Fear Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research Articles

Surviving the storm: Wave-wise comparison of the pandemic's impact on mental health dynamics, sleep patterns, and preventive behaviors among coronavirus patients in Northern India.

Different clinical manifestations were revealed by the distinct waves of the coronavirus. The pandemic had a multifaceted impact on mental health, sleep patterns, and associated fear. It was an observational online survey using by using Google Forms in the city of Chandigarh between April 2020 and April 2021 across three waves of the coronavirus outbreak (first wave from March 2020 to May 2020, second wave from June 2020 to January 2021, and third wave from February 2021 to April 2021). Fear of coronavirus disease (COVID), preventive behaviors, insomnia-related problems, and impact of the event were assessed by using standardized scales. The participants who were infected during the first phase exhibited significantly higher levels of distress, loss of control over their reactions, increased fear of coronavirus and sleep problems, and also greater adherence to preventive behaviors compared to those who were infected during the second and third waves. A tendency to emerge post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was seen in 68 (58.1%) of the participants (Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) score >14) and 34 (29.1%) of all the participants (PDI score >23). Overall, 66 (56.4%) participants reported having insomnia. About 24 people (20.5%) had clinical concerns about PTSD, 20 people (17.1%) had probable PTSD diagnoses, and 16 people (13.7%) experienced a severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impact on their lives. The first wave of COVID-19 had a greater psychological impact than subsequent waves. Further research must fill important gaps in our knowledge of the clinical range and long-term effects.

An Integrative Review on Cross-Cultural Psychometric Studies of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale.

Background and Purpose: The rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide prompted global fear and panic among all populations. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was developed to assess the degree of fear. This review summarizes and synthesizes the revised cross-cultural validation studies of the Revised Fear of COVID-19 Scale to explore the properties of the scale and fear characteristics among different populations. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on the electronic databases of PubMed and Scopus. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis framework. Results: The review demonstrated that the Revised Fear of COVID-19 Scale has robust psychometric properties and fear impacts mental health across all study populations. The characteristics of the fear of COVID-19 are associated with specific variables. Conclusion: The Revised Fear of COVID-19 Scale can be used as a screening tool to assess levels of COVID-19 fear among different populations globally.

Leveraging independence and mental fitness - keys to reducing in-hospital mortality among geriatric COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit: A cross-sectional study in Poland.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly reached the pandemic status, with 765.22 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 6.92 million COVID-19 deaths reported worldwide by May 2023. Due to its sudden and global nature, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the emotional and mental health of many people. A group of COVID-19 patients who frequently require intensive care are geriatric patients. The cognitive performance of these patients and their independence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) may be crucial to their prognosis and risk of in-hospital death. The present study aimed to assess the level of independence in activities of daily living (ADL), mental fitness, the level of fear of COVID-19, and cognitive functions to determine their impact on in-hospital mortality in geriatric COVID-19 patients. A total of 300 intensive care unit (ICU) patients with COVID-19 were included in the cross-sectional study, using the following questionnaires: the Lawton IADL scale, the Katz ADL index of independence, the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), and the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS15). Patients aged 64 or below reported significantly greater independence on the IADL scale and the basic ADL scale, and showed a significantly higher level of mental fitness (Mann-Whitney U test; p = 0.001). Patient survival and in-hospital mortality were influenced by independence in basic and complex ADL. The level of independence is an important prognostic indicator for in-hospital mortality in geriatric COVID-19 patients. The higher the level of mental fitness, the higher the level of independence in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Patients aged ≥65 years are less independent in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Moreover, they show a significantly lower level of cognitive functions.

