Bakgrund: Aktiemarknaden reagerar på information och omvärldsförändringar. Prissättningen på aktiemarknaden sker utifrån investerares tro på aktierna och vid oro hos investerare reagerar aktiemarknaden ofta negativt. Investerarnas oro kan skapas av information från kriser, där krisen i sig kan speglas på aktiemarknaden men även investerarnas uppfattning om krisen kan bidra till negativa stängningkurser. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att beskriva och analysera relationen mellan globala kriser och aktiemarknaden i Sverige. Metod: För att mäta aktiemarknadens reaktion på kriser används marknadsindex OMX30, OMXSPI tillsammans med nio branschindex. Utifrån dessa har aktiemarknadens volatilitet under kriserna analyserats med hjälp av eventfönster. För att mäta investerares påverkan på aktiemarknaden och hur anpassningsbar den är har effektiva marknadshypotesen tillsammans med teorin beteendeekonomi använts. Studien har formulerat två hypoteser i syfte att analysera om statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan aktiemarknadens stängningskurser föreligger innan och efter kriserna. Studien analyserade kriserna terrorattacken 11:e september, Finanskrisen 2008, Covid-19-pandemin och Rysslands invasion av Ukraina. Slutsatser: Studiens resultat visade aktiemarknadens volatilitet varit högre utifrån aktieindex efter samtliga kriser. Utifrån branschindex har aktiemarknadens volatilitet varit varierande efter kriserna. Alla kriser studien undersöker har synliggjorts som nedgång på aktieindex och majoriteten av branschindex. Det finns en statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan aktiemarknadens stängningskurser innan och efter krisen för 36 av 39 marknadsindex. Studien kunde även visa att marknaden återhämtat sig olika snabbt efter kriserna och påverkats av information kring kriserna. / Background: The stock market reacts to information and changes in the environment. Pricing on the stock market takes place based on investors' faith in the shares, and when investors are worried, the stock market often reacts negatively. Investors' concerns can be created by information from crises, where the crisis itself can be reflected on the stock market, but also investors' perception of the crisis can contribute to negative closing prices. Purpose: The purpose of the studies is to describe and analyze the relationship between global crises and the stock market in Sweden. Method: To measure the stock market's reaction to crises, the market index OMX30 and OMXSPI is used together with nine industry indices. Based on these, the volatility of the stock market during the crises has been analyzed using event windows. To measure investors' influence on the stock market and how adaptable it is, the efficient market hypothesis together with the theory of behavioral finance has been used. The study has formulated two hypotheses with the aim of analyzing whether there is a statistically significant difference between the closing prices of the stock market before and after the crises. The study analyzed the crises 9/11 terrorist attack, The financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that the volatility of the stock market was higher based on the stock index after all the crises. Based on the industry index, the volatility of the stock market has been variable after the crises. All the crises the study examines have been made visible as declines in stock indices and the majority of industry indices. There is a statistically significant difference between stock market closing prices before and after the crisis for 36 out of 39 market indices. The study was also able to show that the market recovered differently quickly after the crises and was influenced by information about the crises.

No description available.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the well-being of university students has become an important issue to investigate and understand. The pandemic has had a significant impact on students' lives and study experiences. Even after the pandemic, it is important to examine the health and well-being of university students as it is a crucial factor for their academic performance and lifelong health. Further research on the pandemic can help better understand how various aspects of student life, such as social interactions and study environment, affect students' health and well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected psychosocial and social aspects of mental health among students at Karlstad University. The study uses quantitative methods to achieve the purpose. A survey is conducted to collect data. The study's results show similar findings as highlighted by researchers who have previously studied within the research field. The findings of this study, however, revealed that the respondents experienced that distance learning had a generally negative impact on what they learned, as well as the enjoyment they derived from the lessons. This was a result that was also confirmed regarding the university's other activities. The study concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a clear negative impact on the psychosocial and social aspects of the mental health of students at Karlstad University. / Under Covid-19-pandemin har universitetsstudenters välmående blivit en viktig fråga att undersöka och förstå. Pandemin har haft en betydande påverkan på studenters liv och studieupplevelse. Även efter pandemin är det viktigt att undersöka universitetsstudenters hälsa och välmående eftersom det är en avgörande faktor för deras studieprestationer och livslånga hälsa. Vidare forskning om pandemin kan bidra till att bättre förstå hur olika aspekter av studentlivet, såsom sociala interaktioner och studiemiljö, påverkar studenternas hälsa och välbefinnande. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka hur Covid-19-pandemin har påverkat psykosociala och sociala aspekter av den psykiska hälsan hos studenter på Karlstads universitet. Studien använder kvantitativa metoder för att uppfylla syftet. En enkätundersökning genomförs för att samla in data. Studiens resultat visar på liknande fynd som belysts av forskare som tidigare studerat inom forskningsfältet. Vad som framkommer i detta studieresultat är däremot att respondenterna upplevde att distansundervisningen hade en generellt negativ påverkan på det som de lärde sig, samt den njutning som de fick av lektionerna. Detta var ett resultat som också fastställdes beträffande universitetets övriga aktiviteter. Studien drar en slutsats att Covid-19-pandemin har haft en tydlig negativ påverkan på psykosociala och sociala aspekter av den psykiska hälsan hos studenter på Karlstads universitet.

