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Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on executive skills in Canadians experiencing social vulnerability: A descriptive study.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to describe executive skills in clients experiencing social vulnerability in the context of COVID-19 from the perspective of social service agency staff. COVID-19 has required transformational changes to livelihood and day-to-day living. Socially vulnerable individuals are likely to be disproportionally impacted because many have experienced serious early childhood adversity, which may compromise their executive skills in adulthood. Using a cross-sectional survey, we collected data between 05 May 2020 and 03 July 2020, for this mixed methods study of 53 staff in two agencies in western Canada serving clients experiencing social vulnerability. The first case of COVID-19 in this jurisdiction was identified 05 March 2020. Using investigator-designed survey items, we captured executive skills in five areas: (a) planning tasks of daily living, (b) managing time, (c) keeping track of information and appointments, (d) managing emotions, and (e) managing self-control. Staff reported their clients struggled with executive skills and these struggles increased during COVID-19, particularly in the areas of managing daily tasks and emotional regulation. COVID-19 restrictions overwhelmed clients with the decisions required to maintain health, employment, and childcare. With the loss of structure and routine, clients lost track of time and delayed completion of tasks, which further increased stress. Disrupted goals and uncertainty about the future contributed to hopelessness for clients who were trying to regain control over their lives, which made it difficult to manage emotions. Some clients acted more impulsively because of the added stressors, lack of routine and access to friends and extended family. A better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on socially vulnerable clients will inform social service agencies about areas to focus programming to support their socially vulnerable clients.

SUBMITTER: Benzies KM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8652764 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Background Additional time spent on social media (SM) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, increased adolescents’ exposure to food and beverage (F&B) advertisements. The marketing of unhealthy F&B products featuring celebrities and influencers may contribute to an increased preference towards various products, potentially influencing consumption patterns and increasing one's long-term health risk. Objective The objective of this study was to examine SM's influence on adolescents’ food and beverage preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore their parents’ perceptions of this phenomenon. Study Design, Setting, Participants Three, one-hour, semi-structured virtual focus groups were conducted with seven dyads of 6th grade students and their parents (n = 14) from a suburban school district in northeastern Pennsylvania. Students and parents participated in separate focus groups and completed a demographic survey that included SM use characteristics in June-September 2021. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Focus group transcripts were transcribed, coded, and analyzed by both authors using a constant comparison approach. Results Three themes that emerged from adolescents were: increased SM usage, factors that increased consumption, and increased recall of memorable aspects of F&B advertisements. Themes that emerged from parents were: parental observations of adolescents’ less healthy eating behaviors, parental influence over F&B purchases, and increased engagement in food trends seen on SM. Conclusions These themes suggest increased SM use influenced adolescents' ability to recall specific F&B brands and potentially influenced consumption. Safeguards seem to remain in place regarding parents’ influence over the adolescents’ F&B purchase requests. Additionally, parents may be aware of the targeted marketing used on SM and its potential to influence adolescents’ eating behaviors. These findings suggest the importance for parents, dietitians, and other healthcare providers to be aware of increased SM usage and the potential influence F&B advertisements may have on adolescent eating behaviors. These findings will also be important for nutrition educators to understand when teaching these risks to students/future practitioners. Funding Villanova University's Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

Project description:IMPORTANCE:Developed in California to enable community-dwelling older adults to maintain healthy and meaningful activities, Lifestyle Redesign® is a well-known cost-effective preventive occupational therapy intervention. The impact of a newly adapted French version on older French-Canadians was, however, unknown. OBJECTIVE:To explore the influence of Lifestyle Redesign on older French-Canadians' health, social participation, leisure, and mobility. DESIGN:A mixed-methods design included a preexperimental component (questionnaires administered before and after the intervention and 3 and 6 mo postintervention) and an exploratory descriptive qualitative clinical study. Individual semidirected interviews were digitally audiotaped and transcribed, then underwent thematic content analysis using mix extraction grids. SETTING:Community. PARTICIPANTS:Sixteen volunteers (10 women) aged 65-90 yr (mean = 76.4, standard deviation = 7.6), 10 without and 6 with disabilities. Inclusion criteria were age ?65 yr, normal cognitive functions, residence in a conventional or senior home, and French speaking. INTERVENTION:French-Canadian 6-mo version of Lifestyle Redesign. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:Health, social participation, leisure, and mobility were measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, Social Participation Scale, Leisure Profile, and Life-Space Assessment, as well as a semistructured interview guide. RESULTS:The French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign had a beneficial effect on participants' mental health (p = .02) and interest in leisure (p = .02) and, in those with disabilities, social participation (p = .03) and attitudes toward leisure (p = .04). Participants reported positive effects on their mental health, leisure, mobility, and social participation, including frequency and quality of social interactions, and indicated that having an occupational routine fostered better health. None of the participants reported no effect. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE:The translated and culturally adapted Lifestyle Redesign is a promising occupational therapy intervention for community-dwelling older French-Canadians. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS:This study sheds light on the influence of the French-Canadian version of the intervention not only on older adults' health and social participation but also on their leisure activities and life-space mobility, two important outcomes not addressed in previous Lifestyle Redesign studies. Moreover, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the Lifestyle Redesign experience of French-Canadian older adults with and without disabilities, including participants with significant communication and mobility disabilities.

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Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on executive skills in Canadians experiencing social vulnerability: A descriptive study.

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