Safety and Security Concerns of Journalists during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

Background: The negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been reported by media throughout the world, although this role is not well-understood in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). We examined the reporting of mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and initiatives undertaken to support mental health reported from the viewpoint of media.Methods: We reviewed articles published in 10 local newspapers, including seven Bangla and three English newspapers, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. News topics were identified through discussions among the team members, with searches across online newspapers and portals. Data extrapolated from newspapers were documented in an Excel spreadsheet. A mixed-method approach was used following a framework analysis for analyzing data. Recurring issues and commonly emerging topics were generated from the data. Descriptive statistics were applied for analyzing quantitative data.Results: Between March 2020 and March 2021, we have identified 201 reports on mental health issues including 45 reports (22.4%) focused on stress due to the associated financial crisis, unemployment and loneliness, 50 reports (24.9%) of 80 apparent suicides linked to family issues, disharmony in conjugal relationships, harassment, sexual violence, emotional breakdown, financial crisis, and stigma due to COVID-19.There were 77 reports (38.3%) concerning domestic violence during the pandemic. Twenty-nine reports (14.4%) referenced actions taken by different organizations to address mental health issues in response to the pandemic in Bangladesh.Conclusion: News coverage has the scope to highlight important issues that can emerge as a consequence of the COVID-pandemic, such as mental health, in a low resource setting. Capacity building of the media on the way to report mental health issues during emergency situations could be a useful strategy for more credible reporting on mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic for raising awareness of the public and policymakers about the negative consequences on mental health of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Adopting policies to support essential mental health care and promoting the local organizations to take timely public health measures will be imperative for averting the negative consequences of mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Safely Returning America to Work Part II: Industry-Specific Guidance.

The global COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted nations worldwide, and Bangladesh was no exception. In response, the government of Bangladesh implemented community awareness initiatives aimed at containing the spread of the virus, aligned with international guidelines and recommendations. Despite these efforts, a lack of comprehensive community awareness programs played an essential role during the pandemic, not the preventive measures. A qualitative study employing framing theory was conducted to gain a deeper insight into how the social context influenced risk communication and community response throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in four selected districts of Bangladesh from February to May 2022 using complementary data collection methods, including key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with purposely selected participants. Data were analyzed thematically by following six steps of the thematic analysis process. Codes were developed based on the data and summarized into themes and sub-themes grounded on the codes. The findings indicate that the government of Bangladesh, along with development partners and non-government organizations, made a significant effort to raise awareness about COVID-19 in the community. However, there were certain limitations to this effort. These include a lack of social science and public health approaches to understanding the pandemic; inadequate coordination among the authorities for COVID-19 prevention and control; technological and geographical barriers for disseminating messages; the living conditions and lack of facilities; socio-cultural norms in understanding the COVID-19 health messages, and the gendered understanding of the messages. The findings also revealed that the awareness activities remained a one-way approach to inform the people and faced challenges to actively engage and create ownership of the community in the pandemic response. The study identified gaps in implementing risk communication and community engagement strategies in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing focus on public health and prioritizing community ownership is essential to designing a more effective community awareness campaign. This approach will help ensure that health messages are communicated effectively and tailored to different communities' needs.

Background: When the first Covid-19 case appeared in China in 2020, it didn't take long for it to spread throughout the world. In Indonesia, the entry of this disease is the most serious threat as a global pandemic with a fairly high morbidity and mortality rate that has a broad impact on life safety and disrupts the national economy. The availability of personal protective equipment in hospitals is an important part of patient care for the National Health Insurance (NHI). Objective: To determine the budget for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHI patient services during the Covid-19 pandemic at the Bahteramas Regional Public Service Agency (RPSA) Hospital Southeast Sulawesi Province. Methods: This type of qualitative research with a case study approach. The research was conducted at the Bahteramas RPSA Hospital, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Kendari City. The research informants consisted of 1 regular informant and 3 key informants. The selection of informants is based on the depth of understanding or experience of the informants. Data was collected using observation, document review, and in-depth interviews. Data analysis is done by matrix Content Analysis. Results: The availability of funds for Covid-19 patient services is not yet available, funding sources are obtained from the regional government and the Central Government, but to fulfill the need for PPE in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic using the Hospital RPSA budget. The budget for purchasing PPE for Covid-19 services has not been planned in advance because the occurrence of the Covid-19 outbreak is an incident that appears spontaneously without being predicted beforehand. Planning for PPE needs based on the needs of each hospital service unit. The preparation of the budget is based on the applicable Standard Operating Procedures. Conclusion: The decision of the Bahteramas RPSA Hospital to use the RPSA Hospital's funds for the procurement of PPE in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic was the right decision. When viewed from the increasing need for PPE in the early stages of the pandemic and the limitations of previous PPE planning, the RPSA Hospital budget became an option for Bahteramas Hospital as an alternative to procuring PPE prior to government assistance.

