Impact Of Pandemic Research Articles

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communal religious worshippers’ mental health and the benefits of positive religious coping

BackgroundIn the United Kingdom, onsite religious services were halted during COVID-19 lockdowns, which were followed by various levels of restrictions on communal worship including social distancing, mandatory wearing of face masks, adequate ventilation and a ban on congregational singing and chanting. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of closures and changes within places of worship in response to the first lockdown in 2020, to assess the effect of the pandemic on religious practice and worshippers’ wellbeing and religious coping. MethodsParticipants were regular worshippers in the UK, recruited through an online survey using convenience sampling. Respondents were asked about their attitudes to changes to places of worship in the UK and their wellbeing and mental health, including assessment of their risk of depression and anxiety using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) measures. Questionnaires were completed August to November 2020. Findings939 participants were included in the analysis. Median age was 52.7 years and 66.1% were female. 80.7% identified as Christian. 165 (19.3%) had mild, 45 (5.3%) moderate, 25 (2.9%) moderately severe and 10 (1.2%) severe depression, and 192 (22.5%) had mild, 55 (6.4%) moderate and 27 (3.2%) severe anxiety, according to PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, respectively. Nearly half (46.4%) reported that their mood and anxiety levels had worsened and 16.6% reported that they felt the things they were doing in their lives were not worthwhile. The vast majority of respondents (92.7%) reported that prayer had helped them cope with the way they had felt during lockdown: 29.2% and 47.0% reported that it helped moderately and a great deal, respectively. This 76.2% had significantly lower levels of moderate/severe depression and anxiety (adjusted odds ratio: depression 0.37 (95%CI 0.22-0.63), anxiety 0.52 (95%CI 0.31-0.88). InterpretationOur study demonstrates the significant impact of COVID-19 on communal worshippers’ mental health and reinforces the benefits of positive religious coping during the first UK lockdown. Barriers to communal worship participation during lockdowns, including access to appropriate technology, need to be recognised and facilitators identified.

Psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults with and without cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional study

Psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults with and without cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional study

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexually transmitted infection testing and diagnosis in Lebanon: A retrospective chart review

BackgroundSocial distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions to sexual health services (SHS) worldwide. During the first year of the pandemic, Lebanon implemented multiple lockdowns during which SHS endured repetitive closures. We explore the impact of the pandemic on SHS delivery and the diagnosis rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among attendees of a large sexual health clinic in Beirut, Lebanon. MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of the clinic's database, including data on voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). We compared the number and types of services provided, and the number and rate of positive VCT diagnoses pre- (Mar 2019–Feb 2020) and post- (Mar 2020–Feb 2021) COVID-19 onset. ResultsMen who have sex with men (MSM) comprised 35 % and 40 % of attendees pre- and post- COVID-19 onset, respectively. Post-COVID-19 onset, a total of 1350 VCT services and 406 medical consultations were provided, an overall 45 % decrease compared with pre-COVID-19 onset. The prevalence pre-COVID-19 onset of HIV, syphilis, HBV, and HCV was 0.8 %, 0.3 %, 0.2 %, and 0.1 %, respectively, and post-COVID-19 onset 1.2 %, 0.7 %, 0.3 %, and 0.3 %, respectively. Post-COVID-19 onset, 1.7 % of patients tested positive for any STI compared with 1.1 % pre-COVID-19 onset (OR: 1.5, 95%CI: 0.8–2.7). Close to 90 % of all positive diagnoses were among MSM. The prevalence of HIV, syphilis, HBV, and HCV among MSM in the total sample was 2.1 %, 1.2 %, 0.4 %, and 0.3 %, respectively. ConclusionCOVID-19 related closures led to substantial reduction in SHS accessibility among clinic attendees. STI positivity rates increased post-COVID-19 onset, although this increase was not statistically significant. Findings suggest that sexual risk behavior was taking place during the pandemic despite the lockdowns and highlight the need to minimize disruptions in provision of SHS during similar crises, particularly to key populations.

