post-COVID Era Research Articles

Pediatric dental practice during, pre and post COVID-era: a literature review

Everyone is on edge for their health and safety as the COVID-19 pandemic has hit both developed and developing countries. As a result of its fast transmission rate by direct touch or droplet dispersion, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major concern for healthcare practitioners and is responsible for the horrific 2019 coronavirus sickness (COVID-19). An extensive electronic search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google to investigate the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on pediatric dentistry. Pediatric dentists still do not have access to full data that would allow them to treat their pediatric patients before, during, and after the pandemic, despite the fact that more information is accessible on the concerning progression of COVID-19.

Factors associated with burnout among healthcare workers in a Singaporean hospital during the post-COVID era

Factors associated with burnout among healthcare workers in a Singaporean hospital during the post-COVID era

Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Post-COVID Era

ABSTRACT This study explored Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic using YRBSS survey data on youth grades 9–12 and was analyzed using weighted sample prevalence, univariant weighted analysis, and multivariable weighted logistic regressions. Models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, race, sexual identity, smoking, alcohol, and illicit drug use. Inclusion criteria were those aged 14 years or older. Results showed decreased violence, substance use, and sexual health risk in 2021 compared to 2019, but increased mental health risk. Black individuals had higher odds of violence and victimization and sexual health risk. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths faced increased odds of various risks (p < .05). Understanding ACEs post-COVID-19 is crucial for mitigating their long-term effects on health.

Acceptance of online teaching through the technology acceptance model: Empirical analysis from higher education in the post-COVID era in China

Acceptance of online teaching through the technology acceptance model: Empirical analysis from higher education in the post-COVID era in China

Viral hepatitis in persons living with HIV in the post-COVID era.

Coinfection with hepatitis viruses A to E is frequent in persons living with HIV (PLWH) and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Oro-fecal transmissible hepatitis A and E mostly produce acute self-limited episodes in poor income regions and in non-vaccinated travelers. In high-income countries, outbreaks of hepatitis A occur in men having sex with men (MSM) and chronic hepatitis E is occasionally reported among PLWH with severe immunodeficiency. Chronic hepatitis B, C, and D are frequent in PLWH in highly endemic regions and globally in persons who inject drugs (PWID) and MSM. Progression to liver cirrhosis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is major clinical complications in coinfected patients. Current estimates for PLWH are of 38 million worldwide. Roughly 12% have chronic viral hepatitis (5 million). Coinfection figures are of 5-10% for HBV (2-4 million), 4% for HCV (1.5 million), and 15% of HBsAg+ for HDV (0.5 million). Oral direct-acting antivirals (DAA) cure almost all treated patients with hepatitis C. However, given that there is no protective HCV immunity, PLWH with high-risk behaviors may experience HCV reinfection episodes. Tenofovir is the drug of choice in PLWH with chronic hepatitis B, given its dual effect on HIV and HBV. Lifelong oral tenofovir suppresses HBV replication and ameliorate liver damage. However, the risk of HCC persists even in the absence of cirrhosis. Finally, HDV causes the worst of viral hepatitis with faster progression to cirrhosis and HCC. An entry inhibitor, bulevirtide, has recently been approved and another drug, lonafarnib, is completing Phase 3 trials. Combination antiviral therapy for hepatitis D could improve dramatically the poor prognosis of HIV-HDV coinfected patients. The resumption of good medical practices in PLWH after the big disruption caused by COVID-19 will reduce the burden of viral hepatitis coinfections. Renewed efforts on HAV and HBV vaccination of susceptible individuals and earlier and wider prescription of antiviral therapy for HBV, HCV, and/or HDV coinfection should be prioritized in PLWH. The benefits of innovative strategies for viral hepatitis, including pre-exposure prophylaxis or use of long-acting antivirals, warrant further consideration in PLWH.

Are junior doctors’ attitudes towards clinical incidents shifting in the post-COVID era? Introducing the ‘Manalayil effect’

Are junior doctors’ attitudes towards clinical incidents shifting in the post-COVID era? Introducing the ‘Manalayil effect’

Effect of COVID-19 changes on outcomes and socioeconomic disparities following metabolic and bariatric surgery.

