scholarly journals Learning from the past: did experience with previous epidemics help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 among spine surgeons worldwide?

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1789-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Weiner ◽  
Peter R. Swiatek ◽  
Daniel J. Johnson ◽  
Philip K. Louie ◽  
Garrett K. Harada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Effective Measure ◽  
International Guidelines ◽  
The World ◽  
Stress Coping Strategies ◽  
Spine Surgeon ◽  
Disease Epidemics ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose Spine surgeons around the world have been universally impacted by COVID-19. The current study addressed whether prior experience with disease epidemics among the spine surgeon community had an impact on preparedness and response toward COVID-19. Methods A 73-item survey was distributed to spine surgeons worldwide via AO Spine. Questions focused on: demographics, COVID-19 preparedness, response, and impact. Respondents with and without prior epidemic experience (e.g., SARS, H1NI, MERS) were assessed on preparedness and response via univariate and multivariate modeling. Results of the survey were compared against the Global Health Security Index. Results Totally, 902 surgeons from 7 global regions completed the survey. 24.2% of respondents had prior experience with global health crises. Only 49.6% reported adequate access to personal protective equipment. There were no differences in preparedness reported by respondents with prior epidemic exposure. Government and hospital responses were fairly consistent around the world. Prior epidemic experience did not impact the presence of preparedness guidelines. There were subtle differences in sources of stress, coping strategies, performance of elective surgeries, and impact on income driven by prior epidemic exposure. 94.7% expressed a need for formal, international guidelines to help mitigate the impact of the current and future pandemics. Conclusions This is the first study to note that prior experience with infectious disease crises did not appear to help spine surgeons prepare for the current COVID-19 pandemic. Based on survey results, the GHSI was not an effective measure of COVID-19 preparedness. Formal international guidelines for crisis preparedness are needed to mitigate future pandemics.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in conflict region: the arab levant response

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazih A. Bizri ◽  
Walid Alam ◽  
Tala Mobayed ◽  
Hani Tamim ◽  
Maha Makki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Stable State ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
The Other ◽  
Global Health Security ◽  
Health Security ◽  
The World

Abstract Background COVID-19 has hit the world in an unprecedented way causing serious repercussions on several aspects of our life. Multiple determinants have affected various nations’ level of success in their responses towards the pandemic. The Arab Levant region in the Middle East, notoriously known for repeated wars and conflicts, has been affected, similarly to other regions, by this pandemic. The combination of war, conflict, and a pandemic brings too much of a burden for any nation to handle. Methods A descriptive analysis of data obtained from the health departments of various Arab Levant Countries (ALC) was performed. ALC include Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. The data collected involves incidence, recovery rate, case fatality rate and number of tests performed per million population, Global Health Security index, government stringency index, and political stability index. The information obtained was compared and analyzed among the ALC and compared to global figures. An extensive electronic literature search to review all relevant articles and reports published from the region was conducted. The 2019 Global Health Security (GHS) index was obtained from the “GHS index” website which was made by John Hopkins University’s center for health security, the Nuclear threat Initiative (NTI) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Government stringency index and political stability index were obtained from the University of Oxford and the website of “The Global Economy”, respectively. Other world governance indicators such as government effectiveness were obtained from the World Bank website. Results In terms of incidence of COVID-19, Iraq has the highest with 9665 per one million population, Syria the lowest at 256 per million. Deaths per million population was highest in Iraq at 237, and the lowest in Syria at 12. As for number of tests per million population, Lebanon ranked first at 136,033 with Iraq fourth at 59,795. There is no data available for the tests administered in Syria and subsequently no value for tests per million population. In terms of recoveries from COVID-19 per million population, Iraq had the highest number at 7903 per million, and Syria the lowest at 68 per million. When compared as percent recovery per million, Palestine ranked first (84%) and Syria last (27%). The government response stringency index shows that Jordan had the highest index (100) early in the pandemic among the other countries. Palestine’s index remained stable between 80 and 96. The other countries’ indices ranged from 50 to 85, with Lebanon seeing a drop to 24 in mid-August. Even with improved stringency index, Iraq reported an increased number of deaths. Conclusion In countries devastated by war and conflict, a pandemic such as COVID-19 can easily spread. The Arab Levant countries represent a breeding ground for pandemics given their unstable political and economic climate that has undoubtedly affected their healthcare systems. In the era of COVID-19, looking at healthcare systems as well as political determinants is needed to assess a country’s readiness towards the pandemic. The unrest in Lebanon, the uprising in Iraq, the restrictions placed on Syria, and the economic difficulties in Palestine are all examples of determinants affecting pandemic management. Jordan, on the contrary, is a good example of a stable state, able to implement proper measures. Political stability index should be used as a predictor for pandemic management capacity, and individual measures should be tailored towards countries depending on their index.

