Search Results (142)

Since the establishment of the State of Alarm resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, and quarantine have been imposed in most countries, with serious health, social, economic, and educational consequences. The health emergency caused by COVID-19 led to the closure of schools, forcing students from all over the world to stop attending schools and compromising the quality of care offered to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to examine how teachers supervised students with ASD virtually during the lockdown period, and to determine whether families considered the support provided by teachers to be adequate, a cross-cultural study design was adopted. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered to 415 families in Spain and Mexico in April 2020. We calculated frequencies and carried out descriptive analyses, parametric inferential analyses, and correlations. Families reported that educational monitoring and contact with the family member with ASD during home lockdown was scarce, despite the provision of activities appropriate to their needs. Significant differences were found as a function of country, age of participant, age of family member with ASD, type of ASD, type of schooling, and length of lockdown. This study highlights the need to train teachers in inclusive digital education and to establish effective protocols for communication and follow-up with the families of students with ASD. Full article

Objective: To examine associations among psychological distress, perceptions of life changes, and perceptions of family support among college students during the quarantine period of the pandemic. Background: A supportive family can buffer psychological distress during crises. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many college students abruptly returned to their family home, disrupting a developmental stage typically oriented toward independence and peer connection. While previous research has highlighted the stressors of this period, less is known about the role of perceived family support in shaping students’ mental health outcomes. Method: Data from a cross-sectional sample of 339 college students were collected. Statistical analysis included a hierarchical multiple regression and moderated moderation to investigate the relationship between the life changes college students experienced due to COVID-19 and distress and how family support moderated this relationship while treating gender as a secondary moderator. Results: Perceptions of worsening life conditions due to COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of distress and vice versa. Perceptions of emotional forms of family support moderated this relationship, but only among male participants. Conclusions: This study contributes to our understanding of the mental health implications of the pandemic on college students by identifying emotional family support as a gender-specific protective factor. Implications: Insights from this study may inform mental health interventions that consider family dynamics and gender-specific coping during large-scale crises. These findings may also guide strategies for supporting students facing the long-term psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

Background: The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) led to gastrointestinal manifestations in up to 50% of cases, with diarrhea being common, and probiotics have been suggested as a potential treatment. Aim: This study aimed to assess changes in the microbiome and the effects of a multispecies probiotic in patients with COVID-19 in home quarantine through a fully remote telemedical approach. Methods: Thirty patients were randomized to receive either the Ecologic AAD probiotic (Winclove Probiotics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), on the market as OMNi-BiOTiC 10 (Allergosan, Austria), or a placebo for 30 days in a 2:1 ratio. Respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms were monitored in 2–10-day intervals via online surveys, and five stool samples were collected during the 30-day study period for microbiome and metabolomics analyses. Twenty-four healthy volunteers served as controls. Results: Of the 30 patients, 26 completed this study (10 placebo, 16 probiotic). Patients reported respiratory symptoms and a diminished gastrointestinal quality of life, both of which improved significantly during the study period, irrespective of the intervention. Compared to controls, infected patients showed significant alterations in the fecal microbiome (p = 0.002), including an increase in Bacteroidetes and decreases in Christensenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Gammaproteobacteria, along with metabolomic changes. Probiotic treatment significantly modulated the patients’ microbiome beta diversity (p = 0.001) and introduced the Enterococcus faecium W54 strain. Symptoms, COVID-19-related taxa, and the fecal metabolome were not affected by the intervention. Conclusions: Patients with mild COVID-19 disease in home quarantine exhibited respiratory symptoms, a reduced gastrointestinal quality of life, and changes in the fecal microbiome and metabolome. Full article

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people had to stay at home due to quarantine, and the food delivery industry grew significantly. Concerns have been raised regarding the popularity of away-from-home (AFH) meals and their impact on health. In this study, we evaluated the association between the frequency of AFH meals and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this cross-sectional study, the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was reviewed from 2010 to 2019. The frequency of AFH meals was assessed as how often the respondents ate AFH meals in an average week. Those who ate AFH meals less than once per week were designated as group 1, one to four times as group 2, and five times or more as group 3. The diagnoses of AR and CRS were evaluated, and symptoms, endoscopic findings, and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed. A total of 48,515 participants were eligible. In multivariate logistic regression analysis for AR, when compared to group 1, the odds ratios (ORs) for AR in participants of group 2 (OR = 1.226, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.136–1.324) and group 3 (OR = 1.227, 95% CI = 1.126–1.337) were significantly higher (p < 0.0001). For CRS, group 2 (OR = 1.139, 95% CI = 1.029–1.260) and group 3 (OR = 1.210, 95% CI = 1.078–1.358) showed a significantly higher risk than group 1 (p = 0.0044). Individuals who consume AFH meals frequently might suffer less from AR or CRS if they change their dietary habits and prepare meals more often at home. Full article

