School of Public Health

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/1633

The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.

Note: Prior to July 1, 2007, the School of Public Health was named the College of Health & Human Performance.

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Subject: search.filters.subject.pandemic

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Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Reducing Anxiety with Nature and Gardening (RANG): Evaluating the Impacts of Gardening and Outdoor Activities on Anxiety among U.S. Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    (MDPI, 2022-04-22) Gerdes, Megan E.; Aistis, Lucy A.; Sachs, Naomi A.; Williams, Marcus; Roberts, Jennifer D.; Rosenberg, Goldstein Rachel E.
    The COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health. Growing research has identified the mental health benefits of nature contact, including gardening. We used a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association between gardening and other outdoor activities with anxiety among U.S. adults. The RANG (Reducing Anxiety with Nature and Gardening) survey was distributed online from June–September 2020 through social media (Twitter and Facebook) and a national Master Gardeners listserv. Survey questions captured demographics, COVID-19 experiences, gardening, outdoor activities, and anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Kruskal–Wallis tests, as well as logistic regression. Among participants, 46% reported anxiety symptoms. Participants who had gardened ≥ 15 years and those gardening > 8 h over two weeks had lower anxiety scores. Spending more time outdoors on weekdays also decreased anxiety scores. After adjusting for covariates, lower odds of anxiety were identified for 50–69 and 70–89-year-olds vs. 18–29-year-olds; males vs. females; and Texas vs. Maryland residents. These findings confirm increased anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest that sustained gardening and other outdoor activities could help reduce anxiety.
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    Umbrella Review: COVID-19 Public Health Measures and Patient and Public Involvement in Health and Social Care Research
    (2023-08-10) Fouladi, Negin; Tchangalova, Nedelina; Ajayi, Damilola; Millwee, Elizabeth; Lovett, Corinne; Del Sordi, Alana; Liggett, Samantha; De Silva, Malki; Bonilla, Laura; Nkwonta, Angel; Ramnarine, Leah; Munoz, Allyssa; Frazer, Kate; Kroll, Thilo
    Background: - Patient and public involvement (PPI) in health research refers to patients and other members of the public with relevant experience contributing to design, implementation, and dissemination of research. PPI entails research being carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public, rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them.  - Over the past decade, there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of PPI in health and social research as it provides alternative views and insights into the needs of healthcare users to improve the quality and relevance of research. - PPI enhances the efficiency, design, and quality of healthcare initiatives and facilitates decision-making regarding resource allocations and the usability of services by including information about the capabilities, needs, and priorities of local people.  - The rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in PPI being viewed as non-essential, leading to its minimal inclusion in research and, thereby, minimizing the contribution of patients, the public, and, particularly, minority groups in helping find solutions to the pandemic crisis. - Public health measures (PHM) aim to reduce the transmission, severity of illness, and death and are critical strategies to address pandemic outbreaks, therefore, PPI is crucial in building trust and acceptance in research, greater benefits for the community, new and improved services, valuable changes in practice/partnership leading to positive changes and outcomes.
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    COVID-19 public health measures and patient and public involvement in health and social care research: An umbrella review
    (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023-03-10) Fouladi, Negin; Tchangalova, Nedelina; Ajayi, Damilola; Millwee, Elizabeth; Lovett, Corinne; Del Sordi, Alana; Liggett, Samantha; De Silva, Malki; Bonilla, Laura; Nkwonta, Angel; Ramnarine, Leah; Munoz, Allyssa; Frazer, Kate; Kroll, Thillo
    An umbrella review of previously published systematic reviews was conducted to determine the nature and extent of the patient and public involvement (PPI) in COVID-19 health and social care research and identify how PPI has been used to develop public health measures (PHM). In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on PPI in research as it offers alternative perspectives and insight into the needs of healthcare users to improve the quality and relevance of research. In January 2022, nine databases were searched from 2020–2022, and records were filtered to identify peer-reviewed articles published in English. From a total of 1437 unique records, 54 full-text articles were initially evaluated, and six articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies suggest that PHM should be attuned to communities within a sociocultural context. Based on the evidence included, it is evident that PPI in COVID-19-related research is varied. The existing evidence includes written feedback, conversations with stakeholders, and working groups/task forces. An inconsistent evidence base exists in the application and use of PPI in PHM. Successful mitigation efforts must be community specific while making PPI an integral component of shared decision-making.