Yes / The continuing COVID-19 pandemic and social restrictions have impacted on the cognitive decline and mental health of people with dementia. Social isolation and loss of activities due to social restrictions may also have implications as to sense of identity for people with dementia. As part of the INCLUDE (Identifying and Mitigating the Individual and Dyadic Impact of COVID-19 and Life Under Physical Distancing on People with Dementia and Carers) component of the IDEAL (Improving the Experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life) cohort study, the overall aim of this subtle realist qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of people with dementia on living through the COVID-19 pandemic within the context of the ‘post-vaccine’ period and the national lockdowns in England and Wales; and to determine perceived challenges to and facilitators of ‘living well’ during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as restrictions were eased. In addition, the study findings are considered in relation to understandings of identity in dementia which the broader accounts of living through the pandemic have highlighted. Seven people with mild-to-moderate dementia were interviewed and themes were derived using framework analysis. Themes suggest interviewees' stoic acceptance of the pandemic and social restrictions but also fear of decline related to the temporality of their condition as well as loss of self-confidence to re-engage with the world. Interviewees managed threats to social identity by striving to maintain social and emotional connections, where the importance of a shared, social identity, particularly for people with young-onset dementia, was also apparent. Unlike in previous studies during the pandemic, the relevance of occupation for identity was observed, where maintaining previous or new activities or occupations was important to facilitate identity as well as to keep a sense of purpose. Therefore, as well as supporting people with dementia as the pandemic eases, future research into occupation and identity in dementia is of potential value. / ‘Identifying and Mitigating the Individual and Dyadic Impact of COVID-19 and Life Under Physical Distancing on People with Dementia and Carers (INCLUDE)’ was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC; grant number ES/V004964/1).

Thesis advisor: Susan . Kelly-Weeder / Thesis advisor: Judith . Shindul-Rothschild / BACKGROUND: The influenza virus is uniquely capable of creating pandemic illness in our population. The unpredictability of pandemics necessitates plans that will allow registered nurses to expand current capacity to care for ill individuals. It has been documented that personnel resources, often nurses, are a limiting factor in the health care system’s ability to care for large influxes of patients. Prior research has shown that an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as influenza, may lead to healthcare workers (HCWs) intentionally staying out of work. The potential increase in patient demand coupled with a decrease in the number of critical care nurses reporting to work will strain the ability of healthcare systems to meet the needs of patients. To date, research has not studied critical care nurses’ intentions to report to work during a pandemic influenza. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the percent of critical care nurses that intend to report to work during an influenza pandemic. Covariates that may influence CCNs intention to report included personal, professional, and employer characteristics. Additionally, the impact of threat (perceived susceptibility to influenza and perceived severity of an influenza pandemic) and efficacy (perceived self-efficacy and perceived efficacy of the overall response) on intentions were analyzed. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive design was utilized. Participants were recruited through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. The final sample totaled 245 critical care nurses from across the United States. The participants completed an adapted version of the Johns Hopkins Public Health Infrastructure Response Survey Tool (JH~PHIRST) as well as personal demographics and information on their primary employer. Data were analyzed using bivariate methods and logistic regression. RESULTS: This study found that nearly 87% of CCNs intend to report during a pandemic flu, but this number drops to 78% if severity of the pandemic is factored in and further declines to 63% if the CCNs are asked to work extra. Perceived self-efficacy is a primary factor in explaining CCNs intend to report to work. CCNs with high perceived self-efficacy were6.221 (95% CI: 2.638-14.673) times more likely to report than those with low perceived self-efficacy. Perceived self-efficacy continues to significantly impact intentions to report to work when the severity of the pandemic is considered as well as when CCNs are asked to work extra. CCNs with high perceived self-efficacy are consistently, significantly more likely to intend to report than those with low perceived self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Perceived self-efficacy is related to CCN intentions to report to work during a pandemic flu emergency. Future research should examine methods for increasing CCN perceived self-efficacy, including professional, educational and employment factors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

