scholarly journals Symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in households with and without children: a descriptive survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Grove ◽  
Nida Ziauddeen ◽  
Nisreen A Alwan
Keyword(s):  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
List Type ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Duration Of Symptoms ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Descriptive Survey

AbstractBackgroundExploring transmission and symptoms of COVID-19 in children is vital, given that schools have recently fully reopened.ObjectivesThis study aimed to characterise the nature and duration of symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in UK households, and examine whether the symptoms varied between households with and without children and between adults and children from March to May 2020 in the UK.MethodsAn online questionnaire posted on social media (Mumsnet, Twitter, Facebook) was used to gather demographic and symptom information within UK households.ResultsResults from 508 households (1057 adults and 398 children) were available for analysis. 64.1% of respondent households with children and 59.1% of households without children had adults with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. The proportion of adults that reported being symptomatic was 46.1% in households with children (and 36.7% in households without children. In 37.8% of households with at least one adult and one child with symptoms, the child’s onset of symptoms started before the adult. Of all children, 35.7% experienced symptoms, with almost a quarter experiencing fluctuating symptoms for more than 2 weeks compared to almost half of symptomatic adults. In general, children had a shorter (median 5 days) and milder illness course than adults (median 10 days). Fatigue was the most common symptom in adults (79.7%) and cough was the most common symptom in children (53.5%). Chest tightness, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle ache and diarrhoea were more common in adults than children, while cough and fever were equally common.ConclusionChildren had shorter and milder illness than adults, but in almost a quarter of children symptoms lasted more than 2 weeks. In over a third of both adult-child symptomatic households, the child was the first to become ill. Child to adult transmission and clinical presentation in children need to be further characterised.SynopsisStudy question.What is the nature and duration of symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in UK households with and without children during March and May 2020? Do the symptoms vary between adults and children?What’s already known.There has been uncertainty about the extent to which children get and transmit SARS-CoV-2 within households. Symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection are well described in adults but symptoms and their duration are less well-characterised in children.What this study addsOn average, children had shorter and milder illness than adults, but still symptoms lasted more than 2 weeks in a significant proportion of children. In over a third of both adult and child symptomatic households, the child was the first to become ill.

scholarly journals Tracking the mental health of home-carers during the first COVID-19 national lockdown: evidence from a nationally representative UK survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Whitley ◽  
Kelly Reeve ◽  
Michaela Benzeval
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
List Type ◽  
Care Burden ◽  
Substantial Decline ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACTBackgroundUnpaid carers who look after another member of their household (home-carers) have poorer mental health than the general population. The first COVID-19 national lockdown led to an increasing reliance on home-carers and we investigate the short and longer-term impact of lockdown on their mental health.MethodsData from 9,737 adult participants (aged 16+) from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society) were used to explore changes in 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) score between (a) pre-pandemic (2019) and early lockdown (April 2020) and (b) early and later (July 2020) lockdown.ResultsGHQ-12 scores among home-carers were higher pre-lockdown and increased more than for non-carers from 2019 to April 2020 with further increases for home-carers compared with non-carers between April and July. Compared with respondents caring for a spouse/partner, those caring for a child under 18 had a particularly marked increase in GHQ-12 score between 2019 and April, as did those caring for someone with learning difficulties. Home-carers of children under 18 improved from April to July while those caring for adult children saw a marked worsening of their mental health. Home-carers with greater care burden saw larger increases in GHQ-12 score from 2019 to April and from April to July, and increases through both periods were greater for home-carers who had formal help prior to lockdown but then lost it.ConclusionsThe mental health of home-carers deteriorated more during lockdown than non-carers. Policies that reinstate support for them and their care-recipients will benefit the health of both vulnerable groups.What is already known on this topicCarers have poorer mental health than the general population.Among carers who live with the care recipient (home-carers), some subgroups have poorer mental health than others: female versus male; those who provide more hours of care and have been caring for longer; spousal carers compared with those caring for children (including adult), parents, or other relationships; those caring for individuals whose impairment results in behavioural disturbances, than those who care for individuals with physical or long-term health conditions.What this study addsIn a large representative UK survey, the decline in mental health during lockdown was greater among home-carers than for the general population, and stayed poorer through to July, even as the general population’s mental health recovered slightly.Compared with respondents who were caring for a spouse/partner, those caring for a child under 18 had a particularly marked increase in GHQ-12 score between 2019 and April while those caring for an adult child experienced a substantial decline in their mental health between the beginning and end of the first lockdown (April to July).The increase in GHQ-12 in April from 2019 was highest among those caring for someone with a learning disability and lowest for those caring for someone with a problem related to old age.Home-carers who had a greater care burden, in terms of hours of care provided, or lost formal support during lockdown, had poorer mental health.

