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Aim: To explore the health beliefs of clinical and academic nurses from Japan, Australia and China regarding wearing paper masks to protect themselves and others, and to identify differences in participants' health beliefs regarding masks. Background: The correct use of face masks and consensus among health professionals across the globe is essential for containing pandemics, and nurses need to act according to policy to protect themselves, educate the public and preserve resources for frontline health workers. Paper masks are worn by health professionals and the general public to avoid the transmission of respiratory infections, such as COVID‐19, but there appear to be differences in health beliefs of nurses within and between countries regarding these. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used content analysis with a framework approach. Findings: There were major differences in nurse participants' beliefs between and within countries, including how nurses use paper masks and their understanding of their efficacy. In addition, there were cultural differences in the way that nurses use masks in their daily lives and nursing practice contexts. Conclusion: Nurses from different working environments, countries and areas of practice hold a variety of health beliefs about mask wearing at the personal and professional level. Implications for nursing policy and health policy: The COVID‐19 pandemic has sparked much discussion about the critical importance of masks for the safety of health professionals, and there has been considerable discussion and disagreement about health policies regarding mask use by the general public. Improper use of masks may have a role in creating mask shortages or transmitting infections. An evidence‐based global policy on mask use for respiratory illnesses for health professionals, including nurses, and the general public needs to be adopted and supported by a wide‐reaching education campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human communities suffered a vast socioeconomic burden in dealing with the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally. Real-word data about these burdens can inform governments about evidence-based resource allocation and prioritization. The aim of this scoping review was to map the cost-of-illness (CoI) studies associated with COVID-19. Methods: This scoping review was conducted from January 2019 to December 2021. We searched cost-of-illness papers published in English within Web of Sciences, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct and ProQuest. For each eligible study, extracted data included country, publication year, study period, study design, epidemiological approach, costing method, cost type, cost identification, sensitivity analysis, estimated unit cost and national burden. All of the analyses were applied in Excel software. Results: 2352 records were found after the search strategy application, finally 28 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Most of the studies were done in the United States, Turkey, and China. The prevalence-based approach was the most common in the studies, and most of studies also used Hospital Information System data (HIS). There were noticeable differences in the costing methods and the cost identification. The average cost of hospitalization per patient per day ranged from 101$ in Turkey to 2,364$ in the United States. Among the studies, 82.1% estimated particularly direct medical costs, 3.6% only indirect costs, and 14.3% both direct and indirect costs. Conclusion: The economic burden of COVID-19 varies from country to country. The majority of CoI studies estimated direct medical costs associated with COVID-19 and there is a paucity of evidence for direct non-medical, indirect, and intangible costs, which we recommend for future studies. To create homogeneity in CoI studies, we suggest researchers follow a conceptual framework and critical appraisal checklist of cost-of-illness (CoI) studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To improve the level of hospital workers' safety performance in response to emergencies (e.g. COVID‐19), this paper examines the relationship between hospital workers' job control on safety performance, and the mediating role of hospital safety climate and the moderating role of social support. Design: In this cross‐sectional questionnaire survey, a convenience sampling of hospital workers from three hospitals that have COVID‐19 cases from Beijing and Shandong Province in China. Methods: These questionnaires were used to obtain self‐reported data on hospital workers' job control, hospital safety climate, social support and safety performance. Mplus software was used to calculate CFA. SPSS25.0 software was used to calculate mean values, standard deviations, correlations and regression analyses. Results: The participants were 241 hospital workers from three hospitals in China (male = 55.2%, female = 44.8%; age range <30 to >45; physician = 58%, nurse = 22%, other hospital worker = 20%). A moderated mediation model among job control, hospital safety climate, social support and safety performance was supported. Moderated mediation analysis indicates hospital workers' job control effectively improves the level of safety performance; hospital safety climate plays a partially mediating role in the process of job control affecting hospital workers' safety performance; social support moderates the effect of work control on medical workers' safety climate. Hence, it is important to increase job control and hospital safety climate. Further, social support for hospital workers should be encouraged, advocated and supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the current condition and degree of fear of disease progression and associated factors in patients with mild or common type COVID‐19. Background: At the end of 2019, COVID‐19 spread from Wuhan in Hubei Province throughout China. Confirmed cases and deaths have since been reported in many countries around the world. However, fear of progression in these patients has been poorly explored. Methods: During February 2020, we recruited 114 patients with mild or common type COVID‐19 admitted to a Fangcang shelter hospital. We assessed patients' degree of fear using the simplified Fear of Progression Questionnaire (Chinese version). Multiple regression analysis was applied to explore potential factors. Results: The fear of disease progression scores of patients with mild or common COVID‐19 was at the low‐to‐moderate level. Current unemployment, disease duration of 28 days or more and not having a spouse diagnosed with COVID‐19 were factors potentially associated with fear of progression. Conclusion: With a high prevalence of fear of disease progression in patients with COVID‐19, the risk of psychological effects from the pandemic is significant and fear of progression is one of the manifestations. The need for psychological support services for patients should be included in all pandemic and disaster planning. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Fear of progression is a common bio‐socio‐psychological consequence that widespread in cancer patients as well as chronic diseases.Very few studies focus on fear of progression in patients with major infectious disease, not to mention coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). What this paper adds? The present study surveys fear of progression in patients with mild or common type COVID‐19 and revealed a low‐to‐moderate level overall.Being unemployed, having no spouse diagnosed with COVID‐19, and a disease duration of 28 days or more are potential factors associated to patients' fear of the disease progression. The implications of this paper: The COVID‐19 outbreak has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern. Mental health problems such as fear of disease progression might need more attention beyond medical treatment.Future mental health nursing practice and research need to focus on those potential factors or patients with specific characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aim to investigate the prevalence and associated factors for compassion fatigue among nurses in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals in Wuhan. Studies have shown that compassion fatigue was more common among nurses than other health‐care providers, and its predictors were also different. In recent years, most studies have investigated compassion fatigue in emergency and oncology nurses, whereas there is little information on compassion fatigue among nurses from the frontline of Fangcang Shelter Hospitals during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive, cross‐sectional design was used in this study. An online survey was conducted among nurses (n = 972) of five Fangcang Shelter Hospitals in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, from 6 March to 10 March 2020. A self‐administered questionnaire including demographic information, work‐related information, General Health Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale and Compassion Fatigue Scale was used. Results: The prevalence of compassion fatigue among nurses in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals was moderate, and most cases were mild. There was a significant relationship between compassion fatigue and work‐related factors, mental health and perceived stress among nurses working in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals. Conclusions: Various factors contribute to compassion fatigue, including lower job satisfaction and job adaptability, less praise from patients, more fear of infection and more perceived stress. A good working atmosphere, organizational support and psychological consultation are essential to alleviate nurses' compassion fatigue during the anti‐epidemic period. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Nurses are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue among health‐care providers, and it causes billions of dollars in productivity losses to economies in different countries every year.Personal factors (professional cognition, health condition, gender etc.), working environment (working hours, working load, working system problems, professional roles etc.), mental health and stress may affect nurses' compassion fatigue. What this paper adds? Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors played a crucial role in nurses in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals who are exposed to adverse events, leading to compassion fatigue. The implications of this paper: This paper reveals a new perspective on the factors influencing compassion fatigue of nurses working in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals.We suggest that compassion fatigue among nurses in Fangcang Shelter Hospitals could be reduced by maintaining a good working atmosphere, providing organizational support, helping nurses keep a healthy mental state and reducing stress levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has had a profound worldwide impact on the laboratory hematology community. Nevertheless, the pace of COVID‐19 hematology‐related research has continued to accelerate and has established the role of laboratory hematology data for many purposes including disease prognosis and outcome. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the current state of COVID‐19 laboratory hematology research. A comprehensive search of the literature published between December 1, 2019, and July 3, 2020, was performed, and we analyzed the sources, publication dates, study types, and topics of the retrieved studies. Overall, 402 studies were included in this scoping review. Approximately half of these studies (n = 202, 50.37%) originated in China. Retrospective cohort studies comprised the largest study type (n = 176, 43.89%). Prognosis/ risk factors, epidemiology, and coagulation were the most common topics. The number of studies published per day has increased through the end of May. The studies were heavily biased in favor of papers originating in China and on retrospective clinical studies with limited use of and reporting of laboratory data. Despite the major improvements in our understanding of the role of coagulation, automated hematology, and cell morphology in COVID‐19, there are gaps in the literature, including biosafety and the laboratory role in screening and prevention of COVID‐19. There is a gap in the publication of papers focused on guidelines for the laboratory. Our findings suggest that, despite the large number of publications related to laboratory data and their use in COVID‐19 disease, many areas remain unexplored or under‐reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, is widely controlled now in China. However, the global epidemic is still severe. To study and comment on Hubei's approaches for responding to the disease, the paper considered some factors such as suspected cases (part of them are influenza patients or common pneumonia patients, etc.), quarantine, patient classification (three types), clinically diagnosed cases, and lockdown of Wuhan and Hubei. After that, the paper established an S E L I H R model based on the surveillance data of Hubei published by the Hubei Health Commission from 10 January 2020 to 30 April 2020 and used the fminsearch optimization method to estimate the optimal parameters of the model. We obtained the basic reproduction number R 0 = 3.1571 from 10 to 22 January. R 0 was calculated as 2.0471 from 23 to 27 January. From 28 January to 30 April, R 0 = 1.5014. Through analysis, it is not hard to find that the patients without classification during the period of confirmed cases will result in the cumulative number of cases in Hubei to increase. In addition, regarding the lockdown measures implemented by Hubei during the epidemic, our simulations also show that if the lockdown time of either Hubei or Wuhan is advanced, it will effectively curb the spread of the epidemic. If the lockdown measures are not taken, the total cumulative number of cases will increase substantially. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that the lockdown, patient classification, and the large-scale case screening are essential to slow the spread of COVID-19, which can provide references for other countries or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the perception of risk associated with the presence of coronavirus in food purchased online and online vs. offline food shopping during the COVID-19 epidemic. The influence of COVID-19 status on risk perception was tested using the data collected from 742 consumers between December 2021 and January 2022. The empirical approach distinguished between the epidemic's status in a province (or region), city, and other areas of the country and applied the ordered logit technique. The regional and citywide epidemic increased the perception that online purchases carry the virus and are riskier than those made offline. Further examination showed that the regional/provincial epidemic created the perception that packaging or social media use were risk factors when purchasing food online. Heterogeneity analysis showed that risk perception was significantly higher in affected cities than in non-affected provinces or other provinces. Risk perception differed across five online food categories, with the highest levels for online-ordered meals and fresh products. Strengthening COVID-19 prevention and control in cities and the province, managing risk due to the handling of food purchased online, and government monitoring of social media use will lessen consumers' risk perceptions and encourage the use of online food offers during epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding the problem of epidemic outbreak prevention and control, infectious disease dynamics models cannot support urban managers in reducing urban-scale healthcare costs through community-scale control measures, as they usually have difficulty meeting the requirements for simulation at different scales. In this paper, we propose combining contact networks at different spatial scales to study the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai from March to July 2022, calculate the initial R t through the number of cases at the beginning of the outbreak, and evaluate the effectiveness of dynamic non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) adopted at different time periods in Shanghai using our proposed approach. In particular, our proposed contact network is a three-layer multi-scale network that is used to distinguish social interactions occurring in areas of different sizes, as well as to distinguish between intensive and non-intensive population contacts. This susceptible–exposure–infection–quarantine–recovery (SEIQR) epidemic model constructed based on a multi-scale network can more effectively assess the feasibility of small-scale control measures, such as assessing community quarantine measures and mobility restrictions at different moments and phases of an epidemic. Our experimental results show that this model can meet the simulation needs at different scales, and our further discussion and analysis show that the spread of the epidemic in Shanghai from March to July 2022 can be successfully controlled by implementing a strict long-term dynamic NPI strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has killed millions of people worldwide. As a result, medical and health resources continue to be strained, posing a great threat to people's safety and economic and social development. This paper built the index system of influencing factors of medical and health resources containing the economy, population and society, and then classified Taiyuan into three types of regions by cluster analysis. The Gini coefficient, Theil index and agglomeration degree were then used to analyze the spatial distribution of medical and health resources allocation, and its influencing factors were studied by grey relational analysis. It was found that the population allocation of medical and health resources in Taiyuan was better than area allocation. Population has the greatest influence on the allocation of medical and health resources, followed by society and the economy. The more developed the regional economy, the more diversified the main influencing factors, and the more adjustment and control choices of medical and health resources allocation. Suggestions for optimal allocation were put forward in order to fully utilize the limited medical and health resources, effectively respond to the epidemic needs, promote the sustainable development of resources, protect the health of residents, and improve social benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of COVID-19, many schools have to educate their students using online activities. During this time, whether and how parents are involved may be of particular importance for young children—who are less able to learn independently via the Internet due to their developmental immaturity. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional association of maternal involvement in child online learning with child adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic and tested maternal mindfulness as a moderator. Data were collected from 236 mothers of kindergarten-aged children (mean age = 55.91 months; 75% of them were girls) during the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, China. Using paper-and-pencil questionnaires, mothers rated their involvement and mindfulness and their children's pre-academic ability and internalizing and externalizing behaviors and provide demographic information. Regression models revealed that maternal involvement was associated positively with child pre-academic ability and negatively with child internalizing behaviors, but such associations were only significant for children with more mindful mothers. Maternal mindfulness did not moderate the negative association between maternal involvement and child externalizing behaviors. Findings highlighted the role of maternal mindfulness in child development, suggesting that it may be crucial to promote maternal involvement and mindfulness during the pandemic and perhaps beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate impact of coronavirus COVID-19 on children's mental health specifically emotional and behavioral disorders. It aims at identifying the main disorders faced by children during epidemics and suggests recommendations to nurture resilience among children and involving them in various positive activities. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on review of literature focused on COVID-19. Recent articles related to coronavirus or COVID-19 and psychological distress among children were included to draw conclusion and impact of COVID-19 on mental health of children. Due to the limited availability of studies on CONID-19 impact on mental health of children, studies focused on recent pandemic were focused. Findings: The identified literature reports a negative impact of COVID-19 on individual's mental health. Relatives' health, poor appetite, fear of asking questions about epidemics, agitation, clinginess, physical discomfort, nightmares and poor sleep, inattention and separation issues were among the major psychological conditions analyzed. Personal attributes such as resilience, should be nurtured so that children will be empowered to manage difficult situations such as traumas and disappointments. Several measures were suggested by pediatricians in China to family members and parents such as playing games with children to reduce feeling of loneliness, increased communication to address their concerns and fears, promoting and encouraging physical activities and involving in musical activities to reduce fear, worry and stress among children. Originality/value: Coronavirus is new pandemic and growing rapidly. most of the research studies are focused on physical health of individuals, but mental health concept has bene overlooked. This study helps to broaden the scope of research on children's mental health by examining the impact of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China issued strict nationwide guidelines to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020 and gradually loosened the restrictions on movement in early March. Little is known about how these disease control measures affected the 600 million people who live in rural China. The goal of this paper is to document the quarantine measures implemented in rural China outside the epicenter of Hubei Province and to assess the socioeconomic effect of the measures on rural communities over time. Methods: We conducted three rounds of interviews with informants from 726 villages in seven provinces, accounting for over 25% of China's overall rural population. The survey collected data on rural quarantine implementation; COVID-19 infections and deaths in the survey villages; and effects of the quarantine on employment, income, education, health care, and government policies to address any negative impacts. The empirical findings of the work established that strict quarantine measures were implemented in rural villages throughout China in February. Results: There was little spread of COVID-19 in rural communities: an infection rate of 0.001% and zero deaths reported in our sample. However, there were negative social and economic outcomes, including high rates of unemployment, falling household income, rising prices, and disrupted student learning. Health care was generally accessible, but many delayed their non-COVID-19 health care due to the quarantine measures. Only 20% of villagers received any form of local government aid, and only 11% of villages received financial subsidies. There were no reports of national government aid programs that targeted rural villagers in the sample areas. Conclusions: By examining the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 restrictions in rural communities, this study will help to guide other middle- and low-income countries in their containment and restorative processes. Without consideration for economically vulnerable populations, economic hardships and poverty will likely continue to have a negative impact on the most susceptible communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Travel and living environment restrictions, which may have positive or negative effects on smoking-related behaviors, were implemented to limit the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to compare the baseline clinical characteristics and smoking cessation (SC) rate at 3 months of patients in an SC clinic in Hunan Province, China before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify influencing factors of successful SC. METHODS Healthy patients at the SC clinic aged ≥18 years before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic were divided into groups A and B, respectively. The two groups' demographic data and smoking characteristics were compared, and SC interventions were applied by the same medical staff team through telephone follow-up and counselling during the SC procedure. RESULTS Groups A and B included 306 and 212 patients, respectively, with no significant differences in demographic data. The SC rates of group A (pre COVID-19) and group B (during the COVID-19 pandemic) at 3 months were 23.5% and 30.7%, respectively, after the first SC visit. Those who chose to quit immediately or within 7 days were more successful than those who did not choose a quit date (p=0.002, p=0.000). Patients who learned about the SC clinic via network resources and other methods were more likely to succeed than those who learned about the clinic from their doctor or hospital publications (p=0.064, p=0.050). CONCLUSIONS Planning to quit smoking immediately or within 7 days of visiting the SC clinic and learning about the SC clinic via the network media or other methods improved the likelihood of successful SC. SC clinics and the harm of tobacco should be promoted via network media. During consultation, the smokers should be encouraged to quit smoking immediately and establish an SC plan, which would help them to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Significant changes occurred in the way people socialize and interact with each other since China reported its first COVID-19 cases. However, little is known about how smoking behaviors may have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The aim of this study was to assess changes in smoking behavior and intention to quit during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China and to investigate the associated factors. METHODS An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese adult smokers. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling from 19 March to 2 April 2020. RESULTS A total of 1388 smokers participated in this study. Of those, 1014 (73.0%) reported not changing their cigarette consumption, 104 (7.5%) reported smoking more and 268 (19.3%) reported smoking less due to the pandemic. Average daily cigarette consumption among all participants decreased from 15.0 (IQR: 10.0--20.0) to 13.0 (IQR: 8.0-20.0) (W=6.919, p<0.001). For intention to quit, 270 (19.5%) respondents reported becoming more willing to quit, and 91 (6.6%) reported becoming less willing to quit. Multivariate analyses showed that tobacco addiction, overall knowledge about the relationship between smoking and COVID-19, level of attention devoted to COVID-19, anxiety, living alone, and number of smokers in the family were significantly correlated with cigarette consumption and intention to quit, and living alone was the strongest factor associated with increased cigarette consumption (AOR=5.29; 95% CI: 1.51-18.56). CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic led to a slight decrease in cigarette consumption and an increase in quitting intention among Chinese smokers. During the early stages of the pandemic, it was important to focus on the anxiety of smokers, dispel smokers' misunderstandings of smoking and COVID-19 and create a supporting environment in the family to help smokers quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the mental health status, stressors and self‐adjustment of nurses in isolation wards at different periods in Wuhan, China. Background: Mental health issues easily occurred among the frontline medical workers of a major epidemic. However, the stressors and psychological adjustments experienced by nurses have not been well described. This is crucial to improving clinical quality and nursing safety and ensuring nurses' physical and psychological health. Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional prospective study using the Self Reporting Questionnaire‐20, stressor and self‐adjustment questionnaire administered to frontline nurses in Wuhan at two time points: after they had worked in isolation wards for 7–10 days (T1) and 2 months (T2). This paper complies with the STROBE reporting guideline for cross‐sectional studies. Results: T1 has 92 respondents, and T2 has 86. The positive rates of mental health problems were 26.09% and 9.30%, respectively, showing significantly different in the two periods. The main factors influenced mental health were self‐perceived stress and only child status. The most common stressors were as follows: a large infected population, high infectivity; concerned about family's health status; high mortality if not treated in time (T1); and long duration of the epidemic, separate from family for a long time (T2). In terms of self‐adjustment, 97.83%(T1)/88.04%(T2) of nurses thought it was necessary, but 9(T1) /5(T2) chose to avoid addressing it, and 8(T1) /5(T2) utilised a professional psychological counselling hotline. Conclusions: Mental health problems among frontline nurses fighting COVID‐19 need special attention, so administrators should offer timely counselling and strengthen effective psychosocial support to improve their mental resilience. Relevance to clinical practice: This study surveyed the mental problems and self‐adjustment status among nurses working Wuhan during the outbreak of COVID‐19, to provide administrators with a scientific basis to effectively intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults have been statistically proved to be at a higher risk of getting severely infected by the coronavirus COVID-19, evoking sweeping narratives of compassionate ageism surrounding them in different discourses. By analysing the media content, scholars from different areas have alerted us about the amplified ageism aroused by the pandemic crisis. However, we are still short of empirical evidence to learn how ageism is constructed in diverse sociocultural contexts in the wake of this global pandemic crisis. This study provides the case of Hong Kong to reflect on how ageism, as a set of social inequalities, is constructed. By examining 814 articles collected from the three most popular newspapers with different political orientations in Hong Kong, this study uses quantitative and qualitative content analysis to examine how older people have been generally represented. Then it further compares how these representations have been influenced by the media's liberal or conservative preferences. Third, it examines the relationship between the political orientation of newspapers and how different forms of ageism are constructed. The findings indicate that despite the liberal or conservative inclination of the three newspapers, they portray the older population as frail, dependent and deprived not only at the biomedical level but in all aspects of life. This study also reveals that the newspapers with a populist inclination in both camps have shown more hostile attitudes in representing compassionate ageism. In contrast, liberal and conservative-leaning media affirmed the government's dominant role in taking full responsibility for caring for the older population. The findings indicate that the polarised ageism frame cannot fully explain the underpinnings of ageism and implied policy processing in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the COVID‐19 epidemic crisis, students from higher education institutions around the world are forced to participate in comprehensive online curriculums. In such a scenario, it is worth investigating how students perceived their learning outcomes and satisfaction based on this method of teaching and learning online. This study aims to explore the role of six factors, namely, system quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐instructor interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, on university students' perceived learning outcomes and their effect on student satisfaction with online curricula during the COVID‐19 epidemic. A structural equation modelling technique was used to assess survey questionnaires obtained from 457 validated students at a Public University in China. The results demonstrated that these determinants had a positive effect on satisfaction and learning outcomes, whereas learner‐instructor interaction had no significant effect. Furthermore, the strongest determinant that affected not only students' satisfaction but also their learning outcomes was the learner‐content interaction. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Online teaching can support students' learning in COVID‐19 epidemic.Various determining factors affect students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning. What this paper adds?: This study investigates six determinants on students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning.Learner‐content interaction yielded a stronger effect on university students' learning outcomes and satisfaction.Learner‐instructor interaction has no significant effect. Implications for practice and/or policy: System quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, had a positive impact on university students' perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. There was a remarkable downgrade in China's COVID-19 response strategies in January 2023. The COVID-19 infection rate grew rapidly in the early stages following the management policy shift. This study attempted to explore the associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and mental or physical health status in pregnant and postpartum women and the role of perceived health risks and family members' SARS-CoV-2 infection status on these associations by capturing the impact of policy shifts in a short period of time. Methods. This cross-sectional study with a random sample from a convenience sample of hospitals was conducted in pregnant and postpartum women in January 2023. Standardized assessment tools were employed to assess anxiety, depressive and physical symptoms, and feelings of hopelessness. Hierarchical multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine the mechanisms of associations of interests by including a range of sociodemographic factors, self-perceived health, SARS-CoV-2 infection status, and perceived health risks as covariates. Results. Of the 1,013 pregnant and postpartum women aged 32.0 ± 0.3 years, 58.2% (n = 590) were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 49.4% (n = 500) had family members who were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Nearly 98% of the included participants took measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. A COVID-19 diagnosis was positively associated with feelings of hopelessness (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.20–2.35), probable anxiety (OR = 6.42, 95% CI: 2.18–24.61), possible depression (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.07–6.70), and physical symptoms (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 1.63–42.03) after adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics, while the associations presented no statistical significance when family members' SARS-CoV-2 infection status and perceived health risks were introduced into the models. Conclusions. Our results suggested that pregnant and postpartum women may experience physical and mental health challenges when they or their family members contracted COVID-19 in the context of a considerable shift in COVID-19 management. Early detection of poor health status and its risk factors for vulnerable groups during shifts in health policy and administrative practice is very necessary, and health services, including easy access to psychosocial support and obstetric counselling, should be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among frontline nurses who went to assist the epidemic situation in Wuhan, China, during the outbreak in 2020. The study also explored the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of age in the main relationship. Background: The relationship between burnout and PTSD in nurse has rarely been investigated in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Understand the relationship between these variables can provide empirical evidence for developing interventions and protocols that improve the health of nurses in future public health emergencies. Design: An online cross‐sectional survey of targeted local 327 nurses who went to assist the COVID‐19 epidemic situation in Wuhan during the initial outbreak. Methods: This study was conducted in August 2020, the burnout scale, the PTSD scale and the depression scale were used to survey participants. The moderated mediation model was used to test research hypotheses. Results: Burnout could affect the PTSD symptoms in nursing staffs and depression could mediate this relationship. Age moderated the relationship between burnout/depression and PTSD, and the effects was strong and significant among younger participants in the relationship between burnout and PTSD. Conclusions: Burnout was identified as a core risk factor of PTSD in nurses. Depression and age played significant roles in the relationship between burnout and PTSD. Relevance to Clinical Practice: PTSD, as a symptom that manifests after experiencing a stressful event, should be a key concern among frontline healthcare professionals. This study suggests that PTSD in nurses can be further reduced by reducing burnout. Attention should also be paid to the PTSD status of nurses of different age groups. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients and the public were not involved in the design and implementation of this study. Frontline nurses completed an online questionnaire for this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between fear of COVID‐19 and mental health of nurses and the effects of psychological capital and burnout in this relation. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: The online surveys were conducted among mainland Chinese nurses. Participants (n = 445; average age 32.89 ± 6.76 years) completed an online‐questionnaire based on the Fear of COVID‐19 Scale, the Psychological Capital Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Professionals Scale and the 12‐Item Short Form Health Survey. Data analysis was conducted by Pearson's correlation analysis, Harman single‐factor test and the bootstrap method for mediating effect testing. Results: (1) The study demonstrated a significant direct effect of fear of COVID‐19 on nurses' mental health, as well as on mediating factors such as burnout and psychological capital. (2) Regression analyses confirmed that while psychological capital bolstered mental health, burnout undermined it, with fear of COVID‐19 further imposing a negative influence. (3) Fear of COVID‐19 exerted an effect on the mental health of nurses by the independent and chain intermediary functions of psychological capital and burnout, resulting in a total mediating effect of −0.233. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the job demands of healthcare workers (HCWs) working in mobile cabin hospitals in Shanghai and identify the influencing factors. Design: The study had a cross‐sectional design. Methods: Using the convenience sampling method, we selected 1223 HCWs (medical team members) working in these mobile cabin hospitals during April–May 2022. The findings of the general information questionnaire and the hierarchy scale of job demands of HCWs working in mobile cabin hospitals were used for the investigation. Results: The total score of job demands of the included HCWs was 132.26 ± 9.53; the average score of the items was 4.73 ± 0.34. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that the following HCWs had significantly higher job demands: female HCWs and HCWs who received psychological training or intervention during the COVID‐19 pandemic, were satisfied with the doctor/nurse–patient relationship, received support from family members/friends/colleagues, believed that the risk of working in mobile cabin hospitals was high, had adapted to the working environment of mobile cabin hospitals and had college/undergraduate level of education. They would benefit from increased social support and better training in terms of psychological coping mechanisms(both theoretical knowledge and applicable skills) and COVID‐19 prevention,control and treatment abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 and the subsequent intermittent lockdown measures from 2020 to 2022 in China critically disrupted regular medical activities, including dental care. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on long-term follow-up at the Stomatology Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and to evaluate potential causes of loss to follow-up. Methods: A total of 1062 patients with periodontitis who visited the hospital from January 2019 to June 2022 were included in this study, and patient information was collected retrospectively in the form of a telephone questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 19 questions in four areas: demographic characteristics, clinical periodontal parameters, oral hygiene habits, and follow-up-related open-ended questions (specific reasons for loss to follow-up, attitudes toward follow-up and suggestions for increasing participation in future follow-ups). Regression analysis of factors influencing the follow-up of patients with periodontitis were analyzed by regression analysis using R (v4.2.3) software. Results: A total of 536 (50.47%) valid questionnaires were collected from 1062 patients. Personal factors (42.5%), instead of the COVID-19 epidemic (20.0%), were the main factors that impacted the loss to follow-up in long-term periodontal treatment, while work factors (19.8%), hospital factors (16.4%), and transportation or distance factors (14.7%) were all important factors. A family history of periodontitis [odds ratio (OR) = 0.567, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.393, 0.817, p = 0.002], as well as frequent use of dental devices (OR = 0.540, 95% CI: 0.375, 0.777, p = 0.001), were significantly associated with a "negative" attitude toward follow-up visits. Conclusion: This survey suggests that the COVID-19 epidemic factor was an important cause contributed to the loss to follow-up during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) among a variety of potential factors. Majority of patients had negative attitudes toward subsequent continued participation in supportive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had major ramifications for health and the economy at both the individual and collective levels. This study examined exogenous negative changes in household income and their implications on psychological well-being (PWB) among the Chinese population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were drawn from the early China COVID-19 Survey, a cross-sectional anonymous online survey administered to the general population in China. Self-reported PWB was measured using a 5-point Likert scale with five questions related to the participants' recent psychological state. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was employed to examine whether income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with poor psychological health. Results: This study included 8,428 adults, of which 90% had suffered from a moderate or severe loss of household income due to the early COVID-19 pandemic. Those who had experienced moderate or severe loss of income scored significantly lower on psychological well-being than those who did not experience income loss (19.96 or 18.07 vs. 21.46; P < 0.001); after controlling for confounders, income loss was negatively associated with PWB scores (moderate income loss: B = − 0.603, P < 0.001; severe income loss: B = − 1.261, P < 0.001). An interaction effect existed between the degree of income loss and pre-pandemic income groups. Specifically, participants in the middle-income group who had suffered severe income loss scored the lowest on PWB (B = − 1.529, P < 0.001). There was also a main effect on income loss, such that participants with varying degrees of income loss differed across five dimensions, including anhedonia, sleep problems, irritability or anger, difficulty with concentration, and repeated disturbing dreams related to COVID-19. Conclusions: Income loss during the pandemic has had detrimental consequences on psychological well-being, and the magnitude of the impact of income loss on psychological well-being varied according to previous income levels. Future policy efforts should be directed toward improving the psychological well-being of the economically vulnerable and helping them recover from lost income in the shortest time possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to capture and explore family caregivers' lived experience of caring for hospitalised patients with cancer during the lockdown. Background: The unprecedented lockdown episodes due to COVID‐19 have brought significant changes in the hospital visiting policies and caregiving practices. As part of the precautionary measures for hospital visits, the bedside companion was restricted to one caregiver for patients with cancer in Shanghai hospitals. Design: This study adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach. Methods: Data were collected among 20 family caregivers recruited from the Oncology department of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai in May 2022, using purposive sampling method and followed by unstructured, open‐ended interviews. Colaizzi's seven‐step data analysis method was used to analyse the data to reveal the emergent themes and subthemes of the phenomenon. Results: Four themes were generated on family caregivers' lived experience of caring for hospitalised patients with cancer during the lockdown, including (1) Feeling scared for the patient; (2) Living a life feeling trapped under COVID‐19 surveillance; (3) Feeling neglected and unseen; (4) Growing resilience and appreciation. Conclusions: The lockdown exacerbated the burden of family caregivers when they cared for the hospitalised patients with cancer during the lockdown period. However, positive reframing of the lived experience facilitated their coping with the challenging situation. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Findings from this study highlighted the potential proactive roles the healthcare providers could play in improving family caregivers' health and supporting them during and beyond the COVID‐19 pandemic. Reporting Method: The study adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines; the study was reported according to the COREQ checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: Family caregivers of patients with cancer were involved in data collection and member‐checking of the transcripts and interpretations of their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There has been controversy over whether to carry out online medical inquiries and electronic prescription for first-visit patients. While Internet hospitals have become crucial to ensure providing online diagnosis and prescription needs for first-visit COVID-positive patients. Objective We describe the results and advantages of online medical treatment during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and analyse the results and advantages of online medical treatment. Methods Data were collected from the patients who received online medical inquiry services through the COVID-19 Special Section of our Internet hospital. The user demographic characteristics, user behaviour, clinical symptoms and medical records were collected. Baseline data of offline outpatient patients were also collected. Results A total of 16 173 online medical inquiries were included. The daily online outpatient service volume reached a peak of 2446 person-times. The median age was 29.92 years (SD 15.59), ranging from 20–39 years (n  = 8870, 54.84%). A total of 89.20% (n  = 14 426/16 173) patients had epidemic-related symptoms. Moreover, 23.35% of the people were diagnosed as COVID-19-positive through antigen or nucleic acid testing. Furthermore, 86.61% (14 008/16 173) of the patients visited our hospital for the first time or had no offline physical outpatient service record within the past 3 months. The demand for medical inquiries was mainly for drug dispensing, followed by medication guidance and disease diagnosis. And 2.07% (334/16 173) of the patients needed to go to the offline hospital for further treatment. Conclusion The service model of the COVID-19 Special Section based on Internet hospitals provided the public with the necessary medical support during the COVID-19 outbreak. It provides a reference for future pandemics or public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about COVID-19 outside Hubei. The aim of this paper was to describe the clinical characteristics and imaging manifestations of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 149 RT-PCR confirmed positive patients were consecutively enrolled from January 17th to February 10th, 2020 in three tertiary hospitals of Wenzhou. Outcomes were followed up until Feb 15th, 2020.Findings: A total of 85 patients had Hubei travel/residence history, while another 49 had contact with people from Hubei and 15 had no traceable exposure history to Hubei. Fever, cough and expectoration were the most common symptoms, 14 patients had decreased oxygen saturation, 33 had leukopenia, 53 had lymphopenia, and 82 had elevated C-reactive protein. On chest computed tomography (CT), lung segments 6 and 10 were mostly involved. A total of 287 segments presented ground glass opacity, 637 presented mixed opacity and 170 presented consolidation. Lesions were more localized in the peripheral lung with a patchy form. No significant difference was found between patients with or without Hubei exposure history. Seventeen patients had normal CT on admission of these, 12 had negative findings even10 days later.Interpretation: Most patients presented with a mild infection in our study. The imaging pattern of multifocal peripheral ground glass or mixed opacity with predominance in the lower lung is highly suspicious of COVID-19 in the first week of disease onset. Nevetheless, some patients can present with a normal chest finding despite testing positive for COVID-19.Funding: We did not receive any fundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan in 2019 led to the discovery of a novel coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated it as a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 due to its rapid and widespread transmission. Its impact has had profound implications, particularly in the realm of public health. Extensive scientific endeavors have been directed towards devising effective treatment strategies and vaccines. Within the healthcare and medical imaging domain, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought significant advantages. This study delves into peer-reviewed research articles spanning the years 2020 to 2022, focusing on AI-driven methodologies for the analysis and screening of COVID-19 through chest CT scan data. We assess the efficacy of deep learning algorithms in facilitating decision making processes. Our exploration encompasses various facets, including data collection, systematic contributions, emerging techniques, and encountered challenges. However, the comparison of outcomes between 2020 and 2022 proves intricate due to shifts in dataset magnitudes over time. The initiatives aimed at developing AI-powered tools for the detection, localization, and segmentation of COVID-19 cases are primarily centered on educational and training contexts. We deliberate on their merits and constraints, particularly in the context of necessitating cross-population train/test models. Our analysis encompassed a review of 231 research publications, bolstered by a meta-analysis employing search keywords (COVID-19 OR Coronavirus) AND chest CT AND (deep learning OR artificial intelligence OR medical imaging) on both the PubMed Central Repository and Web of Science platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the association between social capital and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and to determine whether depression mediates the association among Chinese older adults in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: A descriptive cross‐sectional research design. Methods: The Geriatric Depression Scale‐15, Social Capital Questionnaire and 12‐item Short‐Form Health Survey were used to investigate 1201 older adults selected from Jinan, Shandong Province, China, using a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. Results: Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between social capital and HRQoL (r = 0.269, p < 0.01). Multivariate linear regression analyses demonstrated that social capital was significantly negatively associated with depression (β = −0.072, p < 0.001) and that depression was associated with HRQoL (β = −1.031, p < 0.001). The mediation analyses showed that depression mediated the association between social capital and HRQoL, and the indirect effect size was 0.073 (95% confidence interval: 0.050, 0.100). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has spread worldwide. Older adults are at the greatest risk of contracting and dying from the virus. Nursing homes are densely populated places for older adults who are generally vulnerable and at high-risk. Although Chinese nursing homes have been trying to protect their residents, the needs and expectations of the residents and their families have been ignored. This study aimed to promote the safety of NH residents, including their physical and psychological safety, and to meet their expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with nursing home residents and focus group online interviews with family members between June 2021 and February 2022. Data analysis was performed using inductive content analysis. Results: 16 residents and 24 family members were interviewed. Four themes with 10 sub-themes were identified from the participants' descriptions. Their expectations were mainly focused on prevention and control measures for COVID-19, medical capacity of nursing homes, health literacy and expectations for some aged care policies. Conclusions: In the face of concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, we sought to bring firsthand perspectives to the forefront by interviewing residents and their family members about their expectations for safety to address this issue. Our findings provide important areas on which should be focused and may improve the sense of gain, happiness, and security of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread throughout the world; however, it is difficult for clinicians to make early diagnoses. This study is to evaluate the feasibility of using deep learning (DL) models to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 patients based on chest CT images. In this retrospective study, six DL models (Xception, NASNet, ResNet, EfficientNet, ViT, and Swin), based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) or transformer architectures, were trained to identify asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 on chest CT images. Data from Yangzhou were randomly split into a training set (n = 2140) and an internal-validation set (n = 360). Data from Suzhou was the external-test set (n = 200). Model performance was assessed by the metrics accuracy, recall, and specificity and was compared with the assessments of two radiologists. A total of 2700 chest CT images were collected in this study. In the validation dataset, the Swin model achieved the highest accuracy of 0.994, followed by the EfficientNet model (0.954). The recall and the precision of the Swin model were 0.989 and 1.000, respectively. In the test dataset, the Swin model was still the best and achieved the highest accuracy (0.980). All the DL models performed remarkably better than the two experts. Last, the time on the test set diagnosis spent by two experts—42 min, 17 s (junior); and 29 min, 43 s (senior)—was significantly higher than those of the DL models (all below 2 min). This study evaluated the feasibility of multiple DL models in distinguishing asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 from healthy subjects on chest CT images. It found that a transformer-based model, the Swin model, performed best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD) after Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection are poorly investigated. Objective: We aimed to explore the clinical features and outcomes of hospitalized PD patients with COVID-19. Methods: A total of 48 PD patients and 96 age-and sex-matched non-PD patients were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between two groups. Results: PD patients with COVID-19 were elderly (76.69 ± 9.21 years) with advanced stage (H-Y stage 3--5 as 65.3%). They had less clinical symptoms (nasal obstruction, etc.), more proportions of severe/critical COVID-19 clinical classification (22.9 vs. 1.0%, p < 0.001), receiving oxygen (29.2 vs. 11.5%, p = 0.011), antibiotics (39.6 vs. 21.9%, p = 0.031) therapies, as well as longer hospitalization duration (11.39 vs. 8.32, p = 0.001) and higher mortality (8.3% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.001) relative to those without PD. Laboratory results showed that the PD group had higher white blood cell counts (6.29 vs. 5.16*109, p = 0.001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (3.14 vs. 2.11, p < 0.001) and C-reactive protein level (12.34 vs. 3.19, p < 0.001). Conclusion: PD patients with COVID-19 have insidious clinical manifestation, elevated proinflammatory markers and are prone to the development of severe/critical condition, contributing to a relatively poor prognosis. Early identification and active treatment of COVID-19 are pivotal to advanced PD patients during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study is to explore the factors that influence the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of primary care providers in China, with a focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rescission of restriction policies. We utilized the 20-item Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the 25-item organizational commitment survey to assess job satisfaction and organizational commitment. In total, 435 valid responses were included in our analysis. The average scores for job satisfaction and organizational commitment were 80.6 and 90.8. After a two-step tuning process, we built random forest models by machine learning. The results show income change, working years, working years in the current institute, and age were the four most important features associated with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and most of their dimensions. The number of professional fields engaged, gender, job status, and types of endowment insurance were least associated. During pandemic time, income-related factors remain a core concern for primary care providers, whereas job security may lose its importance. These findings suggest that financial bonuses may be an effective way to boost morale, and age-specific motivation plans may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has spread globally and caused a major worldwide health crisis. Patients who are affected more seriously by COVID‐19 usually deteriorate rapidly and need further intensive care. Aim: We aimed to assess the performance of the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) as a risk stratification tool to discriminate newly admitted patients with COVID‐19 at risk of serious events. Design: We conducted a retrospective single‐centre case‐control study on 200 unselected patients consecutively admitted in March 2020 in a public general hospital in Wuhan, China. Methods: The following serious events were considered: mortality, unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and non‐invasive ventilation treatment. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to quantify the association between outcomes and NEWS2. Results: There were 12 patients (6.0%) who had serious events, where 7 patients (3.5%) experienced unplanned ICU admissions. The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) and cut‐off of NEWS2 for the composite outcome were 0.83 and 3, respectively. For patients with NEWS2 ≥ 4, the odds of being at risk for serious events was 16.4 (AUROC = 0.74), while for patients with NEWS2 ≥ 7, the odds of being at risk for serious events was 18.2 (AUROC = 0.71). Conclusions: NEWS2 has an appropriate ability to triage newly admitted patients with COVID‐19 into three levels of risk: low risk (NEWS2 = 0‐3), medium risk (NEWS2 = 4‐6), and high risk (NEWS2 ≥ 7). Relevance to clinical practice: Using NEWS2 may help nurses in early identification of at‐risk COVID‐19 patients and clinical nursing decision‐making. Using NEWS2 to triage new patients with COVID‐19 may help nurses provide more appropriate level of care and medical resources allocation for patients safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is still being revealed, and little is known about the effect of COVID-19-induced outpatient and inpatient losses on hospital operations in many counties. Hence, we aimed to explore whether hospitals adopted profit compensation activities after the 2020 first-wave outbreak of COVID-19 in China. A total of 2,616,589 hospitalization records from 2018, 2019, and 2020 were extracted from 36 tertiary hospitals in a western province in China; we applied a difference-in-differences event study design to estimate the dynamic effect of COVID-19 on hospitalized patients' total expenses before and after the last confirmed case. We found that average total expenses for each patient increased by 8.7% to 16.7% in the first 25 weeks after the city reopened and hospital admissions returned to normal. Our findings emphasize that the increase in total inpatient expenses was mainly covered by claiming expenses from health insurance and was largely driven by an increase in the expenses for laboratory tests and medical consumables. Our study documents that there were profit compensation activities in hospitals after the 2020 first-wave outbreak of COVID-19 in China, which was driven by the loss of hospitalization admissions during this wave outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local historical experience in public health emergencies has been perceived to largely affect COVID-19's social influence. Specifically, individuals' personal experience in public health emergencies would likely have an impact on their reactions to the next similar event. Herein, we combined life course and risk analysis frameworks to explore how individuals' experiences influence current risk perception and protective behaviors. We collected 1000 questionnaires of random network samples in six Chinese provinces of different risk levels from 29 April to 8 May 2020, and used the propensity score matching (PSM) model and multivariable linear regression to process the data. We categorized individual public emergency experience into three patterns: (1) having ever witnessed a public health emergency, (2) having ever experienced a public health emergency, and (3) currently experiencing a public health emergency. The study indicates that individuals' experiences had significant positive effects on protective behaviors against COVID-19. The average effects of the three patterns on behaviors were 0.371 (p < 0.001), 0.898 (p < 0.001) and 0.319 (p < 0.05), respectively. The study also shows that for those experiencing any one pattern, the effect of