Impact of the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on climateric women's health: websurvey

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted society: causing the collapse of health systems around the world, and also had a significant impact on the economy, personal care, mental health and the quality of life of the population. Few studies have been done about pandemic and the climacteric population, and the impact on quality of life and health. Our objective was to Investigate changes in the health and health care of climacteric women residing in Brazil during the pandemic period. Cross-sectional study with climacteric women aged between 40 and 70 years, residing in Brazil. The evaluation was carried out using a Google Docs electronic form with questions related to sociodemographic, clinical, gynecological data, treatments, access to health services and consultations, as well as changes in behavior. The Menopause Rating Scale - MRS was applied to assess climacteric symptoms, validated for Portuguese. Result(s): 419 women answered the questionnaire. More than 45% were between 51 and 60 years of age, 56.6% being married and residing in Brazilian capitals. 60% of participants reported weight gain during the pandemic. 50.8% of participants reported a decrease in the weekly practice of physical activity More than 80% reported worsening mental health during this period, and 66.1% had a change in their sleep pattern. More than half reported having difficulty accessing gynecological consultations. Women living in capital cities reported a greater increase in alcohol consumption (p=0.002). Food intake increased for 54.9%;the category of civil servant was associated with a significant increase in consumption in relation to other professions (p=0.038). Women whose family incomes changed during the pandemic had a higher prevalence of weight gain (p=0.033) and also had a higher occurrence of changes in sleep quality (72.6% vs. 61.5%;p=0.018). Women with a high school education had a higher occurrence of alterations in personal and health care outcomes (p<0.001). Conclusion(s): We observed an important reduction in the health care of climacteric women during the pandemic period. Changes in life habits, such as increased food consumption and reduced physical activity, were quite prevalent. There was a deterioration in mental health, with a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms and changes in sleep quality. Despite the attenuation of the pandemic, attention should be given to the health care of this population, as the changes may have repercussions for many years.Copyright © 2023

Does COVID-19 change consumers' involvement in e-commerce last-mile delivery? An investigation on behavioural change, maintenance and habit formation

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerates e-commerce adoption, which naturally induces an expedited acceptance of innovative last-mile deliveries. Focusing on self-collection via parcel lockers technology, this study investigates consumers' behavioural change, maintenance and habit formation related to e-commerce deliveries in response to the pandemic. We use a survey instrument for data collection (n = 500) and structural equation modelling for data analysis. Anchored on the risk–attitude–norm–ability–self-regulation (RANAS) framework, this study found that risk, attitude, norm, ability and self-regulation factors related to using the contactless shopping-delivery channel lead to the formation of self-collection habits, and that the formation process is fully mediated by consumers' maintenance motivation to use the channel. Furthermore, consumers' online shopping habit partially mediates the relationship between the maintenance motivation and self-collection habit formation. Consumers who were already frequent online shoppers before the pandemic are less likely to pick up self-collection as a habit during the pandemic. Additionally, model comparisons are conducted which reveal the differentiated habit formation processes. The findings contribute to a theoretical understanding of the formation of delivery habit as driven by the pandemic. Practical implications are also created which guide logistics and e-commerce operators' interactions with consumers in the post-pandemic period.

The effect of consumer lockdown on the relationship between environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviors

This study investigates the disruptive effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the relationship between environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviors. We used a survey conducted in the four major cities of Colombia before COVID-19 arrived in December 2019 and then repeated it in October 2020, after most of the major restrictions on mobility and economic activity had been lifted. The survey captured ecocentric and anthropocentric beliefs using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) and Pro Environmental Behaviors (PEBS) using 18 questions about energy and water savings, recycling, and sustainable purchasing. In the 2020 survey, we included a measure of the severity of the individual's experience of disruption, including economic, family, and health-related aspects. Controlling for demographic variables, we analyzed (1) descriptive changes in NEP and PEBS, (2) the moderating effect of the disruption on the effect of NEP on PEBS, (3) the direct effect of disruption severity on PEBS, and (4) the moderating effect of severity on the effect of NEP on PEBS in 2020. We found that disruption caused by the lockdown crisis decreased anthropocentric beliefs and slightly increased ecocentric beliefs. This disruption also modified the effects of NEP on PEBS, thereby ameliorating the capacity of NEP to activate PEBS. The severity of experience moderated most of these effects. We discuss the implications of our results for the theory of environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviors and offer recommendations to reverse the potential negative effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the promotion of sustainable consumption.

