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Brigo F, Brigiari G, Mian M, Turcato G, Sibilio S, Zaboli A. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its related social restriction measures and vaccination campaign on emergency department attendances for epileptic seizures: An interrupted time-series analysis. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 154:109763. [PMID: 38554646 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109763] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the impact of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, its related social restriction measure (national lockdown) and vaccination campaign on emergency department (ED) accesses for epileptic seizures. METHODS Retrospective observational analysis conducted on a consecutive cohort of patients who sought medical care at the ED of the General Hospital of Merano, Italy, from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021. We investigated the monthly ED attendances for epileptic seizures between the periods before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown (March 2020) using an interrupted time-series analysis with data standardized for 1000 accesses/month. As a further temporal cutoff, we used the start of the national vaccination campaign. RESULTS Between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021, a total of 415,005 ED attendances were recorded; 1,254 (0.3 %) were due to epileptic seizures. No significant difference was found in the rate of standardized ED accesses for epileptic seizures in March 2020 (time point of interest) to the pre-pandemic trend (0.33/1000; 95 %CI: -1.05 to 1.71; p = 0.637). Similarly, there was no difference between the pre- and post-pandemic trends (-0.02/1000; 95 %CI: -0.11 to 0.06; p = 0.600). When adopting January 2021 as time point of interest, we found no difference to the pre-vaccination trend (0.83/1000; 95 %CI: -0.48 to 2.15), and no difference in the pre- and post-vaccination trends (-0.12/1000; 95 %CI: -0.27 to 0.04). CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic and its related social restrictions (lockdown), as well as the COVID-19 national vaccination campaign, had little impact on ED accesses for epileptic seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Innovation, Research and Teaching Service (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU), Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Gloria Brigiari
- Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Michael Mian
- Innovation, Research and Teaching Service (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU), Bolzano, Italy; College of Health Care-Professions Claudiana, Bozen, Italy
| | - Gianni Turcato
- Department of Internal Medicine, Intermediate Care Unit, Hospital Alto Vicentino (AULSS-7), Santorso, Italy
| | - Serena Sibilio
- Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arian Zaboli
- Innovation, Research and Teaching Service (SABES-ASDAA), Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU), Bolzano, Italy
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V Carvalho AS, Broekema B, Brito Fernandes Ó, Klazinga N, Kringos D. Acute care pathway assessed through performance indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic in OECD countries (2020-2021): a scoping review. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:19. [PMID: 38273229 PMCID: PMC10811879 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-00938-7] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted care for non-COVID patients. Performance indicators to monitor acute care, timely reported and internationally accepted, lacked during the pandemic in OECD countries. This study aims to summarize the performance indicators available in the literature to monitor changes in the quality of acute care in OECD countries during the first year and a half of the pandemic (2020-July 2021) and to assess their trends. METHODS Scoping review. Search in Embase and MEDLINE (07-07-2022). Acute care performance indicators and indicators related to acute general surgery were collected and collated following a care pathway approach. Indicators assessing identical clinical measures were grouped under a common indicator title. The trends from each group of indicators were collated (increase/decrease/stable). RESULTS A total of 152 studies were included. 2354 indicators regarding general acute care and 301 indicators related to acute general surgery were included. Indicators focusing on pre-hospital services reported a decreasing trend in the volume of patients: from 225 indicators, 110 (49%) reported a decrease. An increasing trend in pre-hospital treatment times was reported by most of the indicators (n = 41;70%) and a decreasing trend in survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (n = 61;75%). Concerning care provided in the emergency department, most of the indicators (n = 752;71%) showed a decreasing trend in admissions across all levels of urgency. Concerning the mortality rate after admission, most of the indicators (n = 23;53%) reported an increasing trend. The subset of indicators assessing acute general surgery showed a decreasing trend in the volume of patients (n = 50;49%), stability in clinical severity at admission (n = 36;53%), and in the volume of surgeries (n = 14;47%). Most of the indicators (n = 28;65%) reported no change in treatment approach and stable mortality rate (n = 11,69%). CONCLUSION This review signals relevant disruptions across the acute care pathway. A subset of general surgery performance indicators showed stability in most of the phases of the care pathway. These results highlight the relevance of assessing this care pathway more regularly and systematically across different clinical entities to monitor disruptions and to improve the resilience of emergency services during a crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia V Carvalho
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Bente Broekema
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Dijklander Hospital, Location Hoorn, Maelsonstraat 3, Hoorn, 1624 NP, The Netherlands
| | - Óscar Brito Fernandes
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Niek Klazinga
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dionne Kringos