This thesis aims to study if descriptive representation, i.e. the social likeness between representatives and population, is considered important and if it changes when a national parliament is prevented from convening in full-format during a crisis. A maintained descriptive representation is important as it reflects that representatives have equal opportunities to execute their representational duties during a crisis (fairness argument), and because the interests of underrepresented groups otherwise risk being represented to a lesser degree (interest argument). By adopting a mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews are used to study how representatives were selected to participate in the reduced voting procedures in the Swedish parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if descriptive representation (gender, age, geographical) was considered in this process. Results show that while descriptive representation was considered by five out of eight party groups – most prominently gender representation motivated by the fairness argument – it was not as influential as other more practical factors in the selection process, such as proximity to parliament or the need of being present for other reasons. Furthermore, changes in the descriptive representation in the Swedish parliament are studied by voting data using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results show that the share of women increased slightly during votes during the pandemic, contrary to developments in many other parliaments. Representatives over 65 years old decreased, as did representatives from constituencies far from parliament. Significant differences in average voting participation rate arose for the different age and geographical groups, indicating unequal opportunities to execute their representational duties during the crisis.

Mémoire de maîtrise présenté en vue de l'obtention de la maîtrise en psychologie (M. Sc) / Les symptômes maternels de stress, d’anxiété et de dépression durant la grossesse entraînent des altérations hormonales susceptibles d’affecter le développement fœtal de zones cérébrales et de mécanismes neurologiques impliqués dans l'excitabilité cérébrale et le traitement sensoriel. En période postnatale, ces symptômes de détresse maternelle peuvent affecter l’interaction mère-enfant, influençant le développement comportemental de l'enfant. Les effets de la santé mentale maternelle sur le développement sensoriel de l’enfant ayant été peu explorés, l’objectif est d’étudier la relation entre les symptômes maternels prénataux et postnataux de dépression, d'anxiété et de stress lié à la pandémie de Covid-19, et l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant à 18 mois. Les données longitudinales de 409 participantes suivies durant la pandémie de Covid-19 ont été utilisées. Celles-ci ont complété des questionnaires durant leur grossesse et jusqu’à 18 mois après leur accouchement. La dépression, l'anxiété et le stress lié à la pandémie de Covid-19 ont été évalués durant la grossesse et à 18 mois postnatal par l’Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), le Generalized Anxiety Disorders 7-item Scale (GAD-7) et une échelle évaluant sur 10 points le niveau de stress ressenti par rapport à la pandémie de Covid-19. L'évitement sensoriel chez l’enfant a été évalué à 18 mois postnatal par le questionnaire Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile – Second Edition. Des corrélations de Pearson et des régressions multiples ont mesuré les associations entre les symptômes de détresse maternelle et l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant. La dépression et l'anxiété maternelles prénatales et à 18 mois postnatal étaient significativement corrélées à l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant (p<0,05). Ensemble, ces variables expliquent 10,7% (F=2.79, p<.05) de la variance de l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant. Ces résultats soutiennent l'effet contributif de certains symptômes prénataux et postnataux de détresse maternelle sur le développement sensoriel de l’enfant. Des recherches supplémentaires seront nécessaires afin d’explorer les mécanismes biologiques de la santé mentale maternelle et des aspects comportementaux chez l’enfant susceptibles d’influencer son développement sensoriel. / Maternal symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy lead to hormonal alterations that can affect fetal development of brain areas and neurological mechanisms involved in cerebral excitability and sensory processing. In the postnatal period, these symptoms of maternal distress can affect mother-child interaction, influencing the child's behavioural development. As the effects of maternal mental health on the child's sensory development have been little explored, the aim is to investigate the relationship between maternal pre- and postnatal symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and child sensory avoidance at 18 months. Longitudinal data from 409 participants followed during the Covid-19 pandemic were used. They completed questionnaires during pregnancy and up to 18 months after delivery. Depression, anxiety and stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic were assessed prenatally and at 18 months postnatal using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorders 7-item Scale (GAD-7) and a 10-point scale assessing the level of stress felt related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Child sensory avoidance was assessed at 18 months postnatal using the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile - Second Edition questionnaire. Pearson correlations and multiple regressions measured the associations between maternal distress symptoms and child sensory avoidance. Prenatal and 18-month postnatal maternal depression and anxiety were significantly correlated with child sensory avoidance (p<0.05). Together, these variables explained 10.7% (F=2.79, p<.05) of the variance of child sensory avoidance. These results support the contributory effect of certain prenatal and postnatal maternal distress symptoms on child sensory development. Further research is needed to explore the biological mechanisms of maternal mental health and behavioural aspects of children that may influence their sensory development.