422 Lock-Downs Causing Lock-Ins: The Impact of the COVID Pandemic on Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Trends Observed by Forensic Nurse Examiners

422 Lock-Downs Causing Lock-Ins: The Impact of the COVID Pandemic on Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Trends Observed by Forensic Nurse Examiners

Estimates of actual and potential lives saved in the United States from the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma

In the Spring of 2020, the United States of America (USA) deployed COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) to treat hospitalized patients. Over 500,000 patients were treated with CCP during the first year of the pandemic. In this study, we estimated the number of actual inpatient lives saved by CCP treatment in the United States of America based on CCP weekly use, weekly national mortality data, and CCP mortality reduction data from meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and real-world data. We also estimate the potential number of lives saved if CCP had been deployed for 100% of hospitalized patients or used in 15 to 75% of outpatients. Depending on the assumptions modeled in stratified analyses, we estimated that CCP saved between 16,476 and 66,296 lives. The CCP ideal use might have saved as many as 234,869 lives and prevented 1,136,133 hospitalizations. CCP deployment was a successful strategy for ameliorating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA. This experience has important implications for convalescent plasma use in future infectious disease emergencies.

P35-1 The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of oncology healthcare providers in Malaysia

P35-1 The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of oncology healthcare providers in Malaysia

S1215 Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Related Mortality: An Analysis of Disparities 2020-2022

S1215 Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Related Mortality: An Analysis of Disparities 2020-2022

S482 Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fecal Immunochemical Testing, Colonoscopy Services, and Colorectal Neoplasia Detection by Race and Ethnicity in a Large United States Community-Based Population

S482 Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fecal Immunochemical Testing, Colonoscopy Services, and Colorectal Neoplasia Detection by Race and Ethnicity in a Large United States Community-Based Population

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive intentions and contraceptive use among females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Pandemics have affected many people's social and emotional lives. Conception planning, contraceptive usage, and pregnancy intentions are activities with minimal research. This study is the first to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced reproductive plans and contraceptive use among women during the pandemic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2022. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by sending an online questionnaire to married women from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included demographics, personal obstetrics information, changes in pregnancy intentions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and questions about contraceptive usage. Qualitative data were presented as frequencies, and a χ2 test was performed to determine the relationships among the variables. A total of 639 women enrolled in the study; most participants were 25-34 years old, and most indicated they changed their reproductive intentions during the pandemic (49%). Family planning accounted for 25.8% of participants who changed their reproductive intentions. Only 17.5% changed their choices because of fear of the COVID-19 impact. The percentage of women using contraception was significantly reduced during the lockdown, to 36.8%. Oral contraceptive pills were the most frequently used method during the curfew period (17.5%). The COVID-19 lockdown affected the reproductive intentions of most women in Jeddah, and it significantly reduced contraceptive use.

Financial risk contagion across markets in China under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Financial risk contagion across markets in China under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health–related hospitalization rate of youth in Canada: an interrupted time series analysis

Introduction This study evaluated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on temporal trends in mental health and addiction–related inpatient hospitalization rates among youth (aged 10–17 years) in Canadian provinces and territories (excluding Quebec) from 1 April 2018 to 5 March 2022. Methods We conducted an interrupted time series analysis across three periods: T0 (pre-pandemic: 1 April 2018 to 15 March 2020); T1 (early pandemic: 15 March 2020 to 5 July 2020); and T2 (later pandemic: 6 July 2020 to 5 March 2022). Results Pre-pandemic mental health and addiction–related hospitalization rates had significant regional variability, with weekly rates from 6.27 to 85.59 events per 100 000 persons in Manitoba and the territories combined, respectively. During T1, the national (excluding Quebec) weekly hospitalization rate decreased from a pre-pandemic level of 12.82 (95% CI: 12.14 to 13.50) to 5.11 (95% CI: 3.80 to 6.41) events per 100 000 persons. There was no statistically significant change in the mental health and addiction– related hospitalization rate across provinces and territories in T2 compared to T0. However, there was a significant increase in the rate of self-harm–related hospitalizations among females Canada-wide and in most provinces during this period. Conclusion Although several Canadian studies have reported increases in mental health and addiction–related outpatient and emergency department visits among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, this did not correspond to an increase in the inpatient hospital burden, with the notable exception of self-harm among young females.

