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Background: Paediatric orthopaedics is a significant and difficult for undergraduate students to master. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we used the WeChat platform to combine the advantages offered by problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL) and paper review teaching methods to establish a new blended online teaching model and demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness., Objective: This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of a new blended pedagogical method that uses the WeChat platform and combines PBL, CBL and paper review., Methods: We enrolled 22 students participating in the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics. They participated in the WeChat blended pedagogy mode. Their departmental rotation examination scores were compared with those of 23 students who participated in the traditional teaching method. Moreover, an anonymous questionnaire was used to evaluate students' perceptions and experiences., Results: The total average scores of students who participated in the WeChat blended pedagogy mode and the traditional teaching method were 47.27 and 44.52, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the online teaching mode and the traditional teaching method in terms of possessing professional accomplishment, gaining knowledge and promoting interpersonal skills (P = 0.07, P = 0.12 and P = 0.65, respectively). In terms of independent clinical thinking, self-improving capability and improving clinical skills, the scores associated with the WeChat blended pedagogy mode were 8.00, 8.00 and 6.00, whereas those associated with the traditional teaching method were 6.70, 6.87 and 7.48. The overall satisfaction with the WeChat blended pedagogy mode reached 100%. A total of 64%, 86%, 68%, 64% and 59% of students chose very large or large in response to the items concerning professional accomplishment, knowledge absorption, independent clinical thinking skills, English reading and literature exploring capacity, as well as interpersonal skills, respectively. Fifteen participants claimed that the WeChat blended pedagogy mode was less helpful to them with regard to promoting the improvement of their clinical skills. Nine students claimed that the WeChat blended pedagogy mode was time-consuming., Conclusions: Our study verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the WeChat blended pedagogy mode for undergraduate paediatric orthopaedics internships., Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted all surgical specialties significantly and exerted additional pressures on the overburdened United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service. Healthcare professionals in the UK have had to adapt their practice. In particular, surgeons have faced organisational and technical challenges treating patients who carried higher risks, were more urgent and could not wait for prehabilitation or optimisation before their intervention. Furthermore, there were implications for blood transfusion with uncertain patterns of demand, reductions in donations and loss of crucial staff because of sickness and public health restrictions. Previous guidelines have attempted to address the control of bleeding and its consequences after cardiothoracic surgery, but there have been no targeted recommendations in light of the recent COVID-19 challenges. In this context, and with a focus on the perioperative period, an expert multidisciplinary Task Force reviewed the impact of bleeding in cardiothoracic surgery, explored different aspects of patient blood management with a focus on the use of haemostats as adjuncts to conventional surgical techniques and proposed best practice recommendations in the UK., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: In the European Union it is mandatory to include paper package leaflets (PPL) with all medicines, including vaccines, to inform the recipient. However, it is difficult to meet the necessity for localized PPLs in each of the 24 official European languages. Replacing PPLs with electronic versions offers many advantages including redistribution across nations, reduced storage space, accessibility by the visually impaired, easily updated information or the addition of video content. We wanted to assess the attitudes of patients (vaccine recipients or their parents) to the potential of replacing PPL with electronic versions., Methods: We surveyed vaccinees or their parents in four European countries-Belgium, Italy, Bulgaria and France-for their actual use of vaccine PPLs and their opinions about switching to an electronic package leaflet. Our survey was conducted online because of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in 2518 responses to a questionnaire targeted at three specific groups with particular information needs: parents of young children, pregnant women and the elderly (≥ 60 years)., Results: Our main findings are that currently vaccine PPLs are rarely used and frequently unavailable for the vaccinee. Across the four countries surveyed 55-82% of vaccinees would accept an electronic version, as did 64% when there was an option to request a printout of the leaflet., Conclusions: We found that switching to electronic versions of vaccine PPLs is an acceptable alternative for the public, potentially increasing the quality and amount of information reaching vaccinees while eliminating some barriers to redistribution of vaccines between countries., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become the most threatening issue to all populations around the world. It is, directly and indirectly, affecting all of us and thus, is an emerging topic dealt in global health. To avoid the infection, various studies have been done and are still ongoing. COVID-19 cases are reported all over the globe, and among the millions of cases, genetic similarity may be seen. The genetical common features seen within confirmed cases may help outline the tendency of infection and degree severity of the disease. Here, we reviewed multiple papers on SNPs related to SARS-CoV-2 infection and analyzed their results., Methods: The PubMed databases were searched for papers discussing SNPs associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity. Clinical studies with human patients and statistically showing the relevance of the SNP with virus infection were included. Quality Assessment of all papers was done with Newcastle Ottawa Scale., Results: In the analysis, 21 full-text literature out of 2956 screened titles and abstracts, including 63,496 cases, were included. All were human-based clinical studies, some based on certain regions gathered patient data and some based on big databases obtained online. ACE2, TMPRSS2, and IFITM3 are the genes mentioned most frequently that are related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. 20 out of 21 studies mentioned one or more of those genes. The relevant genes according to SNPs were also analyzed. rs12252-C, rs143936283, rs2285666, rs41303171, and rs35803318 are the SNPs that were mentioned at least twice in two different studies., Conclusions: We found that ACE2, TMPRSS2, and IFITM3 are the major genes that are involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The mentioned SNPs were all related to one or more of the above-mentioned genes. There were discussions on certain SNPs that increased the infection and severity to certain groups more than the others. However, as there is limited follow-up and data due to a shortage of time history of the disease, studies may be limited., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to COVID-19 given an increased susceptibility to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy complications. However, few SARS-CoV-2 serological surveys have been performed among this population to assess the extent of the infection in sub-Saharan countries. The objectives of this study were to determine SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among Beninese pregnant women, to identify spatial seropositivity clusters and to analyse factors associated with the infection., Methods: A cross-sectional study including women in their third trimester of pregnancy attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinics at Allada (south Benin) and Natitingou (north Benin) was conducted. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for detection of IgG/IgM against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were performed using capillary blood. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associations between SARS-CoV-2 serostatus and maternal characteristics were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Spatial analyses were performed using the spatial scan statistics to identify spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 infection., Results: A total of 861 pregnant women were enrolled between May 4 and June 29, 2022. 58/861 (6.7%) participants reported having received COVID-19 vaccine. None of the participants had been diagnosed with COVID-19 during their pregnancy. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 607/802 (75.7%; 95% CI 72.56%-78.62%) of unvaccinated participants. Several urban and rural spatial clusters of SARS-CoV-2 cases were identified in Allada and one urban spatial cluster was identified in Natitingou. Unvaccinated participants from Allada with at least one previous morbidity were at a three-times higher risk of presenting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (OR = 2.89; 95%CI 1.19%-7.00%)., Conclusion: Three out of four pregnant women had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, suggesting a high virus circulation among pregnant women in Benin, while COVID-19 vaccination coverage was low. Pregnant women with comorbidities may be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This population should be prioritized for COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination in order to prevent its deleterious effects., Trial Registration: NCT06170320 (retrospectively registered on December 21, 2023)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has occurred, nations showed their unpreparedness to deal with a mass casualty incident of this proportion and severity, which resulted in a tremendous number of deaths even among healthcare workers. The World Society of Emergency Surgery conceived this position paper with the purpose of providing evidence-based recommendations for the management of emergency surgical patients under COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of the patient and healthcare workers., Method: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) through the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase and SCOPUS databases. Synthesis of evidence, statements and recommendations were developed in accordance with the GRADE methodology., Results: Given the limitation of the evidence, the current document represents an effort to join selected high-quality articles and experts' opinion., Conclusions: The aim of this position paper is to provide an exhaustive guidelines to perform emergency surgery in a safe and protected environment for surgical patients and for healthcare workers under COVID-19 and to offer the best management of COVID-19 patients needing for an emergency surgical treatment. We recommend screening for COVID-19 infection at the emergency department all acute surgical patients who are waiting for hospital admission and urgent surgery. The screening work-up provides a RT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab test and a baseline (non-contrast) chest CT or a chest X-ray or a lungs US, depending on skills and availability. If the COVID-19 screening is not completed we recommend keeping the patient in isolation until RT-PCR swab test result is not available, and to manage him/she such as an overt COVID patient. The management of COVID-19 surgical patients is multidisciplinary. If an immediate surgical procedure is mandatory, whether laparoscopic or via open approach, we recommend doing every effort to protect the operating room staff for the safety of the patient.