Very few studies have examined information sentiment and explored other factors that contribute to health information dissemination and sharing. In particular, there is a lack of studies that performed these combined analyses in the modern social network environment during the disease outbreaks, such as with zika, ebola, SARS, or COVID-19. This study aimed to fill the gap in the literature by investigating what drives social media users to widely disseminate health-related information during a pandemic. Diffusion of innovation theory and theory of planned behavior were the basis of the theoretical approach utilized to answer the research questions. The two theories identified antecedents of sharing online health information. Data was collected through an online survey distributed to students in a higher education institution in the United States of America. The study revealed the extent of the relationships between the four major factors derived from the previous literature—attitudes toward sharing, beliefs toward source, peer influence, and information sentiment—and the behavioral intention to share information. The results would support the information science literature by offering and testing a new model that identifies the factors that affect users' intentions to share health information in the social network environment. This study will further the understanding and application of health information behavior research.

In March 2020, the U.S. declared COVID-19 a pandemic, instituting safety measures that resulted in collegiate sports being canceled, shifting institutions of higher education to online learning, and upending the lives of 500,000 college athletes. During the summer of 2020, the U.S. also experienced a racial awakening, catalyzed by George Floyd’s murder. Although anecdotal accounts exist regarding how Black athletes were affected by, and responded to, these twin pandemics, empirical research directly addressing their experiences does not exist. In August/September 2020, as part of a national study, Black collegiate athletes (N = 156; 110 women) responded to two open-ended questions regarding how they had been coping and who their social supports were; they reflected on the timeframe of April/May to August/September 2020. We analyzed their written responses using reflective thematic analysis (RTA), applying a constructivist paradigm. We used the critical race theory as a theoretical framework and contextualized the athletes’ experiences and perspectives through the acknowledgment that they lived in uncertain times during which they had to navigate systemic racism that was exacerbated by the twin pandemics. We developed a thematic structure to represent their experiences: (a) My life has been affected across many domains; (b) I was present, kind, and human; (c) I developed my new normal; (d) I have been supported in so many different ways; and (e) social activism: from my team, to my school, to society at large. Analyses shed light on how athletic departments can engage with Black student-athletes to change the racist sports systems in which they exist.