Policy and practice review consensus statements and clinical guidelines on managing pediatric trauma and orthopedics during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review on the global response for future pandemics and public health crises.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been recognized as an unprecedented global health crisis. Over 7 million mortalities have been documented with many paediatric fatalities. Trauma and orthopaedic care, much like other specialities, were marginalized due to resource allocation during the pandemic which affected paediatric care. This is the first systematic review to centralise and compile the recommended published guidelines from professional bodies in principally English speaking countries on managing paediatric trauma and orthopaedic care. These guidelines will be required to be implemented sooner and more effectively in case of future pandemics with similar impact. A search was conducted on PubMed/MedLine, Cochrane Library and Embase using terms including p(a)ediatric or child* and/or COVID* or coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 and/or trauma and/or orthop(a)edic* with a simplified MeSH heading [mh] in order to make the search as comprehensive as possible. General terminology was utilized to make the search as exhaustive as possible for this systematic review. Another search was conducted on resources available in the public domain from professional bodies publishing on consensus statements and clinical practice guidelines in countries where English is the principal language managing pediatric trauma and orthopedics. The review adhered to PRISMA guidance. The search revealed a total of 62 results from both databases and professional bodies. Duplicates were removed. This was then reviewed to identify a total of 21 results which fit the inclusion criteria and included within the main analysis. The guidelines from professional bodies were outlined and categorized into aspects of clinical care. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic has compelled for changes in clinical practice and pediatric management. The systematic review highlights the relevant guidelines on service provision for pediatric patients including indications for urgent referrals, surgical prioritization, reasons for follow-up and trauma guidelines. The rationale for care during the unpredictable evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic may have the potential to be translated and replicated in future pandemics of similar significance.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on deprivation-level differences in cardiovascular hospitalisations: a comparison of England and Denmark using the OpenSAFELY platform and National Registry Data

ObjectivesTo examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deprivation-related inequalities in hospitalisations for cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions in Denmark and England between March 2018 and December 2021.DesignTime-series studies in...

4-Year Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mortality and Hospitalization Trends among Patients on Maintenance Dialysis from a National US Dialysis Provider

4-Year Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mortality and Hospitalization Trends among Patients on Maintenance Dialysis from a National US Dialysis Provider

The Level of Family Compatibility in Irbid County, Jordan, During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Objective: To assess the level of family compatibility during the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Irbid, Jordan. Methods: A descriptive-correlational approach was employed. The study population included all residents of Irbid County in 2021, estimated to be 856,200 individuals from 175,035 families. The study sample comprised 1000 participants, including 500 males and 500 females. A questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms to collect data, and a family compatibility scale during the COVID-19 pandemic was used to achieve the research objective. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The study's findings indicated that (1) the level of family compatibility among the respondents was at a low level, reflecting a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family compatibility. (2) The higher the number of children, the lower the family compatibility. (3) There is no statistically significant effect of educational qualification and gender variables on family compatibility. (4) There is an effect of the age variable: the older the person, the higher the level of family compatibility. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant adverse effect on family compatibility, not only in Jordan but also globally. Therefore, the study recommends that social policymakers prioritize this issue, and researchers should investigate other aspects of family compatibility.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-care use among patients with cancer in England, UK: a comprehensive phase-by-phase time-series analysis across attendance types for 38 cancers