Serological Evidence and Self-Reported Outcomes in Patients with Adrenal Insufficiency During The First Waves of COVID-19 in the North- East Italy

Background: East during COVID-19 is a potentially serious and fatal new infection that first broke out in Italys North Eastduring Spring 2020. Among subjects considered more clinically vulnerable, patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) have a known increased risk of infections, that could lead to poor prognosis and death due to adrenal crisis. Even the psychological and sociooccupational impact of COVID-19 could affect the health of AI patients, requiring a dynamic and continuous adaptation of the daily glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. Aim(s): To investigate if AI patients have a higher risk for COVID-19 infection than the general population, all residents in the red zone Veneto, in North-East Italy. Moreover, based on a purpose-built ADDI-COVID questionnaire, the study aimed to evaluate the subjective perception of an increased risk for COVID-19 infection and pandemic-related psycho-social impact, working life and self-adjustments of GC therapy. Method(s): Open-label, cross-sectional monocentric study on 84 (65 primary and 19 secondary) AI patients, all resident in Veneto, followed-up at the Endocrinology Unit, University-Hospital of Padua, for at least 3 years, in good and stable clinical conditions. At the end of the first COVID-19 wave (by August 2020), all patients underwent serological investigation of anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG and ADDI-COVID questionnaire. All AI patients enrolled were contacted during March-April 2021 to evaluate eventual COVID-19 infection occurrence after the second and third waves, completing a follow-up period of about 12 months. Result(s): All AI patients resulted negative to the serological test for anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG at the end of the first wave of COVID-19. After the second and third pandemic waves, COVID-19 infection occurred in 8 (10%) patients, and none needed intensive care or hospitalization. Half patients felt an increased risk of COVID-19 infection, significantly associated with an increased stress (p = 0,009) and the consequent increase of GC stress-dose (p = 0,002). Only one patient reported adrenal crisis stress correlated. The great majority of the 61 (73%) worker patients changed their working habits during the lockdown, which was inversely related with COVID-19-related stress (p = 0,0015). A significant association was found between workers and endocri- nologist contact (p= 0,046) since 18 among 20 AI patients who contacted the endocrinologist were workers. Discussion and Conclusion(s): Patients with AI residence in Veneto did not show a higher incidence of COVID19-infection compared with general population residents in Veneto after the first pandemic waves. However, the perception of increased COVID- 19 infection risk significantly impacted the psychological well-being, working habits and GC daily doses of AI patients. Especially during this pandemic period, therapeutic patient education was crucial to prevent and treat situations or conditions that could lead to an adrenal crisis. The endocrinologic consultation could help to strengthen the awareness of AI patients, especially if they were workers.

Digitized Entertainment - Factors influencing Consumer Adoption of OTT Platforms

People's way of consuming media changed tremendously with rapid technological improvements and increased internet penetration levels across India due to emergence of over-the-top media services (OTT) platforms. COVID-19 outbreak has tremendously increased the demand for OTT streaming channels like Netflix, Amazon prime, Zee 5, Alt Balaji and Disney Hotstar which transformed the world of entertainment and media by contributing mind blowing services during the lockdown period.This research paper is an attempt to study the shift in media consumption patterns from old ways of entertainment like cinema, television to new ways of entertainment like OTT platforms, study and analyze the consumer preference towards choice of OTT platforms, watching habits of online over the top (OTT) applications among Indian viewers. © 2023 IEEE.

