have testing for SARS-CoV-2 and related antibodies during pregnancy and after birth as well as testing that looks at inflammation and for the presence of other infections like Influenza and Rhinovirus. Study results are expected to be reported on a rolling basis and will include quarterly reporting for participants and public health partners as well as more traditional scientific reporting.

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Impact of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Pregnant Women: A Review

Coronaviruses ◽

10.2174/2666796701999201116123457 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 01 ◽

Author(s):

Saima Habeeb ◽

Manju Chugani

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Vertical Transmission ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Age Groups ◽

Well Being ◽

Fetal Outcome ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Coronavirus Infection ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

The Impact

: The novel coronavirus infection (COVID‐19) is a global public health emergency.Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the infection has spread at an alarming rate across the globe and humans have been locked down to their countries, cities and homes. As of now, the virus has affected over 20million people globally and has inflicted over 7 lac deaths. Nevertheless, the recovery rate is improving with each passing day and over 14 million people have recuperated so far. The statistics indicate that nobody is immune to the disease as the virus continues to spread among all age groups; newborns to the elders, and all compartmentsincluding pregnant women. However, pregnant women may be more susceptible to this infection as they are, in general, highly vulnerable to respiratory infections. There is no evidence for vertical transmission of the COVID-19 virus among pregnant women, but an increased prevalence of preterm deliveries. Besides this, the COVID-19 may alter immune response at the maternal-fetal interface and affect the well-being of mothers as well as infants. Unfortunately, there is limited evidence available in the open literature regarding coronavirus infection during pregnancy and it now appears that certain pregnant women have infected during the present 2019-nCoV pandemic. In this short communication, we study the impact of the COVID-19 infection on vertical transmission and fetal outcome among pregnant women.

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“You run out of hope:” An Exploration of Low-Income Parents’ Experiences with Food Insecurity using Photovoice

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021002743 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Payge Lindow ◽

Irene H. Yen ◽

Mingyu Xiao ◽

Cindy W. Leung

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

San Francisco ◽

Low Income ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Comparative Method ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Unhealthy Eating ◽

Low Income Families ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: Using an adaption of the Photovoice method, this study explored how food insecurity affected parents’ ability to provide food for their family, their strategies for managing household food insecurity, and the impact of food insecurity on their well-being. Design: Parents submitted photos around their families’ experiences with food insecurity. Afterwards, they completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews about their photos. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic content using the constant comparative method. Setting: San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. Subjects: 17 parents (14 mothers and 3 fathers) were recruited from a broader qualitative study on understanding the experiences of food insecurity in low-income families. Results: Four themes were identified from the parents’ photos and interviews. First, parents described multiple aspects of their food environment that promoted unhealthy eating behaviors. Second, parents shared strategies they employed to acquire food with limited resources. Third, parents expressed feelings of shame, guilt, and distress resulting from their experience of food insecurity. And finally, parents described treating their children to special foods to cultivate a sense of normalcy. Conclusions: Parents highlighted the external contributors and internal struggles of their experiences of food insecurity. Additional research to understand the experiences of the food-insecure families may help to improve nutrition interventions targeting this structurally vulnerable population.

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Measuring the Impact of a Full Service Grocery Store in a Food Desert

The International Journal of Community and Social Development ◽

10.1177/25166026211015488 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 161-176

Author(s):

Kellie Schneider ◽

Diana Cuy Castellanos ◽

Felix Fernando ◽

Jeanne A. Holcomb

Keyword(s):

Systems Engineering ◽

Low Income ◽

Social Impact ◽

Food Deserts ◽

Well Being ◽

Environmental Indicators ◽

Grocery Store ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

Food deserts, areas in which it is difficult to obtain affordable, nutritious food, are especially problematic in low-income neighbourhoods. One model for addressing food hardship and unemployment issues within low-income food deserts is a cooperative grocery store. Through the cooperative model, the grocery store can serve as a cornerstone to address socio-economic marginalisation of low-income neighbourhoods and improve the health and well-being of its residents. It is important for communities and policymakers to be able to assess the effectiveness of these types of endeavours beyond traditional economic factors such as profitability. This article uses a systems engineering approach to develop a framework for measuring the holistic impact of a cooperative grocery store on community health and well-being. This framework encompasses values that characterise the relationship between food retail, economic viability and social equality. We develop a dashboard to display the key metrics for measuring the economic, social and environmental indicators that reflect a grocery store’s social impact. We demonstrate the usefulness of the framework through a case study of a full-service cooperative grocery store that is planned within the city of Dayton, OH.