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the widespread disruption of cancer health provision services across the entirety of the cancer care pathway in the UK, from screening to treatment. The potential long-term health implications, including increased mortality for individuals who missed diagnoses or appointments, are concerning. However, the precise impact of lockdown policies on national cancer health service provision across diagnostic groups is understudied. We aimed to systematically evaluate changes in patterns of attendance for groups of individuals diagnosed with cancer, including the changes in attendance volume and consultation rates, stratified by both time-based exposures and by patient-based exposures and to better understand the impact of such changes on cancer-specific mortality. In this retrospective, cross-sectional, phase-by-phase time-series analysis, by using primary care records linked to hospitals and the death registry from Jan 1, 1998, to June 17, 2021, we conducted descriptive analyses to quantify attendance changes for groups stratified by patient-based exposures (Index of Multiple Deprivation, ethnicity, age, comorbidity count, practice region, diagnosis time, and cancer subtype) across different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in England, UK. In this study, we defined the phases of the COVID-19 pandemic as: pre-pandemic period (Jan 1, 2018, to March 22, 2020), lockdown 1 (March 23 to June 21, 2020), minimal restrictions (June 22 to Sept 20, 2020), lockdown 2 (Sept 21, 2020, to Jan 3, 2021), lockdown 3 (Jan 4 to March 21, 2021), and lockdown restrictions lifted (March 22 to March 31, 2021). In the analyses we examined changes in both attendance volume and consultation rate. We further compared changes in attendance trends to cancer-specific mortality trends. Finally, we conducted an interrupted time-series analysis with the lockdown on March 23, 2020, as the intervention point using an autoregressive integrated moving average model. From 561 611 eligible individuals, 7 964 685 attendances were recorded. During the first lockdown, the median attendance volume decreased (-35·30% [IQR -36·10 to -34·25]) compared with the preceding pre-pandemic period, followed by a median change of 4·38% (2·66 to 5·15) during minimal restrictions. More drastic reductions in attendance volume were seen in the second (-48·71% [-49·54 to -48·26]) and third (-71·62% [-72·23 to -70·97]) lockdowns. These reductions were followed by a 4·48% (3·45 to 7·10) increase in attendance when lockdown restrictions were lifted. The median consultation rate change during the first lockdown was 31·32% (25·10 to 33·60), followed by a median change of -0·25% (-1·38 to 1·68) during minimal restrictions. The median consultation rate decreased in the second (-33·89% [-34·64 to -33·18]) and third (-4·98% [-5·71 to -4·00]) lockdowns, followed by a 416·16% increase (409·77 to 429·77) upon lifting of lockdown restrictions. Notably, across many weeks, a year-over-year decrease in weekly attendances corresponded with a year-over-year increase in cancer-specific mortality. Overall, the pandemic period revealed a statistically significant reduction in attendances for patients with cancer (lockdown 1 -24 070·19 attendances, p<0·0001; minimal restrictions -19 194·89 attendances, p<0·0001; lockdown 2 -31 311·28 attendances, p<0·0001; lockdown 3 -43 843·38 attendances, p<0·0001; and lockdown restrictions lifted -56 260·50 attendances, p<0·0001) compared with before the pandemic. The UK's COVID-19 pandemic lockdown affected cancer health service access negatively. Many groups of individuals with cancer had declines in attendance volume and consultation rate across the phases of the pandemic. A decrease in attendances might lead to delays in cancer diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up, putting such groups of individuals at higher risk of negative health outcomes, such as cancer-specific mortality. We discuss the factors potentially responsible for explaining changes in service provision trends and provide insight to help inform clinical follow-up for groups of individuals at risk, alongside potential future policy changes in the care of such patients. Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, Academy of Medical Sciences, and the University College London Overseas Research Scholarship.

Innovative Approaches to Architectural Education: Metaverse Technology and Learning Resilience

Abstract Amid the pandemic, learning architecture online has led to heightened stress and anxiety. To mitigate these challenges, a resilient learning model is imperative. Taking Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta (UAJY) as a case study, the paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on architecture learning, highlighting the challenge present in online architecture education. Recognising the need for resilience, the study suggests integrating virtual reality (VR) and metaverse technologies to enhance educational quality. It identifies substantial differences between online and virtual space learning, emphasising the necessity for specific design criteria in long-distance studio education. The research presents a mixed-method approach, utilising VR headsets for a prototype evaluation with five experts/lecturers and 20 architecture students. Quantitative data collected through the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and qualitative insights from structured interviews reveal positive effects of metaverse adoption on learning experiences, notably reducing stress and anxiety. The study concludes by proposing virtual space design criteria, serving as guidelines for creating more engaging, stimulating, and creative learning environments. These criteria align with Sustainable Development Goal 4, promoting increased ICT skills among youth and adults and showcasing the potential of technology in transforming architectural education amidst global challenges.

