pandemic — Blog — Sage Perspectives Blog

Brief mental health support for Ontario healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

There is considerable research now, showing the negative mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Across many countries, about one in three people in the general population reported psychological distress. Those at higher risk for being infected with COVID-19, reported more depression and anxiety symptoms. But the healthcare system needed to keep functioning, as many people were sick and dying. How could HCWs be supported to continue their vital work? The current study looked at whether a brief coping-focused psychotherapy treatment, would be associated with positive changes in Ontario HCWs’ mental health during the pandemic.

Research, Editor's PicksRachel WolfeNovember 17, 2023healthcare workers, mental health, COVID-19, pandemic, support

How ICU Surges From COVID-19 Impacted U.S. Mortality Rates: A Closer Look

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe. With numerous waves hitting our communities, many have felt the weight of the virus both directly and indirectly throughout the past several years. Our recent study sheds new light on the relationship between ICU capacity and mortality rates in the U.S.

ResearchRachel WolfeSeptember 21, 2023covid-19, ICU, mortality rates, pandemic

Pandemic Poverty Governance

For most people, the early days of the pandemic will be remembered as a period of significant disruption to our daily lives. But for some of the most marginalized Americans, the pandemic afforded conditions of relative stability, safety, and privacy, as cities across the country turned to hotel rooms as a temporary solution for people experiencing homelessness.

ResearchWehida NiaziMay 16, 2023pandemic, Poverty, homelessness

Custodial Grandparent’s Job Loss During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship with Parenting Stress and Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to the health, safety, and well-being of many individuals and families. Involuntary job loss during the pandemic adds more challenges, especially for custodial grandparents who are taking care of grandchildren. Custodial grandparents are often older and suffering from physical and mental health problems. They usually experience different stress and challenges, such as economic insecurity, inadequate housing, lack of social support, declining physical health, and the increased parenting stress. In the context of COVID-19, grandparents may be particularly vulnerable to losing their jobs. Based on the family stress theory, given that job loss during the pandemic is a significant stressor for grandparents, how they cope with the stressor depends on their personal characteristics and their social, emotional and financial support.

Editor's Picks, ResearchMoazzma ArshadApril 14, 2023COVID-19, pandemic, coronavirus, grandparents

Growing and Glowing: A Tailored Digital Media Campaign for Maternal and Infant Health

Racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. These disparities persist regardless of social and economic factors, and are ultimately caused by systemic racism that permeates healthcare as well as countless upstream social determinants of health. While the statistics and causes for disparities in Black maternal and infant health are clear, there is less information on how to effectively address these disparities in the short-term. Digital media campaigns are one potential way to distribute information in a time and cost-efficient manner, directly in the online spaces where women spend their time.

Nutritional and functional sequelae after the cessation of recreational activities due to COVID-19 in a group of Mexican older adults

As part of the effort to promote healthy aging in the population, recreational centers for the social inclusion of older adults have been a timely strategy for encouraging cultural, physical, educational, and social activities in that age group. In the first quarter of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities of those centers were suspended because their target populations were considered vulnerable, consequently resulting in several risks to the intrinsic capacities of older adults. The study carried out by our research group from the University of Colima, in Mexico, demonstrated the impact on nutritional and functional parameters in older adults, after the suspension of their activities at a social coexistence center.

ResearchMoazzma ArshadMarch 14, 2023COVID-19, recreation, older adults, social activities, pandemic

Physician Burnout and Pandemics: Caring for our Caregivers in Times of Crisis

Burnout is a psychological syndrome involving emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and over time a sense of reduced accomplishment. While anyone may experience burnout, research suggests physicians experience higher levels of burnout than other professions, and physician burnout is on the rise.

Research, Editor's PicksMaria Pia TissotOctober 13, 2022burnout, caregiver, COVID-19, pandemic, mental health

Dimensions of Psychological Well-being and Subjective Happiness in the New Normal: An Exploration

The pandemic has brought in unprecedented changes in societies across the globe. It has altered the equilibrium and forced individuals to move out of their comfort zone, leading to disturbance in psychological well-being in the new normal (Kuster, 2021). This empirical study examines the effect of psychological well-being (PWB) on subjective happiness (SH) of students of higher educational institutions (HEIs) during the global pandemic.

ResearchDeepa LintoFebruary 3, 2022Psychological well-being, New Normal, Higher Education, pandemic, happiness

Student mental health - a public health challenge?

There’s a student mental health crisis. With half of all young people now going to university this is now a public health crisis. And universities are to blame for not providing enough support to students, leading to unusually high levels of student suicide. That’s what media stories were suggesting, even before the pandemic hit. However, is this really true?

Editor's Picks, ResearchMoazzma ArshadAugust 20, 2021student, mental health, pandemic, school, university students

Work–Life Intersections in Peacebuilding, Development, and Humanitarian Aid

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many office workers have experienced a blurring of boundaries between home and work. For national or expatriate workers in the fields of peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian aid, the challenges associated with navigating work-life intersections are nothing new.

Editor's Picks, ResearchMoazzma ArshadAugust 19, 2021COVID-19, pandemic, working from home, work life, humanitarian aid

Top Tips: Doctoral Teaching in the Pandemic

Apart from our research project on a good day, the other thing that can potentially offer PhD students a sense of fulfilment is teaching. Teaching and learning, much like many other facets of our lives, have been deeply impacted by the ebbs and flows of this pandemic. As a doctoral researcher who has taught both before and during the pandemic, I've learnt a few things through experience as well as through the support of the teaching community at Sussex that has been a great resource for helpful tips.

Author Services, Industry NewsKimberley SimpsonMarch 3, 2021COVID-19, pandemic, online teaching, Zoom

COVID-19 in the UK and Occupational Health and Safety: a tale of predictable but not inevitable failures by Government when labor and nongovernmental organization offered better solutions

Global failures to protect the public from the corona virus first wave are visible for all to see. Global failures to protect the health and safety of doctors, nurses and other health professionals dealing with COVID-19 patients have been highly visible too on our TV screens and in newspapers.

How on earth can you help healthcare workers cope during the Covid pandemic?

We asked this question ourselves many times, as we worked as front line medics, psychological support staff and leaders in the heart of the outbreak in London. We shared what we learned in our recent article “Mental health care for medical staff and affiliated healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic”

Research, Industry NewsKimberley SimpsonMay 20, 2020healthcare, COVID-19, pandemic

To Remain Indian or Become International: On the Positioning of Indian B-Schools

Effectively strategizing B - Schools is important because their graduates serve as business practitioners and shall be responsible towards social and economic development of the country. Currently, approximately 89 percent of B-School in India are private (self-financed) and receive no aid from the government. In this challenging environment, this becomes very important for a B - School to utilize each resource not only to save their own business also to balance the concept of business and society.

Reimagining a Feminist Virtual Classroom Amidst a Global Pandemic

As colleges announced the transition to virtual teaching, academics around the world have utilised social media to share questions, tips and resources, as we all scramble to move our classrooms online. It’s been truly moving to witness the generosity of colleagues.

Resources for Researchers During A Global Health Crisis

It has been said many times, but it bears repeating. We are living through an unprecedented time. The impact of COVID-19 has affected all of us differently. However, despite the anxiety and uncertainty, this global crisis has reinforced for me the importance of research and how vital our academic community is. I’ve never been prouder to work for an organization committed to the dissemination of research in all of its forms.