• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.222-234
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• 2022

Purpose: This study investigated the changes in the health-related behaviors of adult women in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Data from the eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2020) were analyzed. The participants were 4,848 women aged 19 to 64 years in 2019 and 2020. Data analysis using the complex sampling design was performed using SPSS 20.1. Results: Positive changes during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic in Korean adult women were found for improved subjective oral health perceptions (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; p<.001), increased moderate-intensity exercise in work and leisure activities (OR, 1.75; p<.001 and OR; 1.29, p=.004), and a decrease in secondhand smoke exposure at the workplace and in public places (OR, 0.64; p=.004 and OR, 0.60; p<.001). However, the following negative health behavior changes were found: decreased frequency of walking 5 days a week (OR, 0.81; p=.011) and an increase in unhealthy daytime sleep durations (OR, 1.40; p=006). Conclusion: Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, Korean adult women perceived their subjective dental health more positively during the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased their exposure to secondhand smoke at work and in public places, decreased walking, and increased sleep duration during the week. Since this study only compared data between 1 year before and after the start of the pandemic, it is necessary to investigate a longer period of time in the future. A future study should attempt to identify the factors related to changes in health behaviors caused by the pandemic.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2022

Background: While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all aspects of health care, its impact on cardiac surgical practice and outcomes is yet to be determined. We compared the outcomes of our cardiac surgical practice from the past year during the pandemic to those in a similar pre-pandemic period. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from 307 patients who were involved in all adult cardiac surgical procedures performed between March 2020 and February 2021, which was considered the pandemic period, at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, India. These were compared with data from the 1-year period between March 2019 and February 2020. During that earlier period, 491 patients underwent surgery, and the surgical outcomes were assessed. Outpatient visit data were also collected to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on outpatient follow-up visits. Results: A 37% decrease in surgical case volume was observed during the study period. No difference was found in operative mortality between the 2 time periods (3.3% vs. 2.6%, p=0.383). Overall postoperative complications were less frequent during this period, at 23% compared to 38% the previous year (p<0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic decrease in surgical volume and outpatient medical follow-up. However, the pandemic and its attendant social restrictions did not yield a significant change in the surgical outcomes of our patients. Hence, it is reasonable to continue cardiac surgical care during global health crises, and this can be done with good results.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the trends and characteristics of infection-related patient safety incident reporting before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Korea, and to provide basic data for preventing infection-related patient safety incidents and improving their management. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of secondary national data (Patient Safety Reporting Data) was conducted. In total, 517 infection-related patient safety incidents reported from 2018 to 2021 were analyzed. Changes in the number of reports before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and differences in variables related to infection-related patient safety incidents were analyzed using the chi-square test and independent t-test in SPSS 29.0. Results: This study found that infection-related patient safety incidents decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Furthermore, incident-related characteristics, such as the type of healthcare organization, severity of harm, and post-incident actions, changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The many changes in the infection control system and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to a decrease in the reporting of infection-related patient safety incidents. It is hoped that longitudinal studies on patient safety incidents related to the pandemic and analytical studies on factors influencing patient safety incidents will continue to be conducted to prevent and improve patient safety incidents.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.274-290
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of prenatal education characteristics, pandemic-related pregnancy stress, and health behaviors during pregnancy on prenatal depression in pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: The participants were 180 pregnant Korean women, recruited from internet communities for pregnancy preparation, childbirth, and childcare, from July 5 to 15, 2022. The collected data were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, the Mann-Whitney U-test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The scores for pandemic-related pregnancy stress (24.50±6.37) and health behaviors during pregnancy (67.07±9.20) were high. Nearly half of the participants (n=89, 49.4%) presented with prenatal depression, with scores of 10 or greater. Prenatal depression had a positive correlation with gestational age (r=.18, p=.019) and pandemic-related pregnancy stress (r=.27, p<.001), and a negative correlation with health behaviors during pregnancy (r=-.42, p<.001). The factors associated with prenatal depression were pandemic-related pregnancy stress (t=4.70, p<.001), marital satisfaction (dissatisfied) (t=3.66, p<.001), pregnancy healthcare practice behaviors (t=-3.31, p=.001), family type (weekend couple) (t=2.84, p=.005), and gestational age (t=2.32, p=.022). The explanatory power of these variables was 38.2%. Conclusion: Since participants had a high level of prenatal depression during the pandemic, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 may recur, strategies should be developed to improve pregnant women's mental health with consideration of the unique variables that are relevant in a pandemic. It is also necessary to develop efficient online prenatal education programs that can be implemented even in special circumstances such as social distancing, and to evaluate their effectiveness.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.13-24
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• 2022