Survey Regarding Changing Food Habits in Wake of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by the emergence of the new coronavirus (SARS-Cov2) in Wuhan, China, on December 12, 2019, and it has significantly impacted human health. It has also caused abrupt changes in lifestyle that have had social and economic repercussions, including social exclusion and isolation at home. This study aimed to investigate how COVID-19 has affected the food habits and lifestyle of the general population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chennai to assess the awareness level of the population regarding the protective measures they take during the pandemic, and 500 participants of all ages were included in the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. The study found that over 50% of the participants increased their intake of vegetables and fruits, and about 49.33% decreased their intake of fast food and snacks. Furthermore, more than 40% of the participants added immune-boosting ingredients to their diet. These results suggest that the study population adopted healthier dietary habits and behaviors, including a more nutritious diet with more vegetables, immune-boosting foods, and increased water intake. © 2023 IEEE.

Implementing the Yorkshire Cancer Research funded Prehabilitation Radiotherapy Exercise smoking Habit cessation And Balanced diet Study (PREHABS): a therapeutic radiographer's perspective

Introduction: Lung cancer patients often have a number of comorbidities which impacts patient mortality and morbidity rates. Lifestyle changes for this group of patients have the potential to positively impact both quality of life and longevity. The Yorkshire Cancer Research funded Prehabilitation Radiotherapy Exercise smoking Habit cessation And Balanced diet Study (PREHABS) was designed to determine if it is feasible to embed interventions promoting a healthier lifestyle into the radical lung radiotherapy pathway. Method(s): The PREHABS study was led by therapeutic radiographers trained in smoking cessation provision, motivational interviewing, informed consent and good clinical practice and a dietitian. Radiographers screened and consented study participants, delivered the exercise intervention and up to 12-weeks of smoking cessation support, whilst dietary advice was provided by the dietitian. Patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were referred to a community based pulmonary rehabilitation service rather than the PREHABS exercise intervention. Ethical and regulatory approvals were secured in September 2021. Result(s): 61 patients were recruited between September 2021 and October 2022. The majority were female (n=42), mean age 73.1 years (SD 9.36 years). Discussion(s): In addition to the training requirements detailed above and the challenges of COVID-19, the radiographers had to become adept in a number of study-specific aspects including writing the study standard operating procedures (SOPs), creating a study organisational workflow and patient recruitment. The PREHABS study has broadened the radiographer's perspective beyond the radiotherapy department, by further understanding the complex comorbidities that lung cancer patients present with, how to motivate patients to positively change their lifestyle, and how the side effects caused by cancer treatment can affect a patient's ability to change their lifestyle. Conclusion(s): Therapeutic radiographers, after appropriate training, are capable of delivering lifestyle intervention support within a radical lung cancer radiotherapy pathway. Disclosure: No significant relationships.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Anxiety, self-esteem and studyhabits in relationtotheacademic performance of Peruvian universitystudents: Covid-19 context.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic radically changed the way of studying, suddenly we went from fa-ce-to-face learning to a virtual one, in many cases without digital media, without properly managing plat-forms, adding anxiety to contagion, fear of death, economic instability, the uncertainty that it will happen, brings with it changes in academic work, thus influencing academic performance. Aim(s): Relate anxiety, self-esteem and study habits with academic performance in Peruvian university students. Methos: Quantitative, longitudinal, correlational and prospective study with a non-probabilistic sample of 260 students from the 1st cycle of the USS period 2020-II, virtual questionnaires were applied to measure anxiety (Beck's Anxiety Inventory), self-esteem (Stanley's Self-esteem Inventory Coopersmith), study habits (CASM-85 Study Habits Inventory) and academic performance (Promotional Proceedings). Result(s): 40% of the students present a minimum level of anxiety, 50.4% present high average self-esteem and 25.8% have very positive study habits. Conclusion(s): There is a relationship between anxiety and academic performance with statistical significan-ce;while self-esteem, study habits and academic performance were not statistically significant.Copyright © 2023, Ediciones Avances S.L.. All rights reserved.