As mental health care increasingly embraces recovery principles, the role of peer support workers (PSWs) has gained recognition. The work that mental health PSWs do became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased needs for mental health care became apparent but were often unmet. This article-based doctoral thesis adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that combines research on management and organization with research on health care and systems. The thesis examines the mental health peer support role and its integration within teams, organizations and health systems. It also considers the peer support role as it was enacted in a virtual space, which became a requirement due to pandemic work-from-home mandates. Within the context of the virtual space, PSWs confronted work-life boundaries that they had to navigate as they enacted their work roles. The virtual space also presented technological and social challenges to and opportunities for peer support, which are examined in this thesis from the points of views of PSWs and peers. Overall, this thesis attends to the PSW role more generally, and to peer support work in the specific context of a virtual environment. The thesis is composed of three studies, the second and third of which had to be adapted to the unexpected challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 (presented in Chapter 2) is a narrative review that synthesizes the literature on factors influencing formal PSW role implementation in mental health systems. The findings are synthesized in a multilevel framework consisting of macro, meso and micro level influences. The analysis reveals that macro-level influences on PSW role implementation include socio-cultural, regulatory, political and economic factors, most of which act as obstacles. At the meso level, organizational culture, leadership, and human resource management policies play a significant role. Micro-level influences center around PSWs' relationships with team members. Interlevel interactions are also discussed. This study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and was published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services in February 2022. For Studies 2 and 3, qualitative data were collected from members of a peer support organization situated in Ottawa. This organization is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organization that provides services free of charge to people experiencing mental health and addictions challenges. Due to the pandemic, all services and operations of this organization transitioned to remote services involving virtual platforms. Study 2 (presented in Chapter 3) is a qualitative case study that delves into the work-life boundary challenges and management of PSWs who were providing virtual mental health support during the pandemic. The study identifies temporal, physical, and task-related boundary challenges in work-life domains. Strategies employed by PSWs to manage these boundaries include segmenting and integrating work and personal domains. The study highlights the importance of self-care and the need for training on work-life boundary management for mental health workers. This research is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and is published in BMC Public Health. Study 3 (presented in Chapter 4) focuses on the transition from in-person to virtual mental health peer support services. Through semi-structured interviews with PSWs and service users (or peers), the research examines how technological factors act as bridges and boundaries to mental health peer support services, and whether and how a sense of community can be built or maintained among PSWs and peers in a virtual space when connections are mediated by technology. The findings highlight the mental health peer support needs that were (un)met through virtual services, the technology-based boundaries that were manifested and the steps taken to remove some of these boundaries, and the strategies employed by the organization and its members to establish and maintain a sense of community in a virtual environment marked by physical distancing and technology-mediated interrelations. The manuscript pertaining to this study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and will be submitted soon to an academic journal. Overall, this thesis presents a unique and multi-faceted exploration of the implementation of peer support worker roles in mental health systems and their adaptation to virtual environments. It makes a number of contributions. The multilevel framework developed in Study 1 not only advances knowledge in the field but also offers a structured approach for policymakers and organizations to enhance the formal incorporation of PSW roles into mental health systems. Study 2 provides valuable insights into the nature of work-life boundaries in a virtual space, an important topic at a time when peer support workers and organizations are considering whether and how to maintain some form of virtual work post-pandemic. Study 3 adds to knowledge by highlighting the significance of virtual peer support beyond pandemic conditions. It also enhances understanding of the need for technological adaptation in mental health services and for community building regardless of the model of service. Limitations and implications for research, practice and policy are addressed.

