COVID-19 Epidemic Period Research Articles

Study on the impact of meteorological factors on influenza in different periods and prediction based on artificial intelligence RF-Bi-LSTM algorithm: to compare the COVID-19 period with the non-COVID-19 period

ObjectiveAt different times, public health faces various challenges and the degree of intervention measures varies. The research on the impact and prediction of meteorology factors on influenza is increasing gradually, however, there is currently no evidence on whether its research results are affected by different periods. This study aims to provide limited evidence to reveal this issue.MethodsDaily data on influencing factors and influenza in Xiamen were divided into three parts: overall period (phase AB), non-COVID-19 epidemic period (phase A), and COVID-19 epidemic period (phase B). The association between influencing factors and influenza was analysed using generalized additive models (GAMs). The excess risk (ER) was used to represent the percentage change in influenza as the interquartile interval (IQR) of meteorology factors increases. The 7-day average daily influenza cases were predicted using the combination of bi-directional long short memory (Bi-LSTM) and random forest (RF) through multi-step rolling input of the daily multifactor values of the previous 7-day.ResultsIn periods A and AB, air temperature below 22 °C was a risk factor for influenza. However, in phase B, temperature showed a U-shaped effect on it. Relative humidity had a more significant cumulative effect on influenza in phase AB than in phase A (peak: accumulate 14d, AB: ER = 281.54, 95% CI = 245.47 ~ 321.37; A: ER = 120.48, 95% CI = 100.37 ~ 142.60). Compared to other age groups, children aged 4–12 were more affected by pressure, precipitation, sunshine, and day light, while those aged ≥ 13 were more affected by the accumulation of humidity over multiple days. The accuracy of predicting influenza was highest in phase A and lowest in phase B.ConclusionsThe varying degrees of intervention measures adopted during different phases led to significant differences in the impact of meteorology factors on influenza and in the influenza prediction. In association studies of respiratory infectious diseases, especially influenza, and environmental factors, it is advisable to exclude periods with more external interventions to reduce interference with environmental factors and influenza related research, or to refine the model to accommodate the alterations brought about by intervention measures. In addition, the RF-Bi-LSTM model has good predictive performance for influenza.

Hospital referrals, exclusions from hospital care, and deaths among long-term care residents in the Community of Madrid during the March–April 2020 COVID-19 epidemic period: a multivariate time series analysis

BackgroundFrom March 7 to April 7, 2020, the Community of Madrid (CoM), Spain, issued interventions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, including hospital referral triage protocols for long-term care facility (LTCF) residents (March 18–25). Those with moderate to severe physical disability and cognitive impairment were excluded from hospital referral. This research assesses changes in the association between daily hospital referrals and the deaths of LTCF residents attributable to the triage protocols.MethodsDaily hospital referrals and all-cause mortality from January to June 2020 among LTCF residents and the CoM population aged 65 + were obtained. Significant changes in LTCF resident daily hospital referrals time series, and in-LTCF and in-hospital daily deaths, were examined with tests for breaks and regimes in time series. Multivariate time series analyses were conducted to test changes in the associations between LTCF resident hospital referrals with daily deaths in-hospital and in-LTCF, and in the CoM population aged 65 + when the triage protocols were implemented.ResultsAmong LTCF residents, hospital referrals declined sharply from March 6 to March 23, 2020. Increases in LTCF residents' daily deaths occurred from March 7 to April 1, followed by a decrease reaching pre-epidemic levels after April 28. The daily ratio of in-hospital deaths to in-LTCF deaths reached its lowest values from March 9 to April 19, 2020. The four versions of the triage protocol, published from March 18 to March 25 had no impact on further changes in the association of hospital referrals with daily deaths of LTCF residents in-hospital or in-LTCF.ConclusionsWhile LTCF residents’ deaths increased, hospital referrals of LTCF residents decreased with the introduction of the CoM governmental interventions on March 7. They were implemented before the enactment of the triage protocols, protecting hospitals from collapse while overlooking the need for standards of care within LTCFs. The CoM triage protocols sanctioned the existing restrictions on hospital referrals of LTCF residents.