Critical Commentary: Fickle spheres: The constant re/construction of the private and other new habits

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed mechanisms of power and authority to enter new urban realms – especially the very relationships lived between friends and lovers in bedrooms and parks. All of a sudden, everyone has a right to know who we are close to, when and how, all for the sake of public health and safety, to ensure the further functioning of our established public health system. The new policies transform Western ideas of public and private spheres: our bedrooms have turned into the space of self-representation and workplaces at the same time. On the other hand, what had been known as public space before has turned into the space to be private in: a walk through the city alone or with an intimate person. Yet all of these tendencies come with increased surveillance, not only by our peers, but also through technologies such as tracing apps. The very possibility of privacy and 'active' publicity is being questioned, and, through this, the realm of the political. This paper traces the observed shifts in the nature of the private and public spheres through examples in German cities, tracing power via embodied experiences. Those traces are reorganised into three argumentative strands: re/constructing privacies, public space as non-place and the proliferation of the data body. Based on these observations the paper searches for emancipatory perspectives within the shifted spheres of urban social life. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] 新冠疫情的蔓延使权力和权威机制进入了新的城市领域—尤其是朋友和恋人们之间在卧室和公园里的关系。突然之间，每个人都有权知道我们与谁、何时以及如何亲密接触，这一切都是以公共卫生和安全的名义，为了确保我们既定的公共卫生系统的进一步运作。新政策改变了西方对公共和私人领域的看法：我们的卧室同时变成了自我展示的空间和工作场所。另一方面，以前被称为公共空间的地方已经变成了私密的空间：独自或与亲密的人一起在城市中漫步。然而，所有这些趋势都伴随着越来越多的监控，不仅来自我们身边的人，还通过追踪应用程序等技术。隐私和"主动"曝光的可能性，进而政治领域正受到质疑。本文通过德国城市的例子（通过具身体验追踪权力）追踪观察到的私人和公共领域性质的变化。这些追踪被重组为三股争论：重新/构建隐私、作为非场所的公共空间和数据体的扩散。基于这些观察，本文在城市社会生活的变化范围内寻找解放性的视角。 (Chinese) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Urban Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.) is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Unsupervised Clustering and Binary Classification Analysis for Predicting COVID Syndrome (LONG COVID) in US Adults

Objectives: This study investigated the risk factors of developing COVID Syndrome and identified potential disease profiles that may exist among those who have contracted COVID-19. Method(s): Data on 13,953 adults who had experienced COVID-19 at any time were analyzed from the 2022 US National Health and Wellness Survey. XGBoost binary classification with 10-fold cross-validation was used to predict long COVID among those who reported experiencing COVID-19 and to extract feature importance. Synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) was used to address class imbalance in the outcome variable. Variable selection was conducted based on SHAP values. Fifty variables including demographic characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms, comorbidities, and health characteristics were used in the final model. Parameters were tuned using AUC. Among the 2,665 respondents who were diagnosed with long COVID, k-medoids clustering with t-SNE dimensionality reduction was implemented to determine whether distinct symptom profiles exist. Average silhouette score was used to determine the optimal number of clusters. Result(s): The XGBoost binary classification for predicting long COVID among those with COVID-19 had an AUC of 0.9145, accuracy of 0.9072, sensitivity of 0.9630, specificity of 0.8328, and Brier score of 0.0928. The most important features in predicting long COVID were age, smoking habits, COVID-19 vaccination status, certain COVID-19 symptoms experienced, and certain comorbidities. Among those diagnosed with long COVID, the clustering analysis found nine unique clusters of symptoms. The cluster that experienced the most severe symptoms was older, female, lower income, lower vaccination rate, and had more comorbidities like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and allergies. Conclusion(s): In a broadly representative US adult population, XGBoost model identified a selection of risk factors for developing long COVID. K-medoids clustering identified clusters of patients that were at risk for developing severe symptoms.Copyright © 2023