I och med rådande covid-19 pandemi har flera restriktioner införts som bland annat social distansering och att arbeta hemifrån om möjlighet finns, som en följd av pandemin och dess restriktioner har våra sociala kontakter minskat både på arbetet och privat. Det har tidigare rapporterats om både för-och nackdelar med att arbeta hemifrån och effekten på den arbetsrelaterade hälsan skiljer sig i tidigare forskning. Många tidigare studier som berör covid-19 och arbetshälsa är utförda i andra länder med hårdare restriktioner och andra förutsättningar, det finns därför en kunskapslucka och det upplevs också finnas behov av mer forskning kring hur förutsättningar i vår arbetsmiljö har förändrats i och med covid-19 pandemin. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur medarbetare upplever sin sociala arbetsmiljö vid arbete hemifrån under covid-19 pandemin. Denna studie är en kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod och intervjuerna utfördes genom digitala kommunikationsverktyg. Studien innefattar 10 informanter som arbetar inom en kommunal sektor som i och med pandemin arbetar hemifrån. Resultatet visade att de upplevde sin sociala arbetsmiljö som väldigt annorlunda med endast digital kontakt med kollegor och chef. Upplevelser av den sociala arbetsmiljön innefattade färre sociala och spontana kontakter, dock försökte informanterna att prata kontinuerligt med sina kollegor och det upplevdes viktigt att stötta varandra. De upplevde också fördelar och nackdelar med att kommunicera via digitala verktyg men upplevelsen var att samarbetet med kollegor fungerade bra även om det fanns vissa svårigheter. Informanterna hade olika upplevelser av kontakten med chef och möjligheterna till att få stöd. / With the current COVID-19 pandemic, several restrictions have been introduced, including social distancing and working from home if possible, as a result of the pandemic and its restrictions, our social contacts have decreased both at work and in private life. There have been previous reports of both the pros and cons of working from home and the effect on work-related health differs in previous research. Many previous studies concerning COVID-19 and occupational health have been carried out in other countries with tighter restrictions and other conditions, there is therefore a knowledge gap and there is also a need for more research into how conditions in our work environment have changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study is to investigate how employees experience their social work environment when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews as a method and the interviews take place through digital communication tools. The study includes 10 informants who are working from home during the pandemic. The results showed both that the informants perceived their social work environment as very different with only digital contact with colleagues and managers. Experiences of the social work environment included fewer social and spontaneous contacts, however, the informants tried to talk continuously with their colleagues and it felt important to support each other. They also experienced the advantages and disadvantages of communicating through digital tools, but the experience was that the collaboration with colleagues worked well even though there were some difficulties. The informants had different experiences of contact with the manager and the possibilities for receiving support.

<p>  </p> <p>The pandemic prompted buildings globally to transition to low or no occupancy as social distancing to reduce the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). This consequence prompted concerns about the chemical and microbiological safety of building drinking water due to stagnation. At the same time, microplastic (MP) pollution received increasing global attention due to their presence in the environment and recent discoveries within water distribution systems and at building faucets. MP sources have primarily been targeted as originating within the drinking water sources, but plastic plumbing components are less discussed and known to deteriorate into fragments and smaller pieces that reach faucets. Literature at the time of this work as sparse on stagnation impacts to drinking water quality and the fate of MPs in plumbing. In particular, health officials and building owners issued and received many differed guidance documents telling building owners do different things and no standard guideline was available to reduce the health risks caused by stagnant building drinking water. This dissertation  examined three different types of buildings during closed to low water use conditions and conducted bench-scale testing to explore the phenomena observed in the field. Chapter 1 describes water quality impacts during a 7 year old ‘green’ middle school as it transitioned from Summer (low water use) to Fall (normal use). Field experiments revealed that more than half of first draw water samples exceeded the copper (acute) health-based action limit during low water use. Copper concentration within the school increased as distance from building entry point increased. Chapter 2 and 3 describe report on chemical and microbiological water quality in buildings at a university buildings (Chapter 2), and elementary school (Chapter 3). Chapters 2 and 3 revealed that stagnation negatively impacted chemical and microbiological building water quality (cold and hot) but flushing was effective at remediating high concentration of heavy metals and <em>Legionella pneumophila</em> at most locations. But in large buildings, where building plumbing system was more complicated, flushing did not always result in improved water quality. Also discovered was that water quality again deteriorated even after whole building water system was flushed. It is important to understand own building systems to maintain water quality as each building complexity requires specific knowledge and solutions. Chapter 4 describes current knowledge associated with MPs in drinking water and results of bench scale experiments on MP fate and transport in building plumbing. This work identified that while MPs have been reported at building faucets, sampling details lacking from available studies often resulted in study results not being comparable across others. Based on the review of the issue, it was found that MPs have likely reached building faucets for decades but have received no characterization until recently. Bench-scale testing using two MPs, of different density, in copper and crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipes revealed size influenced the amount of MPs retained in a pipe. Research needs were identified to determine the fundamental factors that control MP fate in plumbing and their presence at building faucets. </p>

