scholarly journals Nepali Older Adults With Pre-existing Conditions and Their Healthcare Access Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 953-954
Author(s):  
Aman Shrestha ◽  
Saruna Ghimire ◽  
Uday Narayan Yadav ◽  
Bunsi Chapadia ◽  
Om Prakash Yadav ◽  
...  

Abstract COVID-19 has greatly impacted older adults with pre-existing non-communicable conditions (hereafter called pre-existing conditions) in terms of their access to essential healthcare services. Based on the theory of vertical health equity, this study investigated access to healthcare by Nepali older adults with pre-existing conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study surveyed 847 randomly selected older adults (≥60 years) in three districts of eastern Nepal. Survey questionnaire, administered by trained community health workers, collected information on participants reported difficulty obtaining routine care and medications during the pandemic, in addition to questions on demographics, socioeconomic factors, and pre-existing conditions. Cumulative scores for pre-existing conditions were recoded as no pre-existing condition, single condition, and multimorbidity for the analyses. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions determined inferences. Nearly two-thirds of the participants had a pre-existing condition (43.8% single condition and 22.8% multimorbid) and reported experiencing difficulty obtaining routine care (52.8%) and medications (13.5%). Participants with single (OR: 3.06, 95%CI: 2.17-4.32) and multimorbid (OR: 5.62, 95%CI: 3.63-8.71) conditions had three and five-fold increased odds of experiencing difficulty accessing routine care. Findings were similar for difficulty obtaining medication (OR single: 3.12, 95%CI: 1.71-5.69; OR multimorbid: 3.98, 95%CI: 2.01-7.87) where odds were greater than three-folds. Older adults with pre-existing conditions in Nepal, who require routine medical care and medication, faced significant difficulties obtaining them during the pandemic, which may lead to deterioration in their pre-existing conditions. Public health emergency preparedness should incorporate plans for both managing the emergency and providing continuing care.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. e007051
Author(s):  
Sabuj Kanti Mistry ◽  
ARM Mehrab Ali ◽  
Uday Narayan Yadav ◽  
Md. Nazmul Huda ◽  
Saruna Ghimire ◽  
...  

BackgroundCOVID-19 has seriously disrupted health services in many countries including Bangladesh. This research aimed to explore whether Rohingya (forcefully displaced Myanmar nationals) older adults in Bangladesh faced difficulties accessing medicines and routine medical care services amid this pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 416 Rohingya older adults aged 60 years and above residing in Rohingya refugee camps situated in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh and was conducted in October 2020. A purposive sampling technique was followed, and participants’ perceived difficulties in accessing medicines and routine medical care were noted through face-to-face interviews. Binary logistic regression models determined the association between outcome and explanatory variables.ResultsOverall, one-third of the participants reported difficulties in accessing medicines and routine medical care. Significant factors associated with facing difficulties accessing medicine included feelings of loneliness (adjusted OR (AOR) 3.54, 95% CI 1.93 to 6.48), perceptions that older adults were at the highest risk of COVID-19 (AOR 3.35, 95% CI 1.61 to 6.97) and required additional care during COVID-19 (AOR 6.89, 95% CI 3.62 to 13.13). Also, the notable factors associated with difficulties in receiving routine medical care included living more than 30 min walking distance from the health centre (AOR 3.57, 95% CI 1.95 to 6.56), feelings of loneliness (AOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.25 to 3.87), perception that older adults were at the highest risk of COVID-19 (AOR 2.85, 95% CI 1.36 to 5.99) and perception that they required additional care during the pandemic (AOR 4.55, 95% CI 2.48 to 8.35).ConclusionMany Rohingya older adults faced difficulties in accessing medicines and routine medical care during this pandemic. This call for policy-makers and relevant stakeholders to re-assess emergency preparedness plans including strategies to provide continuing care.


Author(s):  
Aravind Gandhi P ◽  
Tanveer Rehman ◽  
Divya Ilanchoorian ◽  
Soundappan Kathirvel

Abstract Objectives The study assessed the community preparedness to manage the COVID-19 and access to healthcare services during the lockdown of 2020 in a rural health block of northern India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted during June-July, 2020 in 25 villages and five wards of a rural administrative block of Haryana. A pre-tested, semi-structured investigator administered checklist was used to assess the community preparedness and practices for COVID-19 prevention/control and healthcare access through direct observations and interviewing community health workers and beneficiaries. Results Active surveillance for influenza-like illness was carried out in 86.7% of the study units, though the frequency was once a month. There was poor adherence (adherence: 0-3%) to COVID-19 infection prevention & control (IPC) measures such as physical distancing and use of face masks. Rural beneficiaries reported difficulty accessing essential healthcare services than their urban counterparts. Conclusion A qualitative study to understand the facilitators and barriers for the non-adherence to IPCs measures by the study population and formulating behaviour change communication strategies for improving the IPCs is needed. Repeat, cross-sectional surveys at regular intervals may be planned to gauge the change and effect of the interventions on the community preparedness and practices.


