2024
Biases in COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies using cohort design
Agampodi S, Tadesse B, Sahastrabuddhe S, Excler J, Kim J. Biases in COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies using cohort design. Frontiers In Medicine 2024, 11: 1474045. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1474045.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCohort designHealth-promoting behaviorsObservational studyPublic health strategiesPublic health policiesMiddle-income countriesPre-existing data sourcesHealthy user biasHealthy vaccinee effectSociodemographic disparitiesHealth strategiesHealth policyOutcome misclassificationSustaining public trustMisclassification biasHealth statusHealthcare systemVaccinee effectSusceptibility biasDiverse populationsCOVID-19Vaccine effectiveness studiesFrailty biasVaccine effectivenessCOVID-19 pandemicGlobal pandemic preparedness: learning from the COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution
Agampodi S, Mogeni O, Chandler R, Pansuriya M, Kim J, Excler J. Global pandemic preparedness: learning from the COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution. Expert Review Of Vaccines 2024, 23: 761-772. PMID: 39167221, DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2395546.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPandemic vaccine developmentVaccine developmentGlobal health securityField of vaccinologyVaccine deliveryFuture pandemicsTherapeutic agentsVaccineHealth securityCOVID-19 vaccine developmentResponse frameworkPandemic preparednessDistribution of vaccinesStakeholder websitesCOVID-19Adequate fundingVaccine innovationCOVID-19 pandemic
2023
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health service utilisation and household economy of pregnant and postpartum women: a cross-sectional study from rural Sri Lanka
Gunarathna S, Wickramasinghe N, Agampodi T, Prasanna I, Agampodi S. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health service utilisation and household economy of pregnant and postpartum women: a cross-sectional study from rural Sri Lanka. BMJ Open 2023, 13: e070214. PMID: 37247958, PMCID: PMC10230333, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070214.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCurrent economic crisisHousehold economyFree public health servicesFinancial assistanceNon-parametric analysisEconomic crisisEconomic dataMonthly household incomeSri LankaHealth service utilisationHousehold incomeEconomic componentCOVID-19 pandemicEconomyPovertyIncomeService utilisationRural Sri LankaPostpartum womenCross-sectional studyPregnant womenAnuradhapura districtPublic health servicesLankaHealthcare utilisation
2022
Feasibility of using telephone interviews and internet-based message services during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural Sri Lanka: experiences of the Rajarata Pregnancy Cohort
Jayasinghe I, Wickramasinghe Y, Kurera DM, Samarakoon N, Rupasinghe I, Ponmalay P, Agampodi SB. Feasibility of using telephone interviews and internet-based message services during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural Sri Lanka: experiences of the Rajarata Pregnancy Cohort. Rural And Remote Health 2022, 22: 7442. PMID: 35546146, DOI: 10.22605/rrh7442.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTelephone interviewsPregnancy cohortCOVID-19 pandemicTelephone-based strategyHealth message deliveryHealth promotion initiativesLow-resource settingsPregnant womenPopulation health researchersRural Sri LankaPromotion initiativesHealth disparitiesRural areasCohortSelection biasHealth researchersMiddle-income nationsPandemicDeliveryParticipantsLocal settingProper assessmentImplementation of researchSettingSri LankaNeglecting the neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of leptospirosis in Sri Lanka
Warnasekara J, Agampodi S. Neglecting the neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of leptospirosis in Sri Lanka. Epidemiology And Health 2022, 44: e2022015. PMID: 35038829, PMCID: PMC9117097, DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2022015.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCOVID-19 pandemicCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemicPublic health surveillance systemsCases of leptospirosisControl of leptospirosisDisease 2019 pandemicHealth surveillance systemsGlobal health systemLarge outbreakInfectious diseasesHealth systemLeptospirosisTransmission dynamicsSurveillance systemPandemicSurveillanceSri LankaDisease
2021
The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Acceptance of E-Learning among University Students: The Role of Precipitating Events
Weerathunga P, Samarathunga W, Rathnayake H, Agampodi S, Nurunnabi M, Madhunimasha M. The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Acceptance of E-Learning among University Students: The Role of Precipitating Events. Education Sciences 2021, 11: 436. DOI: 10.3390/educsci11080436.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchE-learningTechnology Acceptance ModelCOVID-19 pandemicUniversity studentsHigher education authoritiesEase of useEducation authoritiesAcceptance modelStudentsPandemicBehavioral intentionsEducatorsEmpirical evidenceCOVID-19AttitudesSignificant implicationsExperienceRelevant predictorsModerating variableKey componentA self‐applied valid scale for rapid tracking of household food insecurity among pregnant women in Sri Lanka
Agampodi TC, Hromi‐Fiedler A, Agampodi SB, Amarasinghe GS, Wickramasinghe ND, Jayasinghe IU, Hettiarachchi AU, Perez‐Escamilla R. A self‐applied valid scale for rapid tracking of household food insecurity among pregnant women in Sri Lanka. Maternal And Child Nutrition 2021, 17: e13165. PMID: 33733618, PMCID: PMC8189217, DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13165.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychological distressConcurrent validityModel-fitting analysesItem severity scoresGood model fitCognitive testingAdult versionParameter logistic modelPregnant womenPsychometric propertiesSecurity ScaleValid scaleCaribbean Food Security ScalePsychometric validationCOVID-19 pandemicModel fitDistressSTATA version 14Item 8Valid toolPregnancy cohortSeverity scoreSpecial clinicFood Security ScaleHousehold food insecurity