Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40238418›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Trends in the Use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic, February 2021 to December 2023: A Mixed Methods Study.

Nicole M Robertson, Kailey Fischer, Iris Gutmanis, Veronica Zhu, Ccs-Working Group, Brenda L Coleman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nicole M RobertsonSinai Health, 600 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2962-7619
Kailey FischerSinai Health, 600 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.ORCID 0009-0009-8984-9177
Iris GutmanisSinai Health, 600 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.
Veronica ZhuSinai Health, 600 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.ORCID 0009-0000-0569-9891
Ccs-Working Group
Brenda L ColemanSinai Health, 600 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-7144-4827

Funding

CIHR 181116Public Health Agency of Canada 2021-HQ-000149
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) was imperative to avoid prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand the levels of adherence to and attitudes towards NPIs from February 2021 to December 2023 in schools in Ontario, Canada. Participants reported how frequently they, their coworkers, and their students used five NPIs: hand hygiene, covering coughs, staying home when ill, wearing a mask, and physically distancing. Open text comments provided participants with the option to provide additional details. Our mixed methods approach incorporated a series of descriptive statistics calculated at consecutive time points and thematic analysis. Participants reported higher adherence to NPIs than their coworkers and students, with less than perfect adherence that declined over time. Six themes emerged from the qualitative analysis on NPI use in schools: (1) the influence of time; (2) managing competing priorities; (3) a lack of enabling factors; (4) a lack of reinforcing factors; (5) the responsive use of NPIs; and (6) an emotional toll. To reduce the transmission of future communicable diseases and resultant staff and student sick days, ongoing commitment to hand hygiene, covering coughs, and staying home when ill is required.

Indexed as

COVID-19SchoolsAdolescentChildFemaleHand HygieneHumansMaleMasksOntarioPhysical DistancingSARS-CoV-2StudentsCOVID-19education workerhand hygienemaskingmixed methodsnon-pharmaceutical interventions

Identifiers

PMID40238418
PMCPMC11942009

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.