{"title":"White Reprieves and Black Rage: The Augmentation of Educational Policy and Racial Protests in the Era of COVID-19.","authors":"Brandon Isome","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>COVID-19 imploded the notion of educational equity, as school closures forced educational institutions to grapple with the equity of specific policies, subsequently reigniting a national and international discourse on systemic racism. Because of the uncertainty and debilitating impact of COVID-19 on schools, testing facilities, students, and the American economy, educational institutions temporarily suspended, staunch rules and institutional norms. Entry and exit exams that would otherwise serve as systemic barricades, historically precluding Black Americans from gaining entrance into the bastions of white privilege, became subject to white reprieves.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"98-108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416245/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145030751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparative Analysis of COVID-19 Gene Target Dropout/Failure Results using Thermofisher TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit and Nextstrain CoVariants Genomic Databases.","authors":"Cheryl Davis, Shushawna DeOliveira, Adiebonye Jumbo","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>COVID-19 variants continue to infect thousands of people even though the end of the pandemic was announced on May 11, 2023. Nextstrain CoVariants (CoVariants) genomic databases provide detailed information about more than 31 variants of COVID-19 viruses that have been identified through genomic sequencing, showing the mutations they carry. Mutated viruses may yield a negative result for a gene target using a PCR test that has a positive COVID-19 test result. This negative gene target result is known as gene target dropout/failure, not a negative COVID-19 test result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and CoVariants utilize gene target dropout/failure as a Variant of Concern (VOC) screening method until the genomic sequencing is performed. The Thermofisher TaqPath COVID-19 Combo kit (TaqPath), a real-time RT-PCR test, detects COVID-19 nucleic acids in respiratory specimens. TaqPath PCR COVID-19 target profile data was retrieved from the Tuskegee Health Disparities Diagnostic Center COVID-19 clinical laboratory. The results revealed an association between the TaqPath results date tested and CoVariants tracking announced and end dates for S gene target dropout/failure (SGTF). This study highlights the usefulness of TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit gene target profiles in monitoring and mitigating the spread of emerging COVID-19 variants, without genomic sequencing.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"62-72"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416243/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Augustin Hodge, Linda S Behar-Horenstein, Chu Chu Onwuachi-Saunders, Bianca Alcena, Terrilyn Lynum-Williams
{"title":"Developing an Ethical/Social Justice Surveillance System (ESJSS): A Methodological Framework.","authors":"David Augustin Hodge, Linda S Behar-Horenstein, Chu Chu Onwuachi-Saunders, Bianca Alcena, Terrilyn Lynum-Williams","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Efforts to reduce the unequal impacts and generations of systemic disadvantage and inequality in healthcare for black and brown communities became amplified and were made more urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, public health surveillance systems have been challenged to address the vulnerabilities that residents within these environments and experiences. This paper describes the methodology used to develop a public health ethics and bioethics surveillance system grounded in empathy and care ethics. This surveillance system was designed to assess the prevalence of ethical and social justice violations relative to the COVID-19 vaccines administration. The authors describe the methods used to establish content validity of the questionnaire, evaluate the data, and compare three ethical theories (i.e., deontology, utilitarianism, and care ethics) that would best undergird public health ethics to increase health equity.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"193-211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416231/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Local Responses to COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Community-based Organizations in Majority-Black Neighborhoods and Immigrant Enclaves, A Case Study of Atlanta, Georgia.","authors":"Davis Schultz","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper will present a case study of local responses to the epidemic in immigrant enclaves and majority-black neighborhoods in Atlanta, Georgia. The COVID-19 health crisis presents an unprecedented challenge for many black and brown communities in the United States which may be particularly vulnerable to the contagion because of higher rates of certain pre-existing conditions like heart disease, lack of access to adequate healthcare services, and financial pressures to continue working despite increasingly risky conditions. In the American South where burgeoning ethnic enclaves, well-establish majority-black neighborhoods, and affluent suburbs exist side by side with vastly different healthcare concerns, disorganized governmental responses to the COVID-19 epidemic highlight the importance of efforts by CBOs (i.e. advocacy groups, neighborhood associations) to address the localized impacts of the virus. As an emerging immigrant gateway with a history of racial tension and inequality, Atlanta is a prime location to analyze the mediating role of community-based organizations in addressing health crises in communities of color in the New South. This study will examine CBOs in two prominent immigrant enclaves, Clarkston and the Buford Highway Corridor, as well as two majority-black localities, Stone Mountain and the city of Atlanta's West Side. My analysis of Atlanta CBOs' responses to the COVID crisis will focus on their efforts to disseminate public health information, provide resources and services addressing COVID externalities, and utilize social media platforms to engage with community members online.