Frontiers in public health
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Front Public Health · Jan 2021
Mandatory Mask-Wearing and Hand Hygiene Associated With Decreased Infectious Diseases Among Patients Undergoing Regular Hemodialysis: A Historical-Control Study.
Background: Infections are the second leading cause of death among patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, preventive measures against infectious diseases are limited and have not been made mandatory for patients. Objective: To investigate the incidence of infectious diseases before and during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ A matched-pair study was conducted to further analyze the 79 individual changes in the incidences of infectious disease before and during the pandemic. As a result, the incidences of UTRI, pneumonia, catheter-related infections, digestive tract infections, and infections at other sites all decreased during the pandemic. Conclusions: The present study indicated an association between mandatory mask-wearing and reinforced hand hygiene education and decreased respiratory, catheter-related, and digestive tract infection episodes in the hemodialysis unit.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2021
Barriers Influencing Vaccine Development Timelines, Identification, Causal Analysis, and Prioritization of Key Barriers by KOLs in General and Covid-19 Vaccine R&D.
A frequently mentioned factor holding back the introduction of new vaccines on the market are their prohibitively long development timelines. These hamper their potential societal benefit and impairs the ability to quickly respond to emerging new pathogens. This is especially worrisome since new pathogens are emerging at all-time high rates of over one per year, and many age-old pathogens are still not vaccine preventable. ⋯ Of highest impact on Covid-19 vaccine development, are lack of knowledge concerning pathogen target, high risk of upscaling unlicensed vaccines, and proof of principle not meeting late-stage requirements. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that barriers hampering timelines in vaccine development are present across the Vaccine Innovation Cycle. Prioritizing the impact of barriers in general, and in Covid-19 vaccine development, shows clear differences that can be used to inform policies to speed up development in both war and peace time.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2021
Perspectives of Policymakers on the Introduction and Scale-Up of HIV Self-Testing and Implication for National HIV Programming in Ghana.
Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST) has the potential to greatly increase HIV testing uptake, particularly among key populations (KPs) at higher risk for HIV. Studies have shown high acceptability and feasibility of HIVST among various target populations globally. However, less is known about the perspectives of policymakers, who are critical to the success of HIVST implementation. ⋯ Despite the challenges mentioned, policymakers unanimously favored and called for the introduction of HIVST in Ghana. Conclusions: Findings indicate that a non-conventional HIV testing strategy such as HIVST is highly acceptable to policymakers. However, successful introduction of HIVST hinges on having national guidelines in place and stakeholder consultations to address various individual and structural -level implementation issues.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2021
Prevalence and Related Factors of Depression, Anxiety, Acute Stress, and Insomnia Symptoms Among Medical Staffs Experiencing the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Xinjiang, China.
The prevalence and related factors of mental health impact among medical staffs who experienced the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China is unknown. Therefore, this survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence and related factors of depressive, anxiety, acute stress, and insomnia symptoms in medical staffs in Kashi, Xinjiang, China during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among medical staffs working in First People's Hospital of Kashi, Xinjiang. ⋯ Several factors were found to be associated with mental health conditions. These findings could help identify medical staffs at risk for mental health problems and be helpful for making precise mental health intervention policies during the resurgence. Our study may pave way for more research into Xinjiang during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Front Public Health · Jan 2021
Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study From Pakistan.
Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly increased the rate of mortality and morbidity worldwide due to its rapid transmission rate. The mental health status of individuals could have a negative impact attributed to this global situation. Therefore, this study was intended to explore the symptoms of depression and anxiety among healthcare workers (HCWs) of Pakistan during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Female HCWs, nurses, frontline HCWs, and HCWs aged 30-49 years were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety (p < 0.05). Conclusion: During the recent ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, there is a mild level of symptoms of depression and anxiety among HCWs. Our findings call for urgent psychological interventions for vulnerable groups of Pakistani HCWs.