We previously showed worse outcomes among lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups following metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS). In light of healthcare changes in response to COVID-19, this study aims to evaluate post-pandemic MBS outcomes and determine if prior socioeconomic disparities persisted in the post-COVID era. A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) between 2015 and 2022 was performed. Patients were stratified into pre- and post-COVID groups. Post-COVID cohort was further stratified into high (HT) and low (LT) tier status based on Distressed Communities Index, a geocoded composite measure of SES. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative outcomes were compared between pre- and post-COVID cohorts, as well as between post-COVID HT and LT groups. Of 709 patients, 82.9% were pre-COVID and 17.1% were post-COVID. Post-COVID cohort had greater rate of public insurance (46% vs. 37%, p < 0.001), longer wait time to surgery (mean 358 ± 609.8days vs 241.9 ± 368.5days, p = 0.045), and were more likely to undergo RYGB (69% vs. 56%, p = 0.010). Post-COVID patients also had lower risk of any complications on multivariable analysis (OR 0.599, 95% CI 0.372-0.963), had higher follow-up rates at post-discharge (95.8% vs 79.7%, p < 0.005), 6-month (93% vs. 82%, p < 0.001) and 12-month visits (75% vs. 63%, p = 0.005), and lost more weight at 12 months (67% excess weight loss (%EWL) vs. 58%EWL, p = 0.002). Among post-COVID HT and LT cohorts, previously seen disparities in complications were no longer seen. Finally, there were no differences in weight or follow-up rates between post-COVID HT and LT. Post-COVID changes to MBS care have resulted in improved short-term outcomes and reduced disparities for patients of lower SES. Further studies are needed to identify these positive factors to perpetuate practice patterns that optimize care for patients of all socioeconomic status.

COVID-19 and postoperative complications after plastic surgery procedures: More than just hypercoagulability

BackgroundWhile plastic surgery procedures generally demonstrate a less than 2% incidence of VTE outcomes, the post-COVID era data remains elusive. This study sought to elucidate the relationship between COVID-19 infection and the risk of VTE outcomes across plastic surgery procedures. MethodsPlastic surgery procedures were identified in the 2012-2022 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases. The outcomes of interest were the postoperative occurrence of VTE, defined as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and the occurrence of any postoperative complication. Propensity score matching was used to 1) compare overall rates of VTE between pre-pandemic era and pandemic era cohorts, and 2) compare rates of VTE and overall postoperative complications in cases with and without COVID-19 diagnosis in years 2021-2022 (p<0.05). Results269,006 plastic surgery cases were identified, comprising largely general breast (76%) and trunk (9.4%) procedures. Non-breast free tissue transfer cases were associated with the highest rates of DVT (1.3%) and trunk procedures with the highest rates of PE (0.7%). After propensity score matching, the overall rate of VTE after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was not significantly different from the pre-pandemic era (p=0.40). In a separately matched cohort, COVID-19 diagnosis did not significantly predict risk of VTE (p=0.48) but did significantly predict risk of overall postoperative complications (p<0.001). ConclusionsWhile COVID-19 diagnosis itself did not predict risk of VTE upon matched analysis, it significantly predicted overall postoperative complications. Future studies may further investigate effects of COVID-19 infection over longer periods of follow up.

Digital-Focused Approaches in Cancer Patients’ Management in the Post-COVID Era: Challenges and Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the adoption of telemedicine and digital health technologies, revealing their immense potential in managing cancer patients effectively. This article explores the impact of recent technological developments and widened consumer perspectives on personalised healthcare and patient awareness, particularly in oncology. Smartphones and wearable devices have become integral to daily life, promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting cancer patients through remote monitoring and health management. The widespread use of these devices presents an unprecedented opportunity to transform clinical trials and patient care by offering convenient and accessible means of collecting health data continuously and non-invasively. However, to fully harness their potential, it is crucial to establish standardised methods for measuring patient metrics to ensure data reliability and validity. This article also addresses the challenges of integrating these technologies into clinical practice, such as cost, patient and professional reluctance, and technological oversaturation. It emphasises the need for continuous innovation, the development of robust digital infrastructures, and the importance of fostering a supportive environment to integrate these advancements permanently. Ultimately, the convergence of technological innovation and personalised healthcare promises to enhance patient outcomes, improve quality of life, and revolutionise cancer management in the post-COVID era.

The selection of hospital sites and adaptive medical resource planning in the post-COVID era: navigating public health crises in China?

Urban management and planning during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, are critical. This article examines hospital site selection in Yinzhou, Ningbo, China, using geographical data analysis. It evaluates travel costs and referral patterns between hospitals and community health facilities to establish a sustainable hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system. The results reveal that existing medical facilities, particularly in rural areas, are inadequate during public health emergencies. The article proposes considering total transportation costs in allocating the sites of new hospitals and suggests adopting a ‘permanent + temporary’ facility planning approach to ease financial burdens. Addressing these issues can mitigate the inequitable distribution of urban and rural medical resources. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Strategic Lead Generation and Competitive Positioning for Bid Writing Consultancy Firms

