[Telemedicine as a tool to face patient care during the context of COVID-19]

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medication Reconciliation in Frail Elderly People at Hospital Discharge: Perception of Healthcare Professionals

The current demographic panorama in Spain corresponds to an aging population; this situation is characterized by the need to care for an elderly population, which contains polymedicated and pluripathological individuals. Polymedication is a criterion of frailty in the elderly and a risk factor for mortality and morbidity due to the increased risk of drug interactions and medication errors. There are numerous studies that measure reconciliation at hospital discharge and at admission, and even the methodology of reconciliation, but we have not found many studies that measure reconciliation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of health professionals regarding difficulties and the strategies carried out, which is essential to begin to glimpse solutions.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study based on 21 in-depth interviews and two discussion groups, conducted between January and April 2021 (13 nurses and 8 doctors, in rural and urban areas). The discourse was analyzed according to the Taylor-Bodgan model and processed using Atlas.ti software.

RESULTS

The areas altered by the health crisis were access to patients, their reconciliation of medication, and changes in the care modality, including the greater use of telephone communication, changes in work organization, and time dedicated to patient care and family work. Difficulties encountered during COVID-19: change in medication format, the specific characteristics of the patient and their pathologies, and difficulties arising from communication with the patient and their family. The strategies applied: the collaboration of home assistants and caregivers, emphasis on patient-health professional communication, and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

CONCLUSION

The discharge was interrupted by the health crisis caused by COVID-19, in terms of both the traditional access of patients and by the remote care modalities generated by telemedicine.

Factors associated with knowledge, attitudes and preventive practices towards COVID-19 in health care professionals in Lima, Peru

Background: Nowadays, we are facing a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, known globally as COVID-19, which is considered a threat to global health due to its high contagiousness and rapid spread. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study in 302 health professionals. An online questionnaire consisting of questions about knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 was applied. Socio-demographic, occupational and comorbidities factors were explored. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with KAP. Results: Of the total, 25.2%, 31.5% and 37.4% had high levels of knowledge, preventive practices and risk perception attitudes respectively. Being married (aOR=6.75), having a master's degree (aOR= 0.41), having a working day with less than ten hours (ORa=0.49) and obesity (aOR=0.38) were associated with a low level of knowledge of COVID-19. The variables associated with preventive practices were being over the age of 50 (aOR=0.52), working in the hospitalization area (aOR=1.86) and having comorbidities such as arterial hypertension (aOR=0.28) and obesity (aOR=0.35). In relation to negative attitudes towards COVID 19, it was found that physical contact with patients with a confirmed diagnosis (aOR=1.84) and having asthma (aOR=2.13) were associated with these attitudes. Conclusion: Being married, having a master's degree, working less than ten hours were associated with having a low level of knowledge of COVID-19. Being older than 50, working in the hospitalization area were associated with preventive practices. Physical contact with COVID-19 patients was associated with negative attitudes.