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Book part
Publication date: 9 November 2006

Paul J. Edelson

With the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and on-going concerns about influenza and the use of pathogenic organisms as weapons, the management of…

Abstract

With the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and on-going concerns about influenza and the use of pathogenic organisms as weapons, the management of outbreaks of contagious diseases has recently taken on a new urgency (Barbera et al., 2001). However, the public health law concerning disease outbreaks is still based on the perspectives, and often the words, of the early twentieth century, when most public officials saw little option but to take a very authoritarian approach to the protection of the public's health. Over the past 40 years, the jurisprudence of involuntary non-criminal incarceration, for example for the treatment of tuberculosis or as a result of mental disease, has changed dramatically, as basic concepts of due process have been incorporated into the process of civil commitment (Gostin, Burris, & Lazzarini, 1999). There is, therefore, a pressing need to rethink the approaches traditionally taken to the control of infectious disease outbreaks to address this gap between the old assumptions of plenary power to act in the public's interests and the rights of individuals threatened with state actions (Davis & Kumar, 2003). It is a canard sometimes used to justify authoritarian actions that the public responds to emergencies by losing control and panicking; indeed it is the consensus of social scientists that people in emergency situations tend to be more cooperative and more generous toward others than they may normally be (Smith, 2001; Clarke, 2002). If anything, it is my reading of such experiences as the bomb attacks on London during World War II (Harrisson, 1989) that it is the poorly prepared and under-supported public officials who are most likely to act in unproductive and socially divisive ways during public emergencies.

Details

Ethics and Epidemics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-412-6

Book part
Publication date: 9 November 2006

Nola M. Ries

The 2003 global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was an abrupt reminder that infectious diseases pose a continuing threat to human health. In 1967, U.S…

Abstract

The 2003 global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was an abrupt reminder that infectious diseases pose a continuing threat to human health. In 1967, U.S. Surgeon General William H. Stewart declared “it was time to close the book on infectious diseases” (Garrett, 1994, citing W.H. Stewart, “A Mandate for State Action,” presented at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers, Washington, DC, December 4, 1967). In the latter half of the twentieth century, many shared this bold view that medical science had vanquished infectious disease. As a result, public health struggled to remain relevant in the face of advances in pharmaceuticals, surgery, genetics and other areas that were becoming increasingly dominant in the quest to extend and enhance human life. SARS forced many to rethink the significance of public health and the crisis, though relatively short-lived, (for commentary on the disparities between the responses to HIV and SARS, see e.g. Altman (2003)) underscored the need to rebuild public health capacity that had been allowed to slip down the health system priority list.

Details

Ethics and Epidemics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-412-6

Article
Publication date: 12 July 2022

Mansoureh Yari Eili and Jalal Rezaeenour

The feasibility of process mining combined with simulation techniques in estimating the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention strategies on infection and mortality trends to…

Abstract

Purpose

The feasibility of process mining combined with simulation techniques in estimating the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention strategies on infection and mortality trends to determine best practices is assessed in this study. The quarantine event log is built from the CUSP (the COVID-19 US State Policy) database, where the dates of implemented social policies in the USA to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are documented.

Design/methodology/approach

COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease leading to a very high death toll worldwide. In most countries, the governments have resorted to a series of drastic strategies to prevent the outbreak by restricting the activities and movement among their population for a predefined time. Heretofore, different approaches have been published to estimate quarantine strategies and the majority signify the positive effect on managing this pandemic. Notably, the process perspective of COVID-19 datasets is of less concern among researchers. The purpose of this paper is to exploit the process mining techniques to model and analyze the quarantine implementation processes.

Findings

The discovered process model has 51 process variants for 51 cases (states), which indicate the quarantine activities were executed in different orders and periods during the pandemic. The time interval analysis between activities reveals the states with the most extended quarantine periods. These primary process mining insights are applied to define scenarios and variables of an agent-based model. The simulation findings indicate a meaningful relation between enforcing quarantine strategies and a declining trend of infection by 90% in the case of following strict quarantine and mask mandates. It is observed that in the post-quarantine period, the disease repeats its ascending trend unless implementation of different intervention strategies likes vaccination.