Opinion of medical students and instructors on the challenges of in-person learning postcoronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Several universities switched back to face-to-face teaching in 2022 after 2 years of online classes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. There is no data from these students/teachers on the challenges in postpandemic face-to-face teaching and learning. The current study's aim was to identify the challenges of face-to-face teaching and learning postpandemic from the perspective of students and instructors. Undergraduate medical students (n = 210) registered in Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and instructors (n = 72) filled out online questionnaires from November 2022 to March 2023 on teaching-learning challenges in the postpandemic period. The questionnaires asked students about their interest in education, scores, degree of shyness, how clear the voices of the instructors wearing face masks were, fear of COVID-19, preferred mode of teaching, and advantages/disadvantages of face-to-face teaching. Descriptive statistics included frequencies and percentages for qualitative variables; Chi-square test was applied to assess association between categorical variables. Students reported a decrease in their educational interest postpandemic (47.1%), diffidence in interaction (42.4%), blurred teachers' voices because of the face masks (63.3%), and lack of teachers' empathy (47.6%). There was a significant association between preclinical year students and a decrease in educational interest (P = 0.002), diffidence in class interactions (P = 0.001), and fear of contracting COVID-19 infection while interacting with teachers (P = 0.04). Instructors complained of a decrease in students' interest in education (65.3%), especially the instructors of the clinical years (16.7% vs. 2.1%; P = 0.022). About 10% students reported taking leave from university on purpose due to fear of contracting COVID-19 infection; students and instructors both supported lecture recordings (98.6% and 63.9%, respectively). The students' and instructors' preferred platform for learning was "hybrid" (80.5% and 63.9%, respectively). Challenges faced by the students include decreased interest in learning, drop in scores, muffled voices because of the face masks, increased shyness, waste of time in commutes, lack of flexibility in schedules, increased workload, and fear of catching COVID-19 infection. There is strong support for hybrid/blended learning and recording lectures.

The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across 10 months

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to various negative consequences including fear. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) has been widely used in diverse cultures, but no study has ever investigated its longitudinal measurement invariance and predictive validity. Therefore, we examined its longitudinal measurement invariance and predictive validity over 10 months. A sample of Chinese undergraduates (N = 682; first wave 842; 682 second wave) completed the FCV-19S as well as measures assessing depression, anxiety, and stress. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted along with measurement invariance testing. The results showed that the bifactor model fitted well, and significantly predicted stress and anxiety, but not depression. The FCV-19S demonstrated partial measurement invariance (i.e. configural and metric invariances) across time. These findings suggest that the Chinese version of FCV-19S is a reliable tool and could be used in evaluating the severity of fear of COVID-19 among Chinese young adults.

Investigating The Relationship Between COVID-19 Fear and COVID-19 Fophia of Nursing Students

Objective: The relationship between fear of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and phobia of COVID-19 in nursing students was investigated. Method: It is descriptive and cross-sectional type. It was conducted with 396 nursing students studying in two different universities in the 2020-2021 academic year. Coronavirus Fear Scale and Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale were used. The data were collected online. Results: The mean age of the students included in the study was 21.06±1.94 years. In this study, it was determined that the total average point of the Coronavirus Fear Scale of the nursing students was 16.47±6.26 (min:7 max:35) and the total average point of the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale was 44.92±16.90 (min:20 max:100). It was determined that there was a highly significant positive correlation between the total points of the Coronavirus Fear Scale and the Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale total points of the nursing students (r:0.773 p:0.0001). Conclusion: It was determined that the mean point of COVID-19 Fear and the mean point of COVID-19 Phobia of the nursing students were moderate, and there was a relationship between the fear of coronavirus and the fear of coronavirus of the nursing students. It is recommended to determine the psychological needs of nursing students, to provide counseling regarding these needs, to be supported to increase their coping skills.

Predictive Power of Self-Efficacy on the Fear of Childbirth in Pregnant Women: Underlying Mechanisms of Social Support as a Mediator and the COVID-19 Fear as a Moderator.

Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a common problem associated with psycho-social factors in pregnant women. This study aimed to determine the mediator of social support and the moderator role of fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the relationship between self-efficacy and FOC in pregnant women. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 422 pregnant women registered in 18 family health centers. Data were collected with the introductory information form, the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire-A, the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Fear of COVID19 Scale. The SPSS 22 package program and Hayes's process macro 3.2 were used in the analysis of the data. Findings showed that 19.9% of the pregnant women experienced severe FOC. Self-efficacy and social support negatively predicted FOC, while fear of COVID-19 predicted it positively. Perceived social support moderately mediated the relationship between FOC and self-efficacy. Fear of COVID-19 was found to be a marginally effective moderator in the relationship between self-efficacy and FOC. This indicates that as self-efficacy increases in pregnant women with low fear of COVID-19, the FOC is experienced less. In the relationship between self-efficacy and FOC, social support is a key factor in reducing FOC. To reduce the FOC, the social support of pregnant women should be strengthened, and the fear associated with acute crisis periods such as pandemics should be reduced with some preventive measures.