Quarantine policies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prolonged time spent at home, leading to an unintended occurrence of sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SBS symptoms among residents in Suzhou, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted online from February to May 2022. A total of 442 adults were included in this study. The prevalence of SBS symptoms was much higher during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the proportions of general, mucosal, and skin symptoms were 59.3%, 45.5% and 49.1%, respectively. The influences of building characteristics, occupant lifestyle, indoor environment and perception of indoor environment were analysed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Neighbourhood pollutant sources, older residences, non-ownership and humidity indicators were significant risk factors for SBS symptoms. Frequent use of air fresheners was significantly associated with general (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI: 2.4–10.0), mucosal (AOR: 5.3, 95% CI: 2.4–11.5), and skin symptoms (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.6–13.1), while the use of disinfectants was significantly correlated with skin symptoms (AOR: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.5–10.7). Residents’ perception of an uncomfortable indoor environment was a significant predictor of general (AOR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.0) and mucosal symptoms (AOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.6–6.0). The use of air cleaners can reduce the prevalence of general symptoms. An important finding of this study is that the psychological impact of staying at home for a long time was associated with general symptoms (AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.7), which means that attention should also be paid to the mental health of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the quarantine period has now ended, our results can still serve as a reference for the impact of the indoor environment on the health of people with SBS, especially for those who stay at home for a long time, such as the elderly. Full article

Providing a safe and secure living environment for residents that is supported by a dedicated healthcare team is one of the core values of nursing homes. Nursing homes must protect residents from the risk of going missing, track quarantined residents and visitors to control the spread of infection, and maintain proactive nursing rounds. However, recruiting and retaining qualified caregivers and medical staff has long been a challenge. Therefore, using advanced technology to ensure the safety and security of residents is highly desirable. In this work, we first demonstrate the applicability of indoor tracking applications in a nursing home, such as resident and asset tracking, nursing assistant management, visitor tracking, infection control, and vital-sign monitoring. To monitor the locations of residents and staff, Bluetooth tags were used, providing real-time data for location tracking. We then conduct a series of quantitative analyses to illustrate how indoor tracking data can support the management of nursing homes, including characterizing residents’ activities in daily living and assessing the performance and workload of nursing assistants. Finally, we use qualitative research to evaluate the acceptability of an indoor positioning system in the nursing home. The results show that the implemented indoor positioning applications can improve the quality of healthcare and working efficiency, thereby providing a safer and more secure living environment for residents. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behaviors, negatively impacting mental and physical health. Engaging in physical activity at home during quarantine became essential to counteracting these adverse effects. To develop appropriate physical activity programs, assessing individuals’ fitness levels and the impact of inactivity is crucial. This study aims to compare motor abilities—including flexibility, balance, reaction time, cardiovascular endurance, and lower and upper limb strength—assessed both in-person and remotely, to determine the accuracy and repeatability of self-administered tests. Methods: A total of 35 young subjects (age 24.2 ± 1.97 years, BMI 22.4 ± 2.61 kg/m²) participated in this study. Each participant underwent a battery of motor ability tests designed to assess various fitness components. The tests were administered twice for each subject: once in a laboratory setting and once remotely at home. The sequence of tests was randomly assigned to ensure unbiased results. Both the in-person and remote assessments were used to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of self-administered tests. Results: The comparison of test results between the laboratory and remote settings revealed percentage differences ranging from 5% to 10%. This variation is considered an acceptable margin of error, suggesting that the tests conducted remotely were relatively accurate when compared to those performed in a controlled laboratory environment. Conclusions: The findings indicate that remote fitness testing is a promising method for evaluating motor abilities. With an acceptable margin of error, remote assessments can be effectively used to personalize training programs based on individuals’ physiological characteristics. This approach may be particularly beneficial during times of limited access to fitness facilities, such as during quarantine, or for individuals seeking more flexible fitness evaluation methods. Full article