Author(s):  
Dur-e- Nishat

Background: Family medicine is a field in which complete and detailed set of healthcare services are provided to the patients and their families. In developed countries, freshly graduated students choose family medicine as a priority for their career. However, in Pakistan it is not the case. The present study is undertaken to determine the perceptions of final year medical students’ about Family Medicine as a viable career. Methods: A total number of 504 students participated in the study. This was a cross-sectional study. The study participants were in their final year of medical college. Data was collected using a preapproved questionnaire. Data was entered and analyzed via SPSS version 17 and Chi-Square test was used post-stratification. Results: Only 14.3% (n=72) medical students had heard about Family Medicine. Only 18% (n=92) would select family medicine as a profession. The most frequent rationale for choosing the field of Family Medicine was the variety of patients seen in general practice (55.4% n=51). Conclusion: There is a dire need to focus on increasing awareness about the field of family medicine among medical students. The students should be counseled on the advantages along with the disadvantages of choosing this field as a medical profession.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-52
Author(s):  
Priyanka Kumari ◽  
Nisha Kumari Ojha

Globally anemia accounts for a majority of the nutritional problem and it is principally engendered by deficiency of iron. Its prevalence is inordinately higher among developing nations, because of low socioeconomic status and poor access to healthcare services. In developing countries, the adolescent group is more exposed to nutritional challenges and adolescent girls are more vulnerable to the disease. This survey is intended to evaluate the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among adolescent girls in age group of 12-15 year in Jaipur district, this survey also generated the anemic cases in the adolescent girls of age 12-15 year. A cross sectional study was conducted from August 2019 to January 2020 by attending health check-up camps at various areas situated within 20 kilometers in Jaipur district. Hemoglobin estimation was done by using three-part auto analyzer method. Statistical analysis was done using Percentages and Chi-square Test. 75.39% girls were found anemic. Statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was found in anemia in adolescent girls with the history of receiving iron folic acid (IFA) supplementation, deworming, age, habitat, family type and status of menarche. Present study reveals that 75.39% girls were found anemic and the problem is significantly associated with status of IFA supplementation, deworming and family type.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205343452110616
Author(s):  
Budi Yanti ◽  
Nurdarlila Armita ◽  
Iskandar Zakaria

Introduction Health workers are at high risk of contracting the disease because they are at the forefront of assisting COVID19 patients. Globally, Indonesia has the worst death toll of health workers. Many previous studies have shown the differences in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of health workers in handling with the COVID19 pandemic. This study aims to asses the role of knowledge, attitudes, and health workers' preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aceh Pidie Jaya District. Methods A cross-sectional study and the data were collected by distributing online questionnaires about knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and preparedness related to the COVID-19 at 12 Pidie Jaya District health centers. The knowledge, behavior, and preparedness parameters used Guttman and Likert scales to measure the workers' attitudes. Chi-square test was used to evaluate the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and preparedness. Results In this study, 377 health workers were selected, the majority of respondents' education level was diploma, level 3 (257, 76.3%), and one-third of the respondents did not attend training. There are 197 (58.5%) respondents who had good knowledge, 177 (52.5%) positive attitudes, 283 (84%) good behavior, and 173 (51, 3%) well prepared. Furthermore, good knowledge, positive attitude, and good behavior had a significant correlation statistically with well prepared during the pandemic (p < 0.05). Discussion Most of the health workers in Aceh Pidie Jaya have good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good behavior that create adequate preparedness. Even though training is still very limited, educational attainment would remain the cornerstone for preparedness to encounter COVID-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alifa Dinda Septifani ◽  
Apriningsih Apriningsih

Posyandu was one manifestation of Health Efforts on Community Based (UKBM). Based on data Posyandu Mawar 2 in February 2015 there were a decreased number of mothers’s visit from 81.25% to 62.5%, so the researchers wanted to know about association of the mother’s perception with the utilization of The Posyandu. This research used cross sectional study design using total sampling (80 mothers). Data collection was done by direct interviews based on the questionnaire and analyzed using Chi Square. The result there’s a significant association between mother’ss perception of the distance to the utilization of Posyandu RW 06 Posyandu Mawar 2 Kebagusan South Jakarta and there’s no significant relationship between education, employment and the knowledge and mothers’perceptions about the completeness of facilities, the attitude of cadres and the presence of health workers. Suggestions for Posyandu is to increase  of  mother’confident to visit Posyandu


F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Sabuj Kanti Mistry ◽  
ARM Mehrab Ali ◽  
Uday Narayan Yadav ◽  
Nafis Md. Irfan ◽  
Binod Rayamajhee ◽  
...  