Prevalence of Sarcopenia and its Risk Factors in Community-dwelling Older People during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: Sarcopenia is a state of reduced muscle function that can lead to increased falls, fractures, and mortality in the older population. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of sarcopenia and its related risk factors in older adults in the community during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated sarcopenia, muscle strength, physical performance, fear of COVID-19, distress, and depression in 103 community-dwelling older individuals over 65 years of age.Results: The prevalence of sarcopenia among older people in the community was 4.8% and 29.1% in men and women, respectively. Age (odds ratio [OR]=14.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.48~141.40), gender (OR=6.69, 95% CI=1.11~40.06), physical performance (OR=7.41, 95% CI=1.55~35.21) and depression (OR=5.29, 95% CI=1.16~24.06) were significant risk factors for sarcopenia, but COVID-19-related factors were not significant (<i>p</i>>.05).Conclusion: Preventive measures for sarcopenia in older people are urgently required. Since depression and physical performance are the main factors influencing sarcopenia, it is suggested to develop an intervention to prevent sarcopenia in older people.

Exploratory study to characterise the individual types of health literacy and beliefs and their associations with infection prevention behaviours amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a longitudinal study.

During a global infectious disease pandemic such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), individuals' infection prevention/risk-taking behaviours are likely to differ depending on their health literacy and beliefs regarding the disease. To effectively promote infection prevention behaviours, it is necessary to enable information dissemination and risk communication that consider individuals' health literacy and beliefs. In this study, we exploratorily characterised segments based on individual health literacy and beliefs regarding COVID-19 among the Japanese during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigated whether infection prevention/risk-taking behaviours and fear of COVID-19 differed among these segments. In this study, we conducted two web-based longitudinal surveys in Japan (PHASE 1, 1-30 November 2020, 6,000 participants; PHASE 2, 1-31 December 2020, 3,800 participants). We characterised segments of the target population using cluster analysis on health literacy and beliefs regarding COVID-19 obtained in PHASE 1. We further investigated the associations between the clusters and infection prevention/risk-taking behaviours and fear of COVID-19, obtained from PHASE 2. Five clusters were identified: 'Calm/hoax denial', 'Hoax affinity/threat denial', 'Minority/indifference', 'Over vigilance', and 'Optimism'. There were significant differences in infection prevention/risk-taking behaviours and fear of COVID-19 among the five clusters. The belief in susceptibility to infection, rather than affinity for hoaxes and conspiracy theories, was coherently associated with infection prevention/risk-taking behaviours and fear of infection across clusters. This study provides foundational knowledge for creating segment-specific public messages and developing interactive risk communication to encourage infection prevention behaviours.

The mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and mental health problems: a cross-sectional study among nurses

Fear of being infected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could trigger mental health problems among nurses at the frontline. In such a situation, coping strategies are needed to deal with the imminent threat. The purpose of this study was to test the mediating effects of coping on relationships of fear of COVID-19 with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic syndrome among nurses who were in contact with COVID-19 patients. A cross-sectional and correlational research design was used to recruit a sample of 278 nurses who treated COVID-19 patients in four government referral hospitals in Indonesia. A bootstrap resampling procedure was used to test the significance of the total and specific indirect effects of coping on relationships of Fear of COVID-19 with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic syndrome. The nurses reported moderate levels of fear of COVID-19, considerable anxiety and depression, and a moderate level of coping. We found coping to be significantly negatively correlated with the reported levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic syndrome (p < 0.001). Coping mediated relationships of fear of COVID-19 on depression, anxiety and post-traumatic syndrome after controlling for relevant confounders for each dependent variable. This shows that enacting coping mechanisms is important to achieve an adaptive effect on nurses' mental health. Proper assessments and interventions should be tailored and implemented for nurses who have contact with COVID-19 patients to facilitate their use of coping strategies when needed in stressful situations.