The epidemic outbreaks of the last two decades have led governments to rely more on computational tools for establishing protection policies. Computational approaches to modeling epidemics traditionally rely on compartmental models, network models, or agent-based models (ABMs); however, each approach has its limitations, ranging from reduced realism to lack of tractability. Furthermore, the recent literature emphasizes the importance of points of interest (POIs) as sources of population mixing and potential outbreak hotspots. In response, this study proposes a novel urban spatial ABM validated using our augmented SICARQD epidemic model. To replicate daily activities more accurately, the urban area is divided into a matrix of points of interest (POIs) with agents that have unique paths that only permit infectious transmission within POIs. Our results provide a qualitative assessment of how urban characteristics and individual mobility patterns impact the infected population during an outbreak. That is, we study how population density, the total number of POIs (where the population concentrates), the average number of POIs visited by an agent, the maximum travel distance from the home location, and the quarantine ratio impact the dynamics of an outbreak. Our ABM simulation framework offers a valuable tool for investigating and controlling infectious disease outbreaks in urban environments with direct applicability to global policy makers. Full article

Background: During 2020 and 2021, over 50.2 million individuals were forced to leave their homes to escape the impacts of climate-related disasters, unable to practice social isolation or self-quarantine. A considerable proportion of them reside in densely populated areas with a lack of basic services such as water and sanitation and limited access to essential healthcare. This study aimed to estimate the internal displacements during 2020 and 2021 due to climate-related events, and review the evidence for proposing policy recommendations. Methods: Data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre were used for assessing internal displacement by disasters during 2020 and 2021. In addition, the authors conducted a bibliographic review to analyse the responses to internal displacements in climate-related disasters. Results: There were 883 severe storms and 1567 flood events resulting in 50.2 million internal displacements globally. Through the documents reviewed, the legal framework, the vulnerabilities and current challenges of internally displaced persons, and the response policy recommendations were analysed. Conclusions: The increased awareness of displacement and migration, particularly driven by climate-related factors, aligns with international agreements emphasising coordinated action. This recognition becomes even more critical in the context of the convergence of climate-related displacements and the potential for future pandemics. Full article

Background: Quarantine was one of the strategies adopted by governments against the spread of COVID-19. This restriction has caused an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in the practice of physical activity (PA), with a consequent negative impact on lifestyle both in healthy people and in those who need constant practice of PA to combat diseases, such as patients suffering from neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). Hence, this study aimed to compare PA levels among patients with NMD during and after quarantine. Methods: An adapted version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form and the Short-Form Health Survey were administered during COVID-19 quarantine (T0) and after 3 years (T1) to 91 Italian patients with NMDs. Results: We found a significant increase in the total PA level at T1, with no significant changes in vigorous-intensity PA. Moreover, a significant decrease in the PA level was found among the patients with different NMDs. No significant changes in physical component scores and mental component scores were detected. Conclusions: Our results suggest that it would be necessary to provide alternative indoor exercise settings to prevent the adoption of sedentary behaviors. Full article

This study investigates the interplay between physical literacy, resilience, and burnout among researchers who experienced strict home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, with a particular focus on the mediating role of resilience. Employing a two-stage sampling procedure, a total of 363 researchers from diverse disciplines, notably social science and natural science, were enlisted and administered a series of validated scales, including the Perceived Physical Literacy Scale (PPL), the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the Chinese version of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBL), via an anonymous online platform. The findings revealed substantial differences in physical literacy, resilience, and burnout across disciplines. Resilience partially mediated the relationship between physical literacy and burnout. Upon a closer examination of the sub-dimensions, resilience was found to fully mediate between factors of motivation, exhaustion, and disengagement. Moreover, one aspect of physical literacy—interaction with the environment—exhibited weaker correlations with both resilience and burnout compared to other dimensions of physical literacy. Overall, the study confirms the significant correlation between physical literacy and psychological parameters, establishing that elevated levels of both physical literacy and resilience serve as key factors in mitigating burnout during the pandemic. Full article

