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Dogbey G, Dugah A, Abbiw RK, Agbolosu A, Asare-Dompreh K, Odoom T, Okine A, Amakye-Anim J, Otsyina HR, Enyetornye B. Impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet owners: A survey conducted in selected veterinary clinics in Accra, Ghana. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37328. [PMID: 39296241 PMCID: PMC11409105 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The study explores the impact of Covid-19 on pets and their owners using a structured questionnaire. One hundred fifty-seven (157) respondents were recruited from six veterinary clinics at strategic points within Accra. Only a third of owners gave their pet(s) special attention out of fear of contracting Covid-19 from their pet(s). 68.2 % of the respondents were interested in learning healthy pet-keeping tips from the electronic media and evident in their willingness (75.2 %) to embrace tele-veterinary services; a potential drift from traditional in-person way of providing veterinary services in Ghana. The decrease in household income (46.5 %), loss of employment for at least one person in the household (17.2 %) and associated spike in prices of pet related commodities affected the feeding of pets in about 44 % of respondents and ability to afford veterinary pet products (17.2 %). This is reflected in a 12.7 % reduction in the ability of pet owners to afford veterinary services. The observations made could be used as a basis for future research exploring the pet culture in Ghana and its evolution as a direct consequence of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Dogbey
- School of Veterinary Science, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Ghana
| | - Amos Dugah
- School of Veterinary Science, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Ghana
| | - Richard Kwamena Abbiw
- West African Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Anthony Agbolosu
- School of Veterinary Science, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Ghana
| | - Kweku Asare-Dompreh
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Allen Okine
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jonathan Amakye-Anim
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
- La Veterinary Hospital, Labadi, Accra, Ghana
| | - Hope Richard Otsyina
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Ben Enyetornye
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
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2
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Gotheridge H, Eccles FJR, Murray C, Henderson R, Simpson J. A systematic review of the factors associated with the psychological wellbeing of people with Parkinson's in the COVID-19 pandemic. Disabil Rehabil 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39258822 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2395460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The lockdown and social distancing measures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the ability of people with Parkinson's to engage in normal health management practices. This led to documented reductions in psychological wellbeing. The aim of the present review was to identify factors associated with the psychological wellbeing of people with Parkinson's during the acute stage of the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five academic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched and 23 articles were identified using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings are stratified by risk factor and analysed using a narrative synthesis. RESULTS Worsening of motor symptoms, poor motor-related daily living experiences and motor symptoms during "off time" (when symptom suppressing medication has worn off) as well as less physical activity emerged as the most consistent risk factors of worsened or poorer psychological wellbeing. A deviation from pre-pandemic risk factors was identified, with age and gender not identified as consistent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS The implications of this review are not limited to preparing for future pandemics but can also be applied to more common concerns with comparable contextual characteristics such as yearly flu outbreaks, social isolation, and economic uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Gotheridge
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - F J R Eccles
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - C Murray
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - R Henderson
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - J Simpson
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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Panahi P, Mirzohreh ST, Zafardoust H, Khamnian Z, Alizadeh M. Navigating the waves: A systematic review of telemedicine interventions and health service access challenges in epilepsy during COVID-19. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 158:109934. [PMID: 39079379 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically reshaped the landscape of healthcare delivery, prompting a surge in the adoption of telemedicine as a means to ensure continuity of care. During the pandemic, patients with epilepsy experienced difficulties accessing healthcare and obtaining necessary medications, with a substantial percentage facing obstacles in acquiring anti-seizure medication and reaching healthcare professionals. Disruptions in the supply and distribution of medication, due to COVID-19-related actions, further caused more problems for people with epilepsy and their caregivers like increasing seizure frequency. The pandemic has also accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, with evidence suggesting its potential benefits in various medical fields. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to investigate the challenges faced by patients with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic, including healthcare access and medication acquisition, as well as evaluate changes in seizure frequency. Additionally, we will synthesize existing evidence on the use of telemedicine to address the healthcare needs of these patients, exploring its advantages and limitations. METHODS This systematic review was prepared using PRISMA reporting guidelines. The databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Risk of Bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Following rigorous application of eligibility criteria, relevant data, covering both telemedicine-related and health service access information, were methodically extracted and organized using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The analytical procedures were executed through the utilization of Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. RESULTS A total of 70 articles included in this review. Regarding difficulties in accessing healthcare, 34% of PWE and 41% of caregivers experienced cancelled, changed or postponed appointments. Following issues with obtaining medicine, 13% of patients and 16% of caregivers had difficulties in medicine availability and 11% of patients and 10% of caregivers in medicine accessibility. A very high rate of 90% satisfaction with telemedicine was reported by PWE. 17.6% of PWE experienced an escalation, 9% a decrease and 67% no changes in seizure frequency. CONCLUSION This review and meta-analysis revealed that telemedicine and virtual communications have been helpful but not sufficient for meeting healthcare needs for PWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there was a significant increase in seizure frequency among PWE who had difficulty obtaining medicine and access to healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhila Khamnian
- Department of Community Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahasti Alizadeh
- Faculty of Medicine, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
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4
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Fukui S. Unravelling habituation for COVID-19-related information: A panel data study in Japan. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306456. [PMID: 39078860 PMCID: PMC11288468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examines people's habituation to COVID-19-related information over almost three years. Using publicly available data from 47 Japanese prefectures, I analyse how human mobility responded to COVID-19-related information, such as the number of COVID-19-infected cases, the declaration of a state of emergency (DSE), and several doses of vaccine using an interactive effects model, which is a type of panel data regression. The results show that Japanese citizens were generally fearful and cautious during the first wave of the unknown infection. As such, a 1% week-on-week increase in the number of infected cases results in a decrease in human mobility by 1.09-percentage-point (pp) week-on-week. However, they gradually became habituated to similar infection information during the subsequent waves, which is reflected in 0.71 pp and 0.29 pp decreases in human mobility in the second and third waves. Nevertheless, the level of habituation decreased in response to the different types of the infection, such as new variants in the fourth wave, with 0.50 pp decrease. By contrast, regarding the DSE, it is more plausible to consider that human mobility responds to varying requests rather than habituate them. Whereas a rapid vaccination program could alleviate people's concerns. I also find spatial spillovers of infection information on human mobility using a spatial weight matrix included in the regression model. However, there is no evidence of DSE or vaccination spatial spillovers, likely because both are valid only in one's own prefecture. The implementation of flexible human mobility control policies by closely monitoring human mobility can prevent excessive or insufficient mobility control requests. Such a flexible policy can efficiently suppress infection spread and prevent economic activity reduction more than necessary. These implications are useful for evidence-based policymaking during future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Fukui
- Graduate School of Economics, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
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Li L, Sullivan A, Musah A, Stavrianaki K, Wood CE, Baker P, Kostkova P. Resilience during lockdown: a longitudinal study investigating changes in behaviour and attitudes among older females during COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1967. [PMID: 39044166 PMCID: PMC11267972 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19480-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, on March 23, 2020, a strict lockdown was implemented in the UK. This was followed by alternating periods of less restrictive lockdowns until most public health restrictions were lifted in the summer of 2021. While these measures were necessary, they significantly affected people's daily activities, lifestyles, and mental well-being.This paper presents a longitudinal research study that focused on females aged 55 + in the UK, aiming to understand how COVID-19 and the subsequent 15-month period of lockdowns affected their lifestyles and emotions. The study collected data through online surveys, where respondents reported the frequency and mode of access to activities, and their positive and negative emotional experiences during distinct study phases that encompassed both lockdown and less strict periods.In contrast to previous studies highlighting vulnerabilities for females and the elderly during lockdowns, this research found that the studied group maintained an overall positive outlook throughout the study period and successfully adapted to the lockdowns by increasing their engagement in certain activities, in particular, activities like 'getting active'. In addition, our findings indicate rapid adaptive behaviour change towards many online activities, such as cultural activities. However, the study also revealed negative emotions and a decrease in some activities during the second lockdown in 2020 and the subsequent lockdowns in 2021, underscoring the challenges inherent in prolonged periods of confinement. In addition, the study found negative affect associated with some activities, including working and studying from home.The findings provide valuable insights into how females aged over 55 coped with stressful circumstances, which can inform the development of resilient and mental health-conscious public health policies and responses in preparation for future pandemics or other hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Li
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Ava Sullivan
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, USA
| | - Anwar Musah
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, UK
| | - Katerina Stavrianaki
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Caroline E Wood
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Philip Baker
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Crisis Response, British Red Cross, London, UK
| | - Patty Kostkova
- UCL Centre for Digital Public Health in Emergencies (dPHE), Department for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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Salazar-Granizo YE, Hueso-Montoro C, Caparros-Gonzalez RA. Lifestyles and Academic Stress in University Students of Health Sciences: A Mixed-Methodology Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1384. [PMID: 39057527 PMCID: PMC11276596 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12141384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The global health emergency generated by the COVID-19 pandemic (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) led to the implementation of extraordinary measures such as confinement and isolation in many countries to mitigate the spread of the virus. (1) This study analyzes the lifestyles and academic and perceived stresses of university students of health sciences during the period of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between lifestyles and academic stress was examined. (2) A parallel mixed-method convergent study was conducted, with a correlational non-experimental design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed in parallel, with parametric and nonparametric testing for quantitative data and Miles and Huberman's approach to qualitative analysis. The qualitative findings complemented the quantitative results. The number of students who participated in this study was 2734, from six programs in health, nursing, medicine, clinical laboratory, physiotherapy, dentistry, and clinical psychology at the University of Chimborazo, Ecuador. (3) Overall, the health science students had "Unhealthy or health-compromising lifestyles", medical students being the ones who have healthier lifestyles. However, more than 80% experienced and perceived stress during the period of online learning and social isolation due to the pandemic, women being the ones who experienced it at a higher level. (4) The online learning modality during the COVID-19 pandemic modified lifestyles and generated stress in health science students, due to changes in daily routines, sedentary lifestyle, and stress, as a result of social isolation. Therefore, the students prefer face-to-face teaching, perceived as enabling more enriching interactions with their teachers and peers and the opportunity to develop essential practical skills in their health practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda E. Salazar-Granizo
- Doctorate Program in Clinical Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs-GRANADA), 18071 Granada, Spain; (C.H.-M.); (R.A.C.-G.)
