scholarly journals O-BN09 The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on benign upper GI surgery: The first 12 months at a single centre

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Michel ◽  
Helen Fifer ◽  
Emily Moran ◽  
Felix Hammett ◽  
Clare Bonner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waiting Times ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Operative Management ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
World Health ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Single Centre ◽  
The Road ◽  
Upper Gi ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The road to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic has started but no-one knows when it will end. 18 months on from the World Health Organisation declaring a global pandemic on the 11th March 2020 this has had a dramatic impact on both acute and elective hospital services. Whilst, quite rightly, the focus has been on prioritising cancer resections during the pandemic, many patients awaiting benign operations are facing lengthy waiting times. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on benign upper GI surgery at a single centre compared to previous operating activity levels. Methods Retrospective analysis of computerised theatre records for the first 12 months of the pandemic (11th March 2020-11th March 2021) were compared to average historical data (HD) over the last five years (2015-2019) over the same time frame. Benign upper Gi operations included were cholecystectomy, anti-reflux/hiatus hernia repairs, cardiomyotomies and bariatric procedures. Results Conclusions The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically affected benign upper GI surgery at our unit. Overall total operation numbers were down by 31% when compared to HD (440 vs 641). The largest deficit was in bariatrics where no bariatric surgery was performed during the first 12 months of the pandemic, which has restarted as of July 2021. There was also a 30% reduction in the number of cholecystectomies performed likely due to initial guidance recommending non-operative management at the start of the pandemic. Hiatal work numbers remained consistent. This quantitative study can direct future service delivery and help guide the post-pandemic recovery.

Discovery may help combat 'superbugs' globally

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Artemisinin Resistance ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Antimicrobial Drugs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Era ◽  
The Road ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
The Impact

Subject The impact of the new discovery on 'superbugs'. Significance The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies increasing resistance against antimicrobial drugs as a global health threat. In the case of malaria, which endangers about 50% of the world's population, resistance to the most effective antimalarial drug artemisinin is advancing in South-east Asia. However, recent research offers hope against antimicrobial resistant infections. In January, scientists published a revolutionary approach -- iChip-- to discover and study formerly unknown microorganisms and their antimicrobial activity. The iChip potentially paves the road for a new era of antimicrobial drug discovery that is urgently needed. Impacts The use of artemisinin-based monotherapies rather than combination treatments will contribute to artemisinin resistance. Artemisinin monotherapy is used in Angola, Cape Verde, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia and Swaziland. These countries are therefore in danger of emerging artemisinin-resistant malaria.

scholarly journals The Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Aetiology and Development of Uveal Melanoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1700
Author(s):  
Melissa Chalada ◽  
Charmaine A. Ramlogan-Steel ◽  
Bijay P. Dhungel ◽  
Christopher J. Layton ◽  
Jason C. Steel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Ultraviolet Radiation ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Genetic Mutations ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Uveal melanoma (UM) is currently classified by the World Health Organisation as a melanoma caused by risk factors other than cumulative solar damage. However, factors relating to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) susceptibility such as light-coloured skin and eyes, propensity to burn, and proximity to the equator, frequently correlate with higher risk of UM. These risk factors echo those of the far more common cutaneous melanoma (CM), which is widely accepted to be caused by excessive UVR exposure, suggesting a role of UVR in the development and progression of a proportion of UM. Indeed, this could mean that countries, such as Australia, with high UVR exposure and the highest incidences of CM would represent a similarly high incidence of UM if UVR exposure is truly involved. Most cases of UM lack the typical genetic mutations that are related to UVR damage, although recent evidence in a small minority of cases has shown otherwise. This review therefore reassesses statistical, environmental, anatomical, and physiological evidence for and against the role of UVR in the aetiology of UM.

