Articles: pandemics.
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Childhood exposure to neighborhood firearm violence adversely affects mental and physical health across the life course. Study objectives were to (1) quantify racial disparities in these exposures across the U.S. and (2) assess changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, when firearm violence increased. ⋯ Large-scale racial disparities exist in child exposure to neighborhood firearm violence, and these disparities grew during the pandemic. Equitable access to trauma-informed programs, community-based prevention, and structural reforms are urgently needed.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the development of alternative means of accessing unplanned care in order to avoid unnecessary ED presentations and hospital admissions. We explore the definition of emergency medicine, which patients are better served by accessing unplanned hospital care via alternative pathways, and the concept of emergency care completion.
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The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had wide-reaching direct and indirect impacts on population health. In low- and middle-income countries, these impacts can halt progress toward reducing maternal and child mortality. This study estimates changes in health services utilization during the pandemic and the associated consequences for maternal, neonatal, and child mortality. ⋯ Declines in healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the pandemic's harmful impacts on health outcomes and threaten to reverse gains in reducing maternal and child mortality. As efforts and resource allocation toward prevention and treatment of COVID-19 continue, essential health services must be maintained, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact beyond physical morbidity and mortality. A mid-cycle Community Health Needs Assessment survey was administered in 1 community to generate data to evaluate change in community well-being since the beginning of the pandemic. ⋯ Using the Community Health Needs Assessment infrastructure, 1 community was able to compare prepandemic with postpandemic data, which showed decreased well-being and increased substance use and financial stress. Other public health planners can similarly conduct interval surveys on the basis of their Community Health Needs Assessment questionnaires to tailor ongoing Community Health Improvement Plan programming to postpandemic needs and track community mental health and well-being recovery.
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While hate crimes rose during the COVID-19 pandemic, few studies examined whether this pandemic-time racial discrimination has led to negative health consequences at the population level. ⋯ Racial discrimination may be associated with higher likelihood of distress, and cigarette smoking among racial and ethnic minorities. Addressing racial discrimination is important for mitigating negative mental and behavioral health ramifications of the pandemic.