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. 2022 Oct 29;19(21):14127.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114127.

Modeling Key Strategies for Reducing Socio-Economic and Health Crisis: Perspective from COVID-19 Pandemic

Sajid Ullah  1 , Farman Ullah Khan  2 , Vanina Adoriana Trifan  3 , Adina Eleonora Spinu  3 , Grigorie Sanda  3
Affiliations

Modeling Key Strategies for Reducing Socio-Economic and Health Crisis: Perspective from COVID-19 Pandemic

Sajid Ullah et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The pandemic outbreak has dramatically changed every sector and walk of life. Specifically, the developing countries with scarce resources are facing unprecedented crises that further jeopardize efforts to achieve sustainable life. Considering the case of a developing country, Pakistan, this study empirically identifies the most important strategies to reduce the socio-economic and health challenges during COVID-19. Initially, the study identified 14 key strategies from the prior literature. Later, these strategies were determined with the help of the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach through expert suggestions. The ISM model represents seven levels of pandemic containment strategies based on their significance level. The strategies existing at the top level of ISM model are the least important, while the strategies at the bottom of hierarchy levels are highly significant. Therefore, the study results demonstrated that "strong leadership and control" and "awareness on social media" play significant roles in reducing pandemic challenges, while "promoting online purchase behavior" and "online education" are the least important strategies in tackling pandemic crisis. This study will benefit government authorities and policymakers, enabling them to focus more on significant measures in battling this ongoing crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; containment strategies; interpretive structural modeling; psychological stress; socio-economic crisis.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Step-by-step approach.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ISM model of key strategies for reducing socio–economic crisis during pandemic outbreak.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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