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Chimborazo, Riobamba 060101, Ecuador
| | - Cesar Hueso-Montoro
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs-GRANADA), 18071 Granada, Spain; (C.H.-M.); (R.A.C.-G.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior Research (CIMCYC), 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs-GRANADA), 18071 Granada, Spain; (C.H.-M.); (R.A.C.-G.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
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Ota M, Taniguchi K, Asakuma M, Lee SW, Ito Y. Trends in the Stage Distribution of Colorectal Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: A Nationwide Hospital-claims Data Analysis. J Epidemiol 2024; 34:356-361. [PMID: 38044088 PMCID: PMC11167262 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20220347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected cancer care. The aim of this study was to clarify the trend of colorectal cancer (CRC) stage distribution in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS In this retrospective study, we used an inpatient medical claims database established at approximately 400 acute care hospitals. From the database, we searched patients who were identified as having the main disease (using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes [C18.0-C20]) between January 2018 and December 2020. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the impact of the pandemic on CRC stage distribution each month, and the odds ratio (OR) for late-stage cancer was calculated. RESULTS We analyzed 99,992 CRC patients. Logistic regression analysis, including the interaction term between increased late-stage CRC effect during the pandemic period and by each individual month, showed that the OR for late-stage CRC was highest in July during the pandemic, at 1.31 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.52) and also significantly higher in September at 1.16 (95% CI, 1.00-1.35). CONCLUSION We investigated the trend of CRC stage distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic using a nationwide hospital-claims database in Japan and found that the proportion of early-stage cancers tended to decrease temporarily after the state of emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the effect was only temporary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Ota
- Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Medical Statistics, Research & Development Center, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kohei Taniguchi
- Translational Research Program, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Asakuma
- Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sang-Woong Lee
- Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuri Ito
- Department of Medical Statistics, Research & Development Center, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
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Pena-Verdeal H, Noya-Padin V, Garcia-Queiruga J, Nores-Palmas N, Giraldez MJ, Yebra-Pimentel E. Temporal Variations in Convergence Insufficiency Symptomatic Status among University Students before and after COVID-19: A Longitudinal Analysis from 2018 to 2023. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:800. [PMID: 39063555 PMCID: PMC11278426 DOI: 10.3390/life14070800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to assess the symptomatic status of Convergence Insufficiency (CI) in university students from 2018 to 2023 considering the educational environment pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic confinements. A Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) was conducted annually from 2018 to 2023, excluding 2020, in an initial group of 217 third-year Optics and Optometry degree university student participants. In the final group (178 participants), the statistical differences in CISS scores between years were analysed, both overall and by questionnaire subgroup, along with associations between CISS diagnostic categories before and after 2020. Significant differences were found between years in the subscale and total score analyses (Kruskal-Wallis, both p ≤ 0.049). Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences for the performance subgroup in 2021 vs. 2019 and 2018 (Mann-Whitney, both p ≤ 0.004), while in terms of the total score, there was a statistical difference in 2021 vs. 2018 (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.001). The distribution analysis indicated a significant difference between groups (Chi, p = 0.004), with participants from 2021 or later more likely to exhibit higher CISS scores (OR = 3.47, 95%CI 1.04-8.58). The present study shows significant temporal increments in symptomatic status related to CI among university students from 2018 to 2023, indicating a potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic educational landscape on these outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Pena-Verdeal
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
- Optometry Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Veronica Noya-Padin
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
- Optometry Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jacobo Garcia-Queiruga
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
- Optometry Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Noelia Nores-Palmas
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
| | - Maria J. Giraldez
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
- Optometry Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Eva Yebra-Pimentel
- Applied Physics Department (Optometry Area), Facultade de Óptica e Optometría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (H.P.-V.)
- Optometry Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Rico-Blazquez M, Esteban-Sepúlveda S, Sánchez-Ruano R, Aritztegui-Echenique AM, Artigues-Barbera EM, Brito-Brito PR, Casado-Ramirez E, Cidoncha-Moreno MÁ, Fabregat-Julve MI, Feria-Raposo I, Hernandez-Pascual M, Lozano-Hernández C, Moreno-Casbas MT, Otones-Reyes P, Palmar-Santos AM, Pedraz-Marcos A, Romero-Rodriguez EM, Solé-Agustí MC, Taltavull-Aparicio JM, Vidal-Thomas MC, Gonzalez-Chorda VM. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the self-care and health condition of the older adults. CUIDAMOS+75. A mixed methods study protocol. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1389641. [PMID: 38952731 PMCID: PMC11215124 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aims To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health condition of people ≥75 years of age and on their family caregivers in Spain. Design Multicentric, mixed method concurrent study. Methods This work, which will be conducted within the primary care setting in 11 administrative regions of Spain, will include three coordinated studies with different methodologies. The first is a population-based cohort study that will use real-life data to analyze the rates and evolution of health needs, care provision, and services utilization before, during, and after the pandemic. The second is a prospective cohort study with 18 months of follow-up that will evaluate the impact of COVID-19 disease on mortality, frailty, functional and cognitive capacity, and quality of life of the participants. Finally, the third will be a qualitative study with a critical social approach to understand and interpret the social, political, and economic dimensions associated with the use of health services during the pandemic. We have followed the SPIRIT Checklist to address trial protocol and related documents. This research is being funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III since 2021 and was approved by its ethics committee (June 2022). Discussion The study findings will reveal the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the older adults and their caregivers. This information will serve policymakers to adapt health policies to the needs of this population in situations of maximum stress, such as that produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trial Registration Identifier: NCT05249868 [ClinicalTrials.gov].
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Affiliation(s)
- Milagros Rico-Blazquez
- Research Unit, Primary Care Assistance Management, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Esteban-Sepúlveda
- Departament d'Infermeria Fonamental i Medicoquirúrgica, Escola d'Infermeria, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Sánchez-Ruano
- Research Unit, Primary Care Assistance Management, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
- Biosanitary Research and Innovation Foundation of Primary Care (FIIBAP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana María Aritztegui-Echenique
- Subdirección de Cuidados, Atención Domiciliaria, Sociosanitaria y Acciones Comunitarias, Gerencia de Atención Primaria de Navarra, Servicio de Navarro de Salud – Osasunbidea, Navarra, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Navarra, Spain
| | - Eva María Artigues-Barbera
- Balàfia Primary Care Center, Gerència Territorial Lleida, Institut Català de la Salut (ICS), Lleida, Spain
- Fundació Institut Universitari per a la Recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), Barcelona, Spain
- Multidisciplinary Research Group in Therapeutics and Interventions in Primary Care (RETICAP), IDIAPJGol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Ruymán Brito-Brito
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nursing, University of la Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Training and Research in Care, Primary Care Management Board of Tenerife, The Canary Islands Health Service, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Elvira Casado-Ramirez
- Nursing and Healthcare Research Unit (Investén-isciii), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Frailty and Healthy Ageing-CIBERFES, Biomedical Research Center Network for Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Cidoncha-Moreno
- IIS Bioaraba, General Head Office of Osakidetza, Basque Health Service, Subdirection of Nursing, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - María Inmaculada Fabregat-Julve
- Primary Care Nursing Department, Castellón Health Department, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
- Nursing Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Isabel Feria-Raposo
- Benito Menni CASM, Barcelona, Spain
- FIDMAG Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center, Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Hernandez-Pascual
- Technology and Humanization Projects Service Manager, General Directorate of Humanization and Patient Care, Ministry of Health of the Madrid Regional Government, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Lozano-Hernández
- Research Unit, Primary Care Assistance Management, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Biosanitary Research and Innovation Foundation of Primary Care (FIIBAP), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Teresa Moreno-Casbas
- Nursing and Healthcare Research Unit (Investén-isciii), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Frailty and Healthy Ageing-CIBERFES, Biomedical Research Center Network for Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Otones-Reyes
- San Andrés Healthcare Center, Primary Care Assistance Management, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana María Palmar-Santos
- Nursing Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Puerta de Hierro-Segovia de Arana Health Research Institute, Madrid Health Service, Madrid, Spain
| | - Azucena Pedraz-Marcos
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Nursing and Healthcare Research Unit (Investén-isciii), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esperanza María Romero-Rodriguez
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | | | - Joana María Taltavull-Aparicio
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca (IB-Salut), Balearic Health Service, Palma, Spain
- Research Group in Primary Care and Promotion-Balearic Islands Community (GRAPP-caIB), Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Spain
| | - María Clara Vidal-Thomas
- Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion -RICAPPS-(RICORS), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Primary Care Research Unit of Mallorca (IB-Salut), Balearic Health Service, Palma, Spain
- Research Group in Primary Care and Promotion-Balearic Islands Community (GRAPP-caIB), Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Spain
| | - Víctor Manuel Gonzalez-Chorda
- Nursing and Healthcare Research Unit (Investén-isciii), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Frailty and Healthy Ageing-CIBERFES, Biomedical Research Center Network for Frailty and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Nursing Research Group (Code 241), Universitat, Jaume I.Castellón, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
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10
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Bendavid E, Patel CJ. Epidemic outcomes following government responses to COVID-19: Insights from nearly 100,000 models. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn0671. [PMID: 38838157 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn0671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Government responses to COVID-19 are among the most globally impactful events of the 21st century. The extent to which responses-such as school closures-were associated with changes in COVID-19 outcomes remains unsettled. Multiverse analyses offer a systematic approach to testing a large range of models. We used daily data on 16 government responses in 181 countries in 2020-2021, and 4 outcomes-cases, infections, COVID-19 deaths, and all-cause excess deaths-to construct 99,736 analytic models. Among those, 42% suggest outcomes improved following more stringent responses ("helpful"). No subanalysis (e.g. limited to cases as outcome) demonstrated a preponderance of helpful or unhelpful associations. Among the 14 associations with P values < 1 × 10-30, 5 were helpful and 9 unhelpful. In summary, we find no patterns in the overall set of models that suggests a clear relationship between COVID-19 government responses and outcomes. Strong claims about government responses' impacts on COVID-19 may lack empirical support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eran Bendavid
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chirag J Patel
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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11
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Jiao J, Chen W. Core health system measures response to COVID-19 among East Asian countries. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1385291. [PMID: 38887248 PMCID: PMC11180828 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1385291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this study is to summarize the health system response to COVID-19 in four East Asian countries, analyze the effectiveness of their health system response, and provide lessons for other countries to control the epidemic and optimize their health system response. Methods This study investigated and summarized COVID-19 data and health system response in four East Asian countries, China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea from national governments and ministries of health, WHO country offices, and official websites of international organizations, to assess the effectiveness of health system measures. Result As of June 30, 2022, all four countries are in a declining portion of COVID-19. China has two waves, and new cases increased slowly, with the total cases per million remaining within 4, indicating a low level. Japan has experienced six waves, with case growth at an all-time high, total cases per million of 250.994. Mongolia started the epidemic later, but also experienced four waves, with total cases per million of 632.658, the highest of the four countries. South Korea has seen an increasing number of new cases per wave, with a total case per million of 473.759. Conclusion In containment strategies adopted by China and Mongolia, and mitigation strategies adopted by Japan and South Korea, health systems have played important roles in COVID-19 prevention and control. While promoting vaccination, countries should pay attention to non-pharmaceutical health system measures, as evidenced by: focusing on public information campaigns to lead public minds; strengthening detection capabilities for early detection and identification; using technical ways to participate in contact tracing, and promoting precise judging isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Jiao
- School of Population and Health, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Yichun Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichun, Jiangxi, China
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12
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Dupuy J, Barnay T, Defebvre E. Clear as a bell? Policy stringency and elderly health during Covid-19. Soc Sci Med 2024; 349:116878. [PMID: 38636159 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
This paper investigates how restriction policies have impacted elderly self-assessed health (SAH) in Europe during the pandemic, and how the Covid-19 infection interacts with policy stringency to modulate the SAH deterioration. Using the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) between October 2019 and August 2021, including 9,034 adults aged 50 years and above, alongside with a stringency index from the Oxford's Coronavirus Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), we design both an adjusted probit model and a recursive bivariate probit model to test for endogeneity of Covid-19 infection. Estimations results show a bell curve between stringency and SAH degradation: a deleterious effect of restrictions at low levels of stringency up to a tipping point after which more stringent policies become protective. Covid-19 infection moderates this association. Depending on individuals' initial health, the effect of restrictions is uneven: highly stringent policies become damaging for individuals most likely to enter a vulnerabilization path, for whom the bell curve is thus inverted. Overall, this study shows clear patterns of association between policy stringency and perceived health among older Europeans, and highlights the potential trade-off between targeting as many people as possible, those in poor health or those on the edge of vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Dupuy
- ERUDITE, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France; ENS Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Thomas Barnay
- ERUDITE, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France; Department of Economics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric Defebvre