Decision fatigue experience of front-line nurses in the context of public health emergency: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

BackgroundDecision fatigue is a new concept in the field of psychology and refers to a state of fatigue alongside impaired cognitive processing and emotional regulation ability. Previous studies have confirmed that nurses are prone to decision fatigue, and nurses who experience decision fatigue may implement nursing measures that are inconsistent with clinical evidence, thus affecting patients’ benefits. COVID-19, as a large-scale global public health emergency, increased the workload and burden of nurses and aggravated decision fatigue. However, the factors leading to decision fatigue among nurses have not yet been identified.MethodsThis study is guided by interpretative phenomenology. During the epidemic period of COVID-19: From November 2022 to February 2023, a one-to-one, semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted among nurses with decision fatigue experience who were participating in front-line work in Jilin Province using homogenous sampling. The interview recordings and related data were transcribed into text within 24 h, and data analysis was assisted by NVivo 12.0 software.ResultsAfter a total of 14 front-line nurses were analyzed in this study, The thematic level reaches saturation, the findings present a persuasive and coherent narrative, and the study is terminated, and finally extracted and formed three core themes: “Cognition, influence and attitude of decision fatigue”, “Approaching factors of decision fatigue” and “Avoidant factors of decision fatigue”.ConclusionThis study confirmed that decision fatigue was widespread in the work of front-line nurses, affecting the physical and psychological health of nurses, the quality of nursing work, the degree of benefit of patients and the clinical outcome. However, nursing staff do not know enough about decision fatigue, so the popularization and research of decision fatigue should be strengthened. Improve the attention of medical institutions, nursing managers and nursing staff.Some suggestions are put forward for the intervention of decision fatigue through personnel, task, tool and technology, organization and environment.

Prenatal Exposure of PFAS in Cohorts of Pregnant Women: Identifying the Critical Windows of Vulnerability and Health Implications.

Cohorts of pregnant women in 2018 and 2020 were selected to explore prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Maternal serum during the whole pregnancy (first to third trimesters) and matched cord serum were collected for the analysis of 50 PFAS. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) were the dominant PFAS in both the maternal and cord serum. The median ∑PFAS concentration was 14.18 ng/mL, and the ∑PFAS concentration was observed to decline from the first trimester to the third trimester. The transplacental transfer efficiencies (TTE) of 29 PFAS were comprehensively assessed, and a "U"-shaped trend in TTE values with increasing molecular chain length of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCA) was observed in this study. Moreover, the maternal concentrations of 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUdA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), PFOS, and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) in the 2020 cohort were significantly lower than those in the 2018 cohort, declining by about 23.85-43.2% from 2018 to 2020 (p < 0.05). Higher proportions of emerging PFAS were observed in fetuses born in 2020. This birth cohort was collected during the COVID-19 epidemic period. The change in the PFAS exposure scene might be in response to the different exposure profiles of the 2018 and 2020 cohorts, which are attributed to the impact of COVID-19 on the social activities and environment of pregnant women. Finally, by application of a multiple informant model, the third trimester was identified as the critical window of vulnerability to PFAS exposure that affects birth weight and birth length.

Changes in all-cause and cause-specific mortality by occupational skill during COVID-19 epidemic in Spain

BackgroundThere is little information on the differential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality by occupation. The objective was to examine changes in mortality during the COVID-19 period compared with...

The readiness of Jordanian-listed firms toward CAATTs application in the post Covid-19 epidemic period

This study examines the readiness of Jordanian-listed firms toward the application of Computer Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques (CAATTs) during the post-Covid-19 epidemic period. In particular, this study investigates the auditee perspective regarding the factors impacting the adoption of CAATTs based on the Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) and the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) models. A cross-sectional survey was developed and distributed to 138 employees working in the accounting departments of Jordanian-listed firms. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed as the statistical analysis method to examine the study hypotheses. The results show a significant direct relationship of motivation for change, staff attributes, institutional resources, organizational climate and discomfort on readiness for change. Moreover, the results reveal that perceived fear of Covid-19 has a moderating effect on the direct relationship between motivation for change and readiness for change. However, the proposed relationships between optimism, innovativeness, and insecurity with readiness for change were not significant. This paper highlights the readiness toward CAATTs application from the auditee perspective rather than the external auditors. Moreover, this paper considers the changes in the work environment resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic on the motivation for change toward CAATTs. Lastly, the paper reveals the moderating role of perceived fear of Covid-19 on the influence of motivation for change on readiness to change. Hence, this paper set the basis for policymakers and practitioners toward evaluating the readiness of Jordanian-listed firms for CAATTs application.