In 2020, the world was struck by the Covid-19 pandemic. Recommendations to limit physically meeting with others caused somewhat of a paradigm shift in how office workers perform their work. A massive shift to remote work occurred and exposed the workforce to the remote work’s shortcomings and problems. Based on a literature study, remote workers were found to lack social interactions that happen automatically in an office. Therefore, a proposed solution of scheduling regular, social, and informal interaction sessions was tested in an experiment using Microsoft Teams with full-time, remote IT workers. To facilitate informal social interactions during these experiment sessions, the participants were allowed to play a few different games, participate in social activities or not participate at all. Analysis of the results from the experiment showed a slight improvement in the measured factors over the course of the experiment. However, only a decrease in emotional exhaustion was found to be statistically significant. Therefore, the results are insufficient to argue for or against the implementation of regular informal social interactions with a goal of improving employees’ remote working environment. The experiment had several areas which could be improved, particularly the scale and availability of the experiment. Future research should take into account the suggested areas of improvement for the experiment, specifically scaling up a similar experiment in order to support or refute the implementation of regular social interactions as part of a remote working environment. The increase in remote work is believed to persist in the future. Therefore, the drawbacks of remote work merit additional research to uncover techniques to mitigate them. Moreover, due to the nature of their work, IT workers have ample opportunities to work remotely. A suitable environment in which to work remotely can help them benefit from remote work while experiencing less of its negative effects. / Under början av året 2020 drabbades världen av Covid-19 pandemin. Rekommendationer att minimera fysisk kontakt med andra människor förändrade kontorsarbetares arbetsmiljö drastiskt. En omfattande förflytterlse av arbete till distansarbete skedde och syngligjorde dess nackdelar. Denna ökning av distansarbete förväntas fortsätta i framtiden. Nackdelarna hos distansarbete meriterar ytterliggare undersökningar kring tillvägagångsätt för att reducera dem. En av de vanligaste rapporterade nackdelarna är den socialt isolerande effekten. Detta examensarbete kommer fokusera på att undersöka hur man kan reducera den socialt isolerande effekten av distansarbete på heltid hos IT-arbetare. IT-arbetares arbetssätt har stora möjligheter för distansarbete. Därför skulle en bra miljö för distansarbete gynna IT-arbetare och göra det möjligt för fler individer att ta del av fördelarna från distansarbete. Innan pandemin var distansarbetare selektivt utvalda utefter deras personliga möjligheter att lyckas. Under pandemin så har även de individer som passar mindre bra för distansarbete även behövt jobba på distans. Detta gör det möjligt att undersöka möljliga förbättringsätt för fler typer av individer. Baserat på en literaturstudie så har det tydligjorts att distansarbetare saknar den sociala interaktion som sker automatistk i en kontorsmiljö. På grund av detta så föreslogs och testades en möjlig lösning av planerade, regelbundna, sociala och informella tillfällen över Microsoft Teams som ett experiment. För att främja informella och sociala interaktioner under experimenttillfällena så fick deltagarna spela ett par olika spel eller utföra aktiviteter med varandra. Resultaten pekar mot en liten förbättring från experimentet men endast en minsking av känslomässig utmattning var statistiskt significant. Det fanns flera förbättringsområden för experimentet. Sammanfatningsvis var storleken av experimentet och tiden för det, de stora förbättringsområdena. Resultaten är inte starka nog för att kunna tala för eller emot implementerandet av regelbundna, informella, sociala interaktioner med ändamålet att förbättra miljön för distanarbete. Framtida forskning bör ta hänsyn till förbättringsområdena och undersöka en upskalad variant av ett liknande experiment.

Limited research exists about the experiences of nurses’ caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic post hoc. To understand nurses’ realities of caring for patients with COVID-19, I aimed to understand the lived experience of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in the United States. A qualitative design with a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used. Sixteen participants were recruited via purposive sampling, augmented with snowball sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 in the U.S. were consolidated into four themes: “a living hell”; “rationing patient safety”; “mental aftermath of the war zone”; and “post-pandemic pride”. Nurses provided patient care amidst challenging environments of limited to no resources, with extensive, large-scale critically ill patients, and patient deaths. Due to overwhelming patient care demands, nurses were unable to provide safe patient care to everyone in need, resulting in patient deterioration and death. These experiences caused nurses to endure maladaptive mental effects, such as compassion fatigue and moral suffering, which can threaten the safety of patients. Despite these undesirable results, nurses continued to provide patient care and expressed feelings of pride in the profession of nursing for surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this study demonstrates the persistent impacts on nurses’ abilities to provide safe care after the crisis years. Support for nurses is recommended to preserve patient safety.