Background The consultancy industry, valued at £18.6 billion, faces evolving challenges and opportunities in the post-COVID era. Consultancy and bid writing firms play a critical role in helping businesses secure contracts and funding, particularly through the preparation of Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) and Invitations to Tender (ITTs). Despite the importance of bid writing, there is limited literature on how it can be leveraged for lead generation and business growth. Methods A mixed-methods approach was employed in this study, combining qualitative and quantitative research. Secondary research involved the review of existing literature and data from government databases, internal company records, and published reports. Primary research included surveys and semi-structured interviews with professionals from the Facilities Management and Logistics sectors. A case study of a UK-based bid-writing consultancy was also used to support the analysis. Results The findings highlighted significant knowledge gaps in bid writing among businesses, with only 12.5% of survey respondents expressing confidence in their bid-writing abilities. Despite this, 83.1% showed interest in receiving bid-writing training. The study also revealed that expertise, relationships, and past work are prioritized by businesses when selecting consultancy firms. Additionally, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business operations was identified as a key factor for enhancing efficiency and maintaining competitiveness. Conclusions There is a clear opportunity for consultancy and bid-writing firms to address the knowledge gaps in bid writing by offering targeted training programs. Effective networking and a robust social media presence are essential for generating new business leads and maintaining client relationships. Furthermore, integrating AI technologies into business operations can provide consultancy firms with a competitive edge. This study provides actionable insights for consultancy and bid-writing firms to enhance their lead generation strategies and improve their market positioning.

Appraising Supplier Economic Resilience in the Post-COVID Era

Resiliency is the ability to sustain growth and prosper during adverse disruptions. This translates into continuing to provide profitable service with operational efficiency amidst exceptional situations. At the very minimum, company buyers can view a supplier&amp;rsquo;s financials as that could convey the vital signs of operational stability, which is the underlying platform of resiliency. In this paper, we view a supplier as an operational process and employ process behavior analysis tools combined with analytics to decipher the operational resiliency of two competing companies. We demonstrate how one can glean operational resiliency by viewing several common financial indicators and their behavior over time. High variability in these indicators reflects a firm&amp;rsquo;s inability to deal with disturbances that may arise from systemic or external causes. In contrast, stable behavior reflects the ability to self-heal and absorb the effects of disturbances. While many more factors and indicators need to be considered to obtain an overall resiliency picture, this analysis focused on several to demonstrate the approach&amp;#39;s potential.

Designing green logistics networks under carbon tax policy: Post-COVID condition

This paper proposes a fuzzy-based method for estimating demand in forward and reverse logistics networks (F&RLNs) subject to carbon pricing in the post-COVID era. We investigate the complex relationships between carbon prices, the reverse logistics network (RLN), and the ever-changing product demand by utilizing fuzzy inference systems (FIS) capabilities. The case study from Mexico confirms the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The findings demonstrate the precision and predictive power of our proposed FIS-based method and show how well it can predict the number of items in demand and the number of goods that will be returned and subject to carbon taxation in the post-COVID era. The results illustrate the significant impact that carbon pricing has on the RLN and the associated product demand. For logistics managers seeking to make informed decisions about the establishment and operation of forward and RLNs within the carbon pricing paradigm, this empirical data provides insightful information in the post-COVID era.

Unveiling Shopee App Continuance Use: Insights from Malaysian Shoppers

The popularity and acceptance of mobile shopping apps have surged widely due to mobile technology advancement and the COVID-19 outbreak. Retaining customers would be challenging for all mobile shopping app platform operators, particularly in the post-Covid era. However, research on the continuance of mobile shopping apps must be addressed. Hence, the Shopee mobile shopping app was adopted as a case study to examine antecedent factors of continuance intention leading to its continuance use among consumers. This quantitative study was conducted in Klang Valley, Malaysia, and data was collected via a self-administered Google Form. The study included 386 respondents and was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). Customer loyalty, the success quality factors of the information system, incentives, trust, and satisfaction positively affect Shopee's mobile shopping app's continuance intention. Furthermore, it is found that continuance intention does indeed have a crucial effect on continuance use. However, the study reported that perceived enjoyment did not influence continuance intention. The objective of this research is achieved as it manages to generate valuable knowledge on continuance intention and use. This paves the way for more effective development of sustainable user retention strategies.

Proposal for an Effective Design Practice Education in the Post-COVID Era through Metaverse Platforms

Proposal for an Effective Design Practice Education in the Post-COVID Era through Metaverse Platforms

Post-COVID social engagement and depression among Chinese older adults: exploring rural/urban and gender differences.

This study investigates the impact of post-COVID social engagement on depression levels among Chinese older adults, with a focus on rural/urban and gender differences. Using the year 2018 and year 2020 data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study analyzed pre- and post-COVID depression levels and social engagement indicators, including going-out, activities and networking among Chinese older adults (N = 8,793). Results showed a significant increase in depression levels across all demographic groups post-COVID, with rural females exhibiting the highest levels of depression. Reduced social engagement was associated with increased depression, particularly among rural males and females. Subgroup analyses highlighted nuanced patterns: rural males suffered from decreased intense activities and online contacts, while urban males experienced heightened depression with reduced visiting and light activities. Rural females reported increased depression with decreased moderate activities and dancing outdoors but decreased levels with reduced online contacts. Conversely, urban females experience decreased depression with reduced social engagements, suggesting areevaluation of priorities amidst pandemic challenges. This study has underscored the importance of considering individual, cultural, and contextual factors in understanding mental health outcomes among Chinese older adults. Findings inform targeted interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being and resilience among Chinese older adults in the post-COVID era, including community-based programs and mental health screenings, to foster social connection and emotional support.