Fear of COVID-19 among professional caregivers of the elderly in Central Alentejo, Portugal

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected many institutionalised elderly people. In Portugal, the level of pandemic fear among professional caregivers of the elderly is unknown, as are its predictive factors. This study aimed to investigate predictors of fear of COVID-19 among workers caring for institutionalised elderly people in nursing homes. This is a cross-sectional study using multiple linear regression applied to a population of 652 caregivers located in 14 municipalities in Central Alentejo, Portugal, at March 2021. The criterion variable was the fear of COVID-19. Standardised regression coefficients showed that the higher the level of education, the lower the level of fear (β = − 0.158; t = − 4.134; p < .001). Other predictors of the level of fear were gender, with women having higher levels (β = 0.123; t = t = 3.203; p < 0.001), higher scores on COVID-19-like suspicious symptoms (β = 0.123; t = 3.219; p < 0.001) and having received a flu vaccine (β = 0.086; t = 2.252; p = 0.025). The model explains 6.7% of the variation in fear of COVID-19 (R2Adj = 0.067). Health literacy can minimise the impact on the physical and mental health of these workers. In Central Alentejo, caregivers of the elderly play a fundamental role in social balance. Further studies are needed to better understand the factors that can improve their personal and professional well-being.

Fear of COVID-19 as a mediator within the impact of presenteeism on social loafing1.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused employees to be mentally absent at work and decreased their motivation and effort when they work collaboratively rather than individually due to the fear of transmission. The study aims to test the effect of fear caused by COVID-19 on levels of presenteeism and social loafing from job tasks of employees. Data were collected from 522 white-collar and blue-collar workers in Turkey by the snowball sampling method. Before testing the hypotheses, CFA was performed. Reliability analysis was assessed via Cronbach Alpha (FCV-19S = 0.941; PS = 0.713; SLS = 0.974), AVE (FCV-19S = 0.686; PS = 0.524; SLS = 0.725), and CR (FCV-19S = 0.734; PS = 0.722; SLS = 0.856) values. The mediating effect of fear of COVID-19 within the impact on presenteeism on social loafing was evaluated through Process Macro for SPSS. The coefficients for both direct and indirect effects were calculated in the 95% confidence interval using 5,000 bootstrap replicates. The results show that presenteeism has a significant positive impact on social loafing. Fear of COVID-19 has a statistically significant impact on presenteeism and social loafing. Also, fear of COVID-19 partially mediates within the impact of presenteeism on social loafing in the study. Organizations should consider employees' views to increase the level of well-being and productivity. A high level of inventiveness from organizations is compulsory to explore which organizational roles and workflow are at least remotely operated during this period.

A Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors and Influencing Factors of Caregivers for Newborns With COVID-19 in Chongqing, China.

This study aimed to investigate the healthcare knowledge,attitudes, and behaviors of primary caregivers of newborns with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the pandemic in Chongqing, China, and analyze the influencing factors. The study included primary caregivers of COVID-19 newborns hospitalized in our institution from December 2022 to January 2023.A questionnaire survey was initiated to assess the caregivers' health-care knowledge,attitudes, and behaviors for COVID-19 and the influencing factors. The data were analyzed statistically. A total of 195 caregivers were included, one for each infant with COVID-19. The questionnaire consisted of three dimensions. For the knowledge dimension, the top scoring items were wearing masks in public spaces (4.92 ± 0.087), strengthening hand hygiene (4.83 ± 0.164), and frequent ventilation in living environment (4.62 ± 0.331) in order; for the attitude dimension, the top three scoring items were wearing masks in public spaces (4.85 ± 0.353), strengthening hand washing and disinfection (4.72 ± 0.450), and regular ventilation (4.49 ± 0.501).For the behavior dimension, the top three were confidence in winning the challenge of the pandemic (4.71 ± 0.480), standardized wearing of masks in public spaces/confined spaces (4.68 ± 0.589), and high satisfaction with community epidemic prevention measures (4.67± 0.496). Among the influencing factors, fear of COVID-19 was the independent risk indicator for the caregivers' anxiety (OR =38.085, 95% CI =14.383-100.664)and fear of COVID-19 (OR =8.170, 95%CI =2.156-30.957) and fever (OR =10.213, 95% CI =1.972-52.892) were the independent risk indicators fordepression. The study shows a key link between caregiver knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and neonatal COVID-19 infection, with a gap between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Caregivers, especially those dealing with premature infants, worried about mother-to-child transmission and experienced multiple births, face significant psychological stress during this phase of the pandemic.

Association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan. In September 2020, 1,889 employees of three private railway bus companies in the Tokai region were administered an anonymous self-questionnaire to be filled out at their workplace. The survey items were depression, anxiety, fear of COVID-19, job insecurity, demographics, and work characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Overall, 1,316 valid responses, excluding those from workers with a history of mental illness and others, were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 69.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety were significantly higher in groups with medium and high levels of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity than in the group with a low level of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity. Fear of COVID-19 and job insecurity were found to be risk factors for depression and anxiety among bus service workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latter being the stronger risk factor. Hence, comprehensive COVID-19 prevention measures as well as mental health-related measures to reduce job insecurity should be implemented in the bus service industry.