Originality/value

This study is the first in introducing process mining techniques in analyzing the COVID-19 quarantine strategies impact. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to proper control strategies and the process mining research community in expanding more process-related analysis on this pandemic. Also, the results have broad implications for research in other fields like information science to estimate the impact of quarantine strategies on process patterns in library systems.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2022

Saqib Amin, Waqas Mehmood, Attia Aman-Ullah and Mujahid Ameen Khan

This study aims to measure whether admittance in the quarantine ward due to COVID-19 can affect one’s mental health. Nowadays, many countries worldwide are battling with the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to measure whether admittance in the quarantine ward due to COVID-19 can affect one’s mental health. Nowadays, many countries worldwide are battling with the threat of the COVID-19 contagion, and it is difficult to understand how the pandemic leaves psychological impacts on one’s well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used qualitative and quantitative approaches to assess the psychological impacts of quarantine due to COVID-19. Population of the present study were 250 patients who were admitted in quarantine centres of Pakistan. The data analysis was conducted through univariate analysis using (ANVOVA) software.

Findings

This study found that patients who were quarantined due to the COVID-19 infection displayed multiple psychological symptoms such as a lack of self-control, anxiety, low general health and vitality, depression and negative well-being.

Practical implications

There is an urgency to provide psychological treatments to each afflicted person and their family members to establish a healthy community.

Originality/value

This research investigates whether admittance in the quarantine ward due to COVID-19 can affect mental health in Pakistan.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 May 2021

Edmund Goh and Tom Baum

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a growing emergence of “quarantine hotels” that provide accommodation to guests who are mandated to self-isolate for 14 days upon entry to a country…

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Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a growing emergence of “quarantine hotels” that provide accommodation to guests who are mandated to self-isolate for 14 days upon entry to a country to prevent the spread of virus. Why are young hotel workers willing to endure relatively poor working conditions and expose themselves to dangerous COVID-19 workplace environments? Perhaps, the opportunity to participate in meaningful work is the prime motivator for hotel workers who choose to work in quarantine hotels. This study aims to investigate the motivations that young hotel employees hold towards working in a potentially dangerous hotel workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Using personal interviews, this research explored the antecedents behind Generation Z employees’ (n = 42) actual behaviour towards working in quarantine hotels through the lens of the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived difficulties and meaningful work).

Findings

Results revealed that meaningful work such as making the world safer and going beyond the call of duty was a key motivating factor behind a willingness to work in quarantine hotels. Hotel employees also viewed working in quarantine hotels as exciting but dangerous, and the support from their family nuclei was seen as a key underlying motivator.

Practical implications

The key implications are the image of the hospitality industry in terms of professional identity to be an industry that is respected by society given the high-risk work environment with increased exposure to COVID-19. Even though Generation Z still see some long-standing negatives in hotel work such as long hours and emotional challenge, it is positive to know that there are contexts in which they can have more pride and meaningfulness from their jobs.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to examine Generation Z hotel workers’ motivations to work in quarantine hotels. A key theoretical contribution to the body of knowledge is the extension of the TPB framework with the additional meaningful work variable.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 June 2020

Emanuel Fernando Samasseca Zeferino, Olasumbo Ayodeji Makinde, Khumbulani Mpofu, Boitumelo Innocent Ramatsetse and Ilesanmi Afolabi Daniyan

Selection of a suitable location for a quarantine infrastructure represents a complex decision problem, which requires a systematic appraisal of myriads of factors. Quarantine

Abstract

Purpose

Selection of a suitable location for a quarantine infrastructure represents a complex decision problem, which requires a systematic appraisal of myriads of factors. Quarantine facility in this study is a facility that intends to harbour and treat individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 to prevent the widespread of the virus. COVID-19 is a very contagious pandemic disease, hence, the establishment of critical factors that will embrace the selection of a suitable quarantine facility is of high importance. This paper aims to ascertain the vital few factors that must be considered by decision makers in selecting a suitable quarantine facility.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of this study was achieved through the numerical assessment of identified quarantine location selection factors using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and Pareto techniques. The factors, which influences the selection of a suitable quarantine facility for COVID-19 patients were first identified from the literature followed by the pairwise comparison of the factors and random consistency analyses, as well as the ranking of the alternatives based on facility location experts’ opinions.