Stress and resilience in the workers of three health authorities of Emilia-Romagna during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aims: The aim of the present study was to study the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic symptoms in Health-Care Workers (HCWs) of three Health Authorities of Emilia-Romagna, Italy during the COVID pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): An online questionnaire was spread to the staff of the University Hospital of Modena and the Local Health Agencies of Modena and Romagna, including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Short Version (UWES-9). The scores at DASS-21 and IES-R were used as dependent variables in multivariate logistic regression models. Result(s): A total of 5868 HCWs were reached (response rate of 22.4%), 76.1% of which were women, mostly aged between 45 and 54 years. Rates of positive scores were: 27.9% DASS-21 Depression;28.4% DASS-21 Anxiety;34.7% DASS-21 Stress;21.9% IES-R. At the multivariate logistic regression, the following were statistically significant risk factors for positive scores: female sex, young age, and working at the front line. An increase in alcohol and tobacco consumption and worsening of eating habits were also strongly associated with symptoms. At UWES-9, the three samples reported lower vigor than dedication and absorption, which are at a medium-high level. Conclusion(s): HCWs have experienced high levels of emotional distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant improvements are needed not only in terms of organization and distribution of resources, but also in provision of dedicated psycho-social interventions.Copyright © 2023

Impact of COVID-19 on the Change in Work Conditions and Career Choices in General Vietnamese Population

Objectives: The onset of COVID-19 has resulted in both morbidity and mortality. It also has a consequential impact on the Vietnamese economy. Prior studies examined the COVID-19 impact on healthcare professionals' career decisions. There remains no study examining the work conditions and career choices in a general Vietnamese population. Our study aims to identify factors associated with change in work conditions and career choices in general Vietnamese population. Method(s): An online cross-sectional study between September 2021 through to November 2021 (during the Omicron COVID-19 pandemic). Snowball sampling method was utilized in recruiting the participants. The questionnaire used in this study included the following questions: (a) Socio-demographic information;(b) impact of COVID-19 on personal habits/daily expenses;(c) Current nature of work & impact of COVID-19 on work;(d) Impact of COVID-19 on career decisions. Result(s): 650 participants were recruited, of which only 645 completed the survey. The completion rate was 99.2%. This study demonstrated the impact that COVID-19 has on finances, as only 32% of those sampled reported that they were able to pay in full. 46.6% of the respondents have had a decrease in their overall household income. With regards to their employment and work characteristics, 41.0% reported a decrease in their work satisfaction and 39.0% reported having reduced motivation for work. Females were less likely to consider transiting from their current job to another field, as compared to male participants. Respondents who were married, had a higher level of commitment to their current job, and lower inclination to transition to another field. Respondents experiencing financial difficulties were more likely to consider a transition to another field/work. Conclusion(s): This is the first study to have examined the characteristics of work/intentions with regards to career choices and transition amongst the general Vietnamese population. It is important that future financial policies take into consideration these factors.Copyright © 2023

Anti-hepatitis B surface antigen as a biomarker for immunity acquisition against SARS-CoV-2