Background: Social support services such as day care centres are important in post-diagnostic dementia care to enable people living with dementia stay at home for longer. Little research has addressed potential inequalities in access, with no research on variations before and since COVID-19. The aim of this study was to explore inequalities in social support service usage before and since the pandemic., Methods: Unpaid carers and people living with dementia were interviewed over the phone about their experiences of accessing social support services before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcripts were analysed for key themes using inductive and deductive thematic analysis., Results: Fifty participants (42 unpaid carers; eight people living with dementia) were interviewed, and five themes identified: (1) Service issues; (2) Access issues; (3) Relying on own initiative; (4) New inequalities due to COVID-19; and (5) Missing out on the benefits of support services. Participants reported transport, finances, and location as factors reducing their ability to access support service pre-COVID, with inequalities remaining and at times exacerbated since. Carers and people living with dementia also reported struggling with accessing basic necessities during COVID, including food and medicines., Conclusions: Considering the benefits of accessing support services, resourced procedures and facilities are needed to maintain access to support services with more accessible remote support provision, enabling people from all backgrounds to access the care they need.

Healthcare services in many countries have been partially or completely disrupted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic since its onset in the end of 2019. Amongst the most impacted are the elective medical and surgical services in order to conserve resources to care for COVID-19 patients. As the number of infected patients decrease across Canada, elective surgeries are being restarted in a staged manner. Since Otolaryngologists - Head & Neck Surgeons manage surgical diseases of the upper aerodigestive tract where the highest viral load reside, it is imperative that these surgeries resume in a safe manner. The aim of this document is to compile the current best evidence available and provide expert consensus on the safe restart of rhinologic and skull base surgeries while discussing the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care and tips. Risk assessment, patient selection, case triage, and pre-operative COVID-19 testing will be analyzed and discussed. These guidelines will also consider the optimal use of personal protective equipment for specific cases, general and specific operative room precautions, and practical tips of intra-operative maneuvers to optimize patient and provider safety. Given that the literature surrounding COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, these recommendations will serve to start our specialty back into elective rhinologic surgeries over the next months and they may change as we learn more about this disease.

Background: The effectiveness of crisis response can be influenced by various structural, cultural, and functional aspects within a social system. This study uses a configurational approach to identify combinations of sociopolitical conditions that lead to a high case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 in OECD countries., Methods: A Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is conducted on a sample of 38 OECD countries. The outcome to be explained is high COVID-19 CFR. The five potentially causal conditions are level of democracy, state capacity, trust in government, health expenditure per capita, and the median age of population. A comprehensive QCA robustness test protocol is applied, which includes sensitivity ranges, fit-oriented robustness, and case-oriented robustness tests., Results: None of the causal conditions in both the presence and negation form were found to be necessary for high or low levels of COVID-19 CFR. Two different combinations of sociopolitical conditions were usually sufficient for the occurrence of a high CFR of COVID-19 in OECD countries. Low state capacity and low trust in government are part of both recipes. The entire solution formula covers 84 percent of the outcome.  Some countries have been identified as contradictory cases. The explanations for their COVID-19 CFR require more in-depth case studies., Conclusions: From a governance perspective, the weakness of government in effectively implementing policies, and the citizens' lack of confidence in their government, combined with other structural conditions, serve as barriers to mounting an effective response to COVID-19. These findings can support the idea that the effects of social determinants of COVID-19 outcomes are interconnected and reinforcing., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Assessment of the effective use of international travel measures during the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on public health goals, namely limiting virus introduction and onward transmission. However, risk-based approaches includes the weighing of public health goals against potential social, economic and other secondary impacts. Advancing risk-based approaches thus requires fuller understanding of available evidence on such impacts., Methods: We conducted a scoping review of existing studies of the social impacts of international travel measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying a standardized typology of travel measures, and five categories of social impact, we searched 9 databases across multiple disciplines spanning public health and the social sciences. We identified 26 studies for inclusion and reviewed their scope, methods, type of travel measure, and social impacts analysed., Results: The studies cover a diverse range of national settings with a strong focus on high-income countries. A broad range of populations are studied, hindered in their outbound or inbound travel. Most studies focus on 2020 when travel restrictions were widely introduced, but limited attention is given to the broader effects of their prolonged use. Studies primarily used qualitative or mixed methods, with adaptations to comply with public health measures. Most studies focused on travel restrictions, as one type of travel measure, often combined with domestic public health measures, making it difficult to determine their specific social impacts. All five categories of social impacts were observed although there was a strong emphasis on negative social impacts including family separation, decreased work opportunities, reduced quality of life, and inability to meet cultural needs. A small number of countries identified positive social impacts such as restored work-life balance and an increase in perceptions of safety and security., Conclusions: While international travel measures were among the most controversial interventions applied during the COVID-19 pandemic, given their prolonged use and widespread impacts on individuals and populations, there remains limited study of their secondary impacts. If risk-based approaches are to be advanced, involving informed choices between public health and other policy goals, there is a need to better understand such impacts, including their differential impacts across diverse populations and settings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic further propelled the recent growth of telemedicine in low-resource countries, with new models of telemedicine emerging, including volunteer-based telemedicine networks. By leveraging existing infrastructure and resources to allocate health personnel more efficiently, these volunteer networks eased some of the pandemic burden placed on health systems. However, there is insufficient understanding of volunteer-based telemedicine models, especially on the human resources engagement on such networks. This study aims to understand the motivations and barriers to health practitioner engagement on a volunteer telemedicine network during COVID-19, and the mechanisms that can potentially sustain volunteer engagement to address healthcare demands beyond the pandemic., Methods: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with health practitioners volunteering on an Indian, multi-state telemedicine network during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis methods., Results: Most practitioners reported being motivated to volunteer by a sense of duty to serve during the pandemic. Practitioners suggested organizational-level measures to make the process more efficient and facilitate a more rewarding provider-patient interaction. These included screening calls, gathering patient information prior to consultations, and allowing for follow-up calls with patients to close the loop on consultations. Many practitioners stated that non-financial incentives are enough to maintain volunteer engagement. However, practitioners expressed mixed feelings about financial incentives. Some stated that financial incentives are needed to maintain long-term provider engagement, while others stated that financial incentives would devalue the volunteer experience. Most practitioners highlighted that telemedicine could increase access to healthcare, especially to the rural and underserved, even after the pandemic. Practitioners also expressed an interest in continuing to volunteer with the network if the need arose again., Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that practitioners are highly intrinsically motivated to volunteer during large healthcare emergencies and beyond to address the healthcare needs of the underserved. Following the recommendations presented in the study, telemedicine networks can more successfully engage and maintain volunteer practitioners. Volunteer-based telemedicine networks have the potential to bridge shortages of health personnel in resource-constrained settings both in times of crises and beyond., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The unprecedented pandemic situation of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the mental health of many people, especially among the "old-old" older adults who are aged 75 or older. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the changes in depression among "old-old" older adults before and after the onset of COVID-19, and the extent to which depression affects suicidal ideations., Method: The 12th to 16th Korea Welfare Panel Study(KoWePS) conducted from 2017 to 2021 was used for analysis. For this study, 771 older individuals with complete data to estimate the degree of change of depression were selected as the final analysis subjects., Result: A Growth Mixture Modeling(GMM) analysis was conducted, resulting in the classification of two groups: an increasing group and a decreasing group. The study findings showed that "old-old" older individuals with high levels of depression, specifically those in the decreasing group, may be more susceptible to suicidal ideation. Despite this steep change slope, the decreasing group still exhibited a higher level of depression in 2021 compared to the increasing group. As per characteristics, the decreasing group, which showed a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation, had a higher proportion of women and individuals with lower levels of education, those living alone, and a lower household income compared to the increasing group., Conclusion: It is important to note that although the study emphasized the need to prioritize intervention for the decreasing group with consistently high levels of depression, the majority of individuals belong to the increasing group, which exhibited a gradual increase in depression levels over time. Therefore, intervention plans should be developed concurrently for both groups. Also, it is crucial to implement proactive efforts targeting groups with understandings of these characteristics when establishing preventative measures for depression and suicidal ideation among "old-old" older adults., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Long COVID-19 challenges health and social systems globally. International research finds major inequalities in prevalence and healthcare utilization as patients describe difficulties with accessing health care. In order to improve long-term outcomes it is vital to understand any underlying access barriers, for which relevant evidence on long COVID-19 is thus far lacking in a universal healthcare system like Austria. This study aims to comprehensively identify access barriers and facilitators faced by long COVID-19 patients in Austria and explore potential socioeconomic and demographic drivers in health and social care access., Methods: Applying an exploratory qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 experts including medical professionals and senior health officials as well as focus groups with 18 patients with confirmed long COVID-19 diagnosis reflecting varying participant characteristics (age, gender, urbanicity, occupation, education, insurance status) (July-Nov 2023). Data were analysed following a thematic framework approach, drawing on a comprehensive 'access to health care' model., Results: Based on expert and patient experiences, several access barriers and facilitators emerged along all dimensions of the model. Main themes included scepticism and stigma by medical professionals, difficulties in finding knowledgeable doctors, limited specialist capacities in the ambulatory care sector, long waiting times for specialist care, and limited statutory health insurance coverage of treatments resulting in high out-of-pocket payments. Patients experienced constant self-organization of their patient pathway as stressful, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary care and centralized coordination. Facilitators included supportive social environments, telemedicine, and informal information provided by a nationwide patient-led support group. Differences in patient experiences emerged, among others, as women and younger patients faced gender- and age-based stigmatization. Complementary health insurance reduced the financial strain, however, did not ease capacity constraints, which were particularly challenging for those living in rural areas., Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a call for action to improve the long COVID-19 situation in Austria by empowering both providers and patients via increased information offerings, strengthened interdisciplinary treatment structures and telemedicine offerings as well as research funding. Our insights on potentially relevant socioeconomic and demographic drivers in access barriers lay the necessary foundation for future quantitative inequality research., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent implementation of public health policies exacerbated multiple intersecting systemic inequities, including homelessness. Housing is a key social determinant of health that played a significant part in the front-line defence against COVID-19, posing challenges for service providers working with people experiencing homelessness (PEH). Public health practitioners and not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) had to adapt existing COVID-19 policies and implement novel measures to prevent the spread of disease within congregate settings, including shelters. It is essential to share the perspectives of service providers working with PEH and their experiences implementing policies to prepare for future public health emergencies and prevent service disruptions., Methods: In this qualitative case study, we explored how service providers in the non-profit sector interpreted, conceptualized, and implemented COVID-19 public health outbreak control policies in Nova Scotia. We interviewed 11 service providers between September and December 2020. Using thematic analysis, we identified patterns and generated themes. Local, provincial, and national policy documents were useful to situate our findings within the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and contextualize participants' experiences., Results: Implementing policies in the context of homelessness was difficult for service providers, leading to creative temporary solutions, including pop-up shelters, a dedicated housing isolation phone line, comfort stations, and harm reduction initiatives, among others. There were distinct rural challenges to navigating the pandemic, which stemmed from technology limitations, lack of public transportation, and service closures. This case study illustrates the importance of flexible and context-specific policies required to support PEH and mitigate the personal and professional impact on service providers amid a public health emergency. Innovative services and public health collaboration also exemplified the ability to enhance housing services beyond the pandemic., Conclusions: The results of this project may inform context-specific emergency preparedness and response plans for COVID-19, future public health emergencies, and ongoing housing crises., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: We aimed to explore socioeconomic inequality, health inequity, and the well-being of transgender people during the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria., Methods: Between June and December 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted collaboratively with community-based organisations in Nigeria. Participants living with or at risk of HIV were recruited voluntarily, online and face-to-face, using a combination of venue-based and snowball sampling. We assessed the association between gender identity (transgender and vulnerable cisgender women), and (i) socioeconomic inequality measured with socioeconomic status, social status, economic vulnerability, macrosocial vulnerability; (ii) health inequity measured with self-assessment of health, recency of HIV test, access to HIV and sexual and reproductive health services, gender-affirming care, financial and non-financial barriers to accessing health services; and (iii) well-being, measured with gender-based violence, mental health, psychoeconomic preferences. We used multivariable logistic regressions and controlled for interactions and confounders., Results: There were 4072 participants; 62% were under 30, and 47% reported living with HIV. One in ten (11.9%; n = 485) was transgender, and 56.5% reported living with HIV. Compared to vulnerable cisgender women, the results showed significantly higher odds (aOR:3.80) of disruption in accessing HIV services in transgender participants; gender-based violence (aOR:2.63); severe (aOR:2.28) symptoms of anxiety and depression. Among the barriers to accessing health and HIV services, transgender had three-time higher odds of reporting additional non-official fees compared to vulnerable cisgender women. The disclosure of their gender identity or sexual orientation was the most important non-financial barrier to accessing health services (aOR:3.16). Transgender participants faced higher housing insecurity (aOR: 1.35) and lower odds of using drugs (aOR:0.48). Importantly, they are more likely to have performed a recent HIV test and less likely to not know their HIV status (aOR:0.38) compared to vulnerable cisgender women., Conclusions: Socioeconomic inequality, health and well-being inequity in transgender people appear to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Interventions are necessary to mitigate socioeconomic challenges, address structural inequality, and ensure equitable access to health services to meet the Sustainable Development Goals for transgender people., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous casualties, overloaded hospitals, reduced the wellbeing of many and had a substantial negative economic impact globally. As the population of the United Kingdom was preparing for recovery, the uncertainty relating to the discovery of the new Omicron variant on November 24 2021 threatened those plans. There was thus an important need for sensemaking, which could be provided, partly, through diffusion of information in the press, which we here examine., Method: We used topic modeling, to extract 50 topics from close to 1,500 UK press articles published during a period of approximately one month from the appearance of Omicron. We performed ANOVAs in order to compare topics between full weeks, starting on week 48 of 2021., Results: The three topics documenting the new variant (Omicron origins, Virus mutations, News of a new variant) as well as mentions of vaccination excluding booster, Scotlands First minister statement (Communications) travel bans and mask wearing (Restrictions) and the impact of market and investing (Domains and events) decreased through time (all ps < .01). Some topics featured lower representation at week two or three with higher values before and after: Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies recommendations (Communications), Situation in the US, Situation in Europe (Other countries and regions), all ps < .01. Several topics referring to symptoms and cases-e.g., rises of infections, hospitalisations, the pandemic the holidays, mild symptoms and care; restrictions and measures-e.g., financial help, Christmas and Plan B, restrictions and New Year; and domains of consequences and events-e.g., such as politics, NHS and patients, retail sales and airlines, featured increasing representation, (all ps < .01). Other topics featured less regular or non-significant patterns., Conclusion: Changes in sensemaking in the press closely matched the changes in the official discourse relating to Omicron and reflects the trajectory of the infection and its local consequences., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: In the context of socially sustainable urban development, comfortable, safe, and accessible public transport is crucial to motivating people to travel more sustainably. Using the framework given by Masoumi and Fastenmeier (2016) to examine the concepts of safety and security, we explore how perceptions of safety about different transport modes shaped the mobility of older adults in Bengaluru, India., Methods: In-depth telephonic interviews were conducted with 60 adults, aged 50 years and over, residing in urban Bengaluru, using a semi-structured in-depth interview guide to explore the perceptions of safety in different transport modes. Observations were conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying thematic analysis, we present how the perceptions of safety during their everyday travel shaped their mobility., Results: According to our research, older adults' perception of safety during their everyday travel is shaped by past negative experiences with accidents, pickpocketing, theft of mobile phones, and chain snatching. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the already existing inequalities, further limiting older adults' mobility to carry out regular activities such as buying groceries, socialising, making a hospital visit, or going to work due to the fear of getting infected., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the use of public transport needs to be encouraged among older adults by enhancing necessary safety features following the age-friendly cities framework. Furthermore, it can help policymakers develop transport polices, which suit the mobility needs of older adults., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim of our study is to examine the relationship between the economic activity of small firms and the mental well-being of the population in five Latin American countries in the early stages of the pandemic., Methods: We utilize the search volume of certain keywords on Google Trends (GT), such as "boredom," "frustration," "loneliness," "sleep", "anxiety", and "depression", as an indicator of the well-being of the population. By examining the data from Facebook Business Activity Trends, we investigate how social attention reacts to the activity levels of different economic sectors., Results: Increased business activity is generally associated with reduced levels of boredom, loneliness, sleep problems and anxiety. The effect on depression varies by sector, with positive associations concentrated in onsite jobs. In addition, we observe that strict Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) tend to exacerbate feelings of boredom and loneliness, sleep issues, and anxiety., Conclusions: Our findings suggest a strong association between different indicators of psychological well-being and the level of activity in different sectors of the economy. Given the essential role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in generating employment, especially during crises like the pandemic, it is imperative that they remain resilient and adaptable to support economic recovery and job preservation. To accomplish this, policymakers need to focus on providing financial stability and support for SMEs, fostering social support networks within companies, and incorporating mental health services into workplace environments. This comprehensive strategy can alleviate mental health challenges and enhance public health resilience., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Public health events (PHEs) have emerged as significant threats to human life, health, and economic growth. PHEs, such as COVID-19, have prompted a reevaluation for enhanced regular prevention and control (RPC). In this study, we focus on the core concept of prevention and control intensity (PCI), and establish a neoclassical economic growth model from the long-term and macro perspective to balance life protection and economic growth. The model construct the mechanism of PCI on economic growth through population dynamics and capital accumulation under the backdrop of RPC for PHEs. We find the conditions for PCI when the economy achieves steady state, and provides an algorithm establishing the optimal strategy that maximises per capita disposable income based on the optimal PCI and consumption. Simulation result quantifies an inverted U-shaped relationship between PCI and capital per capita, output per capita and consumption per capita in the steady state. The model suggests that, given the PHEs of inducing potential unemployment shock, it is worthwhile to combine the implementation of moderate PCI with coordinated policies of income distribution., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The accelerating pace of biomedical publication has made it impractical to manually, systematically identify papers containing specific information and extract this information. This is especially challenging when the information itself resides beyond titles or abstracts. For emerging science, with a limited set of known papers of interest and an incomplete information model, this is of pressing concern. A timely example in retrospect is the identification of immune signatures (coherent sets of biomarkers) driving differential SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes. Implementation: We built a classifier to identify papers containing domain-specific information from the document embeddings of the title and abstract. To train this classifier with limited data, we developed an iterative process leveraging pre-trained SPECTER document embeddings, SVM classifiers and web-enabled expert review to iteratively augment the training set. This training set was then used to create a classifier to identify papers containing domain-specific information. Finally, information was extracted from these papers through a semi-automated system that directly solicited the paper authors to respond via a web-based form. Results: We demonstrate a classifier that retrieves papers with human COVID-19 immune signatures with a positive predictive value of 86%. The type of immune signature (e.g., gene expression vs. other types of profiling) was also identified with a positive predictive value of 74%. Semi-automated queries to the corresponding authors of these publications requesting signature information achieved a 31% response rate. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the efficacy of using a SVM classifier with document embeddings of the title and abstract, to retrieve papers with domain-specific information, even when that information is rarely present in the abstract. Targeted author engagement based on classifier predictions offers a promising pathway to build a semi-structured representation of such information. Through this approach, partially automated literature mining can help rapidly create semi-structured knowledge repositories for automatic analysis of emerging health threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a marked reduction in influenza infections globally. The absence of influenza has raised concerns of waning immunity, and potentially more severe influenza seasons after the pandemic., Methods: To evaluate immunity towards influenza post-COVID-19 pandemic we have assessed influenza A epidemics in Norway from October 2016 to June 2023 and measured antibodies against circulating strains of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) in different age groups by hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assays in a total of 3364 serum samples collected in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023., Results: Influenza epidemics in Norway from October 2016 until June 2023 were predominately influenza As, with a mixture of A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) subtype predominance. We did not observe higher numbers of infections during the influenza epidemics following the COVID-19 pandemic than in pre-COVID-19 seasons. Frequencies of protective HAI titers against A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses were reduced in sera collected in 2021 and 2022, compared to sera collected in 2019. The reduction could, however, largely be explained by antigenic drift of new virus strains, as protective HAI titers remained stable against the same strain from one season to the next. However, we observed the development of an immunity gap in the youngest children during the pandemic which resulted in a prominent reduction in HAI titers against A(H1N1)pdm09 in 2021 and 2022. The immunity gap was partially closed in sera collected in 2023 following the A(H1N1)pdm09-dominated influenza seasons of 2022/2023. During the 2022/2023 epidemic, drift variants of A(H1N1)pdm09 belonging to the 5a.2a.1 clade emerged, and pre-season HAI titers were significantly lower against this clade compared to the ancestral 5a.2 clade., Conclusion: The observed reduction in protective antibodies against A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses post COVID-19 is best explained by antigenic drift of emerging viruses, and not waning of antibody responses in the general population. However, the absence of influenza during the pandemic resulted in an immunity gap in the youngest children. While this immunity gap was partially closed following the 2022/2023 influenza season, children with elevated risk of severe infection should be prioritized for vaccination., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns for a number of strategical social interactions. From quarantines and social distancing to vaccination and geopolitics, the cooperation or even the coordination of efforts has been challenging, as governments, economic sector, institutions, and individuals, often have conflicting interests. Game theory, which is a mathematical tool extensively used in order to determine the outcomes of strategical interactions, has been applied to a number of issues arising from the pandemic. In this paper, 60 publications are analyzed to identify the key contributions of game theory to addressing COVID-19. First, 10 keywords-topic are chosen and each publication is examined to consider if it deals with these topics. Then R package "igraph" and cluster Louvain are used in order to group the papers to 3 clusters. The results indicate that there is a temporal variation in the topics examined. In the beginning the main concern has been coupling the modelling of the transmission of the virus with social distancing responses from the public and quarantining policy. Then the economic implications of the pandemic drew the attention and finally the application of the vaccination campaigns and the cooperation of the individuals with vaccination guidelines. The paper targets on bridging the gap between game theorists and epidemiologists, illustrating how modelling agents interactions can improve responses. The clusters created can help researchers identify groups of problems that can be addressed jointly, using similar approaches. The analysis indicates that game theory can reveal social aspects that can improve the responses to future emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2008 publication of the reports of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health and its nine knowledge networks, substantial research has been undertaken to document and describe health inequities. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for a deeper understanding of, and broader action on, the social determinants of health. Building on this unique and critical opportunity, the World Health Organization is steering a multi-country Initiative to reduce health inequities through an action-learning process in 'Pathfinder' countries. The Initiative aims to develop replicable and reliable models and practices that can be adopted by WHO offices and UN staff to address the social determinants of health to advance health equity. This paper provides an overview of the Initiative by describing its broad theory of change and work undertaken in three regions and six Pathfinder countries in its first year-and-a-half. Participants engaged in the Initiative describe results of early country dialogues and promising entry points for implementation that involve model, network and capacity building. The insights communicated through this note from the field will be of interest for others aiming to advance health equity through taking action on the social determinants of health, in particular as regards structural determinants., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: To date, there are no known studies that have investigated the new need for volunteer services among cancer patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it is essential for volunteer associations to heighten such knowledge to best guide their offer in this challenging period., Aim: The present study aims to provide a mapping of the cancer patients' needs for volunteer services followed at Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan (Italy) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since there are no specific questionnaires for this purpose, we created an ad hoc tool for which we report the preliminary result., Method: We used a mixed-method multiphase approach., Phase I: in April-May 2020 40 ad hoc paper questionnaires were distributed at the entrance of the aforementioned hospital, with the aim of investigating patients' needs through two open-ended questions then analyzed through thematic analysis., Phase Ii: the contents that emerged from Phase I were transformed into items and submitted to the judgment of a small group of "peers" (patients) and "experts" (professionals) in November-December 2020 to evaluate their comprehensiveness, representativeness and intrusiveness. Phase III: in January-February 2021 paper questionnaires, containing the items reviewed in Phase II, were distributed within the hospital to a representative sample of cancer patients. We applied descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Cronbach's Alpha., Results: 32 patients completed Phase I, 3 "peers" and 9 "experts" participated in Phase II, 214 patients completed the questionnaire in Phase III. EFA highlights five kinds of needs during the Covid-19 pandemic, in order of priority: (1) need to be supported at the hospital; (2) need for emotional support; (3) need for daily errands; (4) need for practical support to family members; (5) need to share free time. Preliminary results on the tool are encouraging, although further studies are needed. These results will allow local volunteer associations to adapt their services during the pandemic., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic led to major service disruptions in the healthcare sector, especially regarding sexual and reproductive health services. However, the impact of the pandemic on Canadian adolescents is relatively unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of adolescents in Alberta, Canada., Methods: A qualitative study using an interpretive description (ID) approach and community-based participatory research principles was conducted to capture the subjective experience and perceptions of adolescents and service providers. With the collaboration of the Adolescent Advisory Group and community partners, 18 adolescents and 15 service providers were recruited for the study through purposive sampling. Findings from the qualitative interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) COVID-19 SRH experience, (2) barriers to SRH, and (3) adolescent SRH strategies. Our findings highlight numerous barriers and challenges that prevented adolescents from accessing SRH education, products, and services., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the SRH and the well-being of adolescents. Our study reflects the need for diverse SRH strategies to maintain continued access to SRH resources during disruptive events, such as the pandemic., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are among those regions most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems in the region. In this context of severe healthcare resource constraints, there is a need for systematic priority-setting to support decision-making which ensures the best use of resources while considering the needs of the most vulnerable groups. The aim of this paper was to provide a critical description and analysis of how health systems considered priority-setting in the COVID-19 response and preparedness plans of a sample of 14 LAC countries; and to identify the associated research gaps., Methods: A documentary analysis of COVID-19 preparedness and response plans was performed in a sample of 14 countries in the LAC region. We assessed the degree to which the documented priority-setting processes adhered to established quality indicators of effective priority-setting included in the Kapiriri and Martin framework. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the degree to which the reports addressed the quality parameters for each individual country, as well as a cross-country comparison to explore whether parameters varied according to independent variables., Results: While all plans were led and supported by the national governments, most included only a limited number of quality indicators for effective priority-setting. There was no systematic pattern between the number of quality indicators and the country's health system and political contexts; however, the countries that had the least number of quality indicators tended to be economically disadvantaged., Conclusion: This study adds to the literature by providing the first descriptive analysis of the inclusion of priority-setting during a pandemic, using the case of COVID-19 response and preparedness plans in the LAC region. The analysis found that despite the strong evidence of political will and stakeholder participation, none of the plans presented a clear priority-setting process, or used a formal priority-setting framework, to define interventions, populations, geographical regions, healthcare setting or resources prioritized. There is need for case studies that analyse how priority-setting actually occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and the degree to which the implementation reflected the plans and the parameters of effective priority-setting, as well as the impact of the prioritization processes on population health, with a focus on the most vulnerable groups., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic provided new challenges and opportunities for patients and healthcare providers while accelerating the trend of digital healthcare transformation. This study explores the perspectives of healthcare professionals and managers on (i) drivers to the implementation of telemedicine services and (ii) perceived benefits and challenges related to the use of telemedicine across the Italian National Health Service., Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to professionals working within 308 healthcare organisations in different Italian regions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire (June-September 2021). Responses were analysed using summary statistics and thematic analysis., Results: Key factors driving the adoption of telemedicine have been grouped into (i) organisational drivers (reduce the virus spread-80%; enhance care quality and efficiency-61%), (ii) technological drivers (ease of use-82%; efficacy and reliability-64%; compliance with data governance regulations-64%) and (iii) regulatory drivers (regulations' semplification-84%). Nearly all respondents perceive telemedicine as useful in improving patient care (96%). The main benefits reported by respondents are shorter waiting lists, reduced Emergency Department attendance, decreased patient and clinician travel, and more frequent patient-doctor interactions. However, only 7% of respondents believe that telemedicine services are more effective than traditional care and 66% of the healthcare professionals believe that telemedicine can't completely substitute in-person visits due to challenges with physical examination and patient-doctor relationships. Other reported challenges include poor quality and interoperability of telemedicine platforms and scarce integration of telemedicine with traditional care services. Moreover, healthcare professionals believe that some groups of patients experience difficulties in accessing and using the technologies due to socio-cultural factors, technological and linguistic challenges and the absence of caregivers., Conclusions: Respondents believe that telemedicine can be useful to complement and augment traditional care. However, many challenges still need to be overcome to fully consider telemedicine a standard of care. Strategies that could help address these challenges include additional regulations on data governance and reimbursements, evidence-based guidelines for the use of telemedicine, greater integration of tools and processes, patient-centred training for clinicians, patient-facing material to assist patients in navigating virtual sessions, different language options, and greater involvement of caregivers in the care process., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Social distancing strategies during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have left families facing a variety of different constraints. Especially in this stressful time, children need a stable parental home to prevent developmental consequences. Additional risk factors such as maternal childhood maltreatment (CM) may affect mother's psychosomatic health and children's physical well-being in this period., Objective: It was aimed to analyze the associations between maternal CM, mother's mental health, and children's physical complaints during the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic., Method: Mothers of a well-documented birth cohort from a longitudinal study were included in this study. Psychosomatic health was assessed with the PHQ-D and children's physical health with the GBB-KJ during