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Psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic in low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study of older persons in Thailand

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e047650

Author(s):

Wiraporn Pothisiri ◽

Paolo Miguel Manalang Vicerra

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Low Income ◽

Older Persons ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Ageing Society ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Middle Income ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 situation in Thailand was controlled with various social measures. Much of the information covered in the media and in studies focused on the public health and economic aspects of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the psychological well-being of older people, which is important especially in an ageing society categorised as low income or middle income due to the limits of economic and healthcare resources.SettingThe impact of COVID-19 on older persons in Thailand, an online survey, taken across nine provinces within the five regions of the country.ParticipantsInformation was collected from 1230 adults aged at least 60 years old.If an older person was illiterate, unable to access the internet or had a disability preventing them from responding to the survey, an intermediary residing in the community conducted the survey interview.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe analysis focused on the worries of older adults and the factors associated with psychological distress experienced during the pandemic using logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe majority of people aged at least 60 years old experienced psychological distress during COVID-19. Employment loss (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.38), inadequate income (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.44) and debt incursion (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.57 to 4.80) were detrimental to psychological well-being. The negative changes in the perception of their health status (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.99) and decreased life satisfaction (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.87) also weighed on older Thais. The protective factors for psychological well-being were residing in rural areas (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.61) and being married (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.01).ConclusionObserving the concerns of the older population is important for introducing policies that can alleviate their precarious financial and health statuses.

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Impact of COVID-19 on post graduate medical education and training

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-03019-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sharon C. Enujioke ◽

Kimberly McBrayer ◽

Katherine C. Soe ◽

Teresa M. Imburgia ◽

Cynthia Robbins

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Work ◽

Well Being ◽

Training Experience ◽

Equal Distribution ◽

Institutional Review ◽

Medical Education And Training ◽

Home Work ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

The Impact

Abstract Purpose The novel Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact worldwide that led to changes in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on trainee’s mental health and educational preparedness. Methods Trainees at the Indiana University School of Medicine were surveyed regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their training. Using a Likert scale, participants were asked questions pertaining to educational preparedness, mental health, and clinical work during the pandemic. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27. The study was approved as exempt by the Institutional review Board (IRB). Results 324 of the 1204 trainees responded to the survey. The respondents were 76% white with an equal distribution of males and females. A majority of the respondents were first year residents with an equal distribution of second, third, and fourth year residents. Twenty-three percent of respondents were in a procedural residency or fellowship program. Better perceived educational preparedness was associated with an improved home-work balance during COVID-19 (β = 0.506, p < 0.0001) and having a department that advocated/supported focus on mental health during COVID-19 (β = 0.177, p < 0.0001). Worse perceived educational preparedness was associated with being in procedural vs. non-procedural dominant training program (β = − 0.122, p = 0.01). Conclusion COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the training experience of residents and fellows. Departmental support increased mental well-being and perceived education preparedness in trainees. Trainees that felt they had a better home-work life balance had better educational preparedness compared to their peers. Also, trainees in procedural programs had less educational preparedness compared to their peers in non-procedural programs. This study highlights the importance for programs to find avenues to increase educational preparedness in their trainees while being attuned to the mental health of their trainees.

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Dampak Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH) terhadap Kesejahteraan Keluarga di Desa Padang Seurahet Kecamatan Johan Pahlawan Kabupaten Aceh Barat

Jurnal Public Policy ◽

10.35308/jpp.v7i2.3417 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 92

Author(s):

Lia Muliana ◽

Mursyidin Mursyidin ◽

Muharriyanti Siregar

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Family Welfare ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Family Needs ◽

Social Significance ◽

Study Results ◽

The Family ◽

Low Income Families ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

The Family Hope Program (PKH) is a conditional cash transfer program for low-income families. The requirement is to be actively involved in education and health. The Family Hope Program in Indonesia was implemented in 2007 to alleviate poverty and prosper low-income families. The research and writing of this journal aim to determine the impact of PKH on family welfare and see if there is a reduction in poverty after the government realizes the Family Hope Program. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The study results indicate that the impact of PKH on beneficiary families, including the cash provided, can meet consumption or family needs and help the economy of PKH recipient families. The implementation of the program can reduce poverty in Aceh. The percentage of the poverty rate fell to 0.02%. The limitation of the research is the impact of PKH on family welfare and wants to examine whether there is a decrease in the percentage of poverty in Aceh or Aceh Barat. The practical implication of this research is to provide information to the government that PKH can improve the welfare of low-income families. The social significance is to give the government and the general public that the implementation of social assistance programs, one of which is the Family Hope Program, can reduce poverty rates in Aceh or West Aceh. The originality of the research is supported by previous research related to the author’s research study.

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The Impact of Internal Social Responsibility Policies on University Teachers

Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University ◽

10.35741/issn.0258-2724.56.3.41 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 (3) ◽

pp. 485-498

Author(s):

Gustavo Adolfo Rubio-Rodríguez ◽

Fernando de Almeida Santos

Keyword(s):

Social Responsibility ◽

Low Income ◽

Optimal Allocation ◽

Additive Model ◽

Organizational Environment ◽

University Teachers ◽

Correlational Approach ◽

Low Income Groups ◽

Lack Of Commitment ◽

The Impact

The conduct of universities motivated by social practices strengthens their commitment to social responsibility, and professors are seen as significant agents that contribute to optimizing policies in this area. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact generated by the internal policies of university social responsibility of a Colombian university, compared to the organizational environment perceived by the professors. The research developed a descriptive, explanatory, and correlational approach. The vote was used to gather information, applied to 54 individuals chosen under stratified sampling by optimal allocation. The results were derived from applying the generalized additive model of location, scale, and shape; these teach that the impact of university social responsibility policies regarding the organizational environment is determined by the professor’s behavior, which depends on incentives to provide free services to low-income groups or communities. This could be interpreted as a lack of commitment that goes beyond what is strictly agreed in the workplace, highlighting the lack of social responsibility policies in favor of the environment surrounding them.