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Public and Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Quality of Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Kim AY, Na JH, Kang HY, Lee H, Lee YM. Effects of the coronavirus disease outbreak on the development of neurological disorders in children: A comparison of the incidence of febrile seizure and epilepsy using an interrupted time-series approach. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:102-108. [PMID: 37995555 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.10.042] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the outbreak of COVID-19, school closures and quarantines following social distancing have brought significant changes to children's lifestyles. Therefore, we aimed to compare the population-adjusted incidence of febrile seizures(FS) and epilepsy before and after the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea and to assess the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the incidence by region and age group. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted using nationwide claims data and covid data from January 2019 to December 2020. The incidence of diseases and difference in incidence before (Jan 20 to Dec 30, 2019) and after (Jan 20 to Dec 30, 2020) the COVID-19 outbreak was measured using rate ratio. An Interrupted time series analysis was used to identify the effect of COVID-19 on trends of FS and epilepsy. Subgroup analysis by age, sex, insurance, and risk of coronavirus by area were conducted. RESULTS Following the onset of the pandemic, the number of newly diagnosed FS cases decreased sharply by 69 % (24,182 to 7238), whereas the incidence of epilepsy, increased to 1.02 times (30,286-29,312), when adjusted in proportion to the population. Notably, a greater decrease in the incidence of FS were found in the regions with high-risk of coronavirus. A result of segmented regression analysis proved the decrease was significant and made immediately after the pandemic started(p < 0.001). In contrast to the incidence of FS, that of epilepsy did not exhibit a significant month-to-month change during the baseline period, immediately after the pandemic started, and during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 outbreak and resulting social distancing measures reduced the incidence of febrile seizure immediately rather than gradually. Unlike in the case of acute febrile seizure, the COVID-19 pandemic had no effect on the incidence of chronic epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ah-Young Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, Incheon, South Korea; Department of Pediatrics, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-720, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hoon Na
- Department of Pediatrics, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-720, South Korea
| | - Hye-Young Kang
- College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hankil Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea.
| | - Young-Mock Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-720, South Korea.
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Vargas ME, Gershon AS, Pugliese M, Gotfrit RJ, Manuel D, Sadatsafavi M, Stukel TA, To T, Kendall CE, Thavorn K, Robillard R, Kendzerska T. Pandemic Effect on Healthcare Use and Death in Adults with Epilepsy: A Population Study. Can J Neurol Sci 2023:1-11. [PMID: 38115804 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2023.316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We conducted a population-based study using Ontario health administrative data to describe trends in healthcare utilization and mortality in adults with epilepsy during the first pandemic year (March 2020-March 2021) compared to historical data (2016-2019). We also investigated if changes in outpatient visits and diagnostic testing during the first pandemic year were associated with increased risk for hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, or death. METHODS Projected monthly visit rates (per 100,000 people) for outpatient visits, electroencephalography, magnetic resonance, computed tomography, all-cause ED visits, hospitalizations, and mortality were calculated based on historical data by fitting monthly time series autoregressive integrated moving-average models. Two-way interactions were calculated using Quasi-Poisson models. RESULTS In adults with epilepsy during the first quarter of the pandemic, we demonstrated a reduction in all-cause outpatient visits, diagnostic testing, ED visits and hospitalizations, and a temporary increase in mortality (observed rates of 355.8 vs projected 308.8, 95% CI: 276.3-345.1). By the end of the year, outpatient visits increased (85,535.4 vs 76,620.6, 95% CI: 71,546.9-82,059.4), and most of the diagnostic test rates returned to the projected. The increase in the rate of all-cause mortality during the pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic, was greater during months with the lower frequency of diagnostic tests than months with higher frequency (interaction p-values <.0001). CONCLUSION We described the impact of the pandemic on healthcare utilization and mortality in adults with epilepsy during the first year. We demonstrated that access to relevant diagnostic testing is likely important for this population while planning restrictions on non-urgent health services.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea S Gershon
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Research Institute, The Hospital of Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Pugliese
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan Jason Gotfrit
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Douglas Manuel
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohsen Sadatsafavi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Evaluation Sciences Program, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Therese A Stukel
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Teresa To
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Research Institute, The Hospital of Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claire E Kendall
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kednapa Thavorn
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Tetyana Kendzerska