the pandemic. N = 159 mothers completed the online survey. To describe the maternal CM, data from a longitudinal survey were used., Results: The calculation of three mediation analyses demonstrate that maternal depression symptoms (c-path: β = 0.10, p = .02; c'-path: β = 0.07, p = .13), somatic symptoms (c-path: β = 0.10, p = .02; c'-path: β = 0.07, p = .13) and psychosomatic symptoms (c-path: β = 0.10, p = .02; c'-path: β = 0.06, p = .19) fully mediate the relationship between CM and children's physical health complaints., Conclusions: Maternal CM experiences seem to be one relevant risk factor during the pandemic and seem to influence the way in which parents deal with stressful situations and increase the risk for depressive symptoms. The present results highlight the importance to provide individually adjusted assistance to help the families to get through the pandemic., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Safety precautions and activity restrictions were common in the early, pre-vaccine phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that higher levels of participation in potentially risky social and other activities would be associated with greater life satisfaction and perceived meaning in life. At the same time, prosocial COVID-preventive activities such as mask wearing should enhance life satisfaction., Method: We assessed the impact of COVID-preventive behaviors on psychological well-being in October 2020. A nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (n = 831) completed a demographic questionnaire, a COVID-related behaviors questionnaire, a Cantril's Ladder item, and the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale. Two hierarchical linear models were used to examine the potential impact of COVID-preventive behaviors on life satisfaction and meaning in life while accounting for the influence of demographic factors., Results: The study revealed significant positive relationships between COVID-preventive behaviors and subjective well-being. Wearing a mask was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, while maintaining social distancing of six feet and avoiding large groups were significantly associated with higher perceived meaning in life. Social activities including dining at restaurants and visiting friends and family were also significantly associated with higher life satisfaction and meaning in life, respectively., Conclusion: The study's findings support the conclusion that disease prevention measures such as social distancing and mask wearing do not reduce, and may enhance, subjective well-being during a pandemic. Utilizing the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic to examine relationships between behavior and subjective well-being, the study also indicates that shallow or medium-depth social activities are likely to be more central to life satisfaction, whereas narrower, deeper social interactions with friends and family are more important to perceived meaning in life., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: In 2010, a political and social crisis pushed thousands of Venezuelans out of their country; today, seven million Venezuelans live abroad. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, border closure increased and affected specific vulnerable migration flows, such as Venezuelans trying to migrate to Chile through the Northern borders. In this context, there is little evidence of migrants' health status and needs, their access to health services, and other basic needs (e.g., housing) from a human rights perspective. Therefore, we qualitatively explored the effects of border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Venezuelan migrants' health and human rights, focusing on access to healthcare in the Northern Chilean border that adjoins Peru and Bolivia., Methods: Following a case-study qualitative design, we conducted an ethnography that included participatory observation of relevant sites (e.g., hospitals, main squares, migrant shelters) in Antofagasta, Iquique, and Arica and 30 in-depth interviews with actors in the health sector (n = 7), experts from the non-governmental sector (n = 16), and governmental actors (n = 7) in three large cities close to the Northern border., Results: We found four main dimensions: (i) border and migration processes, (ii) specific groups and intersectionality, (iii) barriers to healthcare services, and (iv) regional and local responses to the crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs characterized by the presence of healthcare providers in the field were essential to attend to migrants' health needs at borders., Conclusions: Coordination between actors is crucial to implement regional protocols that respond to current migration phenomena and migrants' health needs. Health policies using a human rights approach are urgently required to respond to migrants' healthcare needs at borders in South America., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The serious outcomes of outbreaks of COVID-19 in care homes have been described internationally. The experiences of professionals working through outbreaks has received less attention, missing opportunities to acknowledge and learn lessons. Our aim was to explore the experiences of care home staff in Scotland of managing COVID-19 within their homes to help inform understanding and future practice., Methods: From April to August 2022, 34 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with care home staff working in homes which experienced an outbreak(s) of COVID-19. Reflexive thematic methods were used to analyse verbatim deidentified transcripts., Findings: There was no singular experience of COVID-19 outbreaks within care homes. We identified four broad groupings of homes with outbreaks (significant outbreaks, managed outbreaks, outbreaks in remote/rural homes & outbreaks in homes supporting younger adults), with overlaps in timing and severity and variation in the support received and impact. The national response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in fundamental change to care home relationships. Staff responded by adaptation in uncertainty. However, they were challenged by emerging inequalities influencing residents' care. There were tensions between staff experience and evolving external approaches to regulation and oversight. All this change resulted in psychological impacts on staff. However, there was also widespread evidence of compassionate leadership and teamwork in their responses. Effective sources of support were underpinned by respectful relationships and continuity, tailored to individual contexts., Conclusions: The lived experiences of care home staff during the COVID-19 pandemic provide valuable insights applicable beyond the pandemic context. This includes: recognition of the specialism, complexity and diversity of care home practice; the value afforded by embedding genuine representation and involvement in planning, policy-making and research; the need for individualising to people in their contexts and the value of fostering respectful relationships across professional groups to support residents., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Both COVID-19 and its associated societal restrictions have affected individuals' health and everyday life. In Sweden, more lenient public health restrictions were implemented, with individuals asked to act responsibly in terms of reducing spread of disease. The majority of studies reporting on experiences of Covid-19 restrictions have been in the context of more substantial mandatory rules aimed at reducing social contact, therefore it is important to describe how more lenient restrictions have impacted individuals' well-being. This study aims to describe perceptions of everyday life during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived by individuals with no underlying medical condition, and living with more lenient public health restrictions in Sweden., Method: The participants were recruited from individuals who originally had participated in an online survey about life satisfaction, health, and physical activity. Fifteen individuals (median age 49, range 26-76 years, seven women) in various social situations, such as living alone/cohabiting, having children at home, geographical area and size of city were interviewed. Qualitative content analysis was applied to the data., Results: An overall theme "Both hindrances and opportunities in important life domains were experienced within the same person during lenient Covid-19 restrictions" was derived and covered three categories: "New possibilities of flexibility in work and better health", "Life went on as usual with minor adjustments" and "Everyday life changed and became more difficult" together with eight subcategories. For most participants, both facilitating and hindering important domains in life were described. Unexpected findings were positive experiences regarding working from home, physical activities, leisure time activities and the balance between work and leisure time. In areas where only minor adjustments were made, life was perceived as going on as before. On the other hand, restrictions increased worries and were perceived to have negative effects on social participation., Conclusion: The impact of the pandemic and lenient restrictions in Sweden on the participants´ everyday life was multifaceted. Both hindrances and opportunities in important life domains were experienced within the same person. An increased flexibility in work- and leisure activities were perceived having positive effects for health and wellbeing and led to a better balance in life., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy's Self-Care Therapeutics course to be taught as a synchronous, live online course. The course has traditionally utilized a flipped-classroom to increase student engagement and improve learning performance. The goal of this study is to compare student performance in a flipped-classroom self-care therapeutics course taught to students attending class on-campus versus online via web-conferencing., Methods: This study assessed examination performance of 118 students that took the class on-campus in 2019 and 125 students that took the class online in 2020. Course design was similar between the two cohorts, with each completing assigned pre-reading, an associated short multiple-choice quiz, in-class small group discussions and in-class large group faculty-led debrief. Both cohorts took pre-class quizzes and three examinations to assess their knowledge. Exam, quiz, overall class performance, and student experience was compared for the 2019 on-campus attending cohort and the 2020 online attending cohort., Results: No statistical differences were seen in the overall exam performance, the final course score, and the student experience between cohorts. Statistical differences (p = 0.02) were found between cohorts for the overall quiz performance, with