scholarly journals Riding the waves: the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on a national surgical training cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orla Hennessy ◽  
Amy Lee Fowler ◽  
Conor Hennessy ◽  
David Brinkman ◽  
Aisling Hogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Training ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Surgical Services ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Surgical Trainees ◽  
Secondary Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 resulting in implementation of methods to contain viral spread, including curtailment of all elective and non-emergent interventions. Many institutions have experienced changes in rostering practices and redeployment of trainees to non-surgical services. Examinations, study days, courses, and conferences have been cancelled. These changes have the potential to significantly impact the education and training of surgical trainees. Aim To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on training, educational, and operative experiences of Irish surgical trainees. Methods Surgical trainees were surveyed anonymously regarding changes in working and educational practices since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020. The survey was circulated in May 2020 to both core and higher RCSI surgical trainees, when restrictions were at level five. Questions included previous and current access to operative sessions as well as operative cases, previous and current educational activities, access to senior-led training, and access to simulation-/practical-based training methods. A repeat survey was carried out in October 2020 when restrictions were at level two. Results Overall, primary and secondary survey response rates were 29% (n = 98/340) and 19.1% (n = 65/340), respectively. At the time of circulation of the second survey, the number of operative sessions attended and cases performed had significantly improved to numbers experienced pre-pandemic (p < 0.0001). Exposure to formal teaching and education sessions returned to pre-COVID levels (p < 0.0001). Initially, 23% of trainees had an examination cancelled; 53% of these trainees have subsequently sat these examinations. Of note 27.7% had courses cancelled, and 97% of these had not been rescheduled. Conclusion Surgical training and education have been significantly impacted in light of COVID-19. This is likely to continue to fluctuate in line with subsequent waves. Significant efforts have to be made to enable trainees to meet educational and operative targets.

scholarly journals Understanding Leisure Centre-Based Physical Activity after Physical Activity Referral: Evidence from Scheme Participants and Completers in Northumberland UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2957
Author(s):  
Jordan Bell ◽  
Lis Neubeck ◽  
Kai Jin ◽  
Paul Kelly ◽  
Coral L. Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Ordinal Regression ◽  
World Health ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk

Physical activity referral schemes (PARS) are a popular physical activity (PA) intervention in the UK. Little is known about the type, intensity and duration of PA undertaken during and post PARS. We calculated weekly leisure centre-based moderate/vigorous PA for PARS participants (n = 448) and PARS completers (n = 746) in Northumberland, UK, between March 2019–February 2020 using administrative data. We categorised activity levels (<30 min/week, 30–149 min/week and ≥150 min/week) and used ordinal regression to examine predictors for activity category achieved. PARS participants took part in a median of 57.0 min (IQR 26.0–90.0) and PARS completers a median of 68.0 min (IQR 42.0–100.0) moderate/vigorous leisure centre-based PA per week. Being a PARS completer (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.61–2.82) was a positive predictor of achieving a higher level of physical activity category compared to PARS participants. Female PARS participants were less likely (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43–0.97) to achieve ≥30 min of moderate/vigorous LCPA per week compared to male PARS participants. PARS participants achieved 38.0% and PARS completers 45.3% of the World Health Organisation recommended ≥150 min of moderate/vigorous weekly PA through leisure centre use. Strategies integrated within PARS to promote PA outside of leisure centre-based activity may help participants achieve PA guidelines.

“Air pollution arrested not imprisoned”: The impact of laws invoked on Covid-19 city lockdowns

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Mensah Aboagye ◽  
◽  
Nana Osei Owusu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
World Health ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Air pollution continues to be an environmental problem that poses a lot of health risks to the young and aged. Developed countries have invested heavily to curb this environmental problem, causing severe threats to human lives, yet the results do not look convincing. In developing countries, the situation is difficult than they can imagine, resulting in governments borrowing to fight what looks like a lost battle [1-3]. The in-depth study of this environmental menace - air pollution, suggests that the government enacts stringent measures to help fight this battle. This is because air pollution has natural (volcanic eruption) and anthropogenic (human activities) causes. In December 2019, the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak was soon declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) [4]. Majority of countries have had their share of the impact of this outbreak. Many countries resorted to city lockdown to strictly control the movement of people and economic activities as recommended by WHO.