BackgroundThe global effort to develop herd immunity in the general public against the COVID-19 pandemic is currently ongoing. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no studies on how the COVID-19 vaccine affects mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The present study investigated the psychological effects and associated factors among vaccinated and unvaccinated general populations against COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh.MethodsA nationwide online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Bangladesh from June 23 to December 25, 2021. The frequency of symptoms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, and fear was assessed using the Bangla versions of the GHQ-12, PHQ-2, GAD-2, PSS-4, PC-PTSD-5, ISI, and FCV-19S scales, respectively.ResultsThe study included 3,013 persons from all eight divisions of Bangladesh, with 1,272 (42.2%) being vaccinated and 1,741 (57.8%) being unvaccinated. Compared with unvaccinated populations, vaccinated populations had significantly lower prevalence rates of psychological distress (36.4 vs. 51.5%), depression (21.1 vs. 37.9%), anxiety (25.1 vs. 44.9%), stress (19.4 vs. 30.4%), PTSD (29.4 vs. 38.3%), insomnia (18.7 vs. 39.4%), and fear symptoms (16.1 vs. 27.5%). Among vaccinated populations, respondents who lived in nuclear families were significantly associated with higher risk of psychological distress (AOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.09–1.78), depression (AOR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.11–1.98), anxiety (AOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.21–1.98), and fear (AOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.11–1.83) symptoms. Participants who lost family members, friends, or colleagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly higher risk of symptoms of psychological distress (AOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.02–1.79), anxiety (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.11–1.87), and PTSD (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.24–2.19). On the other hand, unvaccinated populations who lived in the Dhaka division were significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (AOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.40–2.52), anxiety (AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.15–2.47), stress (AOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.12–2.88), and insomnia (AOR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.20–2.94) symptoms. Except for PTSD and fear symptoms, unemployed participants had considerably higher rates of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms (e.g., psychological distress: AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.10–2.62; depression: AOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.37–2.19).ConclusionsThis study recommends immunizing unvaccinated populations as soon as possible to prevent infection and boost mental health. Vulnerable people needed special care, health-related education, and psychological assistance.

Introduction:Reusing PPE is not recommended but was common during COVID-19 pandemic. Limited guidance on proper PPE use and its reuse heightened the hazards to health care worker (HCW) safety. Emerging data on PPE use suggests that most HCWs were contaminated by donning and doffing of PPE while adhering to standards of care.Method:A prospective observational study was conducted to understand HCW behaviors in donning, doffing, and reusing PPE. Emergency Department physicians and nurses were video-recorded donning, doffing, and reusing PPE within a simulated acute care environment. Participants performed five donning and doffing PPE procedures. PPE kit included gown, face shields, and N95 respirator masks. Participants had access to disposable gloves and hand sanitizer. Recordings were reviewed and coded independently by two trained coders based on checklist of key behaviors. Agreement between coders was high (81.9%). All participants reported completing PPE training.Results:28 videos of participants capturing 278 procedures were reviewed. None of the participants followed the CDC’s order for donning across five scenarios. Majority of participants failed to perform hand hygiene before donning or re-donning PPE or when doffing PPE. For contaminant spread risk, 92.85% (n=26) touched patient-facing side of PPE during re-donning and/or doffing PPE (M= 3.75, SD= 2.37, Median = 4; 0-9 times). The most common area of self-contamination was hands (n= 111 across all participants in 5 donning/doffing sequences). Touching patient-facing side of PPE was more likely to occur during donning than doffing (70.5% vs. 20.1% of sequences).Conclusion:The study found wide variation in PPE donning/doffing practices among HCW in violation of CDC guidance. This first study to review PPE reuse through a human factors lens, identifyied deviant behaviors that contribute to HCW self-contamination. Efforts are needed to redesign PPE and develop effective ways to train staff using PPE equipment safely.

The World Health Organization recommends healthcare workers (HCWs) practice hand hygiene (HH) while providing care. Making alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) available at points of care is recommended during times of high patient volume, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In low- and middle-income countries, such as Belize, there may be limited access to HH materials within healthcare facilities (HCF). This paper examines the motivators and barriers to HH among HCWs in the 11 largest public healthcare facilities in Belize and HCWs’ experiences with an intervention. In 2021, focus group discussions (FGDs) gathered HCWs’ HH perceptions and preferences. An intervention was then implemented to increase ABHR access and HH training for HCWs. Post-intervention endpoint FGDs in 2022 documented HCWs’ experiences with interventions. Baseline FGDs revealed that self-protection and protection of one’s household members from illness were key motivators for HCWs’ HH practice. Insufficient time, inadequate access to HH supplies, and gaps in education were barriers to practicing HH. At endpoint, participants appreciated increased access to ABHR and its convenience but did not like ABHR’s effect on hands. Experiences with the training were mixed. To improve HCWs’ HH practices, HH interventions should be tailored to HCWs’ context and learning preferences.

