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COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 11435

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Davide Gori

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Guest Editor

Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 401261 Bologna, Italy
Interests: vaccine hesitancy; epidemiology; public health; vaccine campaigns
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Anna Odone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: immunization policies; vaccine hesitancy; digital health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on human health. These effects range from immediate mortality to the long-term consequences of so-called long COVID. The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on human health undoubtedly underscores the need for public health strategies, especially in the post-pandemic period which appears to be emerging in 2022.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect papers that concern epidemiological studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human health, as well as potential and targeted papers that address public health strategies to cope with future events and strengthen preparedness at all levels.

Dr. Davide Gori
Prof. Dr. Anna Odone
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

COVID-19
public health
preparedness
epidemiology

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Barriers and Benefits of COVID-19 Testing among Pacific Islanders on Guam

by Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, Angelina G. Mummert, Dareon C. Rios, Niza C. Mian, Teofila P. Cruz, Chathura Siriwardhana and Richard Yanagihara

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(13), 6302; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20136302 - 05 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1553

Abstract

Pacific Islanders residing in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands have had among the highest COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality rates in the U.S. To reduce this disparity, we conducted a study to increase the reach and uptake of COVID-19 testing in Guam. Participants, who completed a pre-survey on demographics, health status, history of COVID-19 testing and vaccination, access to COVID-19 testing, sources of COVID-19 information, and knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19 test results and transmission, were invited to attend an online educational session about COVID-19 testing and transmission and to complete a post-survey. There were significant positive changes between pre- and post-survey in knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 testing and transmission, but changes were not necessarily due to exposure to the educational session. Compared to CHamoru participants (n = 380), Other Micronesians (n = 90) were significantly less knowledgeable about COVID-19 transmission and testing, were significantly more likely to not want to know if they had COVID-19, were more likely to believe if they did have COVID-19 there was not much that could be done for them, and that they would have difficulty in getting the needed healthcare. This study is another example of disparities in health knowledge and perceptions of certain Pacific Islander groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

22 pages, 1079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does COVID-19 Fear Induce Employee Innovation Performance Deficiency? Examining the Mediating Role of Psychological Stress and Moderating Role of Organizational Career Support

by Md Altab Hossin, Lie Chen, Md Sajjad Hosain and Isaac Owusu Asante

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10422; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191610422 - 21 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1993

Abstract

With the immense, short/long-term, and multidirectional effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on work performance, industry activities, and the national/global economy, it has adversely affected employees’ psychological well-being due to its elevated stress and anxiety that have substantially affected employee innovation performance (deficiency) (EIP(D)). The goal of this empirical paper is to identify how COVID-19 induces EIPD by examining the mediating role of psychological stress (PS) on the relationship between fear of infection with COVID-19 (FIC) and EIPD based on affective events theory (AET) and the moderating effect of organizational career support (OCS) on the relationship between PS and EIPD. Based on 865 survey responses provided by mid-level managers from Chinese manufacturing firms and the covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using AMOS 25, we identified that FIC has a positive relationship with EIPD while PS can fully mediate the link between FIC and EIPD and OCS weakens the positive relationship between PS and EIPD (that is, in the presence of OCS, EIPD decreases despite the presence of PS among the employees). The findings of our empirical study will theoretically and practically contribute to the pandemic-related existing literature by providing an in-depth understanding of these variables. Furthermore, policymakers can also benefit by boosting their EIP from the outcomes revealed and suggestions provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

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15 pages, 2565 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection of Intestinal Dysbiosis in Post-COVID-19 Patients One to Eight Months after Acute Disease Resolution

by Alexandre Soares Ferreira-Junior, Tais Fernanda Borgonovi, Larissa Vedovato Vilela De Salis, Aline Zazeri Leite, Amanda Soares Dantas, Guilherme Vedovato Vilela De Salis, Giuliano Netto Flores Cruz, Luiz Felipe Valter De Oliveira, Eleni Gomes, Ana Lúcia Barretto Penna and Gislane Lelis Vilela De Oliveira

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10189; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191610189 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2496

Abstract

The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the immune response against viral infections, modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. The cytokine storm is associated with COVID-19 severity, and the patient’s immune status is influenced by the intestinal microbiota in a gut-lung bidirectional interaction. In this study, we evaluate the intestinal microbiota of Brazilian patients in different post-COVID-19 periods, and correlate this with clinical data and the antibiotic therapy used during the acute phase. DNA extracted from stool samples was sequenced and total anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and C-reactive protein were quantified. Compared with controls, there were significant differences in the microbiota diversity in post-COVID-19 patients, suggesting an intestinal dysbiosis even several months after acute disease resolution. Additionally, we detected some genera possibly associated with the post-COVID-19 dysbiosis, including Desulfovibrio, Haemophillus, Dialister, and Prevotella, in addition to decreased beneficial microbes, associated with antibiotic-induced dysbiosis, such as Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia. Therefore, our hypothesis is that dysbiosis and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics during the pandemic may be associated with post-COVID-19 clinical manifestations. In our study, 39% (n = 58) of patients reported symptoms, including fatigue, dyspnea, myalgia, alopecia, anxiety, memory loss, and depression. These data suggest that microbiota modulation may represent a target for recovery from acute COVID-19 and a therapeutic approach for post-COVID-19 sequelae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

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16 pages, 394 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Problems of Students during Distance Learning in Central and Eastern Europe: A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland and Ukraine

by Piotr Długosz, Damian Liszka, Anastasiia Bastrakova and Luydmila Yuzva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10074; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191610074 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1656

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the functioning of society. Issues of deteriorating health were among the main problems resulting from restrictions such as self-isolation, social distancing, and remote education. The aim of this research was to attempt to probe the psychophysical condition of students after more than a year of remote education. The survey method (CAPI) was used to collect the data on a representative sample of 1000 students in Poland and 1022 in Ukraine. The research sample was selected in a randomly stratified manner, taking into account such characteristics as: gender, age, and place of residence. The results of the research showed that 44% of Polish and 50% of Ukrainian students experienced health problems. The burden of remote education mainly contributed to the reduction of physical fitness. Young Poles more often paid attention to the deterioration of mental well-being, and Ukrainians to the deterioration of their physical condition. Based on the conducted analyses, it was also established that health problems appeared more often among the females, students with lower social support and with lower trust levels. The main risk factors were Internet addiction, secondary effects of the pandemic, and negative remote education experiences. Research has shown that remote education and problems that arise in students’ households during the pandemic may have significantly contributed to the deterioration of their psychophysical condition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

13 pages, 369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sociodemographic and Psychological Variables and Concerns Related to COVID-19 Vaccination among Polish Citizens

by Estera Twardowska-Staszek, Irmina Rostek and Krzysztof Biel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9507; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19159507 - 02 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1224

Abstract

The aim of this study performed during the fourth wave of the pandemic was to analyse differences in sociodemographic and psychological variables between those who cite concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccination and those who do not, as well as the differences between those whose concerns stem from a negative evaluation of vaccines and those whose concerns are based on a positive evaluation of vaccines. The study included 417 participants aged 18 to 76 years (M = 34, SD = 13.9). Among the respondents, 89% were female. A survey questionnaire on sociodemographic variables and standardized research tools were used: mood (UMACL), emotions (PANAS), satisfaction with life (SWLS), optimism (LOT-R), and coping with stress (CISS). The results of the study indicate that the elderly and working people are concerned about inadequate vaccination of the population, whereas students are concerned about the pressure of compulsory vaccination. People who are concerned about inadequate vaccination of population are more likely to experience concerns about various stressors. Our results do not indicate a relationship between psychological variables and vaccination-related concerns. The results obtained may be the basis for the identification of target groups in order to adapt social campaigns promoting vaccination against COVID-19 in Poland. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

10 pages, 520 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Pavia, Northern Italy

by Pietro Perotti, Paola Bertuccio, Stefano Cacitti, Silvia Deandrea, Lorenza Boschetti, Simona Dalle Carbonare, Stefano Marguati, Simona Migliazza, Eleonora Porzio, Simona Riboli, Ennio Cadum, Lorella Cecconami and Anna Odone

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(11), 6498; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19116498 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1571

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unfavorable impact on overall mortality in Italy, with the strongest consequences in northern Italy. Scant data are available on cause-specific mortality. This study aims at investigating the impact of the pandemic on the overall and cause-specific mortality in one province in northern Italy, Pavia. We linked individual-level administrative data (i.e., death certification and population data) from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in Pavia province between 2015 and 2020. We computed age-standardized mortality rates (Italian population 2011) by cause, sex, and calendar year, and computed the rate ratio and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals to compare rates in 2020 versus 2015–2019. The 2020 excess total mortality in Pavia was 24% in men and 25% in women, reaching rates of 1272.6/100,000 and 1304.4/100,000, respectively. Significant excesses were found for infectious and parasitic diseases, excluding COVID-19 (about +30% in both sexes); respiratory system diseases (44% in men; 30% in women); and dementia and Alzheimer’s disease among men (24%). Reductions were reported for neoplasms (−14% in men); cerebrovascular diseases (−25% in men); and ischemic diseases (−13% in women), but also for transport accidents in men. COVID-19 was the third cause of death in both sexes with rates of 274.9/100,000 men (859 total deaths) and 213.9/100,000 women (758 total deaths). Excess mortality in Pavia was higher than Italy but lower than Lombardy. Increases in mortality from causes related to infectious and respiratory diseases can likely be explained by underdiagnosed deaths from COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Human Health: State of the Art and Perspectives for a Post Pandemic Period)

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