Influenza illness occures masively in human population for centuries. Influenza is an acute disorder of viral origin. Currently influenza can be found all over the world. The viruses of influenza are circulating continously in all continents not only in the human population, but in animals too. Every year the population is affected by the seasonal epidemic of different magnitude. Influenza illness pose an important medical, social and economical problem. Next to the seasonal outbreaks occuring every year the influenza pandemic can appear after several tens of years. The pandemic of influenza would mean spread all over the world and it is caused by the new variant of the influenza virus. In past the influenza pandemics caused mortality of millions of people all over the world, high economical losses and social collapse of the states in the history. That´s why the particular states prepare their national pandemic plans. The early preparedness for possible influenza pandemic elaborated in the national pandemic plans and the measures following from the plans constitute a tool for reduction of extent, impact and outcomes of pandemic. The quality of preparedness can influence the economical functions of states, medical impacts of illness and final number of the victims. The aim of the dissertation is to compare the proposed measures responding to the influenza pandemic arising from the national pandemic plans of the Czech and Slovak Republic, to ascertain the state of preparedness to the influenza pandemic following from the pandemic plan of the Czech Republic and the situation in awareness of the civil population about the influenza pandemic in the Czech Republic. The theoretical part of the dissertation is focused on the epidemiological characteristic of the influenza illness. In the sphere of interest the issue of influenza pandemics is explained in terms of their history and the next field of the dissertation is focused on the pandemic plans. The research part of the dissertation is focused on the solution to the given research questions. Two research questions were specified to accomplish the defined aim: What are the differences between the approaches and measures in the pandemic plans of the Czech and Slovak Republic? What is the knowledge and awareness of civil population about the influenza pandemic in the Czech Republic? Regarding the issue the methodology the first research question included analysis of the content of the pandemic plans of the Czech and Slovak Republic and performance of the Checklist method in order to obtain an overview on approach, procedures and standard of preparedness in the territory of both states and possibilities their reciprocal comparison. Under the second research question the awareness and knowledge of the civil population about the pandemic influenza in the Czech Republic was investigated. For acquiring the data of researching study there was used The method of quantitative research was used to acquire the data for the research survey. The form of twenty questions was created. The first part of the questionnaire was focused on the general knowledge about influenza and the second part on the influenza pandemic and related measures. The respondents chose from the answers defined in advance. There wasn´t used the random sampling of the respondents. Fifty respondents from the non-representative sample filled out the form for acquiring the basic knowledge and finding out theoretical information about the influenza pandemic. Subsequently the statistical analysis was made from the obtained data using the methods of descriptive and mathematic statistic. It follows from the analysing results that the knowledge about the influenza illness and influenza pandemic exists among the civil population which means the laic public, but they are the lower extent and do not correspond to the normal frequency distribution.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact worldwide and is posing a threat to the physical and mental health of world citizens. The present study examines the extent to which a sample of Swedish university students have experienced loneliness during COVID-19. Furthermore, it also examines if there is a correlation between a high degree of loneliness and increased alcohol consumption. Participants consisted of Swedish university students recruited online using opportunity sampling (N=224). Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale translated into Swedish. Results showed that the sample displayed higher levels of loneliness compared to normative scores but lower levels when compared to students elsewhere who have been quarantined. A logistic regression found no connection between high degrees of loneliness and increased alcohol consumption in the sample. The results and their implications are discussed. A pre-post measurement design and longitudinal studies are encouraged for future research to evaluate long term consequences of loneliness, along with an increased focus on ways to reduce loneliness. Finally, we suggest that loneliness should continue to be a priority in research in order to fully understand the psychological impact of COVID-19. / Utbrottet av COVID-19 pandemin har haft en enorm påverkan världen över och utgör ett hot mot den fysiska och mentala hälsan. Vår studie syftade till att undersöka i vilken utsträckning ett urval av svenska universitetsstudenter upplevt ensamhet under COVID-19. Vidare har studien undersökt om det fanns ett samband mellan en hög grad av upplevd ensamhet under COVID-19 och ökad alkoholkonsumtion. Deltagarna bestod av svenska universitetsstudenter vilka rekryterades online genom bekvämlighetsurval (N=224). Deltagarna fyllde i en enkät där subjektiv ensamhet mättes med hjälp av en översatt version av UCLA Loneliness Scale till svenska. Resultaten visade att studenterna i vårt urval uppvisade högre nivå av ensamhet jämfört med normvärden, men lägre jämfört med studenter i andra länder som suttit i karantän. En logistisk regression fann inget samband mellan upplevd ensamhet och ökad alkoholkonsumtion. Resultaten och deras implikationer diskuteras. För framtida forskning uppmuntras en för- och eftermätningsdesign samt longitudinella studier att utvärdera långsiktiga konsekvenser av ensamhet, samt ett ökat fokus på sätt att minska ensamhet. Slutligen föreslås att ensamhet blir ett fortsatt fokus i forskningen för att fullt ut förstå psykologiska effekterna av COVID-19.

