UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -The impact of COVID-19 on student experiences and expectations: Evidence from a survey [Scholarly Article - Journal of Public Economics, November 2020]

Title:

The impact of COVID-19 on student experiences and expectations: Evidence from a survey

 

Authors:

Esteban M. Aucejoa, Jacob French, Maria Paola, Ugalde Araya & Basit Zafarc

 

Published:

Journal of Public Economics, Volume 191, November 2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272720301353

 

Abstract:

In order to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, we surveyed approximately 1500 students at one of the largest public institutions in the United States using an instrument designed to recover the causal impact of the pandemic on students' current and expected outcomes. Results show large negative effects across many dimensions. Due to COVID-19: 13% of students have delayed graduation, 40% have lost a job, internship, or job offer, and 29% expect to earn less at age 35. Moreover, these effects have been highly heterogeneous. One quarter of students increased their study time by more than 4 hours per week due to COVID-19, while another quarter decreased their study time by more than 5 hours per week. This heterogeneity often followed existing socioeconomic divides. Lower-income students are 55% more likely than their higher-income peers to have delayed graduation due to COVID-19. Finally, we show that the economic and health related shocks induced by COVID-19 vary systematically by socioeconomic factors and constitute key mediators in explaining the large (and heterogeneous) effects of the pandemic.

A Survey of Attitudes, Anxiety Status, and Protective Behaviors of the University Students During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Turkey [Scholarly Article - Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15 July 2020]

Title:

A Survey of Attitudes, Anxiety Status, and Protective Behaviors of the University Students During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Turkey

 

Authors:

Gulsum Akdeniz, Mariam Kavakci, Muharrem Gozugok, Semiha Yalcinkaya, Alper Kucukay & Bilal Sahutogullari

 

Published:

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15 July 2020 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00695/full

 

From the artciel:

A new coronavirus disease began on 31 December 2019 in Wuhan/China and has caused a global outbreak in only a few months resulting in millions being infected. In conjunction with its’ physical side effects, this outbreak also has a tremendous impact on psychology health. This study aims to assess the spread and frequency of protective behaviors, emotional and anxiety status among the Turkish population using a rapid survey during the COVID-19 outbreak. An online questionnaire was administered to 3,040 respondents between the ages of 18–30. This cross-sectional study was conducted from Apr 2 to Apr 8, 2020. While questions related to the outbreak were created by members of our neuroscience department, the Turkish version of the Abbreviated Beck Anxiety Inventory was included in our survey to measure anxiety status. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for statistical analysis. We found that 90% of respondents report washing hands more frequently since the outbreak while %50 wear protective gloves. Respondents were more fearful of their relatives catching the coronavirus disease than they were of themselves catching it. In response to the question, “What are your emotions about the coronavirus?”, 38% responded with “worried”. There was a significant correlation between anxiety status and consumption information from the media about COVID-19. Individual early protection behaviors might slow transmission of the outbreak. Our results showed that the behavior of the participants has changed in predictable ways during the COVID-19 outbreak. Understanding how emotional responses such as fear and anxiety status vary and the specific factors that mediate it may help with the design of outbreak control strategies.

International and Comparative Education Research Group (ICE) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam - Facing the mental health challenges of COVID-19 in Higher Education

Title:

Facing the mental health challenges of COVID-19 in HE

Authors:

Chester Keasberry, Phan Le Ha, CY Hoon, Meredian Alam, Yabit Alas & Najib Noorashid 

Published:

University World News, 5 December 2020

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20201201133134894

From the article:

Throughout August and September 2020, the International and Comparative Education Research Group (ICE) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam hosted weekly seminars on “COVID-19, Society and Education”.  

 

Together with academics and teachers from local universities and schools, many university students also participated in the seminars and shared their experiences and perspectives as well as offering recommendations regarding online or blended learning and teaching in general.

United Kingdom - Analysis of the health, economic and social effects of COVID-19 and the approach to tiering [GOV.UK Report, 30 November 2020]

Title:

Analysis of the health, economic and social effects of COVID-19 and the approach to tiering

 

Published:

GOV.UK, 30 November 2020

[In PDF format]

Click here to read this report

From the Executive Summary:

Ovre the course of this year much has been learned about COVID-19 and the measures it is necessary to take to combat it. This paper sets out some of that learning as well as the evidence and rationale behind the tiered approach.

