Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
ReviewContributing factors to personal protective equipment shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study investigates the forces that contributed to severe shortages in personal protective equipment in the US during the COVID-19 crisis. Problems from a dysfunctional costing model in hospital operating systems were magnified by a very large demand shock triggered by acute need in healthcare and panicked marketplace behavior that depleted domestic PPE inventories. ⋯ We conclude that market prices are not appropriate mechanisms for rationing inputs to health because health is a public good. Removing the profit motive for purchasing PPE in hospital costing models, strengthening government capacity to maintain and distribute stockpiles, developing and enforcing regulations, and pursuing strategic industrial policy to reduce US dependence on imported PPE will help to better protect healthcare workers with adequate supplies of PPE.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
ReviewExamining aspects of successful community-based programs promoting cancer screening uptake to reduce cancer health disparity: A systematic review.
Certain minorities in the US are disproportionately burdened with higher cancer incidence and mortality rates. Programs encouraging timely uptake of cancer screening measures serve to reduce cancer health disparities. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effectiveness and the qualities of these programs, and to elucidate characteristics of success programs to aid in designing of future ones. ⋯ Only 7 programs had control groups, only 4 programs independently verified screening uptake, and 2 programs had long-term follow-up (defined as more than one screening cycle). Only one program demonstrated elimination of cancer health disparity at a population level. While most community-based cancer prevention programs have demonstrated efficacy in terms of increased knowledge and/or screening uptake, scalability and demonstration in reduction at a population level remain a challenge.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
ReviewExamining aspects of successful community-based programs promoting cancer screening uptake to reduce cancer health disparity: A systematic review.
Certain minorities in the US are disproportionately burdened with higher cancer incidence and mortality rates. Programs encouraging timely uptake of cancer screening measures serve to reduce cancer health disparities. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effectiveness and the qualities of these programs, and to elucidate characteristics of success programs to aid in designing of future ones. ⋯ Only 7 programs had control groups, only 4 programs independently verified screening uptake, and 2 programs had long-term follow-up (defined as more than one screening cycle). Only one program demonstrated elimination of cancer health disparity at a population level. While most community-based cancer prevention programs have demonstrated efficacy in terms of increased knowledge and/or screening uptake, scalability and demonstration in reduction at a population level remain a challenge.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
ReviewSuicidal behaviors and ideation during emerging viral disease outbreaks before the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic rapid review.
The current COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe pandemic of the 21st century, on track to having a rising death toll. Beyond causing respiratory distress, COVID-19 may also cause mortality by way of suicide. The pathways by which emerging viral disease outbreaks (EVDOs) and suicide are related are complex and not entirely understood. ⋯ Overall, we found scarce and weak evidence for an increased risk of deaths by suicide during EVDOs. Our results inform the need to orient public health policies toward suicide prevention strategies targeting the psychosocial effects of EVDOs. High-quality research on suicide risk and prevention are warranted during the current pandemic.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2020
ReviewSuicidal behaviors and ideation during emerging viral disease outbreaks before the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic rapid review.
The current COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe pandemic of the 21st century, on track to having a rising death toll. Beyond causing respiratory distress, COVID-19 may also cause mortality by way of suicide. The pathways by which emerging viral disease outbreaks (EVDOs) and suicide are related are complex and not entirely understood. ⋯ Overall, we found scarce and weak evidence for an increased risk of deaths by suicide during EVDOs. Our results inform the need to orient public health policies toward suicide prevention strategies targeting the psychosocial effects of EVDOs. High-quality research on suicide risk and prevention are warranted during the current pandemic.