Background The COVID-19 has been appeared as the most remarkable global calamity of this century. Just as the COVID-19 spread throughout the world, so as the rumour and misconceptions related to it. The present study aimed to explore the prevalence of COVID-19 related misconceptions and its correlates among the older adults in Bangladesh. Methods The study followed a cross-sectional design and was conducted among 1032 participants aged 60 years and above from Bangladesh. Information was collected on 14 different locally relevant misconceptions related to the spread, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19, scored each misconception as one, and obtained a cumulative score, ranging from 0 to 14, with a higher score indicating a higher level of misconceptions. A multiple linear regression model explored the factors associated with misconceptions. Results The most common misconceptions were, all returning migrants carrying COVID-19 (45.5%), wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in outdoors (80.1%), not going to the funeral of people died of COVID-19 (45.2%), its prevention by nutritious food (57.6%) and drinking water (39.4%), and doctor can cure COVID-19 (49.9%). Misconceptions were higher among the participants who were living alone, whose family members were not responsive to their needs during COVID-19, and who received COVID-19 related information from Radio/TV and health workers. These misconceptions were less likely among those who were aged 70-79 years, who had pre-existing non-communicable chronic conditions, who were overwhelmed by COVID-19, and who felt themselves at highest risk of COVID-19. Conclusion Overall, we found that misconceptions were prevalent among the older adults in Bangladesh. Government and other relevant stakeholders should take immediate actions to address the prevalent misconceptions through using appropriate channels, media, and message delivery systems, and applying evidence-based risk communication methods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-115
Author(s):  
Yurike Septianingrum ◽  
Andikawati Fitriasari ◽  
Erika Martining Wardani

Background: During the Covid-19 outbreak, health workers, especially nurses, are vulnerable to potential psychological symptoms such as anxiety, which can prevent nurses from carrying out their role as caregivers in health services (Lai et al., 2020; Shanafelt et al., 2020). Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that can influence the anxiety of nurses in playing the role of caregiver during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a population of all nurses who met the inclusion criteria as much as 105 nurses. The research sample was selected through stratified random sampling and obtained 84 nurses. This research was conducted at RSI Jemursari Surabaya from June until September 2020. The research instruments used in this study were the demographic observation sheet, knowledge questionnaire, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rank Scale (HARS). Data analysis used Pearson chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The results of the Pearson Chi-square test showed that of all the factors studied, only age (p = 0.004), availability of personal protective equipment (p = 0.002), and knowledge (p = 0.017) influenced nurses' anxiety. The results of the analysis using multivariate logistic regression test showed that the factor that most influenced nurses' anxiety was the availability of personal protective equipment (p = 0.001; OR = -3.062). Conclusion: Younger nurses, inadequate personal protective equipment, and less knowledgeable nurses were at high risk for more severe anxiety. Regular observation of the psychological condition of nurses and the fulfillment of the need for personal protective equipment is needed to prevent increased anxiety in nurses.   Keywords: Nurse, anxiety, Covid-19, caregiver.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Michalowsky ◽  
Wolfgang Hoffmann ◽  
Jens Bohlken ◽  
Karel Kostev

Abstract Background There is little evidence about the utilisation of healthcare services and disease recognition in the older population, which was urged to self-isolate during the COVID-19 lockdown. Objectives We aimed to describe the utilisation of physician consultations, specialist referrals, hospital admissions and the recognition of incident diseases in Germany for this age group during the COVID-19 lockdown. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Setting 1,095 general practitioners (GPs) and 960 specialist practices in Germany. Subjects 2.45 million older patients aged 65 or older. Methods The number of documented physician consultations, specialist referrals, hospital admissions and incident diagnoses during the imposed lockdown in 2020 was descriptively analysed and compared to 2019. Results Physician consultations decrease slightly in February (−2%), increase before the imposed lockdown in March (+9%) and decline in April (−18%) and May (−14%) 2020 compared to the same periods in 2019. Volumes of hospital admissions decrease earlier and more intensely than physician consultations (−39 versus −6%, respectively). Overall, 15, 16 and 18% fewer incident diagnoses were documented by GPs, neurologists and diabetologists, respectively, in 2020. Diabetes, dementia, depression, cancer and stroke were diagnosed less frequently during the lockdown (−17 to −26%), meaning that the decrease in the recognition of diseases was greater than the decrease in physician consultations. Conclusion The data suggest that organisational changes were adopted quickly by practice management but also raise concerns about the maintenance of routine care. Prospective studies should evaluate the long-term effects of lockdowns on patient-related outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florani Asanab ◽  
Ribka Limbu ◽  
Enjelita M. Ndoen

Mothers’ regularity of weighing their children aged <5 yo at Posyandu is crucial to monitor the growth, nutritional status, and health of the children. Several factors could affect mothers’ regularity in weighing their children at Posyandu. This study aimed to identify factors affecting mothers to regularly measure the weight of their children <5 yo at Posyandu in Toobaun Village Kupang District. The study used an analytical survey with a cross-sectional study design. The sample was 57 mothers who had under-five children obtained by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through interviews using questionnaires and analyzed using the chi-square test. The result showed that knowledge (p= 0,002) and distance home-posyandu (p=0,000) associated with mothers’ regularity of weighing their under-five children, while mother’s occupation had no association with mothers’ regularity of weighing their children( p=0,091). Health workers should encourage mothers to measure regularly the weight of their under-five children at Posyandu.


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