A 4-year prospective investigation of predictive effects of prepandemic sexual stigma, affective symptoms, and family support on fear of COVID-19 among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.

This prospective study examined whether prepandemic sexual stigma, affective symptoms, and family support can predict fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Data of 1,000 LGB individual on prepandemic sociodemographic characteristics, sexual stigma (familial sexual stigma [FSS] measured by the Homosexuality-Related Stigma Scale, internalized sexual stigma [ISS] measured by the Measure of Internalized Sexual Stigma for Lesbians and Gay Men, and sexual orientation microaggression [SOM] measured by the Sexual Orientation Microaggression Inventory), affective symptoms (i.e., depression measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale and anxiety measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State version), and family support measured by the Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve Index were collected. Four years later, the fear of COVID-19 was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the associations of prepandemic sexual stigma, affective symptoms, and perceived family support on fear of COVID-19 4 years later were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. In total, 670 (67.3%) participants agreed and completed the follow-up assessment. Greater prepandemic FSS, ISS, SOM, affective symptoms, and perceived family support were significantly associated with a greater fear of COVID-19 at follow-up. The identified predictors should be considered when designing interventions aimed at preventing and reducing the fear of COVID-19 in LGB individuals.

Which factors drive the choice of the French-speaking Quebec population towards a COVID-19 vaccination programme: A discrete-choice experiment.

The aims of this study were to elicit preferences about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine campaign in the general French-speaking adult Quebec population and to highlight the characteristics of the vaccine campaign that were of major importance. A discrete-choice experiment (DCE) was conducted between April and June 2021, in Quebec, Canada. A quota sampling method by age, gender and educational level was used to achieve a representative sample of the French-speaking adult population. The choice-based exercise was described by seven attributes within a vaccine campaign scenario. A mixed logit (MXL) model and a latent class logit (LCL) model were used to derive utility values. Age, gender, educational level, income and fear of COVID-19 were included as independent variables in the LCL. A total of 1883 respondents were included for analysis, yielding 22,586 choices. From these choices, 3425 (15.16%) were refusals. In addition, 1159 (61.55%) individuals always accepted any of the vaccination campaigns, while 92 individuals (4.89%) always refused vaccine alternatives. According to the MXL, relative weight importance of attributes was effectiveness (32.50%), risk of side effects (24.76%), level of scientific evidence (22.51%), number of shots (15.73%), priority population (3.60%), type of vaccine (0.61%), and vaccination location (0.28%). Four classes were derived from the LCL model and attributes were more or less important according to them. Class 1 (19.8%) was more concerned about the effectiveness (27.99%), safety (24.22%) and the number of shots (21.82%), class 2 (55.3%) wanted a highly effective vaccine (40.16%) and class 3 (17.6%) gave high value to the scientific evidence (42.00%). Class 4 preferences (7.4%) were more balanced, with each attribute having a relative weight ranging from 1.84% (type of vaccine) to 21.32% (risk of side effects). Membership posterior probabilities to latent classes were found to be predicted by individual factors such as gender, annual income or fear of COVID-19. Vaccination acceptance relies on multiple factors. This study allowed assessment of vaccination-specific issues through a choice-based exercise and description of factors influencing this choice by segmenting the sample and drawing profiles of individuals. Moreover, besides effectiveness and safety, a major point of this study was to show the importance given by the general population to the level of scientific evidence surrounding vaccines. A small group of citizens was involved in the conception, design and interpretation of data. Participants of the DCE were all from the general population.

Fear of COVID-19 among oral health professionals in South Africa.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused widespread psychological morbidity, especially among frontline workers. Oral health professionals (OHPs) are at increased risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19 because pf their proximity to infected patients. The objective of this study was to measure the level of COVID-19 fear and its predictors among South African OHPs. To evaluate the severity of fear of COVID-19 among OHPs in South Africa. Online platforms. In this cross-sectional study, a Google Forms-based online survey was conducted. The fear scale of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) was used to assess the level of fear among OHPs. Statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS 28.0. The multivariate logistic regression model was developed to assess the predictors of COVID-19 fear. A total of 462 OHPs participated in this study. Approximately half of the participants, 212 (45.6%), indicated having severe fear of COVID-19. The regression model showed a significant association between COVID-19 fear and increased age, clinical experience, employment sector, professional group, positive COVID-19 test and COVID-19 vaccination. The results indicate that South African OHPs had low levels of corona phobia. Females, older and vaccinated OHPs had the greatest odds of COVID-19 fear. This study provides insights into the severity of fear and anxiety experienced by OHPs in the time of the pandemic. The findings will aid in the development of appropriate interventions and programmes to deal with similar outbreaks in the future.