Background: More than a year has passed since the first coronavirus vaccines were widely used. However, some healthcare workers are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) despite full vaccination. The immune effect of SARSCoV- 2 vaccines attenuates in a few months in contrast to other universal vaccines, such as the hepatitis B vaccine, which have an immune effect that lasts for a longer time. In addition, the neutralizing antibody (Ab) titers can be measured only in limited medical institutions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the factors that predict SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers after vaccination. Method(s): In this study, we enrolled one thousand one hundred and thirty-three healthcare workers (826 women, 307 men) after second inoculation of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer /BioNTech) in February- April 2021. Medical checkups and self-reported questionnaires were used to collect medical histories and demographic characteristics. The Alinity SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant (Abbott) quantitative IgG spike protein serology assay was examined in a cohort of participants 1, 4, 6 months after the second vaccination, and 1 month after the third vaccination of the BNT162b vaccine. Lower Ab titers were defined under median at each time point. The relationships between SARS-CoV-2 infection and these factors were analyzed. Result(s): The mean observation period was four hundred and fortyeight days. The median titers at 1, 4, 6 months after the second vaccination were 9293 U/mL (interquartile range [IQR], 5840-14392 U/mL), 1658 U/mL (IQR, 999-2676) and 832 U/mL (IQR, 523-1300), respectively. The risk factors for lower Ab titers were age (60 years older, odds ratio [OR], 2.08), presence of current illness (OR 1.52), smoking habit (OR 2.36), and no fever after the second vaccination (OR 2.44). The median titers at 1 month after the third vaccination was 13780 U/mL (IQR, 9085-22722), and the risk factor for lower Ab titers was hepatitis B surface Ab (HBsAb) negative (OR 1.38). The total 1-year cumulative infection rate was 4.9%. The median infection period was three hundred and twenty days (IQR, 298-365) after the second vaccination. The risk factors of infection were age (30 s and 40 s), and HBsAb negative. The 1-year cumulative infection rate of 30-40 s and other ages were 6.6% and 3.7%, respectively (p<0.01). The 1-year cumulative infection rate of HBsAb negative participants with 30-40 s and other age were 7.7% and 4.9%, respectively (p = 0.064), while that of HBsAb positive participants with 30-40 s and other age were 6.7% and 1.7%, respectively (p<0.01). Conclusion(s): HBsAb and age can become prognostic factors to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination. Especially, HBsAb negative people under 50 years old should pay attention to SARSCoV- 2 infection even after second vaccination.

Investigation on health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic

Objective To understand the health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Methods From Feb. 17 to Feb. 20, 2020, an electronic questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes and coping styles of military medical students towards quarantine and delay of school opening, their attitudes towards online teaching, and health and professional consciousness during COVID-19 epidemic;and their mental health status was scored by symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90). Results A total of 2 736 valid questionnaires were collected. The students basically understood and agreed with the quarantine and delay of school opening during the epidemic, and 70.83% (1 938/2 736) supported online teaching. During the quarantine period, 85.31% (2 334/2 736) of the students chose to listen to music or watch TV series for relaxation, and 64.69% (1 770/2 736) insisted on learning, reading literatures or writing papers. Students could basically form the habits of washing hands frequently and wearing masks, and their consciousness of health protection was higher than that before the epidemic. For military medical students, their professional beliefs and determination have been strengthened during the epidemic, and many students wanted to join in the fight against the epidemic. The survey found that 12.94% (354/2 736) of the students had mental health symptoms, and the top 3 SCL-90 factors were obsessive-compulsive disorder (78.53%, 278/354), interpersonal sensitivity (64.12%, 227/354), and depression (44.07%, 156/354). Conclusion During the epidemic, military medical students can generally adapt to the difficult environment and improve themselves. The mental health problems of military medical students have their own characteristics, special attention must to be paid, and the humanistic education of medical students should be strengthened.Copyright © 2022, Second Military Medical University Press. All rights reserved.

Reading habits of students of higher learning institutions during COVID-19 lockdown period

This research aims to examine the leisure reading habits of students during the COVID-19 lockdown period (N = 156). The study identified that most of the students have the habit of reading newspapers, and they preferred to read literary works in the areas of novel, story and poem. The majority of students enjoy reading books. Students are regularly reading books to update themselves, and they have a regular habit of reading books other than textbooks. Moreover, the study result proves that doing a part time job, time spent in the SNS, and playing mobile/online games are substantially curtailed the students' reading habits.

Mindfulness Meditation App Abandonment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study.

