Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Orit Ben-Ari, Miriam Chasson, Salam Abu-Sharkia
Summary: The study examined childbirth anxieties of Jewish and Arab pregnant women in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arab women reported higher levels of COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety and fears of being infected and concern for the foetus. Poorer health, being an Arab woman, being in the third trimester, lower self-compassion, and higher COVID-19-related fears contributed significantly to greater COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety.
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joshua Guedalia, Michal Lipschuetz, Ronit Calderon-Margalit, Sarah M. Cohen, Debra Goldman-Wohl, Tali Kaminer, Eli Melul, Galit Shefer, Yishai Sompolinsky, Asnat Walfisch, Simcha Yagel, Ofer Beharier
Summary: An observational study in Israel found that a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy enhances protection against adverse COVID-19-related outcomes. The study analyzed the effectiveness of the third dose compared to the second dose in preventing COVID-19-related hospitalizations during two COVID-19 waves (Delta variant in the summer of 2021 and Omicron, BA.1, variant in the winter of 2022). The third dose was found to effectively prevent hospitalizations and enhance protection against significant disease.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Miriam Chasson, Orit Taubman-Ben-Ari, Salam Abu-Sharkia
Summary: This study investigated posttraumatic growth among Jewish and Arab pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that Arab women had higher levels of posttraumatic growth compared to Jewish women. Optimism, self-compassion, and COVID-19-related anxieties were found to be influential factors in posttraumatic growth.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA-THEORY RESEARCH PRACTICE AND POLICY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Zohar Oryan, Asia Avinir, Sigal Levy, Einat Kodesh, Odelia Elkana
Summary: The present study aimed to identify the protective and risk factors associated with psychological distress during COVID-19 in an Israeli sample. The results showed that depression and anxiety were significantly associated with emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, social support, life orientation, and gratitude. The levels of depression and anxiety were generally associated with gender, age, socioeconomic status, and the use of emotion-focused coping strategies.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gus A. Mayopoulos, Tsachi Ein-Dor, Kevin G. Li, Sabrina J. Chan, Sharon Dekel
Summary: This study found that pregnant and delivering women who were COVID-19 positive experienced acute trauma and more psychological distress after childbirth, including higher levels of pain during delivery, lower newborn weights, and more infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Xiaoling Yu, Kaitian Xiao, Junping Liu
Summary: This study constructed two pandemic anxiety indexes and examined the dynamic relationship between these indexes and stock markets in the BRICS and G7 countries. The findings showed that the anxiety indexes are volatile but have an overall decreasing trend, and the correlation between stock market returns and the epidemic anxiety indexes varies over time.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sharon Amit, Sharon Alexsandra Beni, Asaf Biber, Amir Grinberg, Eyal Leshem, Gili Regev-Yochay
Summary: Symptoms of COVID-19 can be mistaken for vaccine-related side effects, highlighting the importance of promptly testing for COVID-19 after vaccination. In a study of healthcare workers in Israel, a small percentage developed COVID-19 within 10 days of vaccination, emphasizing the need for vigilance in monitoring post-vaccination symptoms.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Virology
Tal Adar, May Davidof, Odelia Elkana
Summary: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between attachment style, social support, and psychological distress during the COVID-19 lockdown in Israel. The results showed that a secure attachment style serves as a protective factor against psychological distress, while an insecure attachment style is a risk factor. Additionally, social support played a central role in the association between attachment style and psychological distress.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Thomas S. Metkus, Lori J. Sokoll, Andreas S. Barth, Matthew J. Czarny, Allison G. Hays, Charles J. Lowenstein, Erin D. Michos, Eric P. Nolley, Wendy S. Post, Jon R. Resar, David R. Thiemann, Jeffrey C. Trost, Rani K. Hasan