The Relationship Between Quality of Life and Perceived Stress Level of University Staff and Nutritional Habits During the COVID-19 Epidemic Period

Yeni bir koronavirüs hastalığının (COVID-19) 30 Ocak 2020'de dünya çapında yayılması nedeniyle, Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (DSÖ) COVID-19'u küresel bir salgın olarak ilan etmiştir. Bu salgının bireylerin günlük yaşantısındaki tüm düzeni ve alışkanlıklarını tamamen değiştirebileceği görülmüştür. Bu araştırmanın amacı COVID-19 sürecinde üniversitede çalışan bireylerin beslenme alışkanlıklarının, yaşam kaliteleri ve algıladıkları stresle ilişkisini incelemektir. Araştırmaya, Ocak 2021-Mart 2021 tarihleri arasında, online anket yöntemiyle Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi akademik ve idari kadrosundan 172 kişi dahil edildi. Katılımcılara demografik özellikleri ve pandemi sürecindeki alışkanlıklarıyla ilgili soruları içeren form, Akdeniz Diyeti Bağlılık Ölçeği (MEDAS), SF-36 Yaşam Kalitesi Ölçeği ve Algılanan Stres Ölçeği (ASÖ) uygulandı. Verilerin analizinde Bağımsız Örneklem T Testi, Tek Yönlü ANOVA Testi, Tukey-HSD çoklu karşılaştırma testi kullanıldı. Katılımcıların pandemi süreci vücut ağırlığının artma durumları ile SF-36 puanları arasında fiziksel rol güçlüğü ve genel sağlık algısı alt boyutlarında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark olduğu saptandı (p

A Comparative Study of Myocardial Damage Caused by Novel Coronavirus Infection and Influenza A Virus Infection in Children during the COVID-19 Epidemic Period

A Comparative Study of Myocardial Damage Caused by Novel Coronavirus Infection and Influenza A Virus Infection in Children during the COVID-19 Epidemic Period

How employees mental health mediates the relationship between job stress, organisational commitment, and job performance of nurses after COVID-19 epidemic recovery period

How employees mental health mediates the relationship between job stress, organisational commitment, and job performance of nurses after COVID-19 epidemic recovery period

Effectiveness of inspector mechanism for the emergency infection prevention and control in the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic period: a self-control real-word study

BackgroundTo ensure emergency infection prevention and control (IPC) can be fully supervised and monitored in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic period, a three-level inspector mechanism called "Internal self-check, Departmental cross-check, and Verification of outstanding key and difficult issues" was established in southwest China. The present study aimed to explore the effectiveness of inspector mechanism for the emergency IPC.MethodsA self-control real-world study was conducted during COVID-19 epidemic period from 2020 to 2022. An innovative designed mobile phone application was used to realize paperless information transmission and data management. Data were compared between inspection levels using SPSS 19.0 software.ResultsA total of 2,800,132 supervision records were collected, including 149,137 comprehensive epidemic IPC projects, 1,410,093 personal protective equipment (PPE) use, 1,223,595 wearing and removing process of PPE and 17,307 ultraviolet light-detectable fluorescent (UV/F) surface marker. During the study period, the inspectors and subjects explored many optimized IPC measures. The compliance rate of check items has exceeded 98%, and internal self-check has a statistically significant higher rate than departmental cross-check (99.95% versus 98.74%, χ2 = 26111.479, P < 0.001). Compare with the failure rate in internal self check, the failure rate of PPE usage and wearing/removing process was statistically higher in departmental cross-check (χ2 = 1957.987, P < 0.001, χ2 = 465.610, P < 0.001, respectively). The overall clearance rate of UV/F surface markers is 87.88%, but there is no statistically significant difference over the three years of the present study (F = 2.902, P = 0.071).ConclusionsInspector mechanism for the emergency IPC completed an incredible inspection workload and offered creative assistance to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. These methods and accumulated experiences should be helpful for us to strengthen IPC for future epidemic.

The effect of lowering dose of rituximab on the neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder relapse rate during COVID-19 epidemic period

The effect of lowering dose of rituximab on the neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder relapse rate during COVID-19 epidemic period

2633. Nasal Colonization Status of Respiratory Viruses in Patients During the COVID-19 Epidemic Period at a Tertiary Hospital in Japan

Abstract Background Few reports have comprehensively investigated the frequency of respiratory virus nasal colonization in both children and adults. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, St. Marianna University Hospital has used the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test (FirmArray® RP2.1 Panel) to diagnose symptomatic patients and admission screening of asymptomatic patients. Thus, we have obtained comprehensive multiplex PCR test results and analyzed the nasal colonization status of respiratory viruses in patients during the COVID-19 epidemic period. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the nasal colonization status of respiratory viruses in patients during the COVID-19 epidemic period at St. Marianna University Hospital in Japan, a tertiary hospital with 1,175 beds, including 90 beds for pediatric patients. The results of multiplex PCR tests from August 2020 to January 2023 were analyzed. Results A total of 15,107 patients were included in this survey. The patient age groups were &amp;lt; 20 years (1,788, 11.8%), 20–59 years (4,399, 29.1%), and ≥60 years (8,920, 59.1%). The positivity rates for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 were 14.8%, 10.2%, and 6.0%, respectively; rhinovirus or enterovirus 26.2%, 1.9%, and 0.7%, respectively; respiratory syncytial virus 7.1%, 0.4%, and 0.3%, respectively; parainfluenza virus type 3 3.6%, 0.3%, and 0.2%, respectively; and adenovirus 3.1%, 0.3%, and 0.1%, respectively, were detected significantly in children, and to some extent in adults. Conclusion Despite various restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic period, children as well as adults had a certain degree of respiratory virus colonization in the nasal cavity. This result suggests that asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic adults may be spreaders of some viral infections to children. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Performance Evaluation in Railway Transport: The Case of Europe and Türkiye

Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to investigate the efficiency of ten European countries and Türkiye according to their GNP ratios in railway transportation. The study also aims to identify significant productivity differences between countries and determine which countries are most affected by the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in terms of rail transport.&#x0D; Methodology: Since it is performance research, secondary data was used. Data from the years 2011 to 2020 were utilized for the study. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-Malmquist Index method was employed to reveal the efficiency changes over the years. The analysis of the data was conducted using the DEA-based Windows Analysis Program (DEAP).&#x0D; Findings: According to the total factor productivity change rates in the Malmquist Index; while there is a 1% increase in productivity in Lithuania, 0.3% in Romania and 0.2% in the UK, a slight decrease is observed in the productivity of other countries. The decreases in the productivity of the countries are mostly experienced during the COVID-19 epidemic period in 2011-2020.&#x0D; Originality: In the current literature, studies on railway performance have been made using historical data from four countries in the European Union. However, in recent years, there is a lack of productivity studies focusing on input and output variables according to the GNP ratio of European countries. Therefore, it is thought that this study will make an important contribution to the existing literature.

Understanding the cultural identity of EFL learners from the eco-linguistics perspective: evidence from students in arts college before and after the COVID-19 epidemic period.

The identity development process has individual and societal components and is inherently intertwined with one's broader sociocultural milieu. The correlation between the personal and social aspects of an individual's identity considerably influences their behavior within their environment. This study examines cultural identity changes among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students by conducting a questionnaire survey based on the anxiety/uncertainty management theory by Gudykunst (1995, 1998). The questionnaire was distributed twice: Study 1 used data from 483 students and Study 2 used data from 359 students. After each study, 20 students' descriptions of Chinese and Western cultures were analyzed in NVivo. Guided by the ecological research paradigm, this study examines the impact of individual differences on cultural identity at the macro-, meso-, exo-, and micro- levels. The findings suggest that social context can influence an individual's cultural identity, and cultural identity development accompanies being "oneself."

The impact of sulfur dioxide in industrial areas of Taiwan during the COVID-19 epidemic period

The impact of sulfur dioxide in industrial areas of Taiwan during the COVID-19 epidemic period

Clinical characteristics of alcohol-flame burns and correlation with COVID-19 epidemic: A retrospective analysis from a single center

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of alcohol-flame burns and the correlation with COVID-19 epidemic. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 134 patients with alcohol-flame burns who were admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Chengdu City from January 2015 to December 2022. Demographics, time of first hospital visit, burn size, depth and site, month and place of burn, inhalation injury, surgical intervention, length of hospital stay, hospital costs were recorded annually. Data from the COVID-19 epidemic period (2020–2022) were compared to those from the non-epidemic period (2015–2019) for analysis. ResultsThe number of patients with alcohol-flame burns showed a consistent annual increase. During the epidemic period, the proportion of alcohol-flame burns among burn patients was significantly higher (2.43% ± 0.16%) than during the non-epidemic period (1.70% ± 0.15%) (P = 0.00). Alcohol-flame burns primarily affected adult men, occurring mainly in massage parlors and homes. The peak incidence was between May and August. Patients sought medical attention promptly, with a median time to first hospital visit of 2 h post-burn. Alcohol-flame burns mostly involved the trunk and upper extremities. Median total burn size was 7% TBSA, median full-thickness burn size was 1% TBSA. Over 20% of patients had combined inhalation injuries, and a similar proportion required surgical intervention. Alcohol burn patients had a median hospital stay of 14 days and incurred median medical costs of ¥16,600($2300). During the epidemic, the basic characteristics of patients with alcohol-flame burns did not change much. However, the time to first hospital visit was significantly shorter (2 h) during the epidemic period than non-epidemic period (3 h). Furthermore, alcohol-flame burn patients during the epidemic exhibited significantly larger total burn sizes, higher burn indices, and longer hospital stays compared to non-epidemic patients. The incidence of combined inhalation injuries was also significantly higher during the epidemic. Surgical requirements and medical costs were not significantly associated with the COVID-19 epidemic. ConclusionAlcohol-flame burns exhibit distinct clinical characteristics, including severe injuries, prolonged hospital stays, and elevated costs, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health and safety challenges in medical entities and the powers of the social labor inspector: Lessons related to the COVID-19 outbreak in the context of internal control of employee health and safety