(1) Background: Children are susceptible to home injuries. How prepared parents were to protect their children from accidents before and during the COVID-19 quarantine is uncertain. (2) Methods: We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional study in Greece between November and December 2021. We asked parents to complete an anonymous questionnaire voluntarily. Questions focused on accident-preventive measures taken at home during the COVID-19 quarantine. (3) Results: A greater proportion of parents took protective measures for a safer home before the lockdown than during the quarantine, while an interesting percentage of parents never utilized preventive measures for their children. Slightly more than half (58.6%) of parents did not seem to worry about a possible increase in domestic accidents during the quarantine. It was observed that those who had one or two children took more protective measures than those with more than two children. Older parents seemed to explain to their children how to access emergency services more often. Mothers stayed at home with the children more often, and their education affected the presence of some of the assessed measures. In our logistic regression modeling, parental concern about accidents was more related to the incidence of an accident during the pandemic and attendance at seminars. (4) Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 lockdowns disorganized family life, parents were aware of the importance of their parenting role in creating a safe environment for children, but according to the study, there is room for improvement. Full article

An online questionnaire on the subjective response to noise was created to collect national experiences from households during the first COVID-19 wave (from 14 March to 21 June). In this study, different noise sources (general noise, but also noise from neighbors, common areas, facilities, premises, and traffic) and self-declared health effects (stress, lack of concentration, sleep disturbance, anxiety, irritability, or their absence) reported from 582 participants were analyzed (before and during quarantine). A descriptive and statistical analysis between variables was established to observe relational trends for the two periods. The results associated stress and sleep disturbance with most of the noise sources before the pandemic. Sleep disturbance was not significant in confinement, maybe due to habit changes and staying home. Uncertainty linked to the pandemic could explain why stress showed significance during quarantine. Irritability showed an inverse relation with noise sources since their values were greater for declared noise sources and more annoying before the pandemic in all cases. Finally, anxiety showed an association with fewer noise sources, maybe also conditioned by other factors. However, the extreme situation and the uncertainty generated, the presence of cohabitants at home, and building factors (such as acoustic insulation) conditioned the households’ experience. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, persons under surveillance (PUS) were isolated in quarantine centres instead of at home. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the mental health issues experienced by these persons. This study aimed to assess mental health outcomes and associated factors among PUS and frontline workers at quarantine centres. This study conducted an analysis of secondary data from a cross-sectional survey carried out by the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS). The MHPSS employed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to evaluate mental health outcomes across 49 quarantine centres in Malaysia. The study included a total of 4577 respondents. The prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression was found to be 0.9%, 11.4%, and 10.2%, respectively. Frontline workers and being part of the younger age group were found to be associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Other factors associated with mental health issues were being female, staying at an institution-type centre, and a longer duration of the stay or work at the centre. In conclusion, assessing the mental health status and its associated factors among quarantine centre occupants is crucial for developing future strategies to safeguard their mental well-being. Full article

Objectives: To help to tackle gender-based violence against women in the aftermath of COVID-19 or other potential crisis situations, as recommended by the European Institute for Gender Equality, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between calls to the National Anti-violence Number (NAN) and the socio-sanitary pandemic factors during 2021, a period in which the scenario changed due to containment measures that gradually allowed women to emerge from the condition of isolation. In addition, the present work aims to identify significant changes in the number of calls to NAN during the progression of the pandemic in 2021. Methods: Using Italian Civil Protection Department data on the socio-sanitary pandemic factors (defined by daily number of cases, swabs, deaths, hospitalizations, dismissions, intensive care unit hospitalizations, people isolated at home, and quarantine after 15 and 30 days) and NAN data. Correlation analyses, a joinpoint regression analysis, and Granger causality tests were performed. Results: The number of calls correlated with the daily number of cases, swabs, deaths, hospitalizations, dismissions, intensive care unit hospitalizations, and quarantine after 15 and 30 days. The identified joinpoints showed significant changes in the number of daily anti-violence calls during the year. Furthermore, we found evidence of a significant causality between daily hospitalizations, daily home quarantined, daily dismissed patients, and calls to NAN. Conclusions: The results underline the influence of containment measures on the increased access to NAN, suggesting the need for a greater implementation of social and psychological support services in other potential crisis situations. Full article