the on-campus attending cohort performing slightly better than the online attending cohort (mean score of 88% compared to 84.4%)., Conclusion: Examination performance was similar for students taking a flipped-classroom course online and on-campus. Further research using data from multiple courses or from the same cohort, randomized, is needed to improve the internal and external validity of these findings., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of humanitarian and healthcare workers and its related factors in seven Eastern African countries (EAC)., Methods: A sample of frontline workers filled out an online cross-sectional survey questionnaire comprising socio-demographic, degree of symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress, alcohol and tobacco consumption, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using Short Form 6-Dimension version 2 (SF-6Dv2) and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation 6-Dimension (CORE-6D), and fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) questionnaires. Multivariate regressions were conducted to identify independent factors associated with HRQoL., Results: Of total 721 study participants, mean (standard deviation) scores for SF-6Dv2 and CORE-6D were 0.87 (0.18) and 0.81 (0.14), respectively. Participants with an education level below a university degree, having chronic diseases, been tested positive to COVID-19, with traumatic memories, depression, insomnia, distress, and stress were found to have lower HRQoL likelihood in terms of SF-6Dv2 scores during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, participants with chronic diseases, exposure to COVID-19 patients, depression, insomnia, distress, stress, tested positive with COVID-19, and high level of fear of COVID-19, had lower HRQoL likelihood in terms of CORE-6D scores. Participants who were married had higher HRQoL likelihoods in terms of SF-6Dv2 scores., Conclusion: Some personal and mental health characteristics, and COVID-19 related factors, were predictors of lower HRQoL of frontline workers in EAC. These findings should be meaningful while designing sustainable interventions and guidelines aiming to improve the HRQoL of frontline workers during a pandemic situation., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Refugee healthcare workers (HCWs) can make important contributions in host countries, particularly in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing shortages of frontline HCWs. However, refugee HCWs often face challenges entering the labour markets of such countries even where needs exist. Syria's decade-long conflict has forced thousands of HCWs from their homes; however, data on this population are limited, impeding the formation of policies that can support them. This study explores the experiences of Syrian refugee HCWs in Egypt., Methods: Key informants (KIs) were selected using purposive and snowball sampling method and semi-structured interviews were conducted in person in Cairo and remotely from the UK during July 2019. Interviews were conducted in Arabic and analysed using a combined deductive and inductive thematic analysis framework after transcription into English., Results: Fifteen KI interviews were analysed. The main emerging themes from the qualitative interviews are those relating to 1. Education, training, and licensing 2. Politics and bureaucracy 3. Societal factors 4. Economic factors. Political changes in Egypt altered opportunities for Syrian HCWs over time; however, refugee HCWs broadly reported acceptance among Egyptian patients and colleagues. Bureaucratic factors which impede the ability of Syrian refugee HCWs to obtain a full license to practice and leave to remain and the absence of clearly defined policies were reported as barriers. Economic factors including the risk of economic exploitation e.g. in the informal sector and financial insecurity were noted to have a negative psychosocial impact., Conclusions: This is the first qualitative research study which explores the experiences of Syrian refugee HCWs in Egypt. It adds to the sparse literature on the topic of Syrian refugee HCWs but provides evidence for further discussions on how to support refugee HCWs in Egypt and in other host countries in the region. Though interviews were conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic itself lends urgency to the discussion around refugee HCWs on an international level., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation has become a pressing issue worldwide, deeply affecting individuals' mental and physical well-being. This study introduces a theoretical model to understand the factors influencing social isolation in the context of this global health crisis. We employed a survey methodology, collecting data from Korean and Vietnamese university students through a Google survey form. The theoretical model was evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM), and multi-group analysis (MGA) was used to assess differences between the Korean and Vietnamese student groups. The investigation centered on affective risk perception, cognitive risk perception, social distancing attitude, social distancing intention, and demographic factors like age and gender. Our findings revealed that affective and cognitive risk perceptions have significant positive impacts on attitudes toward social distancing. Furthermore, attitudes towards social distancing were found to significantly influence social distancing intentions. Interestingly, social distancing intention was found to have a significant positive correlation with social isolation. Lastly, demographic factors such as gender and age were found to be significant factors influencing social isolation. Specifically, gender had a positive association, while age showed a negative correlation with social isolation. Moreover, our MGA results showed that the relationship between social distancing intention and social isolation significantly differed between the Korean and Vietnamese student groups, indicating potential cultural or societal influences on this relationship. Such understanding could inform policies and strategies aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of social isolation in the wake of global health crises., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Generally, pandemics such as COVID-19 take an enormous toll on people's lives. As the pandemic now turns to an endemic state, growing attention has been paid to the multiple adverse mental health and behavioral issues, such as suicidal ideation and substance use. However, the interplay of suicidality and substance misuse during the pandemic has been limited. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of co-occurrence of suicide ideation, alcohol and cannabis misuse, and the factors that are associated with these co-occurrences in the province of Saskatchewan during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We performed a multivariable trivariate probit regression on a sample of 666 Saskatchewan adolescents and adults (16 years or older), drawn from the cycle 10 data collection (March 2022) of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (MHCC-CCSA) dataset., Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation was higher among respondents who reported both problematic cannabis and alcohol use (25.8%) than single users of alcohol (23.2%) and cannabis (18.7%). Younger respondents (16-34 years) and those who reported recent changes in other substance use were independent factors that were associated with the common experience of suicide ideation, problematic cannabis, and alcohol use. Having a diagnosis of mental health disorders either before or during the pandemic, and the perceived inability to bounce back after the pandemic (low resilience) are strong correlates of suicidal ideation. Those who lived alone, between 35 and 55 years of age were more likely to report problematic alcohol use. Those who reported changes in alternative activities, who reported pandemic stress, and declared a LGBTQIA2S + identity had higher probability of problematic cannabis use., Conclusions: As the pandemic persists, improving access to suicide and substance use interventions for the vulnerable groups identified in this study may be impactful., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

The COVID-9 pandemic has exacerbated health inequities among countries in the Global South with limited access to essential medical products, leading to a higher infection and mortality rate, especially among vulnerable populations. Despite tremendous progress in global health financing, the estimated annual financing gap in developing countries is projected to reach US$371 billion per year by 2030. Therefore, developing market-shaping strategies is of great importance in ensuring adequate supply, affordable prices, and equitable access to essential medical products in low-and middle-income countries. We propose a strategic and appropriate market-shaping intervention framework for governments, international organizations, and NGOs to maximize access to essential medical products in developing countries. In the health field, we believe that market shaping strategy could be defined as a set of purposeful activities that market forces may intervene with to advance the development, production, supply, and distribution of global goods for health, making essential medical products more affordable, accessible, innovative, sustainable and quality assured. We argue that when designing a market-shaping strategy, policy or decision-makers must take full advantage of the key drivers to keep the market dynamic, interactive, and constantly evolving to meet the unmet medical needs. In addition, different forms of market-shaping interventions are determined by objectives and specific issues to be addressed. More comprehensive market shaping strategies, including the strategic use of market expansion, market disruption, market maintenance, and market contraction alone or together, deserve to be explored and key stakeholders are also expected to join forces to make the intervention more efficient and productive., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Malawi, like many other countries, faces challenges in providing accessible, affordable, and quality health services to all people. The Malawian policy framework recognizes the value of communities and citizens, as co-creators of health and leaders of localized and innovative initiatives, such as social innovations.Social innovations involve and include communities and citizens, as well as bring about changes in the institutions responsible for care delivery. In this article, we describe the institutionalization process of a citizen-initiated primary care social innovation, named Chipatala Cha Pa Foni, focused on extending access to health information and appropriate service-seeking behavior.An interdisciplinary multi-method qualitative