Hand Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment in Healthcare Settings During COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

Prevalence and determinants of internet addiction among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: An online cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In a highly stressful profession and working condition, nurses are known to regulate their emotions to meet organizational and professional expectations. This process, referred to as emotional labor, has been found to lead to both positive and negative outcomes. However, there remains a dearth of qualitative studies examining the ways emotional labor is performed by nurses in the Philippines. This study aimed to explore how Filipino nurses in a public hospital engaged in emotional labor while caring for COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative case study design was employed. Data were collected through three stages of data gathering – focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and the diary method – with 10 nurses from a public hospital in Quezon. To extract themes and theme clusters from their narratives, Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was utilized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The findings revealed the various emotion management strategies that nurses had to perform while fulfilling their roles as healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In their emotional labor, they were found to employ the following strategies: (1) surface acting: hiding emotions behind personal protective equipment; (2) deep acting: putting oneself in others’ shoes; and (3) expression of genuine emotion: feeling and expressing happiness. This research further supports the call for stronger government intervention in protecting nurses’ rights and well-being by addressing the challenges they face, including the emotional demands of the profession. Methodological recommendations were also briefly discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted Bangladesh’s economy, leading to disruptions in supply chains and a decline in business activities. To counter these effects, the government introduced stimulus packages aiming to aid business recovery. This article evaluates the impact of these measures using a unique dataset from the Business Confidence Index survey conducted by the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling in April 2021. This survey covered 503 firms across eight divisions in Bangladesh. Using the Propensity Score Matching technique for causal estimation, findings suggest that firms that availed the stimulus packages demonstrated around 9 percentage points higher recovery than those that did not. Such insights are instrumental for future policy design and strengthening evidence-based policymaking.

This study explored the online education experiences of students, teachers and parents of kindergarten in Bangladesh during the emergency situation created by COVID-19. A qualitative research paradigm approach was followed. Students, teachers and parents of kindergartens from eight divisions of Bangladesh, one respondent of each category from each division, were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using mobile phones due to COVID-19. This study revealed that online education brought opportunities to engage students in academic activities and reduced education loss but created physical, psychological and video games addiction problems. Challenges that arose included device shortages, lack of training and technical skills, network connectivity problems, slow internet speed and the high-cost of internet data packages to implement the online education of kindergartens successfully. As the world comes out of the pandemic the learning acquired during this time informed possibilities for future online teaching in kindergarten including upskilling the early childhood workforce in this digital age.

The SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed unprecedented challenges on the health care system in the United States with New York City at its epicenter. By the end of the 8 week (4/23/2020) since the virus's emergence in New York City, there have been 142,432 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10,977 deaths attributed to complications from COVID-19-related illnesses. Secondary to policies enacted by the New York State government to limit spread of the virus, Orthopedic Surgery departments at hospitals around the area have witnessed an abrupt change in clinical demands. At a local level one trauma hospital in Queens, New York, Orthopedic Surgery elective cases have been cancelled, trauma consult volume has experienced a sharp decline, and both residents and attendings have been repurposed to meet the new clinical demands of this medical crisis. Our own orthopedic surgery service has adopted care for patients normally admitted to an internal medicine service in a novel Ortho-Medical COVID-19 management team. We prepared this primer to make our experience with caring for COVID-19 patents available as a reference for other surgical subspecialty services preparing to adjust the clinical focus of their hospital teams during this or future pandemics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level V.

Due to restrictions in social gatherings imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physical and other daily activities were limited among the older adults. The present study aimed to estimate the change in osteoarthritis prevalence among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. This repeated cross-sectional study was conducted through telephone interviews among older adults aged 60 years and above on two successive occasions (October 2020 and September 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The prevalence of osteoarthritis was measured by asking the participants if they had osteoarthritis or joint pain problems. A total of 2077 participants (1032 in 2020-survey and 1045 in 2021-survey) participated in the study. The prevalence of self-reported joint pains or osteoarthritis significantly increased from 45.3% in 2020 to 54.7% in 2021 (P = 0.006), with an increasing odd in the adjusted analysis (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.04-1.54). We also found that osteoarthritis prevalence significantly increased among the participants from the Chattogram and Mymensingh divisions, aged 60-69 years, males, married, rural residents, and living with a family. A significant increase was also documented among those who received formal schooling, had a family income of 5000-10000 BDT, resided with a large family, were unemployed or retired, and lived away from a health facility. Our study reported a significant increased prevalence of osteoarthritis among older adults from 2020 to 2021 during this pandemic in Bangladesh. This study highlights the need for the development and implementation of initiatives for the screening and management of osteoarthritis through a primary health care approach during any public health emergencies.

Waste management is one of urgent challenges in the world. In rapidly growing cities of developing countries like Accura, Ghana, waste collection is done without sufficient protection of workers. This situation became worse when the COVID-19 pandemic began to threaten the health and safety of waste collection workers. This paper aims to examine waste management workers’ safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. To better understand waste management workers’ safety concerns during the pandemic, we used the questionnaire survey. Our questionnaire survey was conducted among 60 waste management workers in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The study then discusses how municipal waste management authorities can ensure safety of waste management workers during the pandemic. Our results showed that 58% of the respondents were worried about the COVID-19 pandemic, while 20% were not even sure of the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides their worry, we also found that about 40% of the respondents had access to face masks/shields at their workplace, and 30% had hand sanitizers. This paper highlights that providing more advanced safety protocols in terms of workers daily operations and safety measures will enable a safe working environment for the workers even in terms of future pandemics.