Referral of patients with diabetic foot ulcers in four European countries: patient follow-up after first GP visit

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (Sup8) ◽  
pp. S4-S14
Author(s):  
Juan Pedro Sánchez-Ríos ◽  
JL García-Klepzig ◽  
Chris Manu ◽  
Raju Ahluwalia ◽  
Claas Lüdemann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Foot ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Foot Ulcer ◽  
Diabetic Foot Ulcer ◽  
Suboptimal Control ◽  
Foot Care ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Uk

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of patients, including demographics, medical history and treatment, with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) during their first follow-up visit to a general practitioner (GP). Methods: A two-part quantitative online questionnaire was distributed among GPs in France, UK, Germany and Spain. Part one entailed a survey of GPs' perceptions of referrals for DFU. Part two collected data on recently managed DFU cases. The percentage of responses was compared for each question and across the four countries for significant differences. Results: In part one of the study, 600 questionnaires were collected (150 per country) and 1188 patients managed for a DFU were included in the second part. About 88% of patients had type 2 diabetes, with a significant proportion of suboptimal control (average HbA1c: 10.64mmol/l). A patient complaint led to diagnosis in 60% of the cases. Wounds were found to be more frequently located in the toes and midfoot, and were superficial (according to the Texas Wound Classification system) in 80% of the cases. More than two-thirds of patients developed small wounds (<5cm2); more than half of them had infected wounds. Approximately 50% of wounds were ischaemic, which triggered the onset of a DFU. Follow-up wound examinations before and after hospitalisation were performed by nurses, except in Germany where GPs undertook this role, including prescribing offloading devices and in the UK where follow-up was managed by podiatrists. Ischaemia, wound necrosis, suspected osteomyelitis and absence of wound healing were the primary reasons for hospital admission during the first month after diagnosis. Conclusion: Delay in specialised foot care is a recurring topic in the treatment of DFUs, even with different health-care structures across Europe. Knowledge and education on DFUs should be reinforced among GPs and nurses to establish a global DFU care network between primary and specialised care, avoid hospitalisation and adequately manage high-risk patients.

