1. Adaptation Strategies of Small Farms in Short Food Supply Chains during the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Crisis : A Case Study from the Czech RepublicEliška Svobodová, Kristina Somerlíková, Ivo Zdráhal, Libor Grega, 2015, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: The Short Food Supply Chain (SFSC) strategy offers an alternative to conventional (long) food supply chains. It can be an effective strategy for small farmers to establish closer connections with consumers. This closer proximity to consumers allows for faster strategic decision-making and actions on consumer needs. SFSCs are also praised for their contribution to sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. The policies of the European Union also endorse the SFSC model. Small farms constitute a significant share of the total number of farms in the Czech Republic and play important social roles in rural areas. In 2020, the Czech Republic had a total of 28,910 farms, comprising 16,000 farms (55.3%) with an area of less than 20 hectares. The pandemic and subsequent postpandemic crisis affected the entire Czech economy and firms in all sectors. Farmers in SFSCs had to find ways to deal with such a disruptive event. The article aims to evaluate farmers' perceptions of the impact of the pandemic and post-pandemic crisis on the functioning of SFSCs and their impact on farming operations, as well as to discuss the adaptation strategies of small farms in SFSCs in the Czech Republic during the recent crisis period. The article answers two questions: 1) How did the pandemic and post-pandemic crisis affect the functioning of SFSCs and farming operations in the Czech Republic? and 2) What adaptation strategies did small farms in SFSCs in the Czech Republic use during the pandemic and post-pandemic crisis? The data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 73 small farmers involved in SFSCs in the Czech Republic during the years 2024 and 2025 and were analysed using statistical methods. Results indicate that, despite farmers’ perception of the impact of the crisis on their farming operations, their perception was rather negative. In the case of the functioning of SFSCs during the crisis period, their perception was slightly more positive than negative. The reason is that farmers in SFSC often implemented strategies to cope with the situation, e.g. by improving their online sales, e-shops, and social media presence. We argue that changes in marketing practices during the crisis period will enable farmers to improve their SFSC operations in the future.
Keywords: agriculture, pandemic and post-pandemic crisis, short food supply chain, Czech Republic
Published in RUP: 04.03.2026; Views: 88; Downloads: 3
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2. Qualitative content analysis of COVID-19’s role in suicide attempts leading to hospital careMartina Mravlja, Anthony Pisani R., Annamarie Bailey, Nicola Meda, Alexandre Paim-Diaz, Kristina Zurich, Kenneth Conner, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide risk has been documented during the acute phase, but less is known about people who attempted suicide during the post-acute period. This study investigates how adults who attempted suicide during the post-acute pandemic period (2021–2023) understood COVID-19’s role in their attempt. Method: We analyzed interview data from 329 adults (59% female; 41% male), enrolled following a recent suicide attempt between 2021 and 2023. Participants were asked about the general impact of COVID-19 on their lives and then specifically about whether stress related to COVID-19 was a primary reason for their attempt or contributed to their suicidal thoughts. Results: When asked about their recent attempt, 11% of participants identified stress related to COVID-19 as the primary reason for their attempt, and an additional 23% indicated it contributed to their suicidal thoughts. When describing general impacts, participants reported effects across multiple domains: social isolation, physical health concerns, mental health impacts, and economic effects. Discussion: The attribution of suicide attempts to COVID-19-related stress during the post-acute period highlights the extended impact of public health crises on vulnerable individuals. These findings emphasize the need for sustained, integrated medical and mental healthcare following such crises.
Keywords: suicide, COVID-19, pandemic mental health, loneliness, isolation, healthcare, stress, prevention
Published in RUP: 17.12.2025; Views: 318; Downloads: 5
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3. Collaborative outcomes study on health and functioning during infection times (COH-FIT) : global and risk-group stratified course of well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescentsMarco Solmi, Trevor Thompson, Samuele Cortese, Andrés Estradé, Agorastos Agorastos, Joaquim Radua, Elena Dragioti, Davy Vancampfort, Lau Caspar Thygesen, Harald Aschauer, Diego De Leo, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Objective: To identify the COVID-19 impact on well-being/mental health, coping strategies and risk factors in adolescent worldwide. Method: Anonymous online multi-national/language survey in the general population (representative/weighted non-representative samples, 14-17years), measuring change in well-being (WHO-5/range=0-100) and psychopathology (validated composite P-score/range=0-100), WHO-5 <50 and <29, pre- versus during COVID-19 pandemic (26/04/2020-26/06/2022). Coping strategies, nine a-priori defined individual/cumulative risk factors were measured. χ2, penalized cubic splines, linear regression, and correlation analyses were conducted. Results: Analyzing 8,115 of 8,762 initiated surveys (representative=75.1%), the pre-pandemic WHO-5 and P-score remained stable during the study (excluding relevant recall bias/drift), but worsened intra-pandemic by 5.55±17.13 (standard deviation) and 6.74±16.06 points, respectively (effect size d=0.27 and d=0.28). The proportion of adolescents with WHO-5 scores suggesting depression screening (<50) and major depression (<29) increased from 9% to 17% and 2% to 6%. WHO-5 worsened (descending magnitude, with cumulative effect) in adolescents with a mental or physical disorder, female gender, and with school closure. Results were similar for P-score, with the exception of school closure (not significant) and living in a low-income country, as well as not living in a large city (significant). Changes were significantly but minimally related to COVID-19 deaths/restrictions, returning to near-pre-pandemic values after >2 years. The three most subjectively effective coping strategies were internet use, exercise/walking, and social contacts. Conclusion: Overall, well-being/mental health worsened (small effect sizes) during early stages of COVID-19, especially in vulnerable subpopulations. Identified at-risk groups, association with pandemic-related measures, and coping strategies can inform individual behaviours and global public health strategies.
Keywords: Covid-19, pandemic, survey, WHO-5, P-factor, well-being, mental health, psychiatry, adolescents
Published in RUP: 12.09.2025; Views: 477; Downloads: 4
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4. THE RELIGIOUS AND MENTAL HEALTH DETERMINANTS OF THE COVID-19’S FEAR IN THE CEE COUNTRIESSerban Olah, Katarzyna Bałandynowicz-Panfil, Janez Štebe, Mojca Šoštarič Zvonar, Ana Slavec, Adrienn Kaszás, Győző Pék, Małgorzata Łosiewicz, Magdalena Iwanowska, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: The research analyses the relationship between fear and religiosity, particularly focusing on religious habits and intrinsic religiosity in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. A total number of 2212 questionnaires have been collected in Romania, Poland, Slovenia and Hungary in 2021 on the non-vaccinated population. The questionnaire covers topics such as vaccination, religiosity and socio-demographics, and includes the DASS 21 psychological scale, which measures depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. Furthermore, the questionnaire incorporated a specific question regarding the fear of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The findings show that the intrinsic religiosity, age, stress, anxiety and exposure to the news from the traditional media or to the information coming from professional sources seem to increase the degree of fear during the pandemic context. The study yields significant implications for understanding the complex interplay of factors shaping the vaccination attitudes of this group, as well as how they obtain information. This may contribute to developing more effective communication channels for people with passive strategies for coping with fear and anxiety. The need to seek information in times of uncertainty and attitudes that indicate a higher level of intimate religiosity can be leveraged to build more effective coping strategies for unexpected external events or situations that cause fear and anxiety. This is important in light of the ongoing development of Central and Eastern European countries and their specific social and economic background.
Keywords: religiosity, pandemic, DASS 21, socio-economic, conditions
Published in RUP: 23.04.2024; Views: 4381; Downloads: 53
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