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A Study on the Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions in Serving the Low-Income Group in Malaysia

TURKISH JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC ECONOMICS ◽

10.26414/a2374 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (Special Issue) ◽

pp. 339-353

Author(s):

Nur Harena Redzuan ◽

Amir Abidin Bashir

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Income Group ◽

Small Scale ◽

Microfinance Institutions ◽

Poverty Eradication ◽

The People ◽

Start Up ◽

Low Income Groups ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

A microfinance scheme was introduced in Malaysia in the year 1987 as one of the alternatives to poverty eradication strategies in the country by the government. Since then, several institutions have created to carry out the agenda of providing small loans to the low-income group to start up their small-scale business to generate more sources of income to support their household consumption. However, for a certain reason, the people still do not find microfinance an important tool to uplift their economic positions. Most of the low-income groups are still unaware of this golden opportunity tailored for them. Besides, the sustainability of these subsidized microfinance systems implemented by Malaysia had not been appropriately studied. This study explores the attractiveness of the products offered by microfinance institutions and emphasizes the option that the participants must start utilizing the product. This research also explores microfinance facilities that contain conventional finance element which is prohibited in Islamic trade. The study also discusses the measures and actions taken by microfinance institutions in serving the low-income group in Malaysia. This paper employs a qualitative method through interviews and content analysis. The report, journal publications, and other related documents were also analyzed in achieving the objectives. The study provides the impact that it may pave the way to an indistinct understanding of how Islamic microfinance institutions sustain their operations.

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Interactions between human behaviour and the built environment in terms of facility management

Facilities ◽

10.1108/f-03-2017-0040 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (1/2) ◽

pp. 2-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Darja Kobal Grum

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

Low Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Human Behaviour ◽

Natural Environments ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Content Type ◽

Sustainable Solutions ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Purpose In comparison with the relations between the human and natural environments that have been the central focus of environmental psychology for many years, the interactions between the psychological processes underlying human behaviour and the built environment have only recently regained the interest of researchers. In this paper, the author first discusses the reasons for the slower development of human – built environment relations. Afterwards, the author systematically examines the impact that the research of environmental stress, namely, poor housing and poor neighbourhood quality, had on the contemporary understanding of human – built environment relations. Design/methodology/approach The author focuses on social, biophilic and evidence-based design. The author proposes deeper psychological engagement in correlation with human behaviour, psychological well-being and society. The author highlights the inclusion of psychologists in interdisciplinary research teams addressing the development of sustainable solutions to the issues of residential environments. Findings It has been shown that substandard house quality, high noise, lack of natural light in houses, poorer physical quality of urban neighbourhoods, living in a low-income neighbourhood, etc. are linked to elevated physiological and psychological stress. Despite this evidence, there is still a gap between building designers and building users in modern industrialised societies, which could deepen tenants’ dissatisfaction due to specific behavioural needs and consequently lower their psychological well-being and health risk behaviour. Research limitations/implications These are potential risks of error arising from the use of assumptions, limited samples size and data from the secondary resources. Originality/value The major contributions of this paper are as follows. If the environment is understood as a dynamic, constantly changing and complex system of a wide range of players, the author can discern in this environment a dynamic that is otherwise characteristic of emotional dynamics. Expressed participants’ high satisfaction with residential status does not necessarily generate high expectations regarding real estate factors.

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Older People, Mobility and Transport in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of the Research

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11216157 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (21) ◽

pp. 6157 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mark Gorman ◽

Sion Jones ◽

Jeffrey Turner

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Low Income ◽

Well Being ◽

The State ◽

Small Scale ◽

Knowledge Gaps ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

The Impact ◽

Low And Middle Income

Older populations are rising globally, which in high-income countries has helped to generate a growing literature on the impact of ageing on travel requirements and transport policy. This article aims to provide an initial assessment of the state of knowledge on the impact on transportation policy and usage of the increasing numbers of older people in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs), through a review of the literature relating to older people and transportation. As both the academic and policy/practice-related literature specifically addressing ageing and transport in LAMICs is limited, the study looks beyond transportation to assess the state of knowledge regarding the ways in which older people’s mobility is affected by issues, such as health, well-being, social (dis)engagement and gender. We find significant knowledge gaps, resulting in an evidence base to support the implementation of policy is lacking. Most research in low-income countries (LICs) is either broad quantitative analysis based on national survey data or small-scale qualitative studies. We conclude that, although study of the differing contexts of ageing in LAMICs as they relate to older people’s mobilities and transport use has barely begun, institutions which both make and influence policymaking recognise the existence of significant knowledge gaps. This should provide the context in which research agendas can be established.

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