scholarly journals Type and frequency of ocular and other known symptoms experienced by people who self–diagnosed as suffering from COVID-19 in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahina Pardhan ◽  
Megan Vaughan ◽  
Jufen Zhang ◽  
Lee Smith ◽  
Havovi Chichger
Keyword(s):  
Self Report ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Bacterial Conjunctivitis ◽  
Duration Of Symptoms ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Ocular Symptoms ◽  
Mucous Discharge ◽  
Eye Symptoms ◽  
Self Report Data ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACTBackgroundRecent literature suggests that ocular manifestations present in people suffering from COVID-19. However, the prevalence and the type of ocular symptoms varies substantially, and most studies report retrospective data from patients suffering from more serious versions of the disease. Little is known of exactly which ocular symptoms manifest in people with milder forms of COVID-19.MethodsAn online questionnaire obtained self-report data from people in the community, who reported to be inflicted with COVID-19. The type and frequency of different symptoms suffered during COVID-19 were obtained. Details of any pre-existing ocular conditions and the duration of symptoms of COVID-19 were ascertained.ResultsData from 132 participants showed that the four most reported COVID-19 symptoms were Dry Cough (63%), Fever (67%), Fatigue (83%), and loss of Smell/Taste (63%). 56% of the participants reported to having experienced an eye symptom, 46% reported to having a new or different eye symptom compared to pre-COVID-19 state. Three ocular symptoms (watery eyes, sore eyes, sensitivity to light) were significantly different from Pre-COVID-19 state (p<0.05). Logistic regression showed a significant association of eye symptoms with Fever (p=0.035).ConclusionNearly half of the sample of people studied experienced ocular symptoms. The significant ocular symptoms, indicative of viral conjunctivitis, might have been missed in patients with more serious manifestations of the disease. It is also important to differentiate between the types of ocular manifestation, as symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis (i.e. mucous discharge, gritty eyes) were not significant. Possible mechanisms for SARS-CoV-2 infection within the eye are discussed.Key messageTo date, there are no studies on ocular symptoms experienced by people who self-reported as suffering from mild case of COVID-19. In the absence of population –wide testing in the UK, our study shows that nearly half of the population reported to having experienced an eye symptom. It is likely that the significant ocular symptoms, indicative of viral conjunctivitis, might have been overlooked in the light of other more serious and critical manifestations of COVID-19. The data are important, especially in countries that rely on self –report of COVID-19 symptoms when confirmative tests for COVID-19 are not available.

Contrasting Broad- and Clinically- defined Polygenic Indicators of Depression and Depression-related Phenotypes in Adults and Children

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. McGeary ◽  
Chelsie Benca-Bachman ◽  
Victoria Risner ◽  
Christopher G Beevers ◽  
Brandon Gibb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Cognitive Reappraisal ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
European Ancestry ◽  
Summary Statistics ◽  
Depression Severity ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
The Uk

Twin studies indicate that 30-40% of the disease liability for depression can be attributed to genetic differences. Here, we assess the explanatory ability of polygenic scores (PGS) based on broad- (PGSBD) and clinical- (PGSMDD) depression summary statistics from the UK Biobank using independent cohorts of adults (N=210; 100% European Ancestry) and children (N=728; 70% European Ancestry) who have been extensively phenotyped for depression and related neurocognitive phenotypes. PGS associations with depression severity and diagnosis were generally modest, and larger in adults than children. Polygenic prediction of depression-related phenotypes was mixed and varied by PGS. Higher PGSBD, in adults, was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation, increased brooding and anhedonia, and lower levels of cognitive reappraisal; PGSMDD was positively associated with brooding and negatively related to cognitive reappraisal. Overall, PGS based on both broad and clinical depression phenotypes have modest utility in adult and child samples of depression.

scholarly journals Organizational Support Experiences of Care Home and Home Care Staff in Sweden, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 767
Author(s):  
Connie Lethin ◽  
Andrea Kenkmann ◽  
Carlos Chiatti ◽  
Jonas Christensen ◽  
Tamara Backhouse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Care Home ◽  
External Support ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Care Organization ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Staff Experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected care workers all over the globe, as older and more vulnerable people face a high risk of developing severe symptoms and dying from the virus infection. The aim of this study was to compare staff experiences of stress and anxiety as well as internal and external organizational support in Sweden, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) in order to determine how care staff were affected by the pandemic. A 29-item online questionnaire was used to collect data from care staff respondents: management (n = 136), nurses (n = 132), nursing assistants (n = 195), and other healthcare staff working in these organizations (n = 132). Stress and anxiety levels were highest in the UK and Germany, with Swedish staff showing the least stress. Internal and external support only partially explain the outcomes. Striking discrepancies between different staff groups’ assessment of organizational support as well as a lack of staff voice in the UK and Germany could be key factors in understanding staff’s stress levels during the pandemic. Structural, political, cultural, and economic factors play a significant role, not only factors within the care organization or in the immediate context.

scholarly journals The future of social care funding: who pays?