- ERUDITE, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France; Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne, Université Paris 1, Panthéon-Sorbonne, France
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13
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Jetiyanuwat S, Kawilapat S, Narkpongphun A, Pojanapotha P. Association between Family Functioning, Child Emotional and Behavioral Problems, and Parental Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:270. [PMID: 38667066 PMCID: PMC11047722 DOI: 10.3390/bs14040270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on people of all ages, especially children. This is a cross-sectional study in Thailand to explore the emotional and behavioral problems of school-aged children and associated factors during the lockdown. An online survey was conducted with 942 parents of school-age children. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores showed that total difficulties and all subscale difficulties (hyperactivity, conduct problems, peer problems, and emotional problems) were increased, whereas prosocial behaviors were decreased in the pandemic period. The factors significantly associated with higher parental stress were higher emotional and peer problems after the COVID-19 outbreak, high family difficulty, and sleep problems. Sleep problems were associated with all children's difficulties, except prosocial behavior. High score in family difficulty subscale was associated with increased emotional problems, whereas poor family communication was associated with increased hyperactivity. Appetite change was negatively associated with parental stress and some children's difficulties. Higher household income, family time, physical activities, and recreational activities were associated with a decreased level of some difficulties and family functioning problems, but positively with an increase in the prosocial behavior of children. Additionally, higher screen time was associated with a higher level of hyperactivity, conduct problems, and poor family communication. This study demonstrated that Thai children were at high risk of developing mental health problems during the pandemic lockdown. We suggest that intervention to promote physical activities and reduce screen time is needed. Moreover, efficient monetary policy is urgently required. The limitations here include a recall bias with no baseline to compare and a potential selection bias due to parental selection and a webpage announcement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suttipong Kawilapat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Assawin Narkpongphun
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Pichaya Pojanapotha
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (S.K.); (A.N.)
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14
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Ahmed F, Shafer L, Malla P, Hopkins R, Moreland S, Zviedrite N, Uzicanin A. Systematic review of empiric studies on lockdowns, workplace closures, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions in non-healthcare workplaces during the initial year of the COVID-19 pandemic: benefits and selected unintended consequences. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:884. [PMID: 38519891 PMCID: PMC10960383 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18377-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We conducted a systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions within non-healthcare workplaces and community-level workplace closures and lockdowns on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, selected mental disorders, and employment outcomes in workers or the general population. METHODS The inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies of interventions. The exclusion criteria included modeling studies. Electronic searches were conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and other databases from January 1, 2020, through May 11, 2021. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Meta-analysis and sign tests were performed. RESULTS A total of 60 observational studies met the inclusion criteria. There were 40 studies on COVID-19 outcomes, 15 on anxiety and depression symptoms, and five on unemployment and labor force participation. There was a paucity of studies on physical distancing, physical barriers, and symptom and temperature screening within workplaces. The sign test indicated that lockdown reduced COVID-19 incidence or case growth rate (23 studies, p < 0.001), reproduction number (11 studies, p < 0.001), and COVID-19 mortality or death growth rate (seven studies, p < 0.05) in the general population. Lockdown did not have any effect on anxiety symptoms (pooled standardized mean difference = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.02). Lockdown had a small effect on increasing depression symptoms (pooled standardized mean difference = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.21), but publication bias could account for the observed effect. Lockdown increased unemployment (pooled mean difference = 4.48 percentage points, 95% CI: 1.79, 7.17) and decreased labor force participation (pooled mean difference = -2.46 percentage points, 95% CI: -3.16, -1.77). The risk of bias for most of the studies on COVID-19 or employment outcomes was moderate or serious. The risk of bias for the studies on anxiety or depression symptoms was serious or critical. CONCLUSIONS Empiric studies indicated that lockdown reduced the impact of COVID-19, but that it had notable unwanted effects. There is a pronounced paucity of studies on the effect of interventions within still-open workplaces. It is important for countries that implement lockdown in future pandemics to consider strategies to mitigate these unintended consequences. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration # CRD42020182660.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faruque Ahmed
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA.
| | - Livvy Shafer
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Pallavi Malla
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Roderick Hopkins
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
- Cherokee Nation Operational Solutions, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Sarah Moreland
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Nicole Zviedrite
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
| | - Amra Uzicanin
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V18-2, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4027, USA
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15
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Butail S, Bhattacharya A, Porfiri M. Estimating hidden relationships in dynamical systems: Discovering drivers of infection rates of COVID-19. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2024; 34:033117. [PMID: 38457848 DOI: 10.1063/5.0156338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Discovering causal influences among internal variables is a fundamental goal of complex systems research. This paper presents a framework for uncovering hidden relationships from limited time-series data by combining methods from nonlinear estimation and information theory. The approach is based on two sequential steps: first, we reconstruct a more complete state of the underlying dynamical system, and second, we calculate mutual information between pairs of internal state variables to detail causal dependencies. Equipped with time-series data related to the spread of COVID-19 from the past three years, we apply this approach to identify the drivers of falling and rising infections during the three main waves of infection in the Chicago metropolitan region. The unscented Kalman filter nonlinear estimation algorithm is implemented on an established epidemiological model of COVID-19, which we refine to include isolation, masking, loss of immunity, and stochastic transition rates. Through the systematic study of mutual information between infection rate and various stochastic parameters, we find that increased mobility, decreased mask use, and loss of immunity post sickness played a key role in rising infections, while falling infections were controlled by masking and isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Butail
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA
| | - A Bhattacharya
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA
| | - M Porfiri
- Center for Urban Science and Progress, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA
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16
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Seo SE, Kim KH, Ha S, Oh H, Kim J, Kim S, Kim L, Seo M, An JE, Park YM, Lee KG, Kim YK, Kim WK, Hong JJ, Song HS, Kwon OS. Synchronous Diagnosis of Respiratory Viruses Variants via Receptonics Based on Modeling Receptor-Ligand Dynamics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2303079. [PMID: 37487578 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The transmission and pathogenesis of highly contagious fatal respiratory viruses are increasing, and the need for an on-site diagnostic platform has arisen as an issue worldwide. Furthermore, as the spread of respiratory viruses continues, different variants have become the dominant circulating strains. To prevent virus transmission, the development of highly sensitive and accurate on-site diagnostic assays is urgently needed. Herein, a facile diagnostic device is presented for multi-detection based on the results of detailed receptor-ligand dynamics simulations for the screening of various viral strains. The novel bioreceptor-treated electronics (receptonics) device consists of a multichannel graphene transistor and cell-entry receptors conjugated to N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC). An ultrasensitive multi-detection performance is achieved without the need for sample pretreatment, which will enable rapid diagnosis and prevent the spread of pathogens. This platform can be applied for the diagnosis of variants of concern in clinical respiratory virus samples and primate models. This multi-screening platform can be used to enhance surveillance and discriminate emerging virus variants before they become a severe threat to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Eun Seo
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Ho Kim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Siyoung Ha
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, 21853, USA
| | - Hanseul Oh
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyeong Kim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Soomin Kim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Lina Kim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Seo
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jai Eun An
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Min Park
- Center for NanoBio Development, National NanoFab Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung G Lee
- Center for NanoBio Development, National NanoFab Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Kyung Kim
- Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Keun Kim
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Joo Hong
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju, 28116, Republic of Korea
- KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Seok Song
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Oh Seok Kwon
- SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nano Science and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
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17
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Patwary MM, Bardhan M, İnan HE, Browning MHEM, Disha AS, Haque MZ, Helmy M, Ashraf S, Dzhambov AM, Shuvo FK, Alam MA, Billah SM, Kabir MP, Hossain MR, Azam MG, Rahman MM, Swed S, Sah R, Montenegro-Idrogo JJ, Bonilla-Aldana DK, Rodriguez-Morales AJ. Exposure to urban green spaces and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from two low and lower-middle-income countries. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1334425. [PMID: 38496388 PMCID: PMC10940342 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1334425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health globally, with limited access to mental health care affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the most. In response, alternative strategies to support mental health have been necessary, with access to green spaces being a potential solution. While studies have highlighted the role of green spaces in promoting mental health during pandemic lockdowns, few studies have focused on the role of green spaces in mental health recovery after lockdowns. This study investigated changes in green space access and associations with mental health recovery in Bangladesh and Egypt across the pandemic. Methods An online survey was conducted between January and April 2021 after the first lockdown was lifted in Bangladesh (n = 556) and Egypt (n = 660). We evaluated indoor and outdoor greenery, including the number of household plants, window views, and duration of outdoor visits. The quantity of greenness was estimated using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This index was estimated using satellite images with a resolution of 10x10m during the survey period (January-April 2021) with Sentinel-2 satellite in the Google Earth Engine platform. We calculated averages within 250m, 300m, 500m and 1000m buffers of the survey check-in locations using ArcGIS 10.3. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between changes in natural exposure and changes in mental health. Results The results showed that mental health improved in both countries after the lockdown period. People in both countries increased their time spent outdoors in green spaces after the lockdown period, and these increases in time outdoors were associated with improved mental health. Unexpectedly, changes in the number of indoor plants after the lockdown period were associated with contrasting mental health outcomes; more plants translated to increased anxiety and decreased depression. Refocusing lives after the pandemic on areas other than maintaining indoor plants may assist with worrying and feeling panicked. Still, indoor plants may assist with depressive symptoms for people remaining isolated. Conclusion These findings have important implications for policymakers and urban planners in LMICs, highlighting the need to increase access to natural environments in urban areas to improve mental health and well-being in public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Mainuddin Patwary
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Mondira Bardhan
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Hüseyin Ertan İnan
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
- Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Tourism, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Matthew H. E. M. Browning
- Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Asma Safia Disha
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Zahidul Haque
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Mai Helmy
- Psychology Department, College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- Psychology Department, Faculty of Arts, Menoufia University, Shibin el Kom, Egypt
| | - Sadia Ashraf
- Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Angel M. Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Group “Health and Quality of Life in a Green and Sustainable Environment”, SRIPD, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Environmental Health Division, Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Institute of Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Md. Ashraful Alam
- Department of Computational Diagnostic Radiology and Preventive Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sharif Mutasim Billah
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Pervez Kabir
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Md. Riad Hossain
- Institute of Disaster Management, Khulna University Engineering & Technology, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Golam Azam
- Remote Sensing, Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Mijanur Rahman
- Department of Geography and Environment, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sarya Swed
- Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria
| | - Ranjit Sah
- Green City Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Juan J. Montenegro-Idrogo
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Service, Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas-Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
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18
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Morand J, Yip S, Velegrakis Y, Lattanzi G, Potestio R, Tubiana L. Quality assessment and community detection methods for anonymized mobility data in the Italian Covid context. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4636. [PMID: 38409411 PMCID: PMC10897296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54878-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We discuss how to assess the reliability of partial, anonymized mobility data and compare two different methods to identify spatial communities based on movements: Greedy Modularity Clustering (GMC) and the novel Critical Variable Selection (CVS). These capture different aspects of mobility: direct population fluxes (GMC) and the probability for individuals to move between two nodes (CVS). As a test case, we consider movements of Italians before and during the SARS-Cov2 pandemic, using Facebook users' data and publicly available information from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) to construct daily mobility networks at the interprovincial level. Using the Perron-Frobenius (PF) theorem, we show how the mean stochastic network has a stationary population density state comparable with data from Istat, and how this ceases to be the case if even a moderate amount of pruning is applied to the network. We then identify the first two national lockdowns through temporal clustering of the mobility networks, define two representative graphs for the lockdown and non-lockdown conditions and perform optimal spatial community identification on both graphs using the GMC and CVS approaches. Despite the fundamental differences in the methods, the variation of information (VI) between them assesses that they return similar partitions of the Italian provincial networks in both situations. The information provided can be used to inform policy, for example, to define an optimal scale for lockdown measures. Our approach is general and can be applied to other countries or geographical scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Morand
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy.
- INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, 38123, Trento, Italy.
| | - Shoichi Yip
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Yannis Velegrakis
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy
- Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gianluca Lattanzi
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy
- INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, 38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Raffaello Potestio
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy
- INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, 38123, Trento, Italy
| | - Luca Tubiana
- University of Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38123, Trento, Italy
- INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, 38123, Trento, Italy
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19
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Hajdu T, Krekó J, Tóth CG. Inequalities in regional excess mortality and life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3835. [PMID: 38360870 PMCID: PMC10869827 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54366-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Using data for 201 regions (NUTS 2) in Europe, we examine the mortality burden of the COVID-19 pandemic and how the mortality inequalities between regions changed between 2020 and 2022. We show that over the three years of the pandemic, not only did the level of excess mortality rate change considerably, but also its geographical distribution. Focusing on life expectancy as a summary measure of mortality conditions, we find that the variance of regional life expectancy increased sharply in 2021 but returned to the pre-pandemic level in 2022. The 2021 increase was due to a much higher-than-average excess mortality in regions with lower pre-pandemic life expectancy. While the life expectancy inequality has returned to its pre-pandemic level in 2022, the observed life expectancy in almost all regions is far below that expected without the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Hajdu
- HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Krekó
- HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary and Budapest Institute for Policy Analysis, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba G Tóth
- HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary and Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.
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20
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Katz C, Jacobson M, Priolo Filho SR, Goldfarb D, Liu J, Zibetti MR, Varela N, Attrash Najjar A, Bérubé A, Collin-Vézina D, Maguire-Jack K, Massarweh N, Munir A, Tiwari A, Wekerle C. Examining resilience among child protection professionals during COVID-19: A global comparison across 57 countries. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024:106659. [PMID: 38326165 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic led to numerous challenges for child protection professionals (CPPs). However, limited research has investigated the interwoven concepts of coping, resilience, and mental distress among CPPs during COVID-19 on a global scale. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore CPPs' practice, resilience, and mental distress during COVID-19, the relationship between their resilience and mental distress, the global stability of the Multi-System Model of Resilience (MSMR), and how CPPs' resilience varied according to the Human Development Index (HDI). METHODS Data were collected from 420 CPPs in 57 countries across five continents between July and September 2021. Participants completed an online questionnaire on demographics, resilience, mental distress, coping, and perceptions of child protection during the pandemic in their native languages. The analyses compared the countries grouped according to HDI using means comparisons, correlations, and multiple linear regressions. A two-path analysis was also performed to identify variables associated with behavioral resilience engagement and mental distress. RESULTS The findings indicated that CPPs' perceptions of COVID-19's impact on child maltreatment varied in correlation with their country's HDI. There were also significant HDI-based differences regarding the perceived opportunity to engage in resilient behavior and its helpfulness. Years of professional experience, internal resilience, and external resilience were shown to be significant predictors of mental distress among CPPs during the pandemic, and resilience mediated how years of experience predicted mental distress. CONCLUSIONS This study emphasized the importance of experience and internal resilience for CPPs' psychological well-being. It also provides empirical evidence to support the MSMR theory on a global scale. Additionally, it demonstrates how the perceived changes in child maltreatment during COVID-19 may be associated with regional HDI. Lastly, the opportunities CPPs had to engage in resilient behavior and how much this helped them was associated with regional HDI, but not in the way originally predicted. Study results also hold implications for how practice and policy may be altered to help CPPs cope better during times of crisis and generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmit Katz
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - Ma'ayan Jacobson
- Haruv Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Sidnei R Priolo Filho
- Laboratório de Pesquisa, Prevenção e Intervenção em Psicologia Forense, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.
| | | | - Jenny Liu
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada.
| | | | | | - Afnan Attrash Najjar
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - Annie Bérubé
- The Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada.
| | - Delphine Collin-Vézina
- The Centre for Research on Children and Families, McGill University, Suite 106, Wilson Hall, 3506 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2A7, Canada.
| | - Kathryn Maguire-Jack
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1080 S. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | | | - Akhtar Munir
- Department of Social Work, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan.
| | - Ashwini Tiwari
- Augusta University, CJ2300 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912; USA.
| | - Christine Wekerle
- The Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W. - MIP 201A, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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21
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Alfano V. Unlocking the importance of perceived governance: The impact on COVID-19 in NUTS-2 European regions. Soc Sci Med 2024; 343:116590. [PMID: 38290397 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, governments implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). Previous literature suggests that NPI effectiveness is influenced by governance quality. The acceptance and perceived necessity of these measures by the public are crucial to their success, as NPIs cannot be easily enforced without public support. Does regional governance also play a role? This study examines the correlation between the quality of governance in European NUTS-2 regions and the spread of COVID-19. The findings indicate that overall perceived governance, and its perceived quality and corruption pillars, significantly impact the effectiveness of these interventions. This effect was pronounced during the first wave and then diminished in importance, disappearing before vaccines were available, suggesting that regional governance matters especially in the immediate aftermath of an exogenous shock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Alfano
- University of Napoli "Parthenope" & Center for Economic Studies - CES-ifo, Italy.
