scholarly journals Atypical Presentations among Older Adults with COVID-19 Disease: A Need for Broadening the Differential Diagnosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142199931
Author(s):  
Ugochi Ohuabunwa ◽  
Joyce Turner ◽  
Ted Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
World Health ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Early Screening ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Atypical Presentations ◽  
Current Guidelines

Typical presenting symptoms of COVID-19 have been reported to be common in older adults. Current guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for testing and diagnosis are based on the presence of these typical symptoms. Several older adults seen at our hospital have presented atypically with symptoms such as delirium, falls, increasing the need for attention to diagnostic protocols since this has significant implications for early detection and patient outcomes, infection control and promotion of safety among healthcare providers. With the increased risk of fatality among older adults with COVID-19, appropriate diagnostic protocols are needed to ensure early diagnosis and management. Recognizing these atypical presentations in nursing homes would also facilitate early screening and cohorting in these congregate living facilities where older adults have had disproportionately high morbidity and mortality rates. We present two patients who presented with delirium and falls, found to have COVID-19 infection.

scholarly journals Indian Society of Neuroanaesthesiology and Critical Care (ISNACC) Position Statement and Advisory for the Practice of Neuroanesthesia during COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (03) ◽  
pp. 118-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Jangra ◽  
Nitin Manohar ◽  
Prasanna U. Bidkar ◽  
Ponniah Vanamoorthy ◽  
Devendra Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Care ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
World Health ◽  
Indian Society ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major health emergency in today’s time. In December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China was attributed to a novel coronavirus. The World Health Organization declared it as a pandemic. As the majority of the cases suffering from COVID-19 are mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic, it becomes a great challenge to identify the infected persons in the absence of extensive testing. In the hospital environment, it can infect several other vulnerable patients and healthcare providers, significantly impacting the hospital services. Anesthesiologists are at an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission from the patients, as they are frequently involved in several aerosol-generating procedures. It is not possible to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 patients solely based on history-taking during their first point of contact with the anesthesiologists at the preanesthetic checkup clinic.Most of the neurosurgical conditions are of urgent in nature and cannot be postponed for a longer duration. In view of this, the position statement and practice advisory from the Indian Society of Neuroanaesthesiology and Critical Care (ISNACC) provides guidance to the practice of neuroanesthesia in the present scenario. The advisory has been prepared considering the current disease status of the COVID-19 pandemic, available literature, and consensus from experts in the field of neuroanesthesiology. Since the pandemic is still progressing and the nature of the disease is dynamic, readers are advised to constantly look for updated literature from ISNACC and other neurology and neurosurgical societies.

scholarly journals Engaging healthcare providers and patients on climate action through physical, emotional and social wellness

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-9
Author(s):  
Minna Allarakhia
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Health Organization

According to the World Health Organization, the health challenges from climate change are many and varied including: Malnutrition due to lack of quality food access. Mental health challenges in addition to severe socioeconomic challenges, through the loss of homes, jobs and needed social connections due to extreme events. Acute illness and the risk of water-borne diseases associated with lack of access to clean water. The increased risk of vector-borne diseases with warmer temperatures. Chronic illnesses associated with heat stress and pollution. Death from cardiovascular and respiratory disease, particularly among vulnerable people as temperatures rise to extreme levels. Both healthcare providers and patients must be engaged on climate change and action. While several medical training institutions are exploring opportunities to embed climate change and health education into their curricula, of importance are the holistic strategies to engage patients on climate action. The challenges are complex, and the data is overwhelming. Patients may not fully comprehend the personal implications of climate change and as citizens, may not understand their role in climate action. We suggest through the creation of a sustainable living mindset based on wellness, it is possible for healthcare providers to create a personal and emotional connection to climate action. The results from workshops with older adults are shared in this paper, demonstrating how the link to physical, emotional and social wellness, can encourage behavior change with respect to dietary and consumption practices as well as increased connection to and protection of greenspaces for health and well-being.  