Telemedicine in the post-COVID era: balancing accessibility, equity, and sustainability in primary healthcare

Telemedicine in the post-COVID era: balancing accessibility, equity, and sustainability in primary healthcare

Digital Literacy in the Informal Economy of Ghana: Life-long Learning and Extending Working Lives of Older Persons in Post-Covid-19 Era.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the growing importance of digital technologies for economic resilience, especially for vulnerable groups like older workers in the informal sector. However, barriers to access and digital literacy create challenges alongside potential opportunities, particularly in less developed countries such as Ghana. Using older adults over 50 years engaged in informal work in Kumasi's Central Business District in Ghana as a case, this paper explores older informal workers' use of digital technologies in Ghana during the pandemic. Findings suggest that older informal workers relied heavily on their mobile phones as the only critical technological tool to sustain their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the findings also reveal critical gaps in skills, training, and support, alongside resourcefulness in leveraging digital tools for business continuity. Key policy implications include expanding mobile-centric digital literacy programs, addressing infrastructure divides, and integrating capacity building into social protection. The paper contributes insights on strengthening lifelong learning and extending the working lives of older persons in the informal sector in the post-COVID era.

Developing a multi-variate prediction model for COVID-19 from crowd-sourced respiratory voice data

Aim: COVID-19 has affected more than 223 countries worldwide and in the post-COVID era, there is a pressing need for non-invasive, low-cost, and highly scalable solutions to detect COVID-19. This study focuses on the analysis of voice features and machine learning models in the automatic detection of COVID-19. Methods: We develop a deep learning model to identify COVID-19 from voice recording data. The novelty of this work is in the development of deep learning models for COVID-19 identification from only voice recordings. We use the Cambridge COVID-19 Sound database which contains 893 speech samples, crowd-sourced from 4,352 participants via a COVID-19 Sounds app. Voice features including Mel-spectrograms and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) and convolutional neural network (CNN) Encoder features are extracted. Based on the voice data, we develop deep learning classification models to detect COVID-19 cases. These models include long short-term memory (LSTM), CNN and Hidden-Unit BERT (HuBERT). Results: We compare their predictive power to baseline machine learning models. HuBERT achieves the highest accuracy of 86% and the highest AUC of 0.93. Conclusions: The results achieved with the proposed models suggest promising results in COVID-19 diagnosis from voice recordings when compared to the results obtained from the state-of-the-art.

Impact of COVID-19 on Ventilation-Perfusion (V/Q) Scans: A Comparative Analysis of Pre-COVID-19 Era V/Q Scans and Post-COVID-19 Era Perfusion Scans.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted medical practices, including nuclear medicine. To minimize aerosol transmission risks, lung perfusion scintigraphy was preferred over traditional ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy during the pandemic. This study compares lung perfusion scans performed during COVID-19 with V/Q scans from the pre-COVID era. After reviewing this study, the reader will learn about V/Q scintigraphy and lung perfusion. Methods This retrospective observational study, conducted from December 2018 to July 2021, involved 868 patients - 511 in the pre-COVID era and 357 in the post-COVID era - at a single tertiary care center. The pretest probability of pulmonary embolism (PE) was determined using Wells' criteria, and data including demographics, clinical findings, and diagnostic test results (V/Q or lung perfusionscintigraphy) were collected. Results A 30% decline in lung scans was observed during the pandemic. In the pre-COVID era, 68.3% of scans had low, 27.8% had intermediate, and 3.9% had high probability for PE. During the pandemic, perfusion-only scans showed 57.3% low, 32.9% indeterminate, and 9.8% high probability for PE. Among COVID-19-positive patients, 48.9% had intermediate, and 11.1% had high probability scans. The rise in indeterminate and high-probability scans during the pandemic is attributed to COVID-19-related lung changes and hypercoagulability. Conclusion The perfusion component of lung scans is typically sufficient for evaluating acute PE. Omitting the ventilation part of the V/Q scan had minimal impact, with only a 5.1% increase in indeterminate/non-diagnostic scans using perfusion-only modified Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis II (PIOPED II) criteria during the post-COVID-19 era, likely due to underlying lung parenchymal involvement in COVID-19 patients. Additionally, there was a 5.9% rise in high-probability scans, attributed to the hypercoagulability and vascular complications associated with COVID-19.