scholarly journals Live wildlife trade in markets - a scoping review to inform risk assessment of emerging infectious diseases

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria J Brookes ◽  
Okta Wismandanu ◽  
Etih Sudarnika ◽  
Justin A Roby ◽  
Lynne Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
The Impact

Wet markets are important for food security in many regions worldwide but have come under scrutiny due to their potential role in the emergence of infectious diseases. The sale of live wildlife has been highlighted as a particular risk, and the World Health Organisation has called for the banning of live, wild-caught mammalian species in markets unless risk assessment and effective regulations are in place. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a global scoping review of peer-reviewed information about the sale of live, terrestrial wildlife in markets that are likely to sell fresh food, and collated data about the characteristics of such markets, activities involving live wildlife, the species sold, their purpose, and animal, human, and environmental health risks that were identified. Of the 59 peer-reviewed records within scope, only 25% (n = 14) focussed on disease risks; the rest focused on the impact of wildlife sale on conservation. Although there were some global patterns (for example, the types of markets and purpose of sale of wildlife), there was wide diversity and huge epistemic uncertainty in all aspects associated with live, terrestrial wildlife sale in markets such that the feasibility of accurate assessment of the risk of emerging infectious disease associated with live wildlife trade in markets is limited. Given the value of both wet markets and wildlife trade and the need to support food affordability and accessibility, conservation, public health, and the social and economic aspects of livelihoods of often vulnerable people, there are major information gaps that need to be addressed to develop evidence-based policy in this environment. This review identifies these gaps and provides a foundation from which information for risk assessments can be collected.

scholarly journals The Impact of Covid-19 Public Health Policies on Persons with Disability and their Caregivers in Malta

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Andrew Camilleri ◽  
Samantha Pace Gasan ◽  
Andrew Azzopardi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Essential Services ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
The Impact

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global health pandemic, due to the spread of a novel coronavirus, later named “Covid-19”. The spread of Covid-19 led to social isolation, distancing and a number of restrictive measures in Malta.  The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictive measures on persons with disability and their caregivers and families in Malta. Using thematic analysis, the study found that a variety of impacts ranging from a sense of isolation, lack of essential services being provided, additional difficulties encountered at the place of work and education and measures that were not sufficiently tailored for persons with disability issued by public health authorities. Underlying the additional difficulties brought about by Covid-19, structural difficulties to access essential services as well as ignorance from policy makers and politicians and the added “vulnerable-ization” of persons with disabilities were found to be highly impacting factors that pervade the experience of persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

A United Kingdom Single Centre Review of the Impact of Extended Waiting Times in Scoliosis: The Effect of a Delay to Surgical Treatment of Greater Than 12 Months

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. S331
Author(s):  
Morgan Jones ◽  
Matthew Newton Ede ◽  
Jwalant Mehta ◽  
Adrian Gardner ◽  
Jonathan Spilsbury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Single Centre ◽  
The Impact

29 September, International Day of Otolaryngologist

2020 ◽  
pp. 75-79
Author(s):  
Oksana Rybachok
Keyword(s):  
Injury Risk ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
The World ◽  
Injury Risk Factor ◽  
The Impact

According to the World Health Organisation, deafness is one of the most widely spread sensory disorders in the world affecting about 360 million people worldwide. The causes of deafness can be very diverse, from genetic diseases, the impact of injury-risk factor and infectious agents to the administration of ototoxic drugs. Moreover, otolaryngologists believe that about half of deafness and hearing loss cases could have been prevented. Though otolaryngology was separated as an independent medical science in the mid-18th century, the decision to celebrate the Otolaryngologist Day on September 29 as a professional holiday for medical practitioners in this speciality was made not so long ago. This date at the end of September was chosen on purpose: the influx of patients to medical practitioners in this speciality is observed closer to the mid-autumn, after the first cold snap.

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