Global impact of antimicrobial resistance

2019 ◽  
pp. 569-576
Author(s):  
Catherine Berry
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Security Threat ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Global Impact ◽  
The World ◽  
Resistant Infection ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

This chapter describes the worrisome trend of resistance development in antibacterial agents with exponential increases in resistance to the most effective classes of antibiotics. Described by the World Health Organization as a major global health security threat, the annual deaths from drug-resistant infection are projected to increase from 700,000 to 10 million by 2050. This chapter outlines the impact of antimicrobial resistance in humanitarian settings and provides practical approaches which can be used by organizations and health providers.

scholarly journals Needs assessment and impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy professionals in 31 commonwealth countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Ashiru-Oredope ◽  
◽  
Amy Hai Yan Chan ◽  
Omotayo Olaoye ◽  
Victoria Rutter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
The World ◽  
Pandemic Response ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The declaration of COVID-19 a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020 marked the beginning of a global health crisis of an unprecedented nature and scale. The approach taken by countries across the world varied widely, however, the delivery of frontline healthcare was consistently recognised as being central to the pandemic response. This study aimed to identify and explore the issues currently facing pharmacy teams across Commonwealth countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also evaluates pharmacy professionals’ understanding of key knowledge areas from the COVID-19 webinar hosted by the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association (CPA). Method A quantitative survey-based approach was adopted, using a 32-item questionnaire developed from the literature on pharmacy and pandemic response. The survey was hosted on Survey Monkey and pilot tested. The final survey was disseminated by CPA member organisations. A 6-item online questionnaire was sent via email to all attendees of CPA's COVID-19 webinar. Descriptive statistics on frequency distributions and percentages were used to analyse the responses. Data were analysed using Microsoft® Excel (2010). Results There were 545 responses from pharmacy professionals across 31/54 Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. Majority of the respondents reported being at least somewhat worried (90%) and more than 65% were very worried or extremely about the impact of COVID-19 on them personally and professionally. Nearly two-thirds of respondents stated finding it somewhat difficult or very difficult to work effectively during the pandemic. Challenges mostly faced by pharmacy professionals working remotely included; general anxiety about the impact of COVID-19 on their lives (12%), and difficulties in communicating with their co-workers (12%). Most pharmacy professionals had not previously been actively involved in a global health emergency (82%) nor obtained training on global/public health emergency preparedness (62%). Between 45 and 97% of the COVID-19 webinar attendees provided the correct answers to post-webinar questions, suggesting some improvement in knowledge. Conclusion Our study confirms pharmacy professionals’ concerns about practice during a pandemic and provides preliminary data on the challenges and learning needs of the profession. The CPA has since acted on these findings, providing ongoing opportunities to develop and refine resources for the profession as the pandemic evolves. Pharmacy professionals have also demonstrated improved knowledge on the management of COVID-19 and resources available for professionals.

scholarly journals The impact of Covid-19 on international financial markets: winners and losers

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-75
Author(s):  
Gema Orihuel Bañuls
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
2008 Financial Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
The 2008 Financial Crisis ◽  
The Impact

The pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 (Covid-19) virus has triggered a worldwide impact on the economy that has been firstly reflected in the financial markets‘ performance. As a consequence of this global health emergency, the world economy is going to deal with its greatest threat since the 2008 Financial Crisis. However, the collapse and recovery of countries and industries are likely to be divergent. This paper aims to provide a global picture of different stock exchange indexes’ progress, including SP 500, Eurostoxx 50, IBEX 35 and CSI 300. In addition, components‘ performance of the Eurostoxx 50 have been analyzed in order to gather more specific information regarding the Covid-19 impact in different industries. Results have revealed that recovery in some of the stock markets are due to large corporation’s resilience and some winning sectors. As a result, the economic recovery is taking the form of a "K".

scholarly journals Firearm violence: a neglected “Global Health” issue

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Werbick ◽  
Imran Bari ◽  
Nino Paichadze ◽  
Adnan A. Hyder
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Health Issue ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Firearm Violence ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Health Issue ◽  
The Impact

AbstractPopulations around the world are facing an increasing burden of firearm violence on mortality and disability. While firearm violence affects every country globally, the burden is significantly higher in many low- and middle-income countries. However, despite overwhelming statistics, there is a lack of research, reporting, and prioritization of firearm violence as a global public health issue, and when attention is given it is focused on high-income countries. This paper discusses the impact of firearm violence, the factors which shape such violence, and how it fits into global public health frameworks in order to illustrate how firearm violence is a global health issue which warrants evidence-based advocacy around the world.

scholarly journals Doctoral Candidates’ Academic Writing Output and Strategies: Navigating the Challenges of Academic Writing During a Global Health Crisis

10.28945/4755 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 291-317
Author(s):  
Basil Cahusac de Caux
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Doctoral Candidates

Aim/Purpose: To date, few studies have investigated the impact of global health crises on the academic writing of doctoral candidates. This paper seeks to start a conversation about the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral candidates’ academic writing output and strategies. Background: This paper employs and analyses data elicited from surveys and interviews involving doctoral candidates from around the world. Data were collected during April 2020, at a time when government-mandated lockdowns and restrictions on movement were in full force in many countries around the world. Methodology: Surveys were conducted with 118 doctoral candidates from over 40 institutions based in four continents. Follow-up interviews were carried out with four doctoral candidates enrolled in an Australian institution. A qualitative descriptive design, employing thematic analysis, is used to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral candidates’ writing output and strategies. The data analysis includes statistical descriptions of the surveys. Contribution: This paper provides insights into the myriad challenges and obstacles facing doctoral candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the writing strategies adopted by doctoral candidates during a period of significant societal disruption, and illustrates how thematic analysis can be employed in research involving global health crises. Findings: Despite the adoption of novel approaches to academic writing, which appear in an insignificant minority of respondents, doctoral candidates’ overall commitment to academic writing has been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Similarly, delays to academic research activities caused by the pandemic have resulted in a significant decline in commitment (motivation) to academic writing and a substantial impact on doctoral candidates’ ability to write about their research. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors and mentors should strive to provide doctoral candidates with timely feedback during the pandemic. Given the impact of the pandemic on doctoral candidates’ mental health and motivation to write, increased institutional and peer support is required to help doctoral candidates overcome academic issues during the pandemic and future health crises. This researcher recommends consulting regularly with and offering individually tailored solutions to doctoral candidates who are struggling to work on their theses during the pandemic. Similarly, institutions should empower supervisors in ways that allow them to provide greater levels of support to doctoral candidates. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research on the impacts of the pandemic on various academic cohorts, such as early career researchers (doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and assistant professors) and student cohorts (e.g., undergraduate and postgraduate), will clarify the extent to which the pandemic is impacting the academic writing of doctoral candidates. Impact on Society: The pressure placed on doctoral candidates to produce quality academic writing seems to have been heightened by the pandemic. This has a range of adverse effects for the higher education sector, particularly administrators responsible for managing doctoral candidate success and the academe, which recruits many of its faculty from holders of doctorate degrees. Future Research: Additional focus on academic writing of doctoral candidates during the pandemic is needed. Research should include randomised samples and represent a range of academic disciplines.