- The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- ICES, Ottawa, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Ciccimarra F, Luxi N, Bellitto C, L' Abbate L, De Nardo P, Savoldi A, Yeomans A, Molokhia M, Tacconelli E, Trifirò G. Exploring the Use of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antiviral Therapies for Early Treatment of COVID-19 Outpatients in a Real-World Setting: A Nationwide Study from England and Italy. BioDrugs 2023; 37:675-684. [PMID: 37148526 PMCID: PMC10163563 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-023-00601-w] [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] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Real-world data on early treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outpatients with newly approved therapies are sparse. AIM To explore the pattern of use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)/antiviral therapies approved for early COVID-19 treatment in non-hospitalized patients from England and Italy from December 2021 to October 2022. METHODS Public national dashboards on weekly mAb/antiviral use and/or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnoses from the Italian Medicines Agency, the Italian National Institute of Health, National Health Service in England and the UK Government were explored. Prevalence of antiviral use in outpatients during the entire study period and every two weeks was calculated, as a whole and by class and compounds. An interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis was carried out to assess the impact of predominant SARS-CoV-2 variants over time on the prevalence of use of mAbs/antivirals in England and Italy. RESULTS Overall, 77,469 and 195,604 doses of mAbs/antivirals were respectively administered to a total of 10,630,903 (7.3 per 1000) and 18,168,365 (10.8 per 1000) patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in England and Italy. Prevalence of use every two weeks increased from 0.07% to 3.1% in England and 0.9% to 2.3% in Italy during the study period. Regarding individual compounds, sotrovimab (prevalence of use, 1.6%) and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (1.6%) in England, and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (1.7%) and molnupiravir (0.5%) in Italy, reported the highest prevalence during a 2-week period. In the ITS analysis, the transition from Delta to Omicron variant predominance was associated with a significant increase in the use of sotrovimab, molnupiravir, remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in both England and Italy, with a reduction of other marketed mAbs. The extent of the increase was higher in England than in Italy for all these drugs except for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. CONCLUSIONS In this dual nationwide study, the prevalence of use of mAbs/antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 for early outpatients' treatment increased slowly up to 2.0-3.0% of all patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in both England and Italy from December 2021 to October 2022. The trend of individual drug use varied in relation to predominant SARS-CoV-2 variants with some differences across countries. In line with scientific societies' guidelines, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was the most frequently prescribed antiviral in both countries in the most recent period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ciccimarra
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pharmacology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Luxi
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Bellitto
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pharmacology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Luca L' Abbate
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Pasquale De Nardo
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessia Savoldi
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Mariam Molokhia
- Department of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Evelina Tacconelli
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Gianluca Trifirò
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pharmacology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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Paltrinieri S, Bressi B, Mazzini E, Fugazzaro S, Rondini E, Giorgi Rossi P, Costi S. Activities Carried Out during the First COVID-19 Lockdown by Italian Citizens. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3906. [PMID: 36900917 PMCID: PMC10001561 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has altered how citizens engage in activities. This study describes the new activities citizens engaged in during the first lockdown, factors that helped them cope with the confinement, the supports they used the most, and which supports they would have liked to receive. This cross-sectional study consists of an online survey made of 49 questions that was completed by the citizens of the province of Reggio Emilia (Italy) from 4 May until 15 June 2020. The outcomes of this study were explored by focusing on four of the survey questions. Of the 1826 citizens who responded, 84.2% had started new leisure activities. Males, participants who lived in the plain or foothills, and those who experienced nervousness engaged less in new activities, while those whose employment status changed, whose lifestyle worsened, or whose use of alcohol increased engaged in more activities. The support of family and friends, leisure activities, continuing to work, and an optimistic attitude were perceived to be of help. Grocery delivery and hotlines providing any type of information and mental health support were used frequently; a lack of health and social care services and of support in reconciling work with childcare was perceived. Findings may help institutions and policy makers to better support citizens in any future circumstances requiring prolonged confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Paltrinieri
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Public Health Sciences PhD Program, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Bressi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
- PhD Program in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Elisa Mazzini
- Scientific Directorate Hospital Network, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Stefania Fugazzaro
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Ermanno Rondini
- Lega Italiana Contro i Tumori-LILT Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Regional Center for Education in Health Promotion-Luoghi di Prevenzione, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Paolo Giorgi Rossi
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Stefania Costi
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