case study design was adopted, drawing on data collected from key informant interviews, observations, and documents over an 18-month period. A composite social innovation framework, informed by institutional theory and positive organizational scholarship, guided the thematic content analysis. Institutional-level changes were analyzed in five key dimensions as well as the role of actors, operating as institutional entrepreneurs, in this process.A subset of actors matched the definition of operating as Institutional Entrepreneurs. They worked in close collaboration to bring about changes in five institutional dimensions: roles, resource flows, authority flows, social identities and meanings. We highlight the changing role of nurses; redistribution and decentralization of health information; shared decision-making, and greater integration of different technical service areas.From this study, the social innovation brought about key institutional and socio-cultural changes in the Malawi health system. These changes supported strengthening the system's integrity for achieving Universal Health Coverage by unlocking and cultivating dormant human-based resources. As a fully institutionalized social innovation, Chipatala Cha Pa Foni has enhanced access to primary care and especially as part of the Covid-19 response., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Visiting restrictions in care homes in England and many comparable countries during the Covid-19 pandemic were extensive and prolonged. We examined how care home managers experienced, understood and responded to the national care home visiting guidance in England in developing their visiting policies., Methods: A diverse sample of 121 care home managers across England, recruited through varied sources including the NIHR ENRICH network of care homes, completed a 10-item qualitative survey. Follow-up, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sub-sample of 40 managers. Data were analysed thematically using Framework, a theoretically and methodologically flexible tool for data analysis in multiple researcher teams., Findings: Some viewed the national guidance positively; as supporting the restrictive measures they felt necessary to protect residents and staff from infection, or as setting a broad policy framework while allowing local discretion. More commonly, however, managers experienced challenges. These included the guidance being issued late; the initial document and frequent, media-led updates not being user-friendly; important gaps, particularly in relation to dementia and the risks and harms associated with restrictions; guidance being unhelpfully open to interpretation while restrictive interpretations by regulators limited apparent scope for discretion; fragmented systems of local governance and poor central-local coordination; inconsistent access and quality of support from local regulators wider sources of information, advice and support that, while often valued, were experienced as uncoordinated, duplicative and sometimes confusing; and insufficient account taken of workforce challenges., Conclusions: Underlying many of the challenges experienced were structural issues, for which there have been longstanding calls for investment and strategic reform. For increasing sector resilience, these should be are urgently addressed. Future guidance would also be significantly strengthened by gathering better data, supporting well-facilitated peer exchange, engaging the sector more fully and dynamically in policy-making and learning from care home managers' and staff's experiences, particularly of assessing, managing and mitigating the wider risks and harms associated with visiting restrictions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic that has affected nearly 600 million people to date across the world. While COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, cardiac injury is also known to occur. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is uniquely capable of characterizing myocardial tissue properties in-vivo, enabling insights into the pattern and degree of cardiac injury. The reported prevalence of myocardial involvement identified by CMR in the context of COVID-19 infection among previously hospitalized patients ranges from 26 to 60%. Variations in the reported prevalence of myocardial involvement may result from differing patient populations (e.g. differences in severity of illness) and the varying intervals between acute infection and CMR evaluation. Standardized methodologies in image acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of CMR abnormalities across would likely improve concordance between studies. This consensus document by the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) provides recommendations on CMR imaging and reporting metrics towards the goal of improved standardization and uniform data acquisition and analytic approaches when performing CMR in patients with COVID-19 infection., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Optimizing transitions from final year of medical school and into first post graduate year has important implications for students, patients and the health care system. Student experiences during novel transitional roles can provide insights into potential opportunities for final year curricula. We explored the experiences of medical students in a novel transitional role and their ability to continue learning whilst working as part of a medical team., Methods: Novel transitional role for final year medical students were created in partnership by medical schools and state health departments in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for a medical surge workforce. Final year medical students from an undergraduate entry medical school were employed as Assistants in Medicine (AiMs) in urban and regional hospitals. A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews at two time points was used to obtain experiences of the role from 26 AiMs. Transcripts were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis with Activity theory as a conceptual lens., Results: This unique role was defined by the objective of supporting the hospital team. Experiential learning opportunities in patient management were optimized when AiMs had opportunities to contribute meaningfully. Team structure and access to the key instrument, the electronic medical record, enabled participants to contribute meaningfully, whilst contractual arrangements and payments formalized the obligations to contribute., Conclusions: The experiential nature of the role was facilitated by organizational factors. Structuring teams to involve a dedicated medical assistant position with specific duties and access to the electronic medical record sufficient to complete duties are key to successful transitional roles. Both should be considered when designing transitional roles as placements for final year medical students., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the globe and is associated with significant clinical and humanitarian burden. The desire for parenthood has been described to be positively correlated with psychological well-being: An unfulfilled wish for parenthood is associated with impaired mental health, and the wish for parenthood is a predictor for the development of depressive symptoms. While higher rates of anxiety and depression have been reported in individuals with minoritized sexual identities (compared to heterosexual individuals) during the COVID-19 pandemic, the specific impact of the pandemic and its social restriction measures on this population is poorly understood., Methods: From April to July 2020, we conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey online among N = 2463 adults living in Germany. We screened for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-4; PHQ-4) and assessed individuals' desire for parenthood during the pandemic, and motives for or against the desire for parenthood (Leipzig questionnaire on motives for having a child, Version 20; LKM-20), with the aim of identifying differences between individuals with minoritized sexual identities and heterosexual individuals., Results: Compared to heterosexual individuals (n = 1304), individuals with minoritized sexual identities (n = 831) indicated higher levels of depressive symptoms. In our study sample the majority of all participants (81.9%) reported no change in the desire for parenthood since the COVID-19 pandemic., Conclusion: The findings underline the unmet need for social, psychological and medical support in regard to family-planning and the desire for parenthood during a pandemic. Furthermore, future research should explore COVID-19-related psychological consequences on individuals' desire for parenthood and building a family., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Prednisolone has been suggested as a treatment for olfactory disorders after COVID-19, but evidence is scarce. Hence, we aimed to determine the efficacy of a short oral prednisolone treatment on patients with persistent olfactory disorders after COVID-19., Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centered trial in the Netherlands. Patients were included if they were > 18 years old and if they had persistent (> 4 weeks) olfactory disorders within 12 weeks after a confirmed COVID-19 test. The treatment group received oral prednisolone 40 mg once daily for 10 days and the placebo group received matching placebo. In addition, all patients performed olfactory training. The primary outcome was the objective olfactory function on Sniffin' Sticks Test (SST) 12 weeks after the start of treatment, measured in Threshold-Discrimination-Identification (TDI) score. Secondary outcomes were objective gustatory function assessed by the Taste Strip Test (TST) and subjective self-reported outcomes on questionnaires about olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal function, quality of life, and nasal symptoms. The CONSORT 2010 guideline was performed., Results: Between November 2021 and February 2022, we included 115 eligible patients, randomly assigned to the treatment (n = 58) or placebo group (n = 57). No difference in olfactory function between groups was obtained after 12 weeks. Median TDI score on SST was 26.8 (IQR 23.6-29.3) in the placebo group and 28.8 (IQR 24.0-30.9) in the prednisolone group, with a median difference of 2.0 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.5). There was similar improvement on olfactory function in both groups after 12 weeks. Furthermore, on secondary outcomes, we obtained no differences between groups., Conclusions: This trial shows that prednisolone does not improve olfactory function after COVID-19. Therefore, we recommend not prescribing prednisolone for patients with persistent olfactory disorders after COVID-19., Trial Registration: This trial is registered on the ISRCTN registry with trial ID ISRCTN70794078., (© 2022. The Author(s).)