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22
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Le-Dang MA, Nguyen-Thi HY, Dinh LP, Ngoc DL, Le NDT, Thu HP, Le DT. Impact of COVID-19 on patterns of drug utilization: A case study at national hospital. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297187. [PMID: 38241315 PMCID: PMC10798442 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the corresponding mitigation measures have had a discernible impact on drug utilization among outpatients. However, limited research exists on the prescription trends in the elderly population during the pandemic period in Viet Nam. OBJECTIVES This study aims to analyze the effects of COVID-19 on outpatient drug utilization patterns at a national geriatric hospital in Ho Chi Minh City before and after the early onset of the pandemic. METHODS Data was collected from the prescriptions and administration claims, encompassing the period from January 2016 to December 2022. The dataset was divided into two periods: Period 1: January 2016 to December 2020 and Period 2: January 2021 to December 2022. The drug utilization was measured using DDD/1000P (defined daily doses-DDD per 1000 prescriptions) on a monthly basis. The analysis employed interrupted time series using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) to detect changes in drug use levels and rates. RESULTS A total of 1,060,507 and 644,944 outpatient prescriptions from Thong Nhat Hospital were included in Period 1 and Period 2, respectively. The median age of the patients were 58 in Period 1 and 67 years old in Period 2. The most common comorbidities were dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. In terms of medication utilization, cardiovascular drugs were the most frequently prescribed, followed by drugs active on the digestive and hormonal systems. The study observed significant surges in the number of prescriptions and the average number of drugs per prescription. However, there were no significant changes in the overall consumption of all drugs. Among the drug groups related to the cardiovascular system, three subgroups experienced a sudden and significant increase: cardiac therapy, beta-blocking agents, and antihypertensives, with increasing consumption levels of 1,177.73 [CI 95%: 79.29; 2,276.16], 73.32 [CI 95%: 28.18; 118.46], and 36.70 [CI 95%: 6.74; 66.66] DDD/1000P, respectively. On the other hand, there was a significant monthly decrease of -31.36 [CI 95%: -57.02; -5.70] DDD/1000P in the consumption of anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products. Interestingly, there was a significant increase of 74.62 [CI 95%: -0.36; 149.60] DDD/1000P in the use of antigout preparations. CONCLUSION COVID-19 resulted in a sudden, non-significant increase in overall drug consumption levels among outpatients. Notably, our findings highlight significant increases in the utilization of three drug groups related to the cardiovascular system, specifically cardiac therapy, beta-blocking agents, and antihypertensives. Intriguingly, there was a statistically significant increase in the consumption of antigout preparations, despite a decline in the monthly consumption rate of non-steroidal anti-flammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Further studies in the following years are necessary to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on outpatient drug utilization patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Anh Le-Dang
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Hai-Yen Nguyen-Thi
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Luyen Pham Dinh
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Danh Le Ngoc
- Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Dang Tu Le
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Thong Nhat Hosital, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
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23
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Pan YH, Nomah DK, Montoro-Fernandez M, Moreno-Fornés S, Díaz Y, Aceitón J, Bruguera A, Llibre JM, Domingo P, Imaz A, Vilaró I, Falcó V, Reyes-Urueña J, Miro JM, Casabona J. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services utilization among people living with HIV in Catalonia, Spain: A population-based cohort study. ENFERMEDADES INFECCIOSAS Y MICROBIOLOGIA CLINICA (ENGLISH ED.) 2024:S2529-993X(24)00001-7. [PMID: 38218704 DOI: 10.1016/j.eimce.2023.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare services usage. We estimated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services utilization among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Catalonia, Spain. METHODS We accessed public healthcare usage in HIV units, primary care, hospitals, and emergency departments among 17,738 PLWH in the PISCIS cohort from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020. We performed an interrupted time series analysis using the autoregressive integrated moving average to estimate the effect of COVID-19 on medical visits and HIV monitoring among PLWH. RESULTS A non-significant decrease of 17.1% (95% CI: [-29.4, 0.4]) in overall medical visits was observed during the lockdown, followed by a steady resumption until the end of 2020. Three health facilities presented statistically significant declines in visits during the lockdown: HIV units (-44.8% [-56.7, -23.6]), hospitals (-40.4% [-52.8, -18.1]), and emergency departments (-36.9% [-47.0, -21.9]); thereafter, the visits have begun to increase steadily but not to previous levels as of December 2020. In contrast, primary care visits remained unchanged during the lockdown by 1.9% (95% CI: -13.5, 23.9). CD4 cell (54.2% [95% CI: -64.4, -36.0]) and HIV RNA viral load (53.1% [95% CI: -62.9, -36.1]) laboratory monitoring reduced significantly during the lockdown. CONCLUSION COVID-19 lockdowns significantly disrupted in-person healthcare services usage among PLWH. The reduction in healthcare utilization however did not affect primary care services. Despite services gradually rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, it is imperative to effectively prepare for future pandemics and implement measures to ensure continuous provision of care to PLWH during pandemic lockdowns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hua Pan
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain
| | - Daniel K Nomah
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marcos Montoro-Fernandez
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Moreno-Fornés
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yesika Díaz
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Aceitón
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreu Bruguera
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Llibre
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Pere Domingo
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arkaitz Imaz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | | | - Vicenç Falcó
- Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Hospital de Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juliana Reyes-Urueña
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain
| | - José M Miro
- Hospital Clínic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jordi Casabona
- Centre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT), Dept Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Badalona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
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24
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López-Mendoza H, González-Álvarez MA, Montañés A. Assessing the effectiveness of international government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2024; 52:101353. [PMID: 38262187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2024.101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
This paper examines the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical measures adopted by governments to control the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a Panel VAR model for the OECD countries, we test for Granger causality between the 7-day cumulative incidence, mortality rate, and government response indexes. Granger-type statistics reveal evidence that the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the measures taken by governments. However, limited or nonexistent evidence supports the reverse situation. This suggests that government measures were not highly effective in controlling the pandemic. While not implying total ineffectiveness, our results indicate a considerable lack of efficacy, emphasizing a lesson for governments to learn from and correct in preparation for similar events in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor López-Mendoza
- CASSETEM Research Group, Department of Economic Analysis, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50005, Spain; Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Pamplona 31003, Spain
| | - María A González-Álvarez
- CASSETEM Research Group, Department of Economic Analysis, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50005, Spain
| | - Antonio Montañés
- CASSETEM Research Group, Department of Economic Analysis, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50005, Spain.
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25
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Lattanzio S. Schools and the transmission of Sars-Cov-2: Evidence from Italy. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2024; 52:101342. [PMID: 38104359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
This paper studies the effect on the spread of Sars-Cov-2 in Italy of schools' re-openings and closures. Exploiting different re-opening dates across regions after the summer break of 2020, I show that early-opening regions experienced more cases in the 40 days following school re-openings compared with late-opening ones. However, there is great uncertainty around the estimates, and this suggests a wide dispersion in the effects of school re-openings on Sars-Cov-2 transmission. I also study the effect of school closures in Campania, one of the biggest regions in Southern Italy. Using a synthetic control approach, I show that school closures are associated with lower numbers of cases relative to the counterfactual group, particularly in younger age groups. In contrast, I find no significant effects on older age groups, which are more likely to require hospitalization. Finally, by exploiting survey data, I provide descriptive evidence on the increased incidence rate among teachers and students relative to the general population, following school re-openings.
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26
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Izudi J, Komakech A, Morukileng J, Bajunirwe F. Ebola incidence and mortality before and during a lockdown: The 2022 epidemic in Uganda. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0002702. [PMID: 38133997 PMCID: PMC10745136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
On September 20, 2022, an Ebola Disease (EBOD) outbreak was declared in Mubende district, Central Uganda. Following a rapid surge in the number of cases and mortality, the Government of Uganda imposed a lockdown in the two most affected districts, Mubende and Kassanda. We describe the trends in EBOD incidence and mortality nationally and in the two districts before and during the lockdown and the lessons learned during the epidemic response. We retrieved data from the Ministry of Health situation reports from September 20, 2022, when the EBOD outbreak was declared until November 26, 2022, when the lockdown ended. We graphed trends in EBOD morbidity and mortality during a 3-week and 6-week lockdown, computed the EBOD case fatality rate, and summarized the major lessons learned during the epidemic response. We found case fatality rate during the pre-lockdown, 3-week lockdown, and 6-week lockdown period was 37.9% (22/58), 39.3% (53/135), and 38.7% (55/142), respectively. In the early weeks of the lockdown, EBOD incidence and mortality increased nationally and in Kassanda district while Mubende district registered a decline in incidence and stagnation in mortality. With the extension of the lockdown to six weeks, the EBOD incidence and mortality during the 4-6-week lockdown declined compared to the pre-lockdown period. In conclusion, the EBOD incidence and mortality remained higher in the early weeks of the lockdown than during the pre-lockdown period nationally and in one of the two districts. With extended lockdown, incidence and mortality dropped in the 4-6-week period than the pre-lockdown period. Therefore, reliance on known public health measures to control an EBOD outbreak is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Izudi
- Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Allan Komakech
- Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
- Institute of Public Health and Management, Clarke International University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Job Morukileng
- Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Francis Bajunirwe
- Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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27
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Chai D, El Mossadeq L, Raymond M, Courtier-Orgogozo V. Recommended distances for physical distancing during COVID-19 pandemics reveal cultural connections between countries. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289998. [PMID: 38100502 PMCID: PMC10723704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
During COVID-19 pandemic several public health measures were implemented by diverse countries to reduce the risk of COVID-19, including social distancing. Here we collected the minimal distance recommended by each country for physical distancing at the onset of the pandemic and aimed to examine whether it had an impact on the outbreak dynamics and how this specific value was chosen. Despite an absence of data on SARS-CoV-2 viral transmission at the beginning of the pandemic, we found that most countries recommended physical distancing with a precise minimal distance, between one meter/three feet and two meters/six feet. 45% of the countries advised one meter/three feet and 49% advised a higher minimal distance. The recommended minimal distance did not show a clear correlation with reproduction rate nor with the number of new cases per million, suggesting that the overall COVID-19 dynamics in each country depended on multiple interacting factors. Interestingly, the recommended minimal distance correlated with several cultural parameters: it was higher in countries with larger interpersonal distance between two interacting individuals in non-epidemic conditions, and it correlated with civil law systems, and with currency. This suggests that countries which share common conceptions such as civil law systems and currency unions tend to adopt the same public health measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwoo Chai
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Michel Raymond
- ISEM, University Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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28
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Fritz M, Gries T, Redlin M. The effectiveness of vaccination, testing, and lockdown strategies against COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 23:585-607. [PMID: 37103662 PMCID: PMC10134731 DOI: 10.1007/s10754-023-09352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The ability of various policy activities to reduce the reproduction rate of the COVID-19 disease is widely discussed. Using a stringency index that comprises a variety of lockdown levels, such as school and workplace closures, we analyze the effectiveness of government restrictions. At the same time, we investigate the capacity of a range of lockdown measures to lower the reproduction rate by considering vaccination rates and testing strategies. By including all three components in an SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovery) model, we show that a general and comprehensive test strategy is instrumental in reducing the spread of COVID-19. The empirical study demonstrates that testing and isolation represent a highly effective and preferable approach towards overcoming the pandemic, in particular until vaccination rates have risen to the point of herd immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlon Fritz
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
| | - Thomas Gries
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
| | - Margarete Redlin
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
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Szilagyi IS, Eggeling E, Bornemann-Cimenti H, Ullrich T. Impact of the pandemic and its containment measures in Europe upon aspects of affective impairments: a Google Trends informetrics study. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7685-7697. [PMID: 37357891 PMCID: PMC10755220 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In late 2019, a new virus began spreading in Wuhan, China. By the end of 2021, more than 260 million people worldwide had been infected and 5.2 million people had died because of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Various countermeasures have been implemented to contain the infections, depending on the country, infection prevalence, and political and infrastructural resources. The pandemic and the containment measures have induced diverse psychological burdens. Using internet queries as a proxy, this study examines the psychological consequences on a European level of SARS-CoV-2 containment measures. METHODS Using informetric analyses, this study reviews within 32 European countries a total of 28 search parameters derived from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as aspects of affective disorder. RESULTS Our results show that there are several psychological aspects which are significantly emphasized during the pandemic and its containment measures: 'anxiety', 'dejection', 'weariness', 'listlessness', 'loss of appetite', 'loss of libido', 'panic attack', and 'worthlessness'. These terms are significantly more frequently part of a search query during the pandemic than before the outbreak. Furthermore, our results revealed that search parameters such as 'psychologist', 'psychotherapist', 'psychotherapy' have increased highly significantly (p < 0.01) since the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS The psychological distress caused by the pandemic correlates significantly with the frequency of people searching for psychological and psychotherapeutic support on the Internet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Istvan-Szilard Szilagyi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Eggeling
- Fraunhofer Austria Research GmbH, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Helmar Bornemann-Cimenti
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Torsten Ullrich
- Fraunhofer Austria Research GmbH, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Institute of Computer Graphics and Knowledge Visualization, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
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30
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Falk L, Neumann-Böhme S, Sabat I, Schreyögg J. Public Perceptions Of COVID-19 Lockdown Policies In Europe: Socioeconomic Status And Trust Were Factors. Health Aff (Millwood) 2023; 42:1706-1714. [PMID: 38048510 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide implemented nonpharmaceutical lockdown policies to mitigate the impact of the virus. The effectiveness of these policies depended on public support, and they came with serious consequences for the population. Given that people's perceptions can influence their support for lockdown policies, we aimed to elicit perceptions of policy stringency among people in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom in early 2021 as part of the European Covid Survey. We examined the extent to which objective measures of policy stringency and other factors were associated with these perceptions, focusing on disadvantaged populations. We found that objective measures of stringency did not accurately capture the impact of lockdown policies on people. Moreover, we found that socioeconomically disadvantaged people perceived policies as stricter than did less disadvantaged people and that trust in information sources greatly influenced such perceptions. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding factors influencing policy perception to help policy makers develop more effective and equitable infection containment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Falk
- Lasse Falk , University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Iryna Sabat
- Iryna Sabat, Nova School of Business and Economics, Carcavelos, Portugal
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31
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Colella S, Dufourt F, Hildebrand VA, Vivès R. Mental health effects of COVID-19 lockdowns: A Twitter-based analysis. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 51:101307. [PMID: 37918062 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
We use a distinctive methodology that leverages a fixed population of Twitter users located in France to gauge the mental health effects of repeated lockdown orders. To do so, we derive from our population a mental health indicator that measures the frequency of words expressing anger, anxiety and sadness. Our indicator did not reveal a statistically significant mental health response during the first lockdown, while the second lockdown triggered a sharp and persistent deterioration in all three emotions. Our estimates also show a more severe deterioration in mental health among women and younger users during the second lockdown. These results suggest that successive stay-at-home orders significantly worsen mental health across a large segment of the population. We also show that individuals who are closer to their social network were partially protected by this network during the first lockdown, but were no longer protected during the second, demonstrating the gravity of successive lockdowns for mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Colella
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, AMSE, Marseille, France.
