Frontiers in public health
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Front Public Health · Jan 2020
Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Outbreak: the Need for Epidemic Preparedness.
COVID-19 is not only a global pandemic and public health crisis; it has also severely affected the global economy and financial markets. Significant reductions in income, a rise in unemployment, and disruptions in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries are among the consequences of the disease mitigation measures that have been implemented in many countries. It has become clear that most governments in the world underestimated the risks of rapid COVID-19 spread and were mostly reactive in their crisis response. As disease outbreaks are not likely to disappear in the near future, proactive international actions are required to not only save lives but also protect economic prosperity.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2020
The Psychological Health Status of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Guangdong, China.
Background: The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has caused mental stress on healthcare workers (HCW). This study aimed to assess their psychological health status at the peak of COVID-19 and to identify some coping strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted during the outbreak of COVID-19. ⋯ Contact with COVID-19 cases or suspected cases, worry about suffering from COVID-19, worry about their family, and dismission during the COVID-19 period were significant work-related contributing factors to the psychological health problems of HCW (all p<0.01). Conclusions: The overall psychological health status of HCW in Guangdong, China, during the outbreak of COVID-19 was not overly poor. Updating and strengthening training in disease information, the provision of adequate medical supplies, and care about the life and health of medical staff and their family members may reduce their mental stress.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2020
Managing Multimorbidity (Multiple Chronic Diseases) Amid COVID-19 Pandemic: A Community Based Study From Odisha, India.
While most of the studies to date demonstrate the deleterious effect of multiple chronic diseases on COVID-19 risk and outcome, there is sparse information available on the effect of the pandemic on multimorbidity management, with no reports yet from India. We sought to explore the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on routine and emergency care for multimorbidity among community-dwelling adults in Odisha, India. A community-based cross-sectional study was undertaken pandemic lockdown, in Khurda district of Odisha, India. ⋯ Multivariate analysis revealed older adults living alone in urban residence to have higher challenges than their rural counterparts. Patient activation for self-care, multimorbidity literacy, and technology-enabled tele-consultation could be explored as potential interventions. Future studies should qualitatively explore the challenges of physicians as well as garner an in-depth understanding of multimorbidity management in the vulnerable subgroups.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2020
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Toward COVID-19 Among the Public in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Background: Saudi Arabia has taken unprecedented and stringent preventive and precautionary measures against COVID-19 to control its spread, safeguard citizens and ensure their well-being. Public adherence to preventive measures is influenced by their knowledge and attitude toward COVID-19. This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Saudi public, toward COVID-19, during the pandemic. ⋯ We also found that older adults are likely to have better knowledge and practices, than younger people. Conclusions: Our finding suggests that targeted health education interventions should be directed to this particular vulnerable population, who may be at increased risk of contracting COVID-19. For example, COVID-19 knowledge may increase significantly if health education programs are specifically targeted at men.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2020
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Published Pregnancy Cases.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is an emerging concern regarding the potential adverse effects during pregnancy. This study reviews knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and describes the outcome of published cases of pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed®, Scopus®, Web of Science®, and MedRxiv® up to 26th June 2020, using PRISMA standards, to identify original published studies describing pregnant women at any gestational age diagnosed COVID-19. ⋯ Four breast milk samples from 92 cases showed evidence of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Emerging evidence suggests that vertical transmission is possible, however, there is still a limited number of reported cases with intrapartum samples. Information, counseling and adequate monitoring are essential to prevent and manage adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.