Работа состоит из введения, трех глав, заключения, рекомендации и списка литературы. Первая глава «Теоретические основы формирования банковского капитала» в общих чертах определяет проблему исследования и причины, по которым проводится данное исследование. Во второй главе «Анализ состава и структуры капитала банков Эквадора» дана финансово-экономическая характеристика деятельности Центрального банка Эквадора и оценка структуры капитала коммерческих банков Эквадора. В третьей главе «Оценить влияние пандемии на структуру капитала коммерческих банков Эквадора и разработать меры по устранению негативных последствий» проведен анализ негативных последствий развития пандемии COVID-19 и провести соответствующие мероприятия. Рекомендации по увеличению стоимости капитала банков Эквадора. / The work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, recommendations and a list of references. The first chapter "Theoretical foundations of the formation of bank capital" defines in general terms the problem of research and the reasons for which this research is conducted. In the second chapter, "Analysis of the composition and capital structure of banks in Ecuador", the financial and economic characteristics of the Central Bank's activities are given. the Bank of Ecuador and the assessment of the capital structure of commercial banks in Ecuador. In the third chapter, "To assess the impact of the pandemic on the capital structure of commercial banks in Ecuador and to develop measures to eliminate negative consequences", an analysis of the negative consequences of the development of the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out and appropriate measures were taken. Recommendations for increasing the cost of capital of banks in Ecuador.

This report was the result of a study conducted in Stockholm County in Sweden. This study aimed to gain further understanding of how social workers working with domestic violence issues perceived how the COVID-19 pandemic affected women who are victims of domestic violence in Sweden. Three social workers working with victims of domestic violence were interviewed using semi structured questions. The sample consisted of two respondents from social services and one respondent from a women'sshelter. Their clients are women from the age of 18 and above with different cultural backgrounds. The results generated from the interview were analysed using feminist theory and earlier research conducted on domestic violence. Though domestic violence against women has been a social problem before the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings revealed the different factors that led to more cases of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic such as economic dependency on the perpetrator, depression,alcohol abuse, and social isolation due to the partial lockdown. These factors cause the women (victims) to be more vulnerable to the crime perpetrated by their partners, and due to partial lockdown and the stay-at-home order by the government to combat the spread of COVID-19 virus in Sweden, the social workers believed that the women (the victims) were stuck with their perpetrators and unable to come out to seek the help needed and this made their situation more vulnerable resulting to long life effects like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD), suicidal thoughts and even death.

The global tourism and hotel industry have been among the fastest-growing sectors for years. However, the global pandemic of COVID-19 caused extreme disruption and changed the situation all around the globe. The global COVID-19 pandemic did not only leave an imprint on economic sectors all over the world but also caused changes in the everyday lives of people. Implemented travel restrictions and self-isolation have resulted in workforce reductions in all economic sectors and job losses impacting individuals, organizations, and countries globally. With regard to the hotel industry, the crisis has led to an immense number of cancellations and a loss of foreign clientele. The situation has altered and the behavior of guests has changed accordingly. This research aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on guest behavior and its consequences. To achieve this aim, a mixed methods research approach consisting of 2 stages of empirical study is employed. The qualitative method in the form of email interviews was aimed at the hotel staff of 5 chosen health spa hotels in Slovakia where 9 employees were asked questions about the impact of COVID-19 on the hotel industry and guest behavior from a hotel employee’s perspective. The collected data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. The quantitative method was used to investigate the impact of the global pandemic from hotel guests’ points of view themselves. The second part of the research therefore involves 100 participants of an online survey about guest behavior during the pandemic, change in values and behavior patterns. The findings proved that there is a significant change in guest behavior induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. Furthermore, the aftermath of adopted behaviors has been identified, including the change in the booking process, difficulties in rules compliance, and main differences in hotel stays before and during the pandemic.

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between a person’s psychological distress, subjective physical health and their attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation was performed on the basis of data from two waves of the Saxon Longitudinal Study, carried out in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021. The number of study participants in both waves was 291. We tested in autoregressive cross-lagged models the stability of the respondents’ health status before and during the pandemic and reviewed their influence on attitudes towards COVID-19. Our results show that COVID-19-related concerns are controlled by subjective physical health, while pandemic denial is linked to psychological distress. In an unknown and critical situation, with limited control over the situation, the strategy of avoidance or suppression may be used by individuals for protection by psychologically downplaying the stressor and danger.