Conference Report: Global Health Security Alliance (GLoHSA), a Product of the World Health Summit

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
John M. Quinn ◽  
Christian Haggenmiller ◽  
James M. Wilson ◽  
Tracey McNamara ◽  
Stefan Goebbels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Conference Report ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Health Security ◽  
Health Security ◽  
The World ◽  
The Right ◽  
Key Resources ◽  
Rapid Deployment ◽  
Security Alliance

ABSTRACT Over the past decade, the World Health Summit (WHS) has provided a global platform for policy-makers and decision-makers to interact with academics and practitioners on global health. Recently the WHS adopted health security into their agenda for transnational disease risks (eg, Ebola and antimicrobial resistance) that increasingly threaten multiple sectors. Global health engagement (GHE) focuses efforts across interdisciplinary and interorganizational lines to identify critical threats and provide rapid deployment of key resources at the right time for addressing health security risks. As a product of subject matter experts convening at the WHS, a special side-group has organically risen with leadership and coordination from the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies in support of GHE activities across governmental, academic, and industry partners. Through novel approaches and targeted methodology that maximize outcomes and streamline global health operational process, the Global Health Security Alliance (GloHSA) was born. This short conference report describes in more detail the GloHSA.

Epilogue

2021 ◽  
pp. 191-206
Author(s):  
Clare Wenham
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Social Reproduction ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Downstream Effects ◽  
Stratified Reproduction ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
The World

This epilogue discusses COVID-19, which reveal much about gender in global health security. It highlights that women are more likely to be healthcare workers, demonstrating the visibility missing in COVID-19, yet this is not recognised by policymakers. Women are also more likely to suffer the downstream effects of social reproduction through school closures and stay-at-home orders as well as the associated mental load. The epilogue also shows how COVID-19 has affected access to SRH services with an impact on stratified reproduction. It concludes that the everyday crisis of women trying to manage the response, whilst at risk of soaring rates of GBV and lack of access to sanitation and space, verifies the argument made throughout this book. Now the world is listening.

COVID-19 Vaccine Nationalism and Politicization

2021 ◽  
pp. 86-111
Author(s):  
Savithri Sellapperumage
Keyword(s):  
Developing Nations ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
The Political ◽  
Power Politics ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Political Dimension ◽  
The World ◽  
Vaccine Distribution ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Global Initiatives

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the world uprooting people from their livelihoods and toppling the economy of the world. Thus, to everyone's interest, producing a vaccine became the priority to gain at least half the normalcy in day-to-day activities of the world. With over a year passing, several states have come to the front in producing vaccines, having completed tedious processes of research and clinical trials. The next mammoth task at hand is distribution and administration in countries. However, with only a few countries gaining the advantage of production, they are seen to exercise power politics in purchasing and distribution of the vaccine. Developing countries have succumbed to a difficult predicament amidst balancing the great powers and the financial inability to obtain the vaccination. Therefore, the chapter explores the political dimension to vaccine distribution and the plight of developing nations in obtaining the vaccine. Further, the chapter observes the global initiatives taken to address the issue and the impact of distribution on health security.

Taiwan’s Participation in the World Organisation for Animal Health (oie): Modalities, Utility, and Challenges

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Vincent Rollet
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Global Health Security ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Health Governance ◽  
Health Security ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Related ◽  
World Organisation

Abstract This article explores the utility of membership in international organisations for states with specific status within the international community, focusing on Taiwan’s surprisingly neglected involvement in the World Organisation for Animal Health or oie (Office International des Épizooties). The paper shows that in addition to its contribution to the legitimisation of Taiwan’s identities, such participation has also enabled Taiwan to shape international norms in the field of animal health, increase international cooperation opportunities, strengthen domestic and global health security, and facilitate the trade of animal health-related products. Additionally, it has contributed to the domestic implementation of international animal health norms and helped increase the accountability of Taiwanese authorities in the domain of animal health management. Despite tremendous challenges, Taiwan still has plenty of opportunities to enhance its participation in global health governance through its membership in oie.

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