Employees in the medical profession in a situation where the life of a patient is at risk cannot refrain from working due to unsafe working conditions. Therefore, enforcing the right to safe and hygienic working conditions is particularly important so that employees can provide health care services without additional burdens. The purpose of the study is to determine how the social labour inspector can respond to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards and whether the current powers of the social labor inspectorate as the employer's internal OHS control body are sufficient. The study conducted a regulatory analysis and used relevant literature, including recent studies on law enforcement. In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted among trade union representatives of medical professionals on the evaluation of social labour inspector activities and OHS hazards during the COVID-19 epidemic period. In this period characterized by many OHS risks in medical entities, the difficulties faced by employers in carrying out their duty to protect the health of their employees became apparent. The system of internal control with the participation of the social labour inspection in this context needs changes, due to the fact that it is used in an inefficient manner. The reasons for this are primarily incomplete legal regulations. The legislator should guarantee the social labour inspector the right to use both methods of rewarding the employer as an incentive for the proper performance of duties and measures to deter violations of the law. Despite the fact that Polish labour law guarantees mechanisms for OHS control by the social labour inspector, it would be appropriate to expand the catalog of measures used by him to effectively motivate employers to protect worker health. This study is a prelude to a broader discussion of OHS monitoring in the context of OHS hazards occurring in healthcare entities. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2023;74(4):301-16.

FISCAL POSITION OF THE UNION BUDGET IN INDIA DURING COVID-19

The present study analyzes the fiscal position as an instrument to measure the amount of government borrowing to require the financial position and their budget shortfall. This study traces the major current changes in the Indian fiscal system during the period 2019-22, though the union's Government adopt the fiscal rule to reduce the financial crisis during the epidemic period of Covid-19. However, the current study also traces the percentage of GDP decrease because of the problem of lockdown during Covid-19 and also studies the budget position in India. The paper concludes with a discussion on the composition of union government receipts and expenditure position in the current scenario and indicated the situation of fiscal and revenue deficit of the government budget. Finally argue that subsidy rationalization is the way forward to fund the much-needed health expenditures and transfers while maintaining fiscal discipline.

The Impact of Virtual Learning on EEL Learners’ Performance in the Assessment Results during Covid19 Pandemic

In early 2020, a sudden pandemic known later as Covid19 spread all over the world and in the Gulf region. The immediate action of education authorities in the Gulf was taken after a short break period to shift the learning system across the Gulf from conventional face-to-face learning to virtual learning. This paper investigated the impact of the sudden shift in learning from the institution students' feedback and academic performance during the COVID-19 epidemic study period. This study intends to analyze the impact of virtual learning on EEL learners' performance within the assessment results during the Covid-19 pandemic and also to assess the usage of the assessment results from tools at the time of the Covid19 pandemic. Moreover, it intends to give the students' educational performance once the sudden shift into Virtual- Learning supported their final ends up results in the assessment results. The information was gathered via a questionnaire which was distributed randomly among English male students in the English Group Centre. It was responded to by 23 students. Items of the questionnaire were designed quantitatively. The organized inquiries estimated the assessment reactions to explain the target reactions and simultaneously improve the definition of suggestions of the study. The study recommends making students well-trained in the electronic assessment mode so as to promote the learners’ performance within the assessment results online since the result indicated that they prefer traditional learning to Virtual learning.

Effects of coping on nurses' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Mediating role of social support and psychological resilience.

Fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, front-line nurses were under unprecedented psychological pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly evaluate the psychological status of nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic period. To investigate nurses' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to test the mediating role of social support and psychological resilience between coping and mental health. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey which used a structural equation model. In total, 711 registered nurses were included. All participants were invited to complete a socio-demographic questionnaire, the general health questionnaire, the trait coping style questionnaire, the perceived social support scale and the Conner-Davidson Resilience scale. In total, 50.1% nurses had high risk of mental health. Positive coping positively affected social support and psychological resilience, while it negatively affected mental health. Negative coping negatively affected social support and psychological resilience, while it positively affected mental health. Social support positively affected psychological resilience, while it negatively affected mental health. In addition, social support mediated coping and psychological resilience, and coping and mental health. Moreover, psychological resilience negatively affected mental health, and it mediated coping and mental health.