| | | | - Vincent A Hildebrand
- Glendon College, York University, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | - Rémi Vivès
- Glendon College, York University, Canada.
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32
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Khan NA, El-Menyar A, Asim M, Abdurahiman S, Al Musleh AA, Al-Thani H. Academic and healthcare efforts from Cessation to complete resumption of professional football tournaments during COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22519. [PMID: 38046158 PMCID: PMC10686895 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus led to over 626 million infections and 6.5 million deaths worldwide and forced to cancel or postpone several sporting events. Effective control techniques are therefore urgently required to avoid COVID-19 spread at these local and global events. This narrative review addressed the healthcare and research efforts on the intersections between COVID-19 and major professional sports leagues worldwide, with special reference to the FIFA World Cup football 2022. This explained how the broader transformation of COVID-19 from being a potential risk to an urgent pandemic public health emergency, caused the world of Football to halt between February and March 2020. This review could add to the growing literature on the importance of scientific research in understanding the relationship between mass sports events and COVID-19 trajectory, concerning studies conducted globally and particularly for the recommencement of major professional football competitions. The information outlined in the article may help sports organizations understand the risks associated with sports and their settings and improve their preparedness for future events under unprecedented circumstances. There were tremendous global healthcare and research efforts to deal with this unprecedented pandemic. The successful FIFA World Cup football tournament was an indicator of the success of these efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naushad Ahmad Khan
- Department of Surgery, Trauma &Vascular Surgery, Clinical Research, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ayman El-Menyar
- Department of Surgery, Trauma &Vascular Surgery, Clinical Research, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammad Asim
- Department of Surgery, Trauma &Vascular Surgery, Clinical Research, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sameer Abdurahiman
- Clinical Information Systems (CIS), Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Hassan Al-Thani
- Department of Surgery, Trauma and Vascular Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
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33
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Ashmore P, Sherwood E. An overview of COVID-19 global epidemiology and discussion of potential drivers of variable global pandemic impacts. J Antimicrob Chemother 2023; 78:ii2-ii11. [PMID: 37995358 PMCID: PMC10666997 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkad311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
With a WHO-estimated excess mortality burden of 14.9 million over the course of 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major human impact so far. It has also affected a range of disciplines, systems and practices from mathematical modelling to behavioural sciences, pharmaceutical development to health system management. This article explores these developments and, to set the scene, this paper summarizes the global epidemiology of COVID-19 from January 2020 to June 2021 and considers some potential drivers of variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly Ashmore
- Health Education England, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN, UK
| | - Emma Sherwood
- Health Education England, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN, UK
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Morena D, Campos C, Castillo M, Alonso M, Benavent M, Izquierdo JL. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Epidemiological Situation of Pulmonary Tuberculosis-Using Natural Language Processing. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1629. [PMID: 38138856 PMCID: PMC10744898 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13121629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) using artificial intelligence. To do so, we compared the real-life situation during the pandemic with the pre-2020 situation. METHODS This non-interventional, retrospective, observational study applied natural language processing to the electronic health records of the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. The analysis was conducted from January 2015 to December 2020. RESULTS A total of 2592 patients were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis; 64.6% were males, and the mean age was 53.5 years (95%CI 53.0-54.0). In 2020, pulmonary tuberculosis diagnoses dropped by 28% compared to 2019. In total, 62 (14.2%) patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 and pulmonary tuberculosis coinfection in 2020, with a mean age of 52.3 years (95%CI 48.3-56.2). The main symptoms in these patients were dyspnea (27.4%) and cough (35.5%), although their comorbidities were no greater than patients with isolated TB. The female sex was more frequently affected, representing 53.4% of this patient subgroup. CONCLUSIONS During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease was observed in the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Women presented a significantly higher risk for pulmonary tuberculosis and COVID-19 coinfection, although the symptoms were not more severe than patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Morena
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, 19002 Guadalajara, Spain; (C.C.); (M.C.); (M.A.); (J.L.I.)
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Alcalá, 28801 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Campos
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, 19002 Guadalajara, Spain; (C.C.); (M.C.); (M.A.); (J.L.I.)
| | - María Castillo
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, 19002 Guadalajara, Spain; (C.C.); (M.C.); (M.A.); (J.L.I.)
| | - Miguel Alonso
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, 19002 Guadalajara, Spain; (C.C.); (M.C.); (M.A.); (J.L.I.)
| | | | - José Luis Izquierdo
- Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, 19002 Guadalajara, Spain; (C.C.); (M.C.); (M.A.); (J.L.I.)
- Departamento de Medicina y Especialidades Médicas, Universidad de Alcalá, 28801 Madrid, Spain
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35
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Fedorova E, Ledyaeva S, Kulikova O, Nevredinov A. Governmental anti-pandemic policies, vaccination, population mobility, Twitter narratives, and the spread of COVID-19: Evidence from the European Union countries. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023; 43:1975-2003. [PMID: 36623930 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We provide large-scale empirical evidence on the effects of multiple governmental regulatory and health policies, vaccination, population mobility, and COVID-19-related Twitter narratives on the spread of a new coronavirus infection. Using multiple-level fixed effects panel data model with weekly data for 27 European Union countries in the period of March 2020-June 2021, we show that governmental response policies were effective both in reducing the number of COVID-19 infection cases and deaths from it, particularly, in the countries with higher level of rule of law. Vaccination expectedly helped to decrease the number of virus cases. Reductions in population mobility in public places and workplaces were also powerful in fighting the pandemic. Next, we identify four core pandemic-related Twitter narratives: governmental response policies, people's sad feelings during the pandemic, vaccination, and pandemic-related international politics. We find that sad feelings' narrative helped to combat the virus spread in EU countries. Our findings also reveal that while in countries with high rule of law international politics' narrative helped to reduce the virus spread, in countries with low rule of law the effect was strictly the opposite. The latter finding suggests that trust in politicians played an important role in confronting the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Fedorova
- Department of Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance, Financial University, Moscow, Russia
- School of Finance, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana Ledyaeva
- Department of Finance and Economics, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Oksana Kulikova
- Department of Economics, Logistics and Quality Management, Siberian State Automobile and Highway University, Omsk, Russia
| | - Alexandr Nevredinov
- Department of Entrepreneurship and International Activity, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
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36
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Janbani Z, Osmani F. Performance of two educational approaches in increasing knowledge of high-school students about COVID-19 during the first wave of pandemic. EVALUATION AND PROGRAM PLANNING 2023; 100:102327. [PMID: 37295050 PMCID: PMC10226288 DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly altered peoples' daily lives. Teachers and students were found quite unprepared for the emergence of the first COVID-19 wave. So, improving the knowledge of students about COVID-19 is an important issue. METHODS In this study, 240 high students attended. Two interventions with the same contents, but in different ways, were delivered. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data on demographic information, and information about the behavioral intention toward COVID-19 before and after the educational interventions as well as a control group that received no educational intervention. RESULTS students in all arms had similar baseline knowledge of COVID-19. The results of the post-analysis showed the efficiency of educational techniques in increasing students' knowledge about COVID-19. So the audio-visual training method performed significantly better than the visual training method (p = 0.03). Both approaches achieved better scores than the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION During the outbreak of COVID-19, multimedia-based learning is a more effective educational approach and can improve the learning outcomes related to COVID-19 and achieve learning goals without close contact than written materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Janbani
- Master of surgical technology,Faculty member, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Freshteh Osmani
- Infectious diseases Research center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran; Assistant Professor,Department of Epidimiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Birjand University of Medical Science, Birjand, Iran.