Objectives: Mindfulness meditation apps are used by millions of adults in the USA to improve mental health. However, many new app subscribers quickly abandon their use. The purpose of this study was to determine the behavioral, demographic, and socioeconomic factors associated with the abandonment of meditation apps during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A survey was distributed to subscribers of a popular meditation app, Calm, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 that assessed meditation app behavior and meditation habit strength, as well as demographic and socioeconomic information. App usage data were also collected from the start of each participant's subscription until May 2021. A total of 3275 respondents were included in the analyses. Participants were divided into three cohorts according to their subscription start date: (1) long-term subscribers (> 1 year before pandemic start), (2) pre-pandemic subscribers (< 4 months before pandemic start), and (3) pandemic subscribers (joined during the pandemic). Results: Meditating after an existing routine was associated with a lower risk of app abandonment for pre-pandemic subscribers (hazard ratio = 0.607, 95% CI: 0.422, 0.874; p = 0.007) and for pandemic subscribers (hazard ratio = 0.434, 95% CI: 0.285, 0.66; p < 0.001). Additionally, meditating "whenever I can" was associated with lower risk of abandonment among pandemic subscribers (hazard ratio = 0.437, 95% CI: 0.271, 0.706; p < 0.001), and no behavioral factors were significant predictors of app abandonment among the long-term subscribers. Conclusions: These results show that combining meditation with an existing daily routine was a commonly utilized strategy for promoting persistent meditation app use during the COVID-19 pandemic for many subscribers. This finding supports existing evidence that pairing new behaviors with an existing routine is an effective method for establishing new health habits. Preregistration: This study is not pre-registered.

The New Couple Dynamics at the Time of Covid-19: How the Sexual Health of Male and Female Individuals Has Changed during the Pandemic

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The current pandemic has forced the population to experiencing negative psychological reactions and changes in sexual behavior. The aim of our study is to investigate how the sexual health of male and female individuals has changed during the COVID pandemic period. METHOD(S): We conducted a retrospective cohort study with an anonymous survey using the Google Forms platform on a population of individuals of both sexes. Participants were spontaneously enrolled and asked to answer questions regarding their sexual health and habits during the pre-pandemic (T0) and a pandemic (T1) period. Participants were stratified into four age groups: G1 (18-35 yo), G2 (36-50 yo), G3 (51-60 yo), and G4 (61-70 yo). Male and female patients' sexual function was evaluated with IIEF-15 questionnaire and FSFI questionnaire, respectively;both populations responded to the CSFQ- 14 questionnaire. Data were compared between groups reporting the mean standard deviation (SD). Results were compared with the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the mean scores of the questionnaires were analyzed with the Wilcoxon test. RESULT(S): 244 patients, 144 males and 100 females spontaneously participate to the survey. Overall, IIEF-15 score in the general population at T1 were lower than T0 (58.95+/-15.8 vs 62.44+/-11.1, p<0.001). However, considering results divided by age groups, there was a statistically significative difference only in the younger age group (G1: 58.22+/-16.9 vs 63.41+/-9.7, p<0.0001). Regarding the female subjects, the statistical analysis showed that the differences between T0 and T1 were not statistically significative both for the total population (p=0.9) and for the different age groups. Analyzing the single items of FSFI, Q15 (mean 2.77+/-1.6 vs 2.46+/-1.5, p<0.005) and Q16 (mean 2.87+/-1.5 vs 2.46+/-2.4, p<0.0001) that are part of the Satisfaction domain, demonstrated a significative differences between groups. In both gender groups there was no differences in CSFQ-14 at T0 and T1. CONCLUSION(S): During the pandemic period, the male population in our study reported an impairment in the sexual function. However, in female individuals there were no variations in the two periods analyzed. The COVID-19 pandemic has played a role in changing couple dynamics and more research will be necessary to study the effects on the sexual health of the affected population.

Absence of Supportive Periodontal Treatment during the Covid-19 Pandemic - Recurrence of Periodontal Inflammation

Case presentation: Supportive periodontal care (SPC) is defined as step IV by the 2020 and 2022 EFP Guidelines for the treatment of periodontitis stages I-IV. SPC aims to maintain periodontal stability after active periodontal treatment is finished and the endpoints of periodontal therapy are achieved. SPC presumes preventive and therapeutic procedures performed at individualised, patient-based intervals. This case report describes a patient, 43 y/o female, with diagnoses of generalised periodontitis stage IV, grade C and periodontal health on reduced periodontium who was enrolled in longterm SPC provided at 3 - 4-monthly intervals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the patient did not report for regular SPC due to personal fears of the contagion. After 20 months of absence, the patient was admitted for SPC. The comprehensive periodontal exam showed excellent oral hygiene (FMPS=7%), the presence of five 4 and 5 mm pockets and relapse of periodontal inflammation (FMBS=42%). The affected areas were mostly in the lower jaw. As periodontitis is a chronic disease, patients need to be continuously monitored. SPC reduces the probability of disease progression and tooth loss, as timely re-treatment can be provided in cases of disease recurrence. Various factors can contribute to disease relapse. In terms of the described patient, despite good oral hygiene, factors such as psychological stress and unhealthy living habits experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic might have negatively impacted the innate host response and led to disease relapse.