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"126-136"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416241/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ethics of Empathy and Care in Post-COVID Vision Loss: The Case of Dr. Ebony Michelle Collins.","authors":"David Augustin Hodge, Ebony Michelle Collins","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In 2022, Dr. Ebony Michelle Collins-a scholar, author, and vision-health advocate-suffered sudden bilateral retinal detachment and blindness following a COVID-19 infection, despite no prior history of ocular disease. Her story reveals a largely overlooked consequence of the pandemic: the potential for serious neurological and ocular complications. This paper uses narrative ethics, supported by virtue ethics, to explore the personal and ethical dimensions of COVID-19-induced neurological impairment. Narrative ethics centers patient stories to humanize clinical data, while virtue ethics emphasizes empathy and compassion in care. Dr. Collins' experience underscores the urgent need for greater awareness and research into the neurological and ocular effects of COVID-19, particularly retinal conditions such as hemorrhaging, vascular occlusion, and detachment. Her case calls for an ethically grounded, patient-centered approach in both research and clinical practice to better address the long-term consequences of the pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"212-219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416250/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"COVID-19 and the moral failure to protect the most vulnerable.","authors":"Dennis R Cooley","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The USA's COVID-19 pandemic experience is an example of privileged thinking that what generally works for those in power ought to be the standard for what makes medical interventions, research, treatments, and policy ethical. As a result of not focusing on doing whatever was required for vulnerable or susceptible populations or their members to achieve their health and flourishing, there are a disproportionate numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Black, Hispanic, and indigenous communities. Future studies will likely show even more harm and larger health failure than known of now. Instead of using the language of privilege and power in their thinking, public health organizations should focus far more on the language of diversity and meaningful inclusion. If we truly are interested in the vulnerable and susceptible communities flourishing as individuals and populations within our society, as well as the society's flourishing, then those terms have to be defined in the language of the vulnerable and susceptible. It is only by using this approach that we can make pragmatic plans that work to the advantage of those who are vulnerable or susceptible.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"137-148"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416242/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"COVID-19 Through a Student's Eyes: Jonathan Hodge's Testimony.","authors":"Jonathan David Hodge","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Jonathan David Hodge recounts his personal experience of living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a high school student. Isolated from friends due to school closures, he describes the toll the pandemic took on his social and mental well-being. After contracting the virus during a trip to Florida, he faced both the physical challenges of recovery and the emotional difficulty of quarantine. Despite these hardships, Hodge reflects on the lessons learned, including resilience in the face of adversity and the importance of maintaining connections with loved ones. His testimony provides a unique perspective on how the pandemic affected young people during a crucial stage of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"228-229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416239/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Juanderful: The Life, Resilience, and Legacy of Juan Alan Christian.","authors":"Monica Beamer","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Juan Alan Christian was a resilient man-a beautiful soul. He was a breath of fresh air. And no one who knew him would have guessed he was fighting for his life. A gay man who grew up in a traditional community where being gay was something to hide, he conformed to societal norms. He was happy. He was funny-gregarious. Dapper. Juan's love of fashion and attention to detail were definitional. He was truly a fashion icon in his own right. Perhaps, those were the characteristics of a gay man-stereotypically-but he dated women. He followed church teachings, family expectations, and societal mores. They said, \"No. You must love the way we want you to.\" And he tried. The ladies loved him. But he hid who he was. When he finally allowed himself to be himself, he eventually met a man who made him a statistic. Juan contracted the human immunodeficiency virus.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416230/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Personal Account of COVID-19: A Family's Struggle and Resilience.","authors":"Sonia Sweat","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This personal narrative recounts the experience of a nursing student, Sonia Sweat, and her family as they battled COVID-19 in 2020. After Sonia fell ill, her husband Jason followed suit, and his condition quickly deteriorated. Despite her efforts to care for him at home, Jason was eventually hospitalized and placed in the ICU, battling severe complications. Sonia details the emotional turmoil, the challenges of navigating a health system during a pandemic, and the anxiety of being separated from her husband due to strict quarantine protocols. Her story highlights the personal impact of COVID-19 and the strength of families facing such life-threatening challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"226-227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416240/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"THE FORMATION OF THE MACON COMMUNITY PARTNERS TASKFORCE: Fighting the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Alabama Black Belt Region.","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This commentary examines the formation and impact of the Macon County Community Partners Taskforce, which was established to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama's Black Belt region. Faced with limited healthcare infrastructure, the Taskforce, a collaboration between local organizations, community leaders, and Tuskegee University, addressed the severe vulnerabilities exposed by the pandemic. The Taskforce focused on public health policy, resource management, and communication, and successfully mobilized testing, PPE distribution, and community support. The partnership set a precedent for sustainable collaboration between universities and communities, fostering resilience against ongoing health disparities in rural, underserved areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":73773,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities","volume":"14 1","pages":"171-179"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416236/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145031311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}