UCLouvain, IRSS 
" How the Covid-19 Pandemic changes the dynamics of meetings and organizations in the Health and Education Sectors? The containment measures deployed following the Covid-19 pandemic produced a partial, if not complete, shift to telework. In many sectors, virtual meetings are now at the heart of work organization and coordination. How do people feel about their virtual meetings? And what do virtual meetings say about our organizations ? To find an answer to these questions, we have distributed a survey within six Belgian universities (University Ghent, University Hasselt, VUB, UCLouvain, ULiège and ULB) and health care services and administrations. "
Funding: none
Publication References: https://www.lecho.be/opinions/carte-blanche/que-penser-des-reunions-virtuelles-qui-se-generalisent/10223471 https://uclouvain.be/fr/decouvrir/coronavirus-que-nous-apprend-la-pratique-des-reunions-virtuelles.html
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Comment: "Virtual Meetings in the...

Read more: Sophie Thunus, Professor

ULB, UCLouvain, UNamur - FNRS
" Since early March, we have monitored spatial features of the epidemic, and various possible spatial determinants of its progression, including demographic, socio-economic and environmental indicators. We are also investigating the predictive and explanatory value of various indicators of mobility. Since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic in Belgium, we observed strong spatial patterns in the disease case incidence. Before confinement measures came into effect mid-March, spatial predictors such as population density, as expected, were correlated to incidence. After the confinement came into effect, many such predictors no longer affected recorded incidence. We have assembled a rich database of demographic, socio-economic, and environmental indicators at the municipality level to identify spatial correlates of disease transmission. These are expected to differ pre- and through confinement, and to change further after confinement. We are also working...

Read more: Sophie Vanwambeke, Professor - Catherine Linard, Professor - Marius Gilbert, FNRS Senior Research...

UCLouvain, LouRIM
" WORKVID-19 - How does the permanent use of home-based teleworking affect work relationship? This research investigates the experience of permament teleworkers on (i) the organization of work at home (also in terms of spatiality), (ii) the managerial relationship, (iii) work-life balance and how this affects work organization. "
Funding: Self-funded
Contact: www.uclouvain.be

UCLouvain - FNRS
" Background Primary care is considered to be an essential component of the health system towards the Quadruple aim (improved health outcomes for people, care processes, efficiency and provider work life). In French-speaking Belgium Primary care is poorly structured. The current Covid-19 epidemic acts as a revealer for the strenghts and weaknesses of primary care. The main research question is: what can we learn about the structuration of primary care, its strenghts and weaknesses, in the context of the current epidemic? We use a qualitative research design. The investigated population si primary care providers (GPs, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists) who are representing their profession, while having a clinical activity. We hold weekly semi-structured interviews with 10 different profiles of providers while the crisis lasts. We use the systematic reporting of critical events, as perceived by the interviewees, as an entry point...

Read more: Thérèse Van Durme, FNRS Research Associate

UCLouvain
" Abstract Aims. Billions of individuals have been confined to their homes as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This kind of exposure of the population to social distancing is unusual in its scale and in its potential effects on social and mental health. The main aim of this paper, accordingly, is to investigate the effects of confinement on the social and mental health of individuals during the first days of confinement. First, we compared the prevalence of psychological distress before and at the beginning of the confinement period. Then, we assessed three groups of risk factors for psychological distress: changes in social activities and support, exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes in occupational status. Methods. An online survey was distributed to the general population in Belgium three days after the beginning of the confinement period. 20,792 respondents participated in the survey. The prevalence of psychological distress was measured using the GHQ-12...

Read more: Vincent Lorant, Professor

UCLouvain
" The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental representation of social groups : The role of threat on the stereotypes of Chinese in the US and in France "
Funding: UCLouvain and FNRS
Contact: Vincent Yzerbyt, UCLouvain (PSP/IPSY), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Comment: This project comprises two subprojects, one devoted to the change in stereotypes of Chinese in France and one on the facial representation of Chinese in the United States

UCLouvain
" The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the image about and behaviors towards fragile populations in general and migrants in particular "
Funding: An application for funding has been sent in. UCLouvain
Publication References: Vincent Yzerbyt & Stéphanie Demoulin (2019). Les relations intergroupes. Presses Universitaires de Grenoble: Grenoble
Contact: Vincent Yzerbyt, UCLouvain (PSP/IPSY), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ULB - FNRS
" On the relationship between isolation, re-opening and mental health, with a special focus on consumerist behaviors. "
Funding: none
Contact: Xavier Noël, Research Associate, FNRS Faculty of Medicine ULB