A hybrid approach based on ELECTRE III ‐genetic algorithm and TOPSIS method for selection of optimal COVID ‐19 vaccines

Vaccine selection for COVID-19 by AHP and novel VIKOR hybrid approach with interval type-2 fuzzy sets

Decisions in the health industry have a significant impact on human lives. With the COVID-19 pandemic, a global war is being waged. Vaccination is a critical component in this fight. The governments are attempting to offer their citizens the best vaccine for the public based on limitations. However, due to the unique characterizations of countries and the people who live in the country, the definition of "the ideal vaccination" is indefinite. Fuzzy set theory has been an ideal tool to cope with problems involving imprecise information such as the meaning of "ideal" in this case. In this study Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets (IT2FSs) will be used to describe uncertainty. This IT2FS structure will be the framework of the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), to determine the criteria weights, and the VIKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje), to generate a set of optimal choices. The main objective of this study is to sustain the necessary effect of uncertainty of fuzzy sets via the Interval Type-2 Fuzzy (IT2F) metric to the VIKOR method and thus propose an extended VIKOR. The presented new approach will be applied to the problem of vaccine selection for COVID-19. Hence, for the first time in the literature, an application with a multilevel hierarchy will be used in IT2FAHP-VIKOR. Also, obtained optimal solution set with this hybrid framework will be compared with fuzzy AHP-VIKOR and the rankings evaluated with the IT2FTOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and sensitivity analysis will be performed.

Which vaccination strategy against COVID-19?

BACKGROUND

Bottlenecks in the production and supply pipeline of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 have led some countries to consider the option of dose-sparing strategies (e.g., increasing the number of people who receive some vaccine by halving the dose or increasing the interval between doses). In this study we assess the contribution of vaccination strategies to reducing the mortality induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

METHODS

This study focuses on the evolution of the pandemic and related vaccination efforts in five countries that have adopted different vaccination strategies or have experienced a bottleneck in their vaccine supply. The analysis is conducted using an autoregressive time-series approach through a system of simultaneous equations.

RESULTS

The outcome of the early months of the vaccination campaign in containing the number of deaths induced by the epidemic varies across our sample. Overall, our results highlight the effective role played by the vaccine in containing the death toll induced by the epidemic. We could not find evidence of reduced effectiveness of the second dose in the presence of an extended inter-dose interval. The effectiveness of the vaccination campaign results appears to be strongly affected by the stability of vaccine supply.

CONCLUSIONS

The vaccine is effective in containing the deaths caused by the virus, particularly when multiple doses have been administered. The stability of the vaccine pipeline plays a critical role in determining the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign.

Prioritization of neurologic rehabilitation interventions by ELECTRE-III analysis in subacute stroke patients

BACKGROUND

Elimination and Choice Translating Reality (ELECTRE) III is a commonly used multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) method when alternatives are being prioritized in health sciences. The selection of the rehabilitation approach is the key factor to improve the upper extremity functions of stroke patients. Thus, choosing a reasonably good treatment approach will directly reduce the patient's cost to the government and caregivers, while also improving quality of life. The aim of our study was to prioritize the six different methods used in the rehabilitation of stroke patients with mild or moderate upper extremity dysfunction, using one of the MCDM methods based on experts' opinions.

METHODS

A three-stage face-to-face interview across Turkey, based on the ELECTRE-III method, was conducted with 18 physiotherapists specializing in the rehabilitation of mild or moderate stroke-induced upper extremity disorders.

RESULTS

According to ELECTRE-III, Circuit Class Therapy (CCT) is the best choice for treating upper extremity functional loss in general. It is also the best alternative in both the ascending and descending distillation processes of ELECTRE-III. On the other hand, Bobath neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) has a similar success level according to ascending distillation. Mirror therapy and constraint-induced movement therapy are the third-best methods in the analysis. However, robotic rehabilitation is the least preferable treatment method according to the experts' judgments.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that rehabilitation interventions such as Bobath-NDT and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, which are frequently used in developing countries, are still useful, and CCT is the most appropriate intervention for the transition from conventional methods to innovative models in these countries.