Prevalence and associated factors of work impairment among geriatricians during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

This study investigated work impairment and its associated factors among geriatricians during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study was carried out using an anonymous online survey questionnaire administered to members of the Japanese Geriatric Society between October and December 2022. The questionnaire included questions regarding psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale) and work impairment (Work Functioning Impairment Scale). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the factors associated with work impairment. Causal mediation analyses were performed to delineate the relationship between work impairment, psychological distress and fear of COVID-19. The analytic sample included 386 geriatricians, and work impairment was observed in 24.8% of them. Work impairment was associated with age, prefecture where the institution was located and fear of COVID-19. Mediation analysis showed that the effect of fear of COVID-19 on work impairment was almost completely mediated by psychological distress. During the COVID-19 pandemic, work impairment was commonly observed among geriatricians. We found that fear of COVID-19 might cause work impairment; however, this effect was exerted entirely through psychological distress. This implies that interventions to prevent or reduce work impairment among doctors should mainly target psychological distress; however, the fear of COVID-19, if it causes psychological distress, should also be addressed. Managers of hospitals and long-term care facilities must take steps to protect healthcare workers' mental well-being and maintain work productivity. Therefore, understanding the factors related to work impairment might help them devise effective measures. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 215-220.

Impact of COVID-19 Epidemics on Paediatric and Adult Patients with Haemophilia Treated in a Haemophilia Therapeutic Centre

Abstract Introduction: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed an unprecedented health crisis for all humans, including people with haemophilia. Aim: To investigate the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the infection, symptoms, drug use, and social intercourses of patients with haemophilia. Methods: 265 adults or children with haemophilia followed up in the Haemophilia Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic were collected and analyzed between January 2022 and January 2023. Results: A total of 265 patients participated in this survey, 30.2% were children and 69.8% were adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, coagulation factors were not associated with the type and severity of haemophilia, residence, or infection. Compared with adult patients, more children reduced social intercourses and outdoor activities due to the fear of COVID-19 (85.0% vs 66.5%; p = 0.002). The bleeding events were also significantly lower in children than in adult patients (61.2% vs 81.1%; p = 0.001). The SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was significantly higher in patients living in urban areas than in rural areas (74.3% vs 53.6%; p &amp;lt; 0.001). The lasting time of symptoms after infection was not significantly associated with hemorrhage, type and classification of haemophilia, presence of inhibitors, complications, and vaccination. Conclusions: The accompaniment of COVID-19 did not significantly influence the symptoms and treatments in patients with haemophilia. Compared with adults, the number of pediatric patients with bleeding events was significantly lower . Keyword: COVID-19, haemophilia, hemorrhage, infection, symptoms

Barriers to the Accessibility of Emergency Pediatric Dental Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Mashhad, Iran.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate barriers to the accessibility of emergency pediatric dental care services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from the viewpoint of parents in Mashhad, Iran. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted on a purposive sample of parents seeking emergency dental care for their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The participants were asked, "Were there any barriers encountered when seeking emergency dental care for your child during the COVID-19 pandemic?". If any barrier was faced, the parents were asked to explain about it. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The thematic content analysis of the transcripts began after the first interview, and the interviews and analysis process continued until data saturation was achieved. Results: In total, 26 parents were interviewed. The thematic content analysis of the transcripts led to the recognition of three main categories of barriers: "fear of COVID-19", "financial constraints", and "dentists' less occupational activity". "fear of COVID-19" had two subcategories: "fear of contracting COVID-19" and "fear of transmitting COVID-19 to others". "financial constraints" also had two subcategories: "increased costs" and "decreased income". Conclusion: From the viewpoint of parents seeking emergency dental care for their children in Mashhad, Iran, there were various barriers to the accessibility of emergency pediatric dental care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The barriers were not limited to the fear of COVID-19 and were partly outside the control of dentists and parents.