Summary: The study found that over 50% of intubated patients with severe COVID-19 had myocardial injury, which was associated with a higher mortality rate. Myocardial injury in COVID-19 was closely related to baseline comorbidities, age, and multisystem organ dysfunction. Compared with ARDS patients without COVID-19, COVID-19 patients were older and had poorer cardiac function, but had a lower incidence of myocardial injury.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lyndsay A. Avalos, Nerissa Nance, Sylvia E. Badon, Kelly Young-Wolff, Jennifer Ames, Yeyi Zhu, Monique M. Hedderson, Assiamira Ferrara, Ousseny Zerbo, Mara Greenberg, Lisa A. Croen
Summary: This study investigates the association between COVID-19 pandemic-related health, healthcare, and economic factors during pregnancy and prenatal depression and anxiety. The findings suggest that factors such as COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, employment with greater risk of COVID-19, distress over changes in prenatal care, job loss, changes in childcare, and food insecurity are associated with higher odds of prenatal depression or anxiety. These results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic may have severe mental health repercussions for pregnant individuals.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Samira Alfayumi-Zeadna, Rena Bina, Drorit Levy, Rachel Merzbach, Atif Zeadna
Summary: This study assessed the prevalence of perinatal depression symptoms (PNDS) during the COVID-19 pandemic among Arab and Jewish women in Israel. It found that PNDS was more prevalent among Arab women compared to Jewish women. Higher levels of PNDS were associated with anxiety symptoms, stress related to COVID-19, adverse change in delivery of healthcare services, and unemployment.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Melissa Leach, Hayley MacGregor, Grace Akello, Lawrence Babawo, Moses Baluku, Alice Desclaux, Catherine Grant, Foday Kamara, Marion Nyakoi, Melissa Parker, Paul Richards, Esther Mokuwa, Bob Okello, Kelley Sams, Khoudia Sow
Summary: This article explores the socio-political contexts and intersections between supply and demand of vaccines in African settings, using a framework of "vaccine anxieties". By considering the socially-embedded reasons for people's desire or reluctance for COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the dynamics of vaccine supply, access, and distribution, the article provides new insights into debates about vaccine confidence and preparedness. It highlights the importance of understanding the African context and social situations that are often overlooked in vaccine discussions.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yinon M. Bar-On, Yair Goldberg, Micha Mandel, Omri Bodenheimer, Laurence Freedman, Nir Kalkstein, Barak Mizrahi, Sharon Alroy-Preis, Nachman Ash, Ron Milo, Amit Huppert
Summary: After receiving a third dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, Israeli residents aged 60 and above who had previously received two doses of the vaccine saw significantly lower rates of confirmed Covid-19 infection and severe illness compared to those who did not receive a booster shot, indicating the effectiveness of the booster dose in reducing infection and severe illness.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
D. Mevorach, E. Anis, N. Cedar, M. Bromberg, E. J. Haas, E. Nadir, S. Olsha-Castell, D. Arad, T. Hasin, N. Levi, R. Asleh, O. Amir, K. Meir, D. Cohen, R. Dichtiar, D. Novick, Y. Hershkovitz, R. Dagan, I Leitersdorf, R. Ben-Ami, I Miskin, W. Saliba, K. Muhsen, Y. Levi, M. S. Green, L. Keinan-Boker, S. Alroy-Preis
Summary: The incidence of myocarditis increased after receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine in Israel, particularly after the second dose among young male recipients. The clinical presentation of myocarditis after vaccination was usually mild.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Amanda Koire, Leena Mittal, Carmina Erdei, Cindy H. Liu
Summary: This study found that depressive symptoms in pregnant women were negatively associated with quality of maternal-fetal bonding, while higher levels of anxiety were positively associated with bonding. Past history of depression or generalized anxiety did not seem to be as relevant as current symptomatology. Maternal resilience, rather than distress tolerance, appeared to be a protective factor for bonding. Higher levels of worry regarding the impact of COVID-19 on health were significantly associated with improved bonding, while worries about the impact on pregnancy or resources were not significantly associated with bonding.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2021)