Healthy for Life: A Shift to Virtual Nutrition Education to Improve Confidence and Dietary Behaviors

Introduction: Less than 10% of U.S. adults meet the guidelines for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables each day. The Healthy for Life community-based program aims to change confidence and health behaviors, by equipping individuals with new skills for healthy living. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program pivoted from in-person to a virtual implementation model. This required more advanced planning due to additional logistics to ensure a skills-based learning environment. Objective(s): To examine the effectiveness of the Healthy for Life program over time, specifically: o Changes in participant confidence in the preparation of healthy foods at home o Changes in participant consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains o Changes in participant frequency of healthy shopping habitsMethods: A community engagement program was implemented and evaluated in 17 community centers in 2020-2021 to measure changes in participant confidence to prepare healthy meals at home, consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and frequency of healthy shopping habits. Community center facilitators administered the same pre/post survey to participants at the first educational experience, and then again at the final experience. Facilitators entered the participant data into an online survey portal. Analysis was conducted with 235 participants who completed both pre and post surveys. Two-way repeated ordinal regression was used to assess changes in key metrics over time. Result(s): Participants were predominately female (90.6%), about two-thirds (65.2%) were between 25-55 years old, and most identified as non-Hispanic White/Caucasian (42.6%) or Black/African American (35.7%). Close to half (45.9%) of participants had a college degree or higher, over a quarter (28.1%) received benefits from SNAP and/or WIC, and more than two-thirds (63.8%) indicated they are the only person in their household preparing meals. Almost half (49.3%) of respondents attended the suggested minimum of 4 educational experiences. On average, respondents statistically significantly increased their daily fruit & vegetable consumption by 1.21 serving(s). In addition, over one-third (34%) of respondents increased their level of confidence to prepare healthy meals at home and (37%) respondents increased their level of confidence to substitute healthier cooking and food preparation methods. Close to half (47.2%) respondents reported increased frequency of reading food labels and checking the nutritional values when purchasing food. Conclusion(s): Despite the shift to virtual implementation, the Healthy for Life community education program, was still effective in improving participant confidence and dietary behaviors over time. However, additional research studies are required to further assess whether virtual implementation of this type of intervention will continue to be effective.

Risk factors associated with overweight and obesity in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in people's lifestyles, mainly in healthy eating habits and behaviors. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the association of eating habits, family eating behaviors, lifestyles, and perception of nutritional status with the risk of overnutrition in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 661 Chilean children and adolescents. The study tool was an online self-report questionnaire taken during the COVID-19 lockdown. We observed overnutrition in 37.5%. Habits such as sleeping the recommended number of hours by age group and having healthy family behaviors decreased the risk of overnutrition by 49.0% (OR= 0.510, p= <0.001) and 10.8% (OR= 0.892, p= 0.01), respectively. Parents' perception of weight gain during the pande-mic, the distortion of nutritional status and the health risk of their children's nutritional status increased 4.8 (OR= 4.846, p= <0.001), 8.5 (OR= 8.580, p= <0.001) and 3.8 (OR= 3.826, p= <0.001) times, respectively, the risk of overnutrition in children and adolescents. In conclusion, the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures may have affected lifestyles. In addition, the role of parents in the perception of nutritional status and family eating behaviors is fundamental since they could be a predictor of the risk of overnutrition. These findings propose further research to design plans and programs to avoid the consequences related to overweight and obesity.Copyright © 2023, Sociedad Chilena de Nutricion Bromatologia y Toxilogica. All rights reserved.