risk perception on protective behaviors appeared null in the early stage of the pandemic. We propose the potential interactive mechanism of risk factors in the life course at the individual level. Academically, this study develops the risk theory of perception and behavior and expands the application of the life course approach in the public health arena. Practically, our research indicates that public health emergency experiences are valuable for responding to a future pandemic and normalizing prevention policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) was a challenge for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. On 26 January 2020, the Chinese Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention issued a nationwide directive to relax restrictions on where and when PLHIV could refill ART. This qualitative study explored unexpected barriers under this directive and recommendations to improve future ART delivery. Between February 11 and February 15 2020, in-depth interviews of 4 groups of stake holders related to ART refilling (i.e., PLHIV, community-based organization employees, CDC staff, infectious disease physicians and nurses), were conducted via WeChat. Data were managed by NVivo 11.0 and transcripts were coded using thematic analysis. Sixty-two interviews were conducted. The main barriers to refilling ART included: (1) inconsistent documentation requirements to refill ART, (2) lack of specific protocols on ART refilling, (3) insufficient staffing, and (4) regimen verification and drug shortages. The most common recommendations to improve future ART delivery were: (1) to establish a nationwide system to distribute ART and (2) increase the number of pills delivered with each ART refill. Strengthening protocols and systems to refill ART and improving collaboration is key to preventing interruptions in ART among PLHIV during public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the lived experiences of emergency department (ED) healthcare professionals regarding visiting restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: A qualitative phenomenology study. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken. Participants consisted of 10 physicians, 20 clinical nurses, and three managers, who were purposefully selected from two EDs in China between April and July 2021. Colaizzi's approach guided data analysis. Results: Four themes arose: (i) burden moral injury, (ii) higher workload to provide and support patient‐ and family‐centered care, (iii) dissatisfied and unsafe healthcare service for patients and families, and (iv) tailoring strategies to provide family‐centered care. Patient or Public Contribution: This study explored the lived experiences of ED health care professionals regarding visiting restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Noted challenges included communicating with families and ethical decision making. Strategies that support ED clinician welfare, and communication with families are warranted if visiting policy restrictions are continued or re‐introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To summarize the whole process management measures for caregivers of inpatients in a non‐new coronavirus pneumonia designated hospital in China during the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic. The implementation of these measures is mainly to prevent the virus pandemic caused by crowd gathering. Design: A quasi‐experimental study. Methods: Novel coronavirus pneumonia prevention and control measures were implemented in the 'pre‐hospital link, hospitalization link and discharge link' for the whole process of the hospitalized patients' caregivers. To evaluate the effects by time point inspection, the results were fed back using information technology for quality improvement. Results: The results of three time point inspections indicated that the management quality of many projects improved continuously (p < 0.05). From January to June of 2021, 20 departments implemented a facial recognition information management system. The ratio of patients/caregivers admitted was 1:0.528~1:0.965; It was found that it is effective to implement the whole process management measures. The facial recognition system plays a key role in the comprehensive management of the caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The outbreak of COVID-19 brings an overload of physical and mental demands to healthcare professionals. Keeping healthcare professionals sustainable, engaged, and performing at their highest levels becomes critical and nonetheless difficult. The objective of this research is to link the literature on organizational climates, corporate social responsibility, safety science, and work engagement, and propose a research framework that investigates the factors influencing healthcare professionals' engagement during COVID-19. Methodology: We propose that when healthcare workers' career callings are triggered by COVID-19, it influences their perceptions of the work's meaningfulness, which ultimately enhances their work engagement. We argue that creating a social responsibility climate and a safety climate inside the hospital facilitates the process of turning healthcare workers' perceived work meaningfulness into work engagement. We collected data from 112 healthcare professionals, including nurses, doctors, and executive staff, from 16 wards in a public hospital in China to test our hypotheses. Results: Hierarchical linear regression analysis provided empirical support for our research model. We find that healthcare professionals' career callings during COVID-19 enhanced their perceived work meaningfulness, which results in increased work engagement. Moreover, a social responsibility climate and a safety climate strengthens the link between work meaningfulness and work engagement among participants. Conclusions: Creating a social responsibility climate and a safety climate in the workplace are effective management approaches to realize healthcare workers' feelings of work meaningfulness and turn them into work engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of depression and anxiety among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients during the regular prevention and control stage of COVID-19 in China as well as the influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 180 patients under the treatment of hemodialysis was conducted in the hemodialysis center of the 8th Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. The questionnaire regarding the subject's general information, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was completed by the patients, and the laboratory test results were recorded. Results: The incidences of anxiety and depression were 35.6% and 38.9%, respectively, and the average scores of SAS and SDS were (48.03 ± 5.02) and (48.12 ± 5.42), respectively, in the subjects. The results showed that age, monthly income, vascular access of dialysis, feeling of pain and itching (within a week), worried about being infected by COVID-19, whether having health insurance and the levels of hemoglobin, parathyroid hormone, and phosphorus were the impact factors of both anxiety and depression in the MHD patients (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: The proportion of depression and anxiety is relatively high in the MHD patients during the regular prevention and control stage of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the home care experience, challenges and coping strategies of caregivers with children on automatic peritoneal dialysis (PD) in mainland China during the early stage of the COVID‐19 outbreak. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted among 14 families with children on automatic peritoneal dialysis from February 2nd to 10th, 2020. The care routine, stress and coping strategies of caregivers of children on peritoneal dialysis were collected. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Methods: Four key themes were defined: (1) concerns about PD treatment intertwined with worries about COVID‐19; (2) retaining a sense of normality in the middle of the challenges; (3) staying safe; and (4) staying positive and carrying on. Results: Families with children on automatic PD addressed the stress from COVID‐19 and its containment measures by closely adhering to COVID‐19 preventative measures, actively adjusting mentality and maintaining a sense of normality during the outbreak. This implies that healthcare staff need to be more aware of the complex medical needs of families with children on automatic PD, advocate for them and facilitate their navigation through the repurposed healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the outbreak of a disease caused by a pathogen with unknown characteristics, the uncertainty of its progression parameters can be reduced by devising methods that, based on rational assumptions, exploit available information to provide actionable insights. In this study, performed a few (~6) weeks into the outbreak of COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2), one of the most important disease parameters, the average time-to-recovery, was calculated using data publicly available on the internet (daily reported cases of confirmed infections, deaths, and recoveries), and fed into an algorithm that matches confirmed cases with deaths and recoveries. Unmatched cases were adjusted based on the matched cases calculation. The mean time-to-recovery, calculated from all globally reported cases, was found to be 18.01 days (SD 3.31 days) for the matched cases and 18.29 days (SD 2.73 days) taking into consideration the adjusted unmatched cases as well. The proposed method used limited data and provided experimental results in the same region as clinical studies published several months later. This indicates that the proposed method, combined with expert knowledge and informed calculated assumptions, could provide a meaningful calculated average time-to-recovery figure, which can be used as an evidence-based estimation to support containment and mitigation policy decisions, even at the very early stages of an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a cross-sectional survey from 21 February to 6 March, 2020, we analyzed the awareness and utilization of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs)-related services among people living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Guangzhou, China. In addition, a subgroup analysis was performed among those who needed to go to hospital to access their drugs, and we explored the association between the awareness of ARVs-related services and the accessibility of ARVs. Of 375 participants, 89.9% were aware of drug-borrowing service, 90.7% were aware of