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37
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Padget M, Adam P, Dorfmuller M, Blondel C, Campos-Matos I, Fayad M, Mateo-Urdiales A, Mesher D, Pistol A, Rebolledo J, Riccardo F, Riess M, Rusu LC, Che D, Coignard B. A comparison of COVID-19 incidence rates across six European countries in 2021. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2300088. [PMID: 37796443 PMCID: PMC10557383 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.40.2300088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
International comparisons of COVID-19 incidence rates have helped gain insights into the characteristics of the disease, benchmark disease impact, shape public health measures and inform potential travel restrictions and border control measures. However, these comparisons may be biased by differences in COVID-19 surveillance systems and approaches to reporting in each country. To better understand these differences and their impact on incidence comparisons, we collected data on surveillance systems from six European countries: Belgium, England, France, Italy, Romania and Sweden. Data collected included: target testing populations, access to testing, case definitions, data entry and management and statistical approaches to incidence calculation. Average testing, incidence and contextual data were also collected. Data represented the surveillance systems as they were in mid-May 2021. Overall, important differences between surveillance systems were detected. Results showed wide variations in testing rates, access to free testing and the types of tests recorded in national databases, which may substantially limit incidence comparability. By systematically including testing information when comparing incidence rates, these comparisons may be greatly improved. New indicators incorporating testing or existing indicators such as death or hospitalisation will be important to improving international comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ines Campos-Matos
- COVID Vaccines and Epidemiology, UK Health Security Agency, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - David Mesher
- International COVID Team, UK Health Security Agency, United Kingdom
| | - Adriana Pistol
- National Institute of Public Health Bucharest, Romania
- University of Medicine "Carol Davila" Bucharest, Romania
| | - Javiera Rebolledo
- Department of epidemiology and infectious diseases, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Flavia Riccardo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Didier Che
- Santé Publique France, Saint Maurice, France
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38
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Xu J, Wang Z, Moghadas SM. Modelling the effect of travel-related policies on disease control in a meta-population structure. J Math Biol 2023; 87:55. [PMID: 37688625 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-023-01990-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Travel restrictions, while delaying the spread of an emerging disease from the source, could inflict substantial socioeconomic burden. Travel-related policies, such as quarantine and testing of travelers, may be considered as alternative strategies to mitigate the negative impact of travel bans. We developed a meta-population, delay-differential model to evaluate a strategy that combines testing of travelers prior to departure from the source of infection with quarantine and testing at exit from quarantine in the destination population. Our results, based on early parameter estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infection, indicate that testing travelers at exit from quarantine is more effective in delaying case importation than testing them before departure or upon arrival. We show that a 1-day quarantine with an exit test could outperform a longer, 3-day quarantine without testing in delaying the outbreak peak. Rapid, large-scale testing capacities with short turnaround times provide important means of detecting infectious cases and reducing case importation, while shortening quarantine duration for travelers at destination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Xu
- Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Zhen Wang
- Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Seyed M Moghadas
- Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
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George JO, Elayan S, Sykora M, Solter M, Feick R, Hewitt C, Liu Y, Shankardass K. The Role of Social Media in Building Pandemic Resilience in an Urban Community: A Qualitative Case Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6707. [PMID: 37681847 PMCID: PMC10488116 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20176707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
This paper explores the influence of social media in fostering resilience within an urban spatial context, specifically in Bangalore, India, during the COVID-19 lockdown, a period marked by a surge in digital communication due to movement restrictions. To control the rapid spread of the virus, over 1.38 billion people were given stay-at-home orders by the government of India during the onset of the pandemic. The restrictions in movement forced individuals to shift to online modes of connection and communication. As the field of digital epidemiology, that is, the use of digital tools and data to understand and improve health took center stage during the pandemic, the focus shifted towards the social media landscape, which is often associated with its negative aspects, such as misinformation. However, this paper delves into social media's potential to build resilience on a local scale, particularly given its increased usage during the pandemic. Through in-depth online interviews with eight urban residents, we conducted a thematic analysis to understand social media's role during the lockdown. Results indicate that social media facilitated effective information exchange and fostered a sense of community. Furthermore, it engendered an environment conducive to prosocial behavior, a known resilience amplifier. We also highlight the importance of baseline context regarding the users directly engaged in social media data generation with respect to digital epidemiology analytics tools for large-scale social media data and the need for qualitative input feeding into their design. Our study highlights the need for a balanced perspective on social media use in times of crisis, recognizing its potential to boost community resilience in an urban setting, and further enriching digital epidemiology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Oommen George
- Centre for Information Management, Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK (M.S.)
| | - Suzanne Elayan
- Centre for Information Management, Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK (M.S.)
| | - Martin Sykora
- Centre for Information Management, Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK (M.S.)
| | - Marin Solter
- Centre for Information Management, Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK (M.S.)
| | - Rob Feick
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Christopher Hewitt
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON M5B 1W8, Canada (K.S.)
| | - Yiqiao Liu
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON M5B 1W8, Canada (K.S.)
| | - Ketan Shankardass
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON M5B 1W8, Canada (K.S.)
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40
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Shaikh A, Khan SD, Baloch F, Virani SS, Samad Z. The COVID-19 Pandemic and Coronary Heart Disease: the Next Surge. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2023; 25:559-569. [PMID: 37531071 DOI: 10.1007/s11883-023-01131-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this narrative review, we highlight different ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted coronary heart disease (CHD) burden and how a surge in morbidity and mortality may be expected in the near future. We also discuss potential solutions, and the direction subsequent research and corrective actions should take. RECENT FINDINGS COVID-19 has been implicated in the development and worsening of CHD via acute and chronic mechanisms in the form of plaque rupture, destabilization, and sustenance of a chronic inflammatory state leading to long COVID syndrome and increased rates of myocardial infarction. However, indirectly the pandemic is likely to further escalate the CHD burden through poor health behaviors such as tobacco consumption, reduced physical activity, economic devastation and its associated sequelae, and regular cardiac care interruptions and delays. COVID-19 has increased the total CHD burden and will require extensive resource allocation and multifaceted strategies to curb future rise.
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41
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Jiao J, Shi L, Yang M, Yang J, Liu M, Sun G. The impact of containment policy and mobility on COVID-19 cases through structural equation model in Chile, Singapore, South Korea and Israel. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15769. [PMID: 37547719 PMCID: PMC10402700 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives The study aims to understand the impact of containment policy and mobility on COVID-19 cases in Chile, Singapore, South Korea and Israel. To provide experience in epidemic prevention and control. Methods Structural equation modeling (SEM) of containment policies, mobility, and COVID-19 cases were used to test and analyze the proposed hypotheses. Results Chile, Israel and Singapore adopted containment strategies, focusing on closure measures. South Korea adopted a mitigation strategy with fewer closure measures, focusing on vaccination and severe case management. There was a significant negative relationship among containment policies, mobility, and COVID-19 cases. Conclusion To control the COVID-19 and slow down the increase of COVID-19 cases, countries can increase the stringency of containment policies when COVID-19 epidemic is more severe. Thus, countries can take measures from the following three aspects: strengthen the risk monitoring, and keep abreast of the COVID-19 risk; adjust closure measures in time and reduce mobility; and strengthen public education on COVID-19 prevention to motivate citizen to consciously adhere to preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Jiao
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Leiyu Shi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Manfei Yang
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junyan Yang
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meiheng Liu
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Gang Sun
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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42
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Alfano V, Ercolano S. Fear itself. Is fear a determinant of the efficacy oflockdowns?. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PLANNING SCIENCES 2023; 88:101644. [PMID: 37360115 PMCID: PMC10257332 DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2023.101644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Among non-pharmaceutical measures for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most important is the implementation of lockdowns. The cost and effectiveness of this policy remains a much-debated topic in economics. In this study we investigate whether a 'fear effect' is at work in influencing the effectiveness of lockdowns. According to previous contributions on the topic, fear can increase protective habits, and for this reason we may imagine that a high number of COVID-19-caused deaths creates fear among the population, which may make people more likely to follow government prescriptions and observe lockdowns strictly. By means of a qualitative-quantitative analysis, we find that among the 46 countries that reported coronavirus-caused deaths before the implementation of a lockdown, the top quartile for per capita deaths has better results in terms of reducing new COVID-19 cases after a lockdown, compared to the worst quartile. This suggests that the number of reported deaths, as well as its communication to the population, are important determinants of the effectiveness of a lockdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Alfano
- DiSEGIM, University of Napoli Parthenope, Italy & Center for Economic Studies CES-ifo, Germany
- National Centre for Applied Economics Studies - CiMET, Italy
| | - Salvatore Ercolano
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics, University of Basilicata, Italy
- National Centre for Applied Economics Studies - CiMET, Italy
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Fink G, Förtsch K, Felder S. Subjective burden of government-imposed Covid-19 restrictions in Switzerland: Evidence from the 2022 LINK Covid-19 survey. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283524. [PMID: 37498827 PMCID: PMC10374048 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While a large literature has quantified the health and economic impact of COVID-19, estimates on the subjective losses in quality of life due to government imposed restrictions remain scarce. METHODS We conducted a nationally representative online survey in Switzerland in February 2022 to measure average self-reported quality of life with government restrictions. We used a discrete choice experiment to compute average willingness to pay for avoiding specific restrictions and time-trade-off questions to quantify the relative quality of life under restrictions. RESULTS A total of 1299 Swiss residents completed the online survey between February 9th and 15th, 2022. On average, respondents valued life under severe restrictions at 39% of their usual life (estimated relative utility 0.39 [0.37, 0.42]). Willingness to pay for avoiding restrictions was lowest for masks (CHF 663 [319, 1007]), and highest for schools and daycares (CHF 4123 [3443, 4803]) as well as private parties (CHF 4520 [3811, 5229]). We estimate that between March 2020 and February 2022 a total of 5.7 Million QALYs were lost due to light, moderate and severe restrictions imposed by the governments. CONCLUSIONS The quality of life losses due to government restrictions are substantial, particularly when it comes to the closure of schools and daycares, as well as the prohibition of private gatherings. Future policies should weigh these costs against the health benefits achievable with specific measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günther Fink
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | | | - Stefan Felder
- Department of Economics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Xia X, Zhang Y, Jiang W, Wu CY. Staying Home, Tweeting Hope: Mixed Methods Study of Twitter Sentiment Geographical Index During US Stay-At-Home Orders. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e45757. [PMID: 37486758 PMCID: PMC10407645 DOI: 10.2196/45757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stay-at-home orders were one of the controversial interventions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. The stay-at-home orders, implemented in 51 states and territories between March 7 and June 30, 2020, impacted the lives of individuals and communities and accelerated the heavy usage of web-based social networking sites. Twitter sentiment analysis can provide valuable insight into public health emergency response measures and allow for better formulation and timing of future public health measures to be released in response to future public health emergencies. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated how stay-at-home orders affect Twitter sentiment in the United States. Furthermore, this study aimed to understand the feedback on stay-at-home orders from groups with different circumstances and backgrounds. In addition, we particularly focused on vulnerable groups, including older people groups with underlying medical conditions, small and medium enterprises, and low-income groups. METHODS We constructed a multiperiod difference-in-differences regression model based on the Twitter sentiment geographical index quantified from 7.4 billion geo-tagged tweets data to analyze the dynamics of sentiment feedback on stay-at-home orders across the United States. In addition, we used moderated effects analysis to assess differential feedback from vulnerable groups. RESULTS We combed through the implementation of stay-at-home orders, Twitter sentiment geographical index, and the number of confirmed cases and deaths in 51 US states and territories. We identified trend changes in public sentiment before and after the stay-at-home orders. Regression results showed that stay-at-home orders generated a positive response, contributing to a recovery in Twitter sentiment. However, vulnerable groups faced greater shocks and hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, economic and demographic characteristics had a significant moderating effect. CONCLUSIONS This study showed a clear positive shift in public opinion about COVID-19, with this positive impact occurring primarily after stay-at-home orders. However, this positive sentiment is time-limited, with 14 days later allowing people to be more influenced by the status quo and trends, so feedback on the stay-at-home orders is no longer positively significant. In particular, negative sentiment is more likely to be generated in states with a large proportion of vulnerable groups, and the policy plays a limited role. The pandemic hit older people, those with underlying diseases, and small and medium enterprises directly but hurt states with cross-cutting economic situations and more complex demographics over time. Based on large-scale Twitter data, this sociological perspective allows us to monitor the evolution of public opinion more directly, assess the impact of social events on public opinion, and understand the heterogeneity in the face of pandemic shocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinming Xia