Ontology-Based Data Collection for a Hybrid Outbreak Detection Method Using Social Media.

Given the persistent global challenge presented by rapidly spreading diseases, as evidenced notably by the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both human health and economies worldwide, the necessity of developing effective infectious disease prediction models has become of utmost importance. In this context, the utilization of online social media platforms as valuable tools in healthcare settings has gained prominence, offering direct avenues for disseminating critical health information to the public in a timely and accessible manner. Propelled by the ubiquitous accessibility of the internet through computers and mobile devices, these platforms promise to revolutionize traditional detection methods, providing more immediate and reliable epidemiological insights. Leveraging this paradigm shift, our proposed framework harnesses Twitter data associated with infectious disease symptoms, employing ontology to identify and curate relevant tweets. Central to our methodology is a hybrid model that integrates XGBoost and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) architectures. The integration of XGBoost addresses the challenge of handling small dataset sizes, inherent during outbreaks due to limited time series data. XGBoost serves as a cornerstone for minimizing the loss function and identifying optimal features from our multivariate time series data. Subsequently, the combined dataset, comprising original features and predicted values by XGBoost, is channeled into the BiLSTM for further processing. Through extensive experimentation with a dataset spanning multiple infectious disease outbreaks, our hybrid model demonstrates superior predictive performance compared to state-of-the-art and baseline models. By enhancing forecasting accuracy and outbreak tracking capabilities, our model offers promising prospects for assisting health authorities in mitigating fatalities and proactively preparing for potential outbreaks.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Caregivers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study

Background/Aim: It is well known that caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) face challenges. These challenges increased further due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the related restrictions. There was very little data from India on these challenges. This study was done with the primary aim to gain insights about the challenges faced by parents of children with NDD through their personal stories. Methods: Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method and semi-structured interviews were conducted through a telephone or in person. Data saturation was achieved by the sixth participant and 2 more interviews were performed for further confirmation. Interviews were transcribed, and a 7-step Colaizzi’s phenomenological method was used to identify different themes. Results: The impact of COVID-19 on caregivers of children with NDD can be summarized into 4 broad themes. First, there were challenges related to “therapy” which included closure of day-care centers and schools, inaccessibility to professionals, and disruption in home-based learning. Second, there were “child” related challenges which included inappropriate behaviors. Third, there were “family” challenges which included misunderstandings between parents and difficulties in adhering to family routines. Lastly, there were “personal” challenges related to physical and psychological health. Conclusion: The personal stories of caregivers of children with NDD highlight the pressing need to provide appropriate support and formulate holistic models to enhance well-being of caregivers during difficult periods.

A retrospective study to assess adolescent nutritional deficiencies and the association with post-COVID-19 status

ABSTRACT Introduction: Adolescents represent 16% of the world’s population and around 21% of the Indian population. A study was done to assess the double burden of malnutrition, the proportion of inadequate intake of some important macronutrients and micronutrients, and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nutrient intakes among adolescents. Methodology: Retrospective data analysis of the adolescents presented at the Adolescent Health Clinic at a teaching hospital (tertiary care level) in Andhra Pradesh, India, between September 2022 and December 2022 was done in the current study. Results: A total of 800 adolescents were studied with the mean age of the participants as 15.8 (±2.38) years of age. Among the participants, the majority (59%) were immunized with Td vaccination at 10 years and/or 16 years, 21% were not immunized, and the rest 20% did not remember the status. Only 17 participants had a history of COVID-19 infection in the past. The majority (62.75%) of the participants belong to normal nutrition status as per BMI for age WHO growth charts. There is a significant difference in the nutrition status between males and females belonging to overweight and obese subgroups. There is no significant difference in the intake with respect to past COVID-19 status. Almost all the participants take inadequate amounts of carbohydrates (calories), pyridoxine, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin D3, and retinol. Protein intake is inadequate in 63% of participants, and the deficient intake rises with the age with respect to both EAR and RDA guidelines. Conclusion: A large proportion of adolescents suffer from the double burden of malnutrition in South India, and almost all the adolescents do not get the recommended intake of most of the macro- and micronutrients in their diet following the lockdown and online schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.