Contents of report:

1. Current situation

2. The impacts of COVID-19 to date

3. The need for continued action

4. The COVID-19 Winter Plan and tiers

5. Health impacts of tiers

6. Social impacts of tiers

7. Economic impacts of tiers

8. Summary

Death by lockdown by Jeffrey A Tucker (AIER, 2 November 2020)

Title:

Death by lockdown

Author:

Jeffrey A. Tucker

Published:

American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), 2 November 2020

https://www.aier.org/article/death-by-lockdown/

 

From the article:

On March 28 – very early in the pandemic – AIER published an article that I felt at the time received far too little attention. “Drugs, Suicide, and Crime: Empirical Estimates of the Human Toll of the Shutdown” by economists Audrey and Thomas Duncan cited empirical literature on the human toll of economic devastation.   

 

This article forecasted more than 100,000 excess deaths due to drug overdoses, suicide, alcoholism, homicide, and untreated depression – all a result not of the virus but of policies of mandatory human separation, economic downturn, business and school closures, closed medical services, and general depression that comes with a loss of freedom and choice.

medRxiv, 5 November 2020 (preprint) - An international survey on the impact of COVID-19 in individuals with Down syndrome

Title:

An international survey on the impact of COVID-19 in individuals with Down syndrome   

 

Authors:

Anke Hüls, Alberto C. S. Costa, Mara Dierssen, R. Asaad Baksh, Stefania Bargagna, Nicole T. Baumer, Ana Claudia Brandão, Angelo Carfi, Maria Carmona-Iragui, Brain Allen Chicoine, Sujay Ghosh, Monica Lakhanpaul, Coral Manso, Miguel-Angel Mayer, Maria del Carmen Ortega, Diego Real de Asua, Anne-Sophie Rebillat, Lauren Ashley Russell, Giuseppina Sgandurra, Diletta Valentini, Stephanie L Sherman & Andre Strydom

 

Published:

medRxiv, 5 November 2020

[Keep in mind that this article is a preprint and not yet peer reviewed.]

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.03.20225359v1

 

Abstract:

Background: 

Health conditions and immune dysfunction associated with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome, DS) may impact the clinical course of COVID-19 once infected by SARS-CoV-2.  

 

Methods: 

The T21RS COVID-19 Initiative launched an international survey for clinicians or caregivers/family members on patients with COVID-19 and DS (N=1046). De-identified survey data collected between April and October 2020 were analysed and compared with the UK ISARIC4C survey of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with and without DS. COVID-19 patients with DS from the ISARIC4C survey (ISARIC4C DS cases=100) were matched to a random set of patients without DS (ISARIC4C controls=400) and hospitalized DS cases in the T21RS survey (T21RS DS cases=100) based on age, gender, and ethnicity.  

 

Finding:

The mean age in the T21RS survey was 29 years (SD=18), 73% lived with their family. Similar to the general population, the most frequent signs and symptoms of COVID-19 were fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Pain and nausea were reported less frequently (p<0.01), whereas altered consciousness/confusion were reported more frequently (p<0.01). Risk factors for hospitalization and mortality were similar to the general population (age, male gender, diabetes, obesity, dementia) with the addition of congenital heart defects as a risk factor for hospitalization. Mortality rates showed a rapid increase from age 40 and were higher than for controls (T21RS DS versus controls: risk ratio (RR)=3.5 (95%-CI=2.6;4.4), ISARIC4C DS versus controls: RR=2.9 (95%-CI=2.1;3.8)) even after adjusting for known risk factors for COVID-19 mortality.  

 

Interpretation:

Leading signs/symptoms of COVID-19 and risk factors for severe disease course are similar to the general population. However, individuals with DS present significantly higher rates of mortality, especially from age 40.

 

WEB SEMINAR via Zoom (Thursday, 12 November 2020): The Impact of COVID-19 on Conflicts in the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective

Title of Web Seminar:

The Impact of COVID-19 on Conflicts in the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective

 

Hosted by:

The event is organized by the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society and the Department of Historical Studies, in collaboration with Compagnia San Paolo and Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI).

Date:

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Time: 

11:00 - 13:00 CET

12:00 - 14:00 SAST

 

Platform:

Zoom

For more information on the agenda & pre-registration:

https://en.unito.it/sites/sten/files/agenda_web_seminar_12112020.pdf

 

medRxiv, 4 October 2020 (preprint) - COVID-19 Pandemic in University Hospital: Impact on Medical Training of Medical Interns

Title:

COVID-19 Pandemic in University Hospital: Impact on Medical Training of Medical Interns

 

Authors:

WeiHonn Lim, Li Ying Teoh, Kanesh Kumaran Seevalingam & Shanggar Kuppusamy

Published:

medRxiv, 4 October 2020

[Keep in mind that this article is a preprint and not yet peer reviewed.]