- School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Institute for Contemporary China Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Chinese Society for Urban Studies, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Programs Office, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Urban Governance and Design Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Jiang
- Department of Management Science and Information Systems, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Connor Yuhao Wu
- Department of Management Science and Information Systems, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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Belmonte-Lopes R, Barquilha CER, Kozak C, Barcellos DS, Leite BZ, da Costa FJOG, Martins WL, Oliveira PE, Pereira EHRA, Filho CRM, de Souza EM, Possetti GRC, Vicente VA, Etchepare RG. 20-Month monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater of Curitiba, in Southern Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:76687-76701. [PMID: 37243767 PMCID: PMC10224667 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27926-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the collapse of healthcare systems and led to the development and application of several approaches of wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor infected populations. The main objective of this study was to carry out a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater based surveillance in Curitiba, Southern Brazil Sewage samples were collected weekly for 20 months at the entrance of five treatment plants representing the entire city and quantified by qPCR using the N1 marker. The viral loads were correlated with epidemiological data. The correlation by sampling points showed that the relationship between the viral loads and the number of reported cases was best described by a cross-correlation function, indicating a lag between 7 and 14 days amidst the variables, whereas the data for the entire city presented a higher correlation (0.84) with the number of positive tests at lag 0 (sampling day). The results also suggest that the Omicron VOC resulted in higher titers than the Delta VOC. Overall, our results showed that the approach used was robust as an early warning system, even with the use of different epidemiological indicators or changes in the virus variants in circulation. Therefore, it can contribute to public decision-makers and health interventions, especially in vulnerable and low-income regions with limited clinical testing capacity. Looking toward the future, this approach will contribute to a new look at environmental sanitation and should even induce an increase in sewage coverage rates in emerging countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Belmonte-Lopes
- Graduate Program On Pathology, Parasitology, and Microbiology, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
- Basic Pathology Department, Biological Sciences Sector, Microbiological Collections of Paraná Network, Room 135/136. 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
- Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Carlos E R Barquilha
- Graduate Program On Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
- Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Caroline Kozak
- Environment Department, Maringa State University, SESI Block, 1800 Ângelo Moreira da Fonseca AvenueRoom 15, Parque Danielle, Umuarama, PR, 87506-370, Brazil
| | - Demian S Barcellos
- Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Z Leite
- Research and Innovation Management, Paraná Sanitation Company (SANEPAR), 1376 Eng. Rebouças St, Rebouças, Curitiba, PR, 80215-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda J O Gomes da Costa
- Research and Innovation Management, Paraná Sanitation Company (SANEPAR), 1376 Eng. Rebouças St, Rebouças, Curitiba, PR, 80215-900, Brazil
| | - William L Martins
- Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Pâmela E Oliveira
- Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Edy H R A Pereira
- Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Cesar R Mota Filho
- Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), 6627 Antonio Carlos Avenue, Block 1, Room 4529, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Emanuel M de Souza
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Gustavo R C Possetti
- Research and Innovation Management, Paraná Sanitation Company (SANEPAR), 1376 Eng. Rebouças St, Rebouças, Curitiba, PR, 80215-900, Brazil
| | - Vania A Vicente
- Basic Pathology Department, Biological Sciences Sector, Microbiological Collections of Paraná Network, Room 135/136. 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
- Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Ramiro G Etchepare
- Hydraulics and Sanitation Department, Federal University of Paraná, 100 Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos Avenue, Curitiba, PR, 81530-000, Brazil.
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Rovetta A. There is a need for more precise models to assess the determinants of health crises like COVID-19. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1179261. [PMID: 37397715 PMCID: PMC10313224 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1179261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on global mortality. While the causal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and the anomalous increase in deaths is established, more precise and complex models are needed to determine the exact weight of epidemiological factors involved. Indeed, COVID-19 behavior is influenced by a wide range of variables, including demographic characteristics, population habits and behavior, healthcare performance, and environmental and seasonal risk factors. The bidirectional causality between impacted and impacting aspects, as well as confounding variables, complicates efforts to draw clear, generalizable conclusions regarding the effectiveness and cost-benefit ratio of non-pharmaceutical health countermeasures. Thus, it is imperative that the scientific community and health authorities worldwide develop comprehensive models not only for the current pandemic but also for future health crises. These models should be implemented locally to account for micro-differences in epidemiological characteristics that may have relevant effects. It is important to note that the lack of a universal model does not imply that local decisions have been unjustified, and the request to decrease scientific uncertainty does not mean denying the evidence of the effectiveness of the countermeasures adopted. Therefore, this paper must not be exploited to denigrate either the scientific community or the health authorities.
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Alfano V, Cicatiello L, Ercolano S. Assessing the effectiveness of mandatory outdoor mask policy: The natural experiment of Campania. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 50:101265. [PMID: 37348287 PMCID: PMC10259108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Face masks are possibly the main symbol of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once rarely used in Western countries, in the last two years they have become an object it is impossible to leave one's home without. Italy made their use a legal requirement, even outdoors, from late 2020 to early 2022. The effectiveness of this policy in reducing COVID-19 cases has been widely debated. The recent cancellation of their mandatory use in Italy offers an interesting setting in which to test its impact, since one Italian region (Campania) extended the restriction for a further three weeks. We aim to shed some light on the real-world impact of mandatory use of face masks outdoors, identifying the effect of this policy on the spread of COVID-19. By means of a quantitative analysis, employing a synthetic control method approach, we find that Campania had statistically the same number of cases as its synthetic counterfactual, built from a donor pool formed from the other Italian provinces. Hence, results suggest that while it imposes a burden on the public, the use of face masks outdoors is not correlated with a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Alfano
- DiGESIM, University of Napoli Parthenope, Napoli, Italy; Center for Economic Studies - CESifo, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Cicatiello
- Department of Human and Social Science, University of Napoli L'Orientale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Salvatore Ercolano
- Department of Mathematics, Information Sciences and Economics, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy; National University Centre for Applied Economic Studies - CMET 05, Italy
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Vardi N, Lazebnik T. The Causal Role of Lockdowns in COVID-19: Conclusions From Daily Epidemiological, Psychological, and Sociological Data. Psychiatr Q 2023; 94:321-341. [PMID: 37300735 PMCID: PMC10257173 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-023-10035-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Much has been written about the COVID-19 pandemic's epidemiological, psychological, and sociological consequences. Yet, the question about the role of the lockdown policy from psychological and sociological points of view has not been sufficiently addressed. Using epidemiological, psychological, and sociological daily data, we examined the causal role of lockdown and variation in morbidity referring to emotional and behavioral aspects. Dynamics of support requests to the Sahar organization concerning loneliness, depression, anxiety, family difficulties, and sexual trauma were investigated alongside processes of emergency and domestic violence reports to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs. By exploring the signals and predictive modeling for a situation with no lockdown implementation, the lockdown was found as a critical factor in distress rising among the general population, which could affect long after the improvement in pandemic case counts. Applications and implications are discussed in the context of decision-making in dealing with crises as well as the need to allocate resources for adaptive coping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Vardi
- Department of Psychology and The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Teddy Lazebnik
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
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White RC, Luo R, Rothenberg R. Non-pharmaceutical interventions in the State of Georgia: Economic implications. ETHICS, MEDICINE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 28:100891. [PMID: 37095763 PMCID: PMC10116346 DOI: 10.1016/j.jemep.2023.100891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Background As Covid-19 spread rapidly, many countries implemented a strict shelter-in-place to "flatten the curve" and build capacity to treat in the absence of effective preventative therapies or treatments. Policymakers and public health officials must balance the positive health effects of lockdowns with economic, social, and psychological costs. This study examined the economic impacts of state and county level restrictions during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic for two regions of Georgia. Methods Taking unemployment data from the Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker with mandate information from various sites, we examined trends before and after a mandate's implementation and relaxation using joinpoint regression. Results We found mandates with the largest impact on unemployment claims rates were the shelters-in-place (SIPs) and closures of non-essential businesses. Specific to our study, mandates had an effect where first implemented, i.e., if the state implemented an SIP after the county, the state-wide SIP had no additional measurable effect on claims rates. School closures had a consistent impact on increasing unemployment claims rates, but to a lesser degree than SIPs or business closures. While closing businesses did have a deleterious effect, implementing social distancing for businesses and restricting gatherings did not. Notably, the Coastal region was less affected than the Metro Area. Additionally, our findings indicate that race ethnicity may be a larger predictor of adverse economic effects than education, poverty level, or geographic area. Conclusions Our findings coincided with other studies in some areas but showed differences in what indicators may best predict adverse effects and that coastal communities may not always be as impacted as other regions in a state. Ultimately, the most restrictive measures consistently had the largest negative economic impacts. Social distancing and mask mandates can be effective for containment while mitigating the economic impacts of strict SIPs and business closures.
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Affiliation(s)
- R C White
- Georgia State University, School of Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, 140, Decatur Street SE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA
| | - R Luo
- Georgia State University, School of Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, 140, Decatur Street SE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA
| | - R Rothenberg
- Georgia State University, School of Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, 140, Decatur Street SE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, USA
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Boudou M, Khandelwal S, ÓhAiseadha C, Garvey P, O'Dwyer J, Hynds P. Spatio-temporal evolution of COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland and the Greater Dublin Area (March to November 2020): A space-time cluster frequency approach. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2023; 45:100565. [PMID: 37301603 PMCID: PMC9840564 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2023.100565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M Boudou
- Spatio-Temporal Environmental Epidemiology Research (STEER) Group, Dublin Institute of Technology, Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, D07 H6K8, Ireland.
| | - S Khandelwal
- Spatio-Temporal Environmental Epidemiology Research (STEER) Group, Dublin Institute of Technology, Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, D07 H6K8, Ireland
| | - C ÓhAiseadha
- Department of Public Health, Health Service Executive (HSE), Dr. Steevens' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - P Garvey
- Health Protection Surveillance Centre, 25 Middle Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, Ireland
| | - J O'Dwyer
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Research Institute (ERI), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG), University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - P Hynds
- Spatio-Temporal Environmental Epidemiology Research (STEER) Group, Dublin Institute of Technology, Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Greenway Hub, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, D07 H6K8, Ireland.
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