Findings

The study revealed that security, skills availability, cost, readiness, proximity to necessary medical facilities and distance to border, with percentage weight scores of 18%, 16.7%, 15.6%, 10.3%, 9.8% and 6.6% were the critical factors that must be considered during the selection of a quarantine facility for COVID-19 patients.

Practical implications

The results of this paper will help the government and decision makers in locating the quarantine sites for people who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Originality/value

The present study focuses on the application of the decision technique to ascertain critical factors that embrace suitable quarantine facility selection. Combination of AHP and Pareto techniques for prioritization of conflicting factors to be considered in selecting the most suitable location for a quarantine facility has not been reported by existing literature.

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2021

Claire Seungeun Lee

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was documented in China, and the virus was soon to be introduced to its neighboring country – South Korea. South Korea, one…

809

Abstract

Purpose

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was documented in China, and the virus was soon to be introduced to its neighboring country – South Korea. South Korea, one of the earliest countries to initiate a national pandemic response to COVID-19 with fairly substantial measures at the individual, societal and governmental level, is an interesting example of a rapid response by the Global South. The current study examines contact tracing mobile applications (hereafter, contact tracing apps) for those who were subject to self-quarantine through the lenses of dataveillance and datafication. This paper analyzes online/digital data from those who were mandatorily self-quarantined by the Korean government largely due to returning from overseas travel.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an Internet ethnography approach to collect and analyze data. To extract data for this study, self-quarantined Korean individuals' blog entries were collected and verified with a combination of crawling and manual checking. Content analysis was performed with the codes and themes that emerged. In the COVID-19 pandemic era, this method is particularly useful to gain access to those who are affected by the situation. This approach advances the author’s understandings of COVID-19 contact tracing mobile apps and the experiences of self-quarantined people who use them.

Findings

The paper shows Korean citizens' understandings and views of using the COVID-19 self-tracing application in South Korea through examining their experiences. The research argues that the application functions as a datafication tool that collects the self-quarantined people's information and performs dataveillance on the self-quarantined people. This research further offers insights for various agreements/disagreements at different actors (i.e. the self-quarantined, their families, contact tracers/government officials) in the process of contact tracing for COVID-19.

Originality/value

This study also provides insights into the implications of information and technology as they affect datafication and dataveillance conducted on the public. This study investigates an ongoing debate of COVID-19's contact tracing method concerning privacy and builds upon an emerging body of literature on datafication, dataveillance, social control and digital sociology.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-08-2020-0377

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 45 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2021

Miju Choi and Youngjoon Choi

This study aims to adopt Carroll’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework as a theoretical lens for examining employee perspectives on South Korean hotels…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to adopt Carroll’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework as a theoretical lens for examining employee perspectives on South Korean hotels operating as quarantine facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a qualitative approach consisting of the following components: in-depth interviews with employees and stakeholders of quarantine hotels, including frontline staff, government officials and medical staff, field observations and data from one researcher’s direct experience in a quarantined hotel.

Findings

Six themes regarding the experience of operating quarantine hotels emerged from the in-depth interviews and field observations. The findings also showed an interplay between the hotel employees’ perspectives, the four components of the CSR pyramid and the benefits and costs to hotels operating as quarantine facilities.

Research limitations/implications

This study focusses on the particular case of quarantine hotels in South Korea, and therefore caution is required in generalising the findings.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that strategic partnerships can help to protect local communities whilst alleviating the hotel industry’s financial difficulties. They also explore an opportunity for business revitalisation in the midst of a global pandemic.