drug-delivery service and 86.9% were aware of information-assistance service. Knowing about the drug-borrowing service or the information-assistance service, knowing about at least two services and knowing about all of the three services were all positively associated with ARVs accessibility. In addition, 35 (39.3%) of those who had acquired their drugs on time received them via the drug-delivery service. To some extent, the three ARVs-related services have alleviated the difficulties in accessing ARVs during the pandemic, especially the drug-delivery service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in front line social workers experiencing job stress, burnout and other psychological distress. Little is known about the work-related stress experienced by Chinese social workers during the pandemic. This study focused on the job stress of social workers from Mainland and Macao. The research aims of this study included: (1) testing whether there is a difference in job stress between social workers from Mainland and Macao during the pandemic and (2) identifying mediating factors that helped explain such regional differences. An online survey collected data from 292 social workers in Mainland China and 108 from Macao in 2020. Mainland participants reported significantly higher job stress than Macao participants. Regional differences in job stress amongst Mainland and Macao social workers were partially attributed to their age and professional role identity. More attention needs to be paid to social workers in Mainland China as they experience higher job stress than their counterparts from Macao. Future research is needed to examine other factors (e.g. job demand and financial compensation) that may contribute to such regional differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to explore the mind of Chinese nursing students transitioning to online education in the pandemic using health as expanding consciousness (HEC) as methodology. Design: A qualitative, descriptive study based on interviews. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from September to November 2021 by students in the Guangzhou university of Chinese medicine. Thirteen participants were recruited using purposive sampling. A questionnaire containing two sections with demographic information, the General Self‐Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Connor‐Davidson resilience scale (CD‐RISC)‐10 was collected to explore the health of participants. Results: A total of 13 participants were enrolled in the study (69% female). Students ranged in age between 19 and 24 years and the mean age was 22 years. All students lived with their families. Five participants (38%) had a master's degree in nursing, three (23%) were in fourth year of college, four (30%) were in third year of college and one (7%) was in their second year of college respectively. More than half of the participants had high levels of mental toughness and self‐efficacy. Four generic categories were identified form a unitary‐transformative paradigm perspective. The respondents reported three health pattern phases: Curriculum Transformation, Curriculum adaptation and Curriculum expansion. Conclusion: This research backs up Newman's hypothesis, and supports the theoretical framework. HEC explains well the psychology of nursing students during the epidemic. More research is needed in the future to develop comprehensive, targeted emotional regulation therapies for nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 outbreak and related confinement have highly impacted psychological health among children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the potential risk factors for depression among primary and middle school students and provide advices for psychological interventions during the outbreaks. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 18 primary and middle school students via quota sampling in Beijing during March 2020. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess depression. Differences between characteristics and depression were examined by chi-square tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to reveal the potential risk factors for depression. A total of 7377 participants were included. The proportion of depression was 29.7%. Students in rural areas, with higher school categories, in graduating grades, with poor or excessive sleep duration, and without daily exercise were associated with a higher proportion of depression. Furthermore, students with a higher knowledge performance of COVID-19 showed a lower proportion of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.900, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.888–0.913). Students who worried about academic performance (OR = 1.919, 95% CI: 1.718–2.144) or COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.450, 95% CI: 1.268–1.658) exhibited a high proportion of depression. The proportion of depression among primary and middle school students was negatively associated with the knowledge score and positively associated with their worry. Our findings suggest that psychological intervention might be more necessary for students with specific characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has caused a significant social and economic burden, with over 4.7 million confirmed cases and thousands of casualties. Moreover, pandemic-related misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms have led to intense psychosocial issues. We investigated online disinformation about angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) drugs and their relationship to COVID-19 on Sina Weibo. Methods We searched for posts related to the pandemic from its beginning in December 2019 to 19 January 2021. We used text mining to identify content related to "antihypertensive agents ACEI/ARB can increase COVID-19". Results We found 82 posts spreading disinformation and 44 posts dispelling disinformation. The former had 535 clicks and concerns and 31 comments, and was forwarded 98 times. Of the 82 posts spreading disinformation, 15.9% (n = 13) contained pseudo-scientific information, 24.4% (n = 20) contained authoritative releases, and 75.6% (n = 62) contained normal personal releases. Most disinformation posts (n = 61 (74.3%)) were published from 16 February 2020 to 16 March 2020, and 12.2% (n = 10) were published from 1 February 2021 to 16 March 2021. Among the 44 dispelling disinformation posts, approximately 57.1% of the comments were in support, and 42.9% were opposed or invalid. Nearly half of the users were confused or superstitious about the disinformation. Conclusions The disinformation about ACEI/ARB increasing the opportunity for COVID-19 infection during the pandemic was based on clinical mechanisms and scientific evidence intended for hypertensive patients taking long-term medication. It was packaged in a pseudo-scientific shell, leading to confusion and panic among patients. This disinformation harmed COVID-19 prevention efforts, damaged mental health, and possibly led to harmful behaviours. In future crises, the spread of rumours should be stopped quickly and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Several observational studies reported on the association between particulate matter ≥2.5≥m (PM2.5) and its absorbance with coronavirus (COVID-19), but none use Mendelian randomisation (MR). To strengthen the knowledge on causality, we examined the association of PM2.5 and its absorbance with COVID-19 risk using MR. Methods We selected genome-wide association study (GWAS) integration data from the UK Biobank and IEU Open GWAS Project for two-sample MR analysis. We used inverse variance weighted (IVW) and its multiple random effects and fixed effects alternatives to generally predict the association of PM2.5 and its absorbance with COVID-19, and six methods (MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode, maximum-likelihood and MR-PRESSO) as complementary analyses. Results MR results suggested that PM2.5 absorbance was associated with COVID-19 infection (odds ratio (OR)=2.64; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.32-5.27, P=0.006), hospitalisation (OR= 3.52; 95% CI = 1.05-11.75, P = 0.041) and severe respiratory symptoms (OR=28.74; 95% CI=4.00-206.32, P=0.001) in IVW methods. We observed no association between PM2.5 and COVID-19. Conclusions We found a potential causal association of PM2.5 absorbance with COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation, and severe respiratory symptoms using MR analysis. Prevention and control of air pollution could help delay and halt the negative progression of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim was to examine the subgroups of work engagement in frontline nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: The pandemic may affect the work engagement of nurses who have direct contact with infected patients and lead to a poor quality of care. Identifying classification features of work engagement and tailoring interventions to support frontline nurses is imperative. Design: This study utilized a cross‐sectional study design. Methods: Three hundred fifty‐five nurses were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study from 14 February to 15 April 2020. A latent profile analysis was performed to identify classification features of work engagement. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine predictors of profile membership. Results: A four‐profile model provided the best fit. The four profiles were titled 'low work engagement' (n = 99), 'high vigour‐low dedication and absorption' (n = 58), 'moderate work engagement' (n = 63) and 'high work engagement' (n = 135). A regression analysis suggested that young nurses and nurses who were the only children of their family were more likely to be in the 'low work engagement' and 'high vigour‐low dedication and absorption' groups. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of tailoring interventions for frontline supporting nurses by considering their distinct work engagement patterns, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic, to improve the promotion of work satisfaction and quality of care. Impact This was the first study to explore the latent profiles of work engagement in frontline nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Over 40% of nurses were in the 'low work engagement' and 'high vigour‐low dedication and absorption' groups and reported low levels of work engagement. Understanding different patterns of work engagement in frontline nurses can help nursing managers provide emotional, material and organizational support based on the features of each latent profile, which may improve the quality of care and patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]