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Kenny ◽  
J. Barnfield ◽  
L. Daly ◽  
A. Dunn ◽  
D. Passey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase 1 ◽  
List Type ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Means Testing ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Funding System ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Care Costs

AbstractWith the UK population ageing, deciding upon a satisfactory and sustainable system for the funding of people’s long-term care (LTC) needs has long been a topic of political debate. Phase 1 of the Care Act 2014 (“the Act”) brought in some of the reforms recommended by the Dilnot Commission in 2011. However, the Government announced during 2015 that Phase 2 of “the Act” such as the introduction of a £72,000 cap on Local Authority care costs and a change in the means testing thresholds1 would be deferred until 2020. In addition to this delay, the “freedom and choice” agenda for pensions has come into force. It is therefore timely that the potential market responses to help people pay for their care within the new pensions environment should be considered. In this paper, we analyse whether the proposed reforms meet the policy intention of protecting people from catastrophic care costs, whilst facilitating individual understanding of their potential care funding requirements. In particular, we review a number of financial products and ascertain the extent to which such products might help individuals to fund the LTC costs for which they would be responsible for meeting. We also produce case studies to demonstrate the complexities of the care funding system. Finally, we review the potential impact on incentives for individuals to save for care costs under the proposed new means testing thresholds and compare these with the current thresholds. We conclude that:∙Although it is still too early to understand exactly how individuals will respond to the pensions freedom and choice agenda, there are a number of financial products that might complement the new flexibilities and help people make provision for care costs.∙The new care funding system is complex making it difficult for people to understand their potential care costs.∙The current means testing system causes a disincentive to save. The new means testing thresholds provide a greater level of reward for savers than the existing thresholds and therefore may increase the level of saving for care; however, the new thresholds could still act as a barrier since disincentives still exist.

scholarly journals Student engagement with sustainability: understanding the value–action gap

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Chaplin ◽  
Paul Wyton
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Significant Barrier ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of research that aimed to determine what university students living in Unite accommodation in the UK understand about the concept of sustainable living. It considers what barriers they perceive to be standing in the way of following sustainable living practices. In particular, the research aimed to explore any value–action gap for the student population with a view to informing future actions to help close any gap. Design/methodology/approach – The study was completed through an online questionnaire survey of students living in halls of residence operated by provider The Unite Group Plc. The survey informed semi-structured interviews and focus groups that explored the issues raised in greater detail. Findings – It was found that students living in Unite properties believed sustainable living to be important, yet levels of understanding were very low and there appeared to be a wide value–action gap. Reasons for this are varied; however, an unexpected theme emerged around the association of effort and importance. There was a very strong association between sustainable living and recycling, which, therefore, saw the lack of adequate recycling facilities as a significant barrier to sustainable living. There were also issues around a lack of information, cost and respondents’ flatmates as further barriers. However, the most significant barrier was the displacement of responsibility for sustainable living to other people or organisations. Originality/value – Gaining an insight into the complexity of attitude and behaviour of students with the sustainability agenda will enable understanding that can be applied to activities that promote sustainability.

Current prevalence of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in adults and children in the UK

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 1119-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Holman ◽  
B. Young ◽  
R. Gadsby
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Current Prevalence ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
The Uk

The State of the Art in Management Education Applicable to Aerospace Activities

1967 ◽  
Vol 71 (677) ◽  
pp. 344-348
Author(s):  
J. V. Connolly
Keyword(s):  
Management Education ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Aerospace Industry ◽  
List Type ◽  
Industrial Training ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Economic Necessity ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

During the past two years, there has been a sharp acceleration to the interest which industry has displayed in the subject of management education. This can be attributed to these factors: —(a) A more widespread realisation of the gap developing between the UK and a number of foreign economies, as manifested by diverging rates of the major economic indicators.(b) The attainment of top-management responsibilities by a younger generation of managers, many of whom had been given some earlier training and who were more conscious of its value than the incumbents of the job from earlier generations.(c) The publication of the Franks, Robbins and (in the aerospace industry) the Plowden reports.(d) The impact of the Industrial Training Boards making it manifest, in terms of serious levies, that training was an economic necessity and therefore must be investigated thoroughly.Notwithstanding the widespread awakening of interest, it is very belated and sets numerous problems. The problems are in two areas—scale and quality.

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