This study investigates the degree of news avoidance during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. Based on two panel surveys conducted in the period April–June 2020, this study shows that the increased presence of this behavior, can be explained by negative emotions and feelings the news causes by citizens. Moreover, news avoidance indeed has a positive effect on perceived well-being. These findings point to an acting balance for individual news consumers. In a pandemic such as Covid-19 news consumers need to be informed, but avoiding news is sometimes necessary to stay mentally healthy.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in December 2019 and the restrictive measures that were implemented to slow down the spread of the virus have had a significant impact on our way of life. The sudden shift from offline to online activities and work may have resulted in new cybersecurity risks. The present study therefore examined changes in the prevalence, nature and impact of cybercrime among Dutch citizens and SME owners, during the pandemic. Qualitative interviews with ten experts working at various public and private organizations in the Netherlands that have insights into cybercrime victimization and data from victim surveys administrated in 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. The results show that there was only a small, non-statistically significant increase in the prevalence of cybercrime during the pandemic among citizens and SME owners. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic did have an impact on the modus operandi of cybercriminals: victims indicated that a considerable proportion of the offenses was related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the case of online fraud. Moreover, the use of new applications and programs for work was associated with an increased risk of cybercrime victimization during the COVID-19 crisis. These results suggest that increases in rates of registered cybercrime that were found in previous studies might be the consequence of a reporting effect and that cybercriminals adapt their modus operandi to current societal developments.
Questions of ethics lie at the heart of government responses to Covid-19, professional reactions and citizens’ behaviour. Such questions include: Do we value health or the economy? Who gets the protective equipment, ventilators or food vouchers? Is combatting loneliness worth the risk of spreading or contracting the virus? During May 2020, a group of academics in partnership with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) launched a qualitative survey, asking for details of the ethical challenges faced by social workers during Covid-19. We identified six main themes: Creating and maintaining trusting, honest and empathic relationships via phone or internet with due regard to privacy and confidentiality, or in person with protective equipment. Prioritising service user needs and demands, which are greater and different due to the pandemic, when resources are stretched/unavailable and full assessments often impossible. Balancing service user rights, needs and risks against personal risk to social workers and others, in order to provide services as well as possible. Deciding whether to follow national and organisational policies, procedures or guidance (existing or new) or to use professional discretion in circumstances where the policies seem inappropriate, confused or lacking. Acknowledging and handling emotions, fatigue and the need for self-care, when working in unsafe and stressful circumstances. Using the lessons learned from working during the pandemic to rethink social work in the future.
A continuation and update of the first ALT-ER project, which produced an app for early-years students that allowed them to express their feelings and tell stories related to pro-social and important developmental themes. This follow-up project will expand the software and themes, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, to reflect a wider range of experiences for young people.
Due to the existing pressure for a more rational use of the water, many public managers and industries have to re-think/adapt their processes towards a more circular approach. Such pressure is even more critical in the Rio Doce region, Minas Gerais, due to the large environmental accident occurred in 2015. Cenibra (pulp mill) is an example of such industries due to the fact that it is situated in the river basin and that it has a water demanding process. The current proposal is meant as an academic and engineering study to propose possible solutions to decrease the total water consumption of the mill and, thus, decrease the total stress on the Rio Doce basin. The work will be divided in three working packages, namely: (i) evaluation (modelling) of the mill process and water balance (ii) application and operation of a pilot scale wastewater treatment plant (iii) analysis of the impacts caused by the improvement of the process. The second work package will also be conducted (in parallel) with a lab scale setup in The Netherlands to allow fast adjustments and broaden evaluation of the setup/process performance. The actions will focus on reducing the mill total water consumption in 20%.
De COVID-19-pandemie heeft het belang duidelijk gemaakt van continuïteit van zorgverlening binnen de GGZ. Online behandeling is een veelbelovende oplossing daarvoor. Vaktherapie is een vaak ingezette behandeling voor psychiatrische aandoeningen. Vaktherapie is ervaringsgericht en bestaat uit beeldende, dans-, drama-, muziek-, psychomotorische en/of speltherapie. Vaktherapie wordt tot dusverre nog niet online aangeboden. Virtual Reality (VR) is een innovatieve manier om vaktherapie online aan te bieden. Eerder is een innovatieve online vaktherapieruimte ontwikkeld, de VR Health Experience (VRhExp). Hierdoor konden cliënten online vanuit huis aan vaktherapie deelnemen. De VRhExp werd door vaktherapeuten als veelbelovend beschouwd. Tegelijkertijd gaven vaktherapeuten aan specifieke interventies te missen. Het ´ARts and psychomotoR Interventions for Virtual rEality (ARRIVE)´ project stelt zich ten doel om vaktherapeutische VR-interventies te ontwikkelen en te bouwen voor de VRhExp. Vervolgens worden de VR-interventies in pilots onderzocht. Dit wordt gedaan door IT-technici, vaktherapeuten en onderzoekers met behulp van de Design Thinking methode. De VR-interventies worden Open Access beschikbaar gesteld. Door het opnemen van VR-interventies in de VRhExp wordt deze daadwerkelijk bruikbaar voor het aanbieden van online vaktherapie. Dit praktijkonderzoek wordt uitgevoerd door de lectoraten ‘Vaktherapie bij Persoonlijkheidsstoornissen’ en ‘Innovatie in de Care’ van de Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen in samenwerking met twee vaktherapeutische praktijken (MKB) en GGNet (Centrum voor Geestelijke Gezondheid). De onderzoeksresultaten worden geïmplementeerd in het onderwijs en het werkveld.