Antidiabetics: Structural Diversity of Molecules with a Common Aim

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (18) ◽  
pp. 2140-2165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena B. Popovic-Djordjevic ◽  
Ivana I. Jevtic ◽  
Tatjana P. Stanojkovic
Keyword(s):  
Structural Diversity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Common Disease ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Epidemic Disease ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Dipeptidyl Peptidase Iv Inhibitors ◽  
Glucagon Like Peptide 1 ◽  
Health Organization

Background: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) is an endocrine disease of global proportions which is currently affecting 1 in 12 adults in the world, with still increasing prevalence. World Health Organization (WHO) declared this worldwide health problem, as an epidemic disease, to be the only non-infectious disease with such categorization. People with DMT2 are at increased risk of various complications and have shorter life expectancy. The main classes of oral antidiabetic drugs accessible today for DMT2 vary in their chemical composition, modes of action, safety profiles and tolerability. Methods: A systematic search of peer-reviewed scientific literature and public databases has been conducted. We included the most recent relevant research papers and data in respect to the focus of the present review. The quality of retrieved papers was assessed using standard tools. Results: The review highlights the chemical structural diversity of the molecules that have the common target-DMT2. So-called traditional antidiabetics as well as the newest and the least explored drugs include polypeptides and amino acid derivatives (insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitors, amylin), sulfonylurea derivatives, benzylthiazolidine- 2,4-diones (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ agonists/glitazones), condensed guanido core (metformin) and sugar-like molecules (α-glucosidase and sodium/ glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors). Conclusion: As diabetes becomes a more common disease, interest in new pharmacological targets is on the rise.

scholarly journals Disability, Frailty and Depression in the community-dwelling older adults with Osteosarcopenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ki-Soo Park ◽  
Gyeong-Ye Lee ◽  
Young-Mi Seo ◽  
Sung-Hyo Seo ◽  
Jun-Il Yoo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Geriatric Depression Scale ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Normal Group ◽  
World Health ◽  
Common Disease ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of osteosarcopenia in the over 60-year-old community and to evaluate whether osteosarcopenia is associated with disability, frailty and depression. Methods This study was performed using the baseline data of Namgaram-2, among the 1010 surveyed subjects, 885 study subjects who were 60 years or older and had all necessary tests performed were selected. The Kaigo-Yobo checklist (frailty), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form-Korean (GDSSF-K) were used. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS 2019) were applied in this study. Osteopenia was measured using data from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and osteopenia was diagnosed when the T-score was less than − 1.0. The study subjects were divided into four groups: the normal group, in which both sarcopenia and osteopenia were undiagnosed, osteopenia only, sarcopenia only and the osteosarcopenia group, which was diagnosed with both sarcopenia and osteopenia. Results Of the 885 subjects over 60 years old evaluated, the normal group comprised 34.0%, the only osteopenia group 33.7%, the only sarcopenia group 13.1%, and the osteosarcopenia group 19.2%. WHODAS (17.5, 95% CI: 14.8-20.1), Kaigo-Yobo (3.0, 95% CI: 2.6-3.4), and GDSSF mean score (4.6, 95% CI: 3.9-5.4) were statistically significantly higher in the osteosarcopenia group compared the other groups. Partial eta squared (ηp2) of WHODAS (0.199) and Kaigo-Yobo (0.148) values ​​according to Osteosarcopenia were large, and GDSSF (0.096) was medium Conclusions Osteosarcopenia is a relatively common disease group in the older adults community that may cause deterioration of health outcomes. Therefore, when evaluating osteopenia or sarcopenia in the older adults, management of those in both disease groups should occur together.

scholarly journals Newborns at risk of Covid-19 ― lessons from the last year

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika D. Shah ◽  
Ola Didrik Saugstad
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Newborn Infants ◽  
World Health ◽  
Premature Delivery ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Skin Contact ◽  
Cord Clamping ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract After more than 1 year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a great deal of knowledge on how this virus affects pregnant women, the fetus and the newborn has accumulated. The gap between different guidelines how to handle newborn infants during this pