Subjective experience of people with psychotic and bipolar disorders: Contributors to mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggestions for improved care in future pandemics

Aims: People with psychotic and bipolar disorders were particularly vulnerable to poor mental health and wellbeing in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their subjective experience of what they were most worried about concerning the pandemic, what contributed most to how they were doing, and what they suggest the mental health services could do to improve care during a pandemic, requires investigation. Method(s): Three months after the outbreak of COVID-19, 520 people with psychotic and bipolar disorders responded to an online survey about the pandemic impact on mental health and wellbeing, including three open-ended questions. The material was analysed using thematic analysis. Result(s): The participants' main worries were: fear of the virus itself;fear of protective measures;fear of a completely changed world;fear of social consequences;and fear of poor mental health. These worries involved others as much as themselves. Participants' experience of main positive contributors were: a slower pace of life;more time to reflect;maintaining daily routine;keeping up social contact;and mental health service availability. The most prominent suggestions to improved mental health services were: stay open;be proactive;and individualize treatment. Conclusion(s): In the early stages of the pandemic people with psychotic and bipolar disorders were equally worried about the pandemic consequences for others and the world at large, not just for themselves. Positive contributors to wellbeing included increased calm and time to respite. They suggested that mental health services remain available and flexible during future pandemics.

Preservice Music Educators' Perceptions of Online Synchronous Fieldwork: A Case Study

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine preservice music educators' perceptions of teaching voice lessons to elementary and secondary students during an online synchronous fieldwork experience. I used Garrison et al.'s Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to analyze the participants' perceptions of cognitive presence (i.e., triggering events, exploration, integration, and resolution), social presence (i.e., emotional expression, open communication, and group cohesion), and teaching presence (i.e., structure and design of the fieldwork experience). During initial lessons, participants cited mostly triggering events and exploration, which occurred alongside indicators of social presence. Participants cited technological challenges associated with online synchronous learning (i.e., teaching presence) may have hindered instances of integration and resolution. Music teacher educators may consider using the CoI framework to structure collaborative and supportive online synchronous fieldwork experiences.

Enumerating happiness index during COVID-19 lockdowns using artificial intelligence techniques

Happiness index is an all-inclusive methodology to assess well-being and happiness aspects of human resilience and sustainability. Pandemic like COVID-19 has brought deep level changes to human lifestyle and social behaviours. The world has been reshaped and life has more than likely changed permanently. This has led to calls for mental health, yet there is a dire need to introspect the mental state of health and behavioural changes. Happiness index is calculated based on factors such as GDP, freedom to make choice, health life expectancy and social support. These factors are analysed using datasets from social media with machine learning algorithms to map human response to the pandemic. This research focuses on use of artificial intelligence on the impact of lockdowns due to COVID-19 on the global happiness index.

The relationship between individual characteristics and practice behaviour within an adaptive arithmetic learning program

Background: Although research on mathematics learning programs has taken off in recent years, little is known about how different person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with such programs. When implementing a mathematics learning program in the classroom, it might be important to know whether students with specific characteristics need more encouragement to make use of this learning opportunity. Objectives: Using a supply‐use model, we analysed the predictive power of students' cognitive characteristics (prior mathematics knowledge), personality traits (conscientiousness), motivational‐affective characteristics (mathematics self‐concept and mathematics anxiety), and family background characteristics (socioeconomic status and migration background) for practising with an adaptive arithmetic learning program. Methods: We used longitudinal data from 203 fifth graders from seven non‐academic‐track schools in Germany. Practice behaviour, measured by completed tasks in the learning program, was recorded weekly for every student over a period of 22 weeks. Results and Conclusions: The results of our multilevel analyses showed that mathematics anxious students practised less with the program. We did not find any relationship with the other characteristics. Takeaways: Our results suggest that mathematics anxious students need more encouragement when practising with a mathematics learning program;otherwise, they do not get the chance to benefit from the use. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The use of mathematics learning programmes in mathematics education has recently intensified.It is important that students practice with such learning programmes regularly over a longer period of time in order for them to achieve learning success.Students differ in their mathematics learning behaviour. What this paper adds: Little is known about how person characteristics are related to practice behaviour with mathematics learning programmes.Students may differ in their use of a mathematics learning programme, which is why cognitive characteristics, personality traits, motivational‐affective characteristics, and family background characteristics may affect students' practice behaviour. Implications for practice: Mathematics anxious students practiced less with a mathematics learning program, and need more encouragement to benefit equally from the implementation in school.Teachers should keep in mind that after the initial enthusiasm, practice with a programme may decrease over time, especially after school holidays.

Health-related quality of life, mental health and caregiver burden in children with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)

Objective: To examine whether established patient-reported outcome measures are suitable for capturing the impact of ARPKD in children and their families. Method(s): We assessed 44 children with ARPKD (40 families) with respect to patients' health-related quality of life ((hr- QOL) using PedsQLTM ESRD module) and mental health (strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)) as well as family and caregiver burden (Impact on family score (IFS) und Ulm inventory of parental caregiver QOL (ULQIE)) and compared them to published data and 36 healthy control children matched for age and time. Result(s): Patients were aged 9.5 +/- 5.9 years (vs. controls 8.8 +/- 5.0, p = ns) and 21 (48%) were female (vs. 19 controls (53%), p = ns). Mean eGFR was 81 ml/min*1.73m2 (range 4 - 165);7 received dialysis and 11 had functioning kidney transplants (KTX, 2 combined with liver transplants). Eight patients had developmental delay secondary to medical complications, while chronic illness was an exclusion criterion for healthy controls. 61 caregivers of affected children had same gender-distribution (61% vs. 60% mothers) and age (both 42 +/- 7 years) and number of dependent children (1.8 +/- 0.9 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.8) as 57 caregivers of healthy children. The mean proxy reported PedsQL Total score was 77.5 +/- 10.6 (range 59 - 96). It correlated significantly to eGFR (r = 0.5, p < 0.01, (also within the subpopulations pre- and post-KTX)). Parents reported greater mental health problems in affected than in control children with a higher SDQ total score mainly due to higher scores in the hyperactivity and peerinteraction subscales. ULQIE revealed that parents of affected children had significantly lower levels of physical functioning, self-fulfillment and general QOL, but despite higher emotional burden scores they indicated similar satisfaction with family life. Impact on family scores were in a similar range to those of children with moderate to severe disabilities. Conclusion(s): The good spread of PedsQLTM ESRD-scores and their correlation to renal function indicates that it captures significant aspects of ARPKD, however, it may need further adjustment to include liver complications. All four chosen instruments revealed significant impact of ARPKD on hrQOL and mental health of affected children as well as family life and parental wellbeing in comparison to healthy controls. More problems with peer-interactions may also be due to more stringent shielding of chronically ill children from social contacts during the COVID pandemic compared to healthy children.

Introduction to Special Series : Supporting Teachers of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The article introduces a special series focused on supporting teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). It discusses that the series aims to address teacher support needs and burnout, bringing diverse perspectives and approaches to the forefront and goal is to initiate a conversation in the field, identify points of need, and generate considerations for moving forward.

Disease ecology of bats--the Canadian scene

Bats are hosts to a range of pathogens, which include zoonotic pathogens and pathogens of conservation concern. Brock Fenton's research on bat ecology has always balanced clear communication of potential health risks associated with bats and the need to communicate these risks precisely to avoid unnecessary persecution of bats. Here, we integrate Brock's work in the field of disease ecology with that of his students and collaborators and consider the potential advantages of studying disease ecology of bats within the Canadian context. The broad distribution of a few common species across the vast landscape of present-day Canada provides an opportunity to untangle the impacts of environmental variation on host-pathogen interactions and disease severity, particularly in the context of climate change. The varying migratory strategies and social structure of the bat species found in Canada could also facilitate informative interspecific studies to better understand how bat health is affected by interactions among rapid environmental changes, physiological traits, and the social behaviour of different species. We propose a series of priority research questions and approaches that could further our understanding of bat health and disease ecology in Canada, inspired by the work of Brock, his colleagues, and students.

Efficiency of application of sorbed probiotics in the complex therapy of pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2. Quality of life in the short term COVID-19

Aim. To determine the clinical efficacy and safety of the immobilized (sorbed) probiotics Bifidobacterium bifidum 1 (5x108 CFU) and B. bifidum 1 (5x107 CFU) in combination with Lactobacillus plantarum 8P-A3 (5x107 CFU) in the complex therapy of pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 in adult patients without severe risk factors and their impact on health-related quality of life (QoL). Material and methods. An open, randomized prospective study included 100 patients (45 males, 55 females), aged from18 to 60 years without risk factors for severe COVID-19, with pneumonia confirmed by computed tomography and an area of lung lesion no more than 75% (moderate forms). SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasal and oropharyngeal swabs (RT-PCR) was detected in 72% of the participants, in the rest it was highiy probable in terms of the aggregate parameters. The publication presents the results of self-assessment (94 respondents) of working capacity limitations, shortness of breath, intestinal disorders since the end of the probiotic regimen (PR: hospitalization period - B. bifidum 1, 3 capsules 2 times a day for 10 days, then after hospitalization - B. bifidum 1 in combination with L. plantarum 8P-A3 2 powders 3 times a day for 14 days) and QoL (Short Form Medical Outcomes Study: SF-36) 1 month after hospitalization. Results. At the end of PR, the ability to engage in daily activities was higher by 23.1% [95% confidence interval 5.3-37.3, OR 0.08 (0.08-0.77)]. Difficulty of breathing during exercise was less common by 29.7% [15.1-44.5%], OR 0.09 [0.02-0.40], hard stools and no bowel movements were recorded less often by 21.3% [8.5-34, 1] for 1-3 days. One month after hospitalization, the QoL of the patients receiving standard treatment was significantly reduced relative to population indicators in Russia. It was more significantly due to the psychological component of health [total measurement 38.1 (36.2-40.0)] and less significantly due to the physical component [49.5 (48.3-50.8)]. The main reasons limiting daily activities [Role Emotional (RE): 39.4 (37.4-41.4)] were decreased vitality [VT: 40.2 (38.9-041.5)], emotional depression [Mental Health (MH): 41.2 (39.4-43.0)], deficit of social contacts [Social Functioning (SF): 45.1 (43.7-46.6)]. The patients who received PR had a higher ability to carry out daily activities [RE: 57.7 (55.6-59.7)], the severity of psychological problems associated with fatigue, anxiety and depression was lower [MH: 59.8 (58.7-60.9), p<0,001]. The effect of the PR on negative perceptions of social isolation was comparatively less [SF: 53.9 (52.2-55.4)]. The QoL of the patients who additionally suffered from diarrhea in the acute period of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia was worse in comparison with the patients without diarrhea (due to pain and inability to endure physical activity). The effects of immobilized (sorbed) probiotics to the QoL of the patients with diarrhea during the acute period of COVID-19 were most significant. Conclusion. PR had a significant positive effect on the QoL within a month after hospitalization, increasing working capacity and improving mental health, reducing the severity of psychological problems and fatigue. Additional researches are needed on the possible relationship of organic and functional gastrointestinal diseases with the progression of diarrhea in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. No side effects of the sorbed probiotics regimen have been identified.Copyright © Eco-Vector, 2022.

Improving complementary feeding practices through a comprehensive health systems strengthening approach: experiences from Egypt. (Special section on complementary feeding in emergencies.)

This article describes experiences of improving complementary feeding practices using a systems approach with particular focus on health systems strengthening. Achievements included: the development of national guidelines for optimum complementary feeding for children 6-23 months of age, inclusion of a specific indicator for complementary feeding in the new National Food and Nutrition Strategy, updated training packages to improve health worker counselling skills and strengthened social behaviour change communication activities. A systems approach requires strong coordination between all partners across sectors to ensure communities benefit from the synergistic effects of complementary interventions, while system strengthening was noted to improve the resilience of the Ministry of Health and Population to withstand the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Ukraine crisis.

Socio-emotional competencies and social support in Peruvian university students: post-COVID-19 educational context

Objective: To determine the relationship between social support and socioemotional competencies in Peruvian university students, Hermilio Valdizán National University, Huánuco-Perú, post-COVID-19 context. Methods: The work had a quantitative approach of correlational type with cross-section 353 male and female students randomly selected from different faculties of the Hermilio Valdizán National University, Huánuco-Perú, 2022 participated and responded to two self-report type scales, one of social, family, and friend support and another of socio-emotional competencies. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman's Rho non-parametric statistical test. Results: 84.1% of the students presented a medium level of socio-emotional skills;in the same way, 52.1% perceived social support as medium level. The positive correlation between perceived social support and socio-emotional competence was moderate, with p≤0.000, and the dimensions of social support, such as family and friend support, also showed a positive and significant correlation, all with p≤0.000. Conclusions: The social support that young university students have is modestly related to the development of the socio-emotional competence under study. © 2023, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

Fanmi: A Randomized Trial of Community Cohort Hiv Care for Adolescent Girls, Haiti

Background: Adolescent girls and young women are the epicenter of the global HIV epidemic and in need of multilevel interventions to improve their health outcomes. Method(s): FANMI, a randomized-controlled trial, evaluated the effectiveness of community-based cohort HIV care versus standard of care (SOC) among adolescent and young adults living with HIV (AYALH) in Haiti. Females, 16-24 years who were newly diagnosed with HIV at clinic or community HIV testing sites, or defaulted >6 months from care, were randomized 1:1 to FANMI vs SOC. FANMI was designed to improve convenience, social support and stigma by grouping AYALH in cohorts of 6-10 peers to attend monthly HIV care sessions in a community center with integrated clinical care, group counseling, and social activities led by the same provider. National guideline changes during the study included switching participants to dolutegravir regimens and expanding SOC visits to 6 months. The primary outcome was 12-month retention defined as any visit 9-15 months from enrollment. Secondary outcomes included viral suppression (< 1000 copies/ml), risk behaviors, and acceptability using interviews. Result(s): 120 AYALH enrolled (60 per arm) between May 2018-January 2021. Median age was 21, 91% were newly diagnosed, and median CD4 count was 591 cells/mm3 (IQR 399-788). A total of 78.3% (47/60) FANMI participants vs 85.0% (51/60) in SOC achieved the primary outcome (unadjusted RR=0.92 95%CI 0.78-1.09, p=0.35). Excluding 9 participants who never attended a FANMI/SOC visit after enrollment, 12-month retention was 88.7% (47/53) in FANMI vs 87.9% (51/58) in SOC (RR =1.01 95%CI 0.88-1.15, p=0.90). Participants who presented for HIV testing vs community testing and achieved the primary outcome: 95% vs 70% (FANMI) and 83% vs 88% (SOC). Viral suppression among those retained at 12 months: 44.6% (21/47) in FANMI and 37.3% (19/51) in SOC (RR 1.20 95% CI 0.74-1.9, p=0.45). There were no differences in pregnancy and risk behaviors. Providers preferred FANMI reporting increased time for counseling and peer support. FANMI participants reported high acceptability, decreased stigma, and increased social support with no confidentiality breaches. Limitations included interrupted study operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion(s): FANMI was not more effective for AYALH in Haiti but was preferred by providers and highly acceptable to participants. It offers promise as a complementary program for high-risk AYALH in low-income settings facing barriers to clinic-based care.

Towards digitally mediated social work – the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on encountering clients in social work

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the globe. The viral outbreak was followed by rapid changes in people's everyday and working lives. Because of the wide-scale societal restrictions that took place to prevent the pandemic, social work was forced to take a digital leap. In this article, we examine Finnish social workers' experiences of extending the use of digitally mediated social work (DMSW) in working with clients during the first wave of the pandemic, the spring of 2020. The data consist of 33 social workers' personal diaries, which are analysed using a qualitative theory-based content analysis. Henri Lefebvre's theory of spatial triad will be utilised in theorising how social workers represent DMSW through three dimensions of space, that is, how they perceive, conceive and live digital spaces when encountering their clients and how physical, mental and social spaces are embodied in the representations. The results suggest that the three dimensions of space 1) basis of, 2) conceived and 3) lived DMSW intertwine closely together. The results reveal how the physical space, including IT infrastructure, its functionality and applicability, along with the organisational contexts, form a bedrock for the social workers' DMSW practice and had a decisive impact on their experiences. Second, the conceived space consists of workers' cognitive and emotional elements, such as competencies, preconceptions and attitudes towards ICT. Finally, the third dimension of spatiality concludes with the social and relational aspects of the user experiences and encounters between clients and social workers.

Distress and pychosocial concers during the third wave of the pandemic among oncological patients and family caregivers: an exploratory analisis.

Aim. Describe the psychological distress and the psychosocial concerns during the third wave of the pandemic in oncological patients and family caregivers and analyze the evolution of these variables in cancer patients taking as references April and December of 2020. Method. The researchers developed a self-administered questionnaire. It was composed by items developed ad hoc to assess sociodemographic characteristics and social concerns and the Kessler K-6 scale to measure psychological distress. Results. The proportion of oncological patients and family caregivers who showed clinical levels of distress was higher than that the ones of non-oncological population during December 2020. Clinical distress was higher in oncological patients during the December 2020, compared to April levels. This increase was especially significant among women and younger patients in both assessment moments. The main social concerns at the third wave for oncological patients and family caregivers were: the fear of contracting COVID-19, restlessness and fear of the future, suspension of the social contacts, the absence of face-to-face contact and inactivity in the streets and shops. Conclusions. The results of this study highlight the need to provide the proper care to oncological patients and family caregivers due to the presence of socio-emotional needs, and to develop strategies that allow them to be covered from psychological impact of COVID-19.Copyright © 2023, Universidad Compultense Madrid. All rights reserved.

Subjective distress and educational uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic

The health crisis caused by Covid-19 has consequences that go beyond the strictly biomedical, having a differential impact on the labor market, economic and subjective well-being of the population, causing high vulnerability and prolonged uncertainty. The pandemic has produced events that escape the biomedical, impacting differentially on people's economic and subjective well-being. By means of contingency tables and Classification Trees, we analyze the perception, uncertainty and feelings that young people between 14 and 24 years old have about the pandemic and its effects, reported in the Covid-19 Youth survey. Of special interest are those who fear losing the school year due to the health crisis. The results highlight that young people recognize the seriousness of Covid-19, although they perceive that adults exaggerate the crisis and that young people are not infected;in addition, they report high levels of uncertainty due to the death of a family member or friend, family economic problems, and fear of losing the school year. Educational uncertainty is predominant among younger youth and is linked to high levels of worry, anxiety and fear, together with the manifestation of compulsive drinking and insomnia. The conclusions highlight the impacts that the pandemic has had on the subjective wellbeing of the young population;socioemotional deterioration related to the fear of death of close ones, family economic problems, and losing the school year. This problem raises the need for a multidimensional and extended approach beyond the end of the pandemic.

How emotions from content social relevance mediate social media engagement: evidence from European supermarkets during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents of consumer engagement with supermarkets' social media accounts. Drawing on regulatory fit theory and social sharing of emotions theory, the authors test if the content posted on the social media brand pages of supermarkets dealing with a topic of high social relevance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulates social media consumer engagement and if and how the engagement is mediated by the arousal of positive and negative emotions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors retrieved data from the Facebook accounts of the top 20 European supermarkets identified in the Deloitte 2020 Global Powers of Retailing report during the first wave of the pandemic from 1 March to 30 June 2020, collecting a sample of 2,524 posts from 8 different countries. After a content analysis to classify COVID-19 content, the authors applied the Baron and Kenny (1986) methodology to verify the hypothesised relationships.FindingsThe findings highlight a positive direct relationship between the social relevance of a topic (COVID-19) and social media consumer engagement mediated by the arousal of positive and negative emotions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the earliest empirical research using Facebook data to investigate the role of the social relevance of content as an antecedent of social media consumer engagement with a specific focus on supermarkets. The paper contributes to the stream of social media literature investigating the antecedents of social media engagement behaviour, exploring the role of topics' choice and aroused emotions, which to date are both under-investigated.

Perceptions of the COIVD-19 Pandemic on Social, Mental, and Physical Health of Native American and Latino Communities

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted health systems and exposed disparities in access to health care among underserved populations. We examined how the pandemic shaped social, mental, and physical health among Native American and Latino communities in rural and underserved areas. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Using Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, and Social Contextual Factor frameworks, we developed interview guides to examine perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic on social, mental, and physical health among community members. Stakeholders of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation in Montana and the Hispanic/Latinx population in Yakima Valley in Washington were selected through purposeful community-engagement. A total of six focus group discussions and 30 key informant interviews were administered in both communities. A codebook was developed and deductive coding was applied to informant responses, followed by an inductive, constant comparison approach. The codebook was further refined and inter-rater agreement was completed by three analysts. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Four themes were highlighted as areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (mental and physical health, family dynamics, and social disruptions) with few differences among geographic areas or between focus group (n=39) and key informant (n=28) participants. Perceived impacts on mental health included increased stress, anxiety, and depression, while pandemic-related lifestyle or family changes impacted physical health. Participants reported changes to family routines and dynamics due to staying home, social distancing, and more frequent interactions inside or limited interactions outside the household respectively. Social distruptions reported included impacts on finances, employment, and household staples, though participants highlighted how many community members stepped up to help those in need. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The COVID-19 pandemic had similar impacts on two geographically distinct underserved communities in Montana and Washington. Understanding the community's experience with the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to identify strategies to support families, community needs, and mental and physical health in underserved communities.

The impact of social isolation on health and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster and beyond

Many organisms, including humans, have evolved dynamic social behaviors to promote survival. Public health studies show that isolation from social groups is a major risk factor for adverse health outcomes in humans, but these studies lack mechanistic understanding. Animal models can provide insight into the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying how social isolation impacts health through investigations using genetic, genomic, molecular, and neuroscience methods. In this review, we discuss Drosophila melanogaster as a robust genetic model for studying the effects of social isolation and for developing a mechanistic understanding of the perception of social isolation and how it impacts health.

Tourist mobility in a climate of expectations, uncertainties and encounters. portrait of a pandemic summer in a town in the Sierras de Cordoba region, Argentina

This research analyses "tourist mobility" in the context of the health crisis of COVID-19 to unravel the meanings that situated actors produce about this practice at an exceptional moment in history. Based on an ethnographic case, the archetype of the Argentine tourist corridor, this article portrays the 2020-2021 holiday season, investigating the experiences of tourists and permanent residents who received seasonal displacements in their territories. From here, it was possible to recover a series of transformations that allow us to understand how the pandemic disrupted the meanings associated with "summer culture" and its counterpoint, "the local tourist season";all this with the purpose of outlining triggering hypotheses about the traces that this atypical season may have left on tourism practice.

Automated system to detect social distancing among humans during covid pandemic situation

Maintaining the purported Social Separating is one of the essential and greatest ways to stop the new popular episode. Legislators are enacting restrictions on the standard of private distance between people in order to concur with this restriction. In light of this real-life occurrence, it is crucial to evaluate how consistent with realistic imperatives in our lives this is, in order to ascertain the causes of any prospective cracks in such distance obstacles and determine whether this portends an anticipated risk. In order to do this, we offer the Visual Social Removing (VSD) problem, which is defined as the automatic evaluation of the difference between the depiction of connected person aggregations and the private separation from an image.When this requirement is violated, it is vital for VSD to conduct painless research to determine whether people agree to the social distance restriction and to provide assessments of the degree of wellbeing of particular places. We first draw attention to the fact that measuring VSD involves more than simply math;it also suggests a deeper comprehension of the social behavior in the setting. The goal is to genuinely identify potentially dangerous circumstances while avoiding false alerts (such as a family with children or other family members, an elderly person with their guardians), all while adhering to current security protocols. Then, at that point, we discuss how VSD links to earlier research in social sign handling and demonstrate how to investigate fresh PC vision techniques that might be able to address this issue. Future issues about the viability of VSD systems, ethical repercussions, and potential application scenarios are the result. © 2023 IEEE.

Asian Americans' Lived Experiences with and Perceptions of Social Stigma during COVID-19

It has been well documented that Asian Americans have experienced increased social stigmatization related to COVID-19 since Donald Trump began referring to the virus as the "Chinese virus" and "kung flu" in March 2020. Stigma has negative social and health impacts on minority communities, such as labeling, avoiding, shame, disgust, and social exclusion. The health impacts include both physical and mental illness, and the acceleration of health disparities. This study seeks to understand these lived experiences and subsequent coping strategies. Using focus groups, 17 Asian American participants were interviewed to understand their experiences with stigmatization during the pandemic. The findings reveal that stigmatized behavior and attitudes of others did not deter Asian Americans from following the COVID-19 related health guidelines, likely because perceived health threats were high. Consumer behaviors of Asian Americans also changed dramatically toward buying almost everything online (due to both the pandemic and personal safety). This behavioral decisioning provides insights into the complex motivations for adopting health behaviors, and, in this case, social distancing can double as a means by which to avoid people, for fear of becoming victims of stigmatization in public areas.