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.01.20204255v1

Abstract:

Introduction: 

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has strike all nations hard since the end of year 2019, Malaysia unable to escape the fate as well. Healthcare system, financial growth, industrial development and educational programme are stunted. Inevitably, professional training and education are affected which include the medical training of medical interns. 

 

Methods: 

This is a cross-sectional, pilot study to determine the impact of the pandemic on University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) medical interns. A survey which comprises 37-items was used. Data are analysed by Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis. 

 

Results: 

Medical interns feel that they lack clinical skills (p = 0.005) and need more exposure in surgical operations (p =0.029). Some are satisfied with the introduction of triage (p = 0.024), online teaching (p = 0.005) and bedside teaching (p=0.023). Most of them think they are fit and ready to handle the pandemic (p = 0.012 and 0.025 respectively) except first year medical interns (p = 0.029). Some feel like their time are wasted (p <0.05) as they are involved in many non-clinical activities (p = 0.003). 

 

Conclusion: 

In summary, COVID-19 has a great impact on medical training amongst medical interns. Alternative measures should be taken to minimize the interruption in training of our future leaders in medical field.

University World News (5 September 2020) - How will COVID-19 affect research collaboration?

Title:
How will COVID-19 affect research collaboration?

Author:
David Bogle

Published:
University World News, 5 September 2020
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2020090413393595

From the article:
A key question for research universities is how the coronavirus pandemic will affect research and international collaboration in the future. How well has virtual communication worked and how will the expected financial stringency affect us?

The Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California (UC), Berkeley recently organised a virtual seminar focusing on the effects of COVID-19 to explore this.

Tackling risk of growing inequality between universities [University World News, 8 June 2020]

Title:
Tackling risk of growing inequality between universities

Authors:
Giorgio Marinoni & Hans de Wit

Published:
University World News, 8 June 2020
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2020060815405140

From the article:
In order to better understand the disruption caused by COVID-19 on higher education and to investigate the first measures undertaken by higher education institutions around the world to respond to the crisis, the International Association of Universities (IAU) launched the IAU Global Survey on the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education around the World.

The survey investigated the impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of higher education, teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

It was available online and open from 25 March until 17 April 2020. It received 576 replies from 424 universities and other higher education institutions in 109 countries and two special administrative regions of China (Hong Kong and Macao).

The results were analysed both at the global level and at the regional level in four regions of the world (Africa, the Americas, Asia & Pacific, and Europe).

Blog owner's notes:
* Fascinating & informative survey results - article worth reading.

University entrepreneurship - without the university [Techcrunch, 3 June 2020]

Title:
University entrepreneurship - without the university

Author:
Eric Tarczynski

Published:
Techcrunch, 3 June 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/03/university-entrepreneurship-without-the-university/

From the article:
"Across the country, university campuses are in limbo.

The California State University system has committed to online classes in Fall 2020. Northeastern University is reopening as normal. UT Austin is taking a hybrid approach: n-person classes until Thanksgiving break, then online classes during flu season.

This presents a special set of circumstances for university entrepreneurs. The traditional resources and networks are non-operational."

Revenge of the experts: Will COVID-19 renew or diminish trust in science? [VOX, 31 May 2020]

Title:
Revenge of the experts: Will COVID-19 renew or diminish trust in science?

Authors:
Cevat Giray, Barry Eichengreen & Orkun Saka

Published:
VOX, 31 May 2020
https://voxeu.org/article/will-covid-19-renew-or-diminish-trust-science

From the article:
"It is argued that COVID-19 will reverse the ongoing trend of challenging the value of science and the integrity of scientists. This column shows that exposure to epidemics in one’s country of residence during the ‘impressionable years’ of ages 18 to 25 has no impact on confidence in science as an enterprise, but negatively affects views of the honesty and public-spiritedness of scientists."

Rhodes University (RU), South Africa - Don’t let Covid-19 kill SA’s cultural sector and its economic value

Title:
Don’t let Covid-19 kill SA’s cultural sector and its economic value

Author:
Professor Jen Snowball

Published:
Rhodes University (RU), South Africa, 21 May 2020
https://www.ru.ac.za/latestnews/dontletcovid-19killsasculturalsectoranditseconomicvalue.html

From the article:
"Intrinsic and social values have long been recognised as important parts of the value of the cultural and creative sector. Cultural policy in post-apartheid SA focused on diversity and redress, with cultural value being seen as primarily intrinsic and social. But in a post-industrial age there has been broad acknowledgment that the cultural and creative sectors also have a role to play in building the economy and creating jobs."