Purpose: Motivated by an expedited growth and distribution of Online Food-Delivery (OFD) services, especially during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, this research aims to explore 1) how consumers' sustainability considerations are associated with satisfaction with the services via opt-out cutlery options and 2) the role of the pandemic in the relationships between sustainability considerations, attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options, and satisfaction with the OFD services. Data and Methodology: An analysis of survey data using 434 consumers in the United States recruited from Amazon M-Turk was conducted using structural equation modeling. Results: Findings suggest that consumers' environmental, health, and ethical considerations are positively related to their attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options. Furthermore, attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options are positively related to satisfaction with the OFD services only when they feel connected with the environment, driven by perceived threats of an infectious disease (i.e. Covid-19). Conclusion: The study findings provide new insights to managers in the OFD service industry on how to promote sustainable consumption during the pandemic.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.321-326
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• 2021

The purpose of this paper is to critique the links between science and scientific researchers, politics and capital surrounding vaccines and vaccination in a pandemic era. It also introduces standards for adapting ethical guidelines for research under public health emergencies to specific circumstances and contexts. It also introduces ethical standards to be applied to scientific research. that is, scientific relevance, social value, cooperative partnerships, reasonable risk-benefit costs, fair and voluntary participation, independent review, and equal moral respect for participants and affected communities. It also outlines the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic-consent and other research procedure modifications proposed by Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). We are on the lookout for powerful capital and hegemonic groups inseparable from politics and important decision makers in the pandemic era - that is, scientists, supporters, and scientific civic groups. It underscores the need for an independent and formal scientific advisory body with the right balance between science and politics.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2012

Objectives: Effective and efficient response for public health crisis necessitate planning how to respond and mobilize the resources in schools. We preformed this study to develop the strategies to improve efficiency of school health education in an outbreak of pandemic disease. Methods: We tried to review the policies, regulations and response systems of all related sectors, and advanced cases associated with pandemic disease control measures by searching databases and on-line networks connected with the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Results: It was important to implement a consistent and systematic approach for educational offices and schools to prevent confusion resulted from the inaccurate information. First, the systems and action plans for school health should be established to prepare and respond to an outbreak of pandemic disease. Secondly, the strategies to improve the efficiency of school health education in public health crisis should be in place. Finally, the personnel pool would be needed to provide the crisis management programs. Conclusion: In order for staffs and students to have abilities to respond in an outbreak of pandemic disease, comprehensive school health approaches and efficient educational efforts should be prepared in collaboration with related sectors.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.465-471
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• 2021

The study investigates the dynamic correlation of cryptocurrencies and equity in Vietnam and tests the safe-haven property of them from the perspective of the stock market in Vietnam during the pandemic crisis by applying the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) GARCH model and regression with a dummy variable, respectively. This study employs time series data on the daily dataset from September 2014 to September 2021 with the focus on the two most popular cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin and Litecoin. The results show that the dynamic conditional correlations between cryptocurrencies and equity in Vietnam increased during the pandemic, however, in most periods, positive dynamic correlations often dominate. Besides, the regression results also indicate that Bitcoin and Litecoin act as weak safe-haven investments for stocks in Vietnam during the COVID-19 turmoil. They are more suitable for diversification purposes although the dynamic correlations between them and the stock index in Vietnam vary stronger during the pandemic crisis than before. The findings of this study suggest that in the period of pandemic crisis, cryptocurrencies are not concerned as effective safe-haven assets for stock in Vietnam. Instead, cryptocurrencies are only playing a potential role in diversification benefit in this economy.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.207-218
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• 2021

The present research intends to examine the herding aspect during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study is conducted to achieve specific objectives, so the underlying sampling technique is purposive sampling. The considered data source is the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Daily stock prices of 528 listed companies in PSX have been taken from the official website of PSX from 1998 to 2021. The current study envisions investigating the herding aspects for pre-pandemic and the time covering the pandemic period. The study has also targeted ten sectors of PSX. The present study's motive is to investigate investors' herding prospects before and during the pandemic in the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and its selected sectors. Daily closing stock prices of listed companies have been collected from the official website of PSX to calculate the stock returns. The Cross-Sectional Absolute Deviation (CSAD) has been used as a herding measure. Findings revealed that herding has not been observed in PSX during both time spans and even not during the bullish and bearish trends. However, robust sectoral evidence has been observed during the pandemic. It implies that investors in PSX tend to follow the crowd irrespective of making their own decisions to avoid further losses.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.777-784
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• 2021

This study explores the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown policies that are used to tackle the pandemic on stock market returns in Indonesia. This study uses fixed-effects panel-data regression method to evaluate the impact of the growth in COVID-19 total confirmed cases and death as well as the lockdown policies on daily stock returns of 272 firms that are listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange's main board and operate in the real sector from 2 March 2020 to 27 November 2020. The study confirms the significantly adverse impact of growth in the total of confirmed cases and death due to COVID-19 on Indonesia's daily stock returns. Moreover, the lockdown policies regardless how strict they are, have a positive and significant impact on the Indonesia's daily stock returns. This study further considers the different impact of COVID-19 pandemic on each of eight observed sectors; where the sector of property as well as trade, service and investment have a significantly negative performance; while the sector of basic industry, consumer goods and mining have a significantly better performance. This study suggests that COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown policies have a mixed impact on the Indonesia's stock market returns.