Ways of Coping
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The COVID-19 Impact Survey: A Comparison of Louisiana Head Start Teachers to a Louisiana Sample View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Michelle Yetman, Adam Blancher
Existing research has demonstrated that the COVID-19 virus impacted minority communities at a disproportionate rate. This project is part of an on-going research project following Head Start teachers in the south. This group of minority women had previously been identified as having high stress levels and poor health outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to exam how the pandemic impacted this vulnerable group of women in comparison to both the national sample and their fellow citizens in Louisiana. Results show HS teachers reported high rates of COVID-19 infection, having fair to poor self-reported health status, experiencing higher rates of anxiety and were less likely to participate in digital forms of tracking. HS teachers also reported higher rates of economic stress and sought out unemployment insurance for a period of time.
Pets, Wellness, and COVID-19: An Autoethnography on the Subsistence of a Human with Cats and Dogs View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Daniel J.N. Weishut
This autoethnography, crossing the boundaries between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, describes how the furry friends of one single person affected his wellness and mental health. Empirical studies during COVID-19 showed that pets enhanced their humans' wellness and psychological health. However, human-animal interaction is highly complex because of significant variability in humans and animals and their interaction. Therefore, the literature suggests using qualitative methods to grasp subtle nuances in the human-animal interaction, and the present study is in line with this recommendation. I aimed to discover why the subsistence with cats and dogs makes me feel so good, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. For about two weeks, I browsed in my memory through an almost endless list of animal-related events that occurred between early 2020 and early 2022. Some were merely recollections, others I had written down in chat messages or emails to friends and family. Then, I looked for both recurring and exceptional events affecting my wellness and mental health. The findings show that the animals, though sometimes draining energy and causing pain, were crucial in stress relief and the prevention of depression through four beneficial aspects: a) Nurturing pets gave significance and meaning; b) Pets enhanced social contact; c) Pets were a source for collaborative physical activity, play, and fun; d) Pets provided an opportunity for intimacy and touch. The paper elaborates on these aspects in the context of COVID-19 and their implications.