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Revilla-Cuesta V, Skaf M, Espinosa AB, Ortega-López V. Teaching lessons learnt by civil-engineering teachers from the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Burgos, Spain. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279313. [PMID: 36525427 PMCID: PMC9757551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279313] [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: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 lockdown in Spain caused abrupt changes for students following the Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Burgos when face-to-face classes switched to online teaching. The recovery of face-to-face teaching after lockdown meant that classes were taught with obligatory social distancing and the use of masks. Teachers were therefore unable to interact with students closely, to perceive their facial expressions during class, or to conduct group work. The changes to civil-engineering teaching linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons that civil-engineering teachers learnt from the new teaching scenarios are studied in this paper. The reflections of teachers throughout all three stages of the pandemic (pre-pandemic and lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown), and the qualitative and mixed analysis of their responses to a survey of open-ended questions contributed to the identification of six major lessons: (1) asking questions and using real-time quiz tools enliven classes and help to determine which concepts to emphasize for proper student understanding; (2) autonomous student learning can be promoted through the provision of supplementary documentation and the digitalization of solutions to classroom exercises; (3) virtual site visits and real visual examples interspersed with explanations bring concepts closer to their real applications; (4) the delivery of projects in the form of audio-recorded presentations enable their distribution, so that other students can also learn from them as well as the students who created them; (5) online videoconferences, adapted to the concepts that are addressed, facilitate fast and flexible communication with students; and (6) online continuous-assessment exams can promote better student learning patterns and final-exam preparation. Nevertheless, these six lessons were drawn from the experience of teachers at a small Spanish university where the period of solely online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic lasted only four months. Thus, it would be interesting to analyze the experience of civil-engineering teachers at larger universities and universities that had longer periods of solely online teaching. A study of the level of implementation of the six aspects when the pandemic is declared over might also be worthwhile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Revilla-Cuesta
- Department of Civil Engineering, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Marta Skaf
- Department of Construction, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | - Ana B. Espinosa
- Department of Construction, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain
| | - Vanesa Ortega-López
- Department of Civil Engineering, Escuela Politécnica Superior, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain
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Antonazzo IC, Fornari C, Maumus-Robert S, Cei E, Paoletti O, Ferrara P, Conti S, Cortesi PA, Mantovani LG, Gini R, Mazzaglia G. Antidepressants Drug Use during COVID-19 Waves in the Tuscan General Population: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12020178. [PMID: 35207666 PMCID: PMC8879880 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12020178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In Italy, during the COVID-19 waves two lockdowns were implemented to prevent virus diffusion in the general population. Data on antidepressant (AD) use in these periods are still scarce. This study aimed at exploring the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on prevalence and incidence of antidepressant drug use in the general population. A population-based study using the healthcare administrative database of Tuscany was performed. We selected a dynamic cohort of subjects with at least one ADs dispensing from 1 January 2018 to 27 December 2020. The weekly prevalence and incidence of drug use were estimated across different segments: pre-lockdown (1 January 2018–8 March 2020), first lockdown (9 March 2020–15 June 2020), post-first lockdown (16 June 2020–15 November 2020) and second lockdown (16 November 2020–27 December 2020). An interrupted time-series analysis was used to assess the effect of lockdowns on the observed outcomes. Compared to the pre-lockdown we observed an abrupt reduction of ADs incidence (Incidence-Ratio: 0.82; 95% Confidence-Intervals: 0.74–0.91) and a slight weekly decrease of prevalence (Prevalence-Ratio: 0.997; 0.996–0.999). During the post-first lockdown AD use increased, with higher incidence- and similar prevalence values compared with those expected in the absence of the outbreak. This pandemic has impacted AD drug use in the general population with potential rebound effects during the period between waves. This calls for future studies aimed at exploring the mid–long term effects of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ippazio Cosimo Antonazzo
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Carla Fornari
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Sandy Maumus-Robert
- Team Pharmacoepidemiology, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Inserm U1219, University of Bordeaux, F-33000 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Eleonora Cei
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Olga Paoletti
- Regional Agency for Healthcare Services of Tuscany, Epidemiology, 50141 Florence, Italy; (O.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Pietro Ferrara
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
- Value-Based Healthcare Unit, IRCCS Multi Medica, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy
| | - Sara Conti
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Paolo Angelo Cortesi
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
- Value-Based Healthcare Unit, IRCCS Multi Medica, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Giovanni Mantovani
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
- Value-Based Healthcare Unit, IRCCS Multi Medica, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy
| | - Rosa Gini
- Regional Agency for Healthcare Services of Tuscany, Epidemiology, 50141 Florence, Italy; (O.P.); (R.G.)
| | - Giampiero Mazzaglia
- Research Centre on Public Health (CESP), University of Milan-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (I.C.A.); (E.C.); (P.F.); (S.C.); (P.A.C.); (L.G.M.); (G.M.)
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