Originality/value

This study finds that the voluntary decision of hotels to operate as coronavirus quarantine facilities is aligned with CSR because its ultimate aim is to protect the community from the risk of coronavirus from overseas arrivals. This study broadens the CSR literature in the fields of COVID-19 and hospitality.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 January 2021

Luz Suplico-Jeong, Reynaldo Altillo Bautista Jr, Nelson Borrega Guillen Jr and Noel Sajid Murad

Iloilo province was singled out as a model province in the Philippines because of its ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the factors that…

Abstract

Purpose

Iloilo province was singled out as a model province in the Philippines because of its ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the factors that influenced Iloilo residents' adherence to quarantine protocols.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 334 Iloilo residents joined the survey. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the results suggest a significant impact of attitude on adherence to quarantine protocols, while subjective norm, self-efficacy and controllability were not significant.

Findings

This study suggests that attitude predicts adherence to quarantine protocols. Further, the results showed that intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between (1) attitude and adherence to quarantine protocols and (2) subjective norm and adherence to quarantine protocols. This implies that intrinsic motivation such as staying alive can encourage a resident to adhere to quarantine protocols.

Research limitations/implications

Subsequent research should also consider how to mitigate the effects of similar public health crises in the future.

Practical implications

The study implies that intrinsic motivation such as staying alive can encourage a resident to follow quarantine protocol given this pandemic.

Social implications

Health campaigns can lead to a more favorable attitude toward quarantine protocols adherence. Given the value of subjective norm, campaigns can also frame quarantine protocols adherence as socially responsible behavior. This can be used to target provinces with the highest risk of infection within the population. These insights can be used by local government units (LGUs), media and other stakeholders to encourage residents to adhere to quarantine protocols.

Originality/value

This study provides insights that can be used by the LGUs, media and other stakeholders to encourage residents to follow quarantine protocols.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 June 2020

Johnson Okoro, Tobechukwu Odionye, Benedicta Nweze, Martins Onuoha, Chinenye Ezeonwuka, Jude Owoh and Joel Nkire

This was a cross-sectional study to assess the psychological response to quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic and knowledge level about the disease among inmates of a Custodial…

Abstract

This was a cross-sectional study to assess the psychological response to quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic and knowledge level about the disease among inmates of a Custodial Center in Enugu, Nigeria. A total of 66 new prison inmates were assessed for psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10); and inmates’ knowledge about COVID-19 using a COVID-19 Knowledge Questionnaire developed by the researchers.

Participants had a mean age of 28.39±8.71 years; 63 (95.5%) were male inmates and 3 (4.5%) were female inmates. Sixty-one (92.4%) were awaiting-trial inmates, 43 (65.1%) had psychological distress, and 35 (53%) had completed at least secondary school. COVID-19 questionnaire mean score was 3.82±3.33. Thirty-one (21.8%) had adequate knowledge of COVID-19 (7-10 score), while 35 (53%) and 10 (15.2%) had poor (0-3) and average (4-6) knowledge, respectively. Adequate COVID-19 knowledge level was significantly higher among those that completed at least secondary school (48.6%) than those who did not (12.9%). Though not statistically significant, adequate COVID-19 knowledge level was commoner among those without psychological distress (43.5%) than those with psychological distress (25.6%).

Considering responses to specific questions contained in the questionnaire, knowledge about some questions was relatively high. For example, a majority of the participants 45 (68.2%) correctly responded that death can be a complication of COVID-19; whereas half of them 33 (50%) correctly responded that regular hand washing with soap and water can help prevent the spread of the disease. Nevertheless, responses to some questions showed poor knowledge about the disease as 18 (27.3%) correctly answered that COVID-19 can affect the lungs, while 20 (30.3%) correctly responded that COVID-19 is caused by a virus.

Our study highlighted the need to have all quarantined persons educated about the disease for which they are being quarantined. It also provided the opportunity to raise awareness of COVD-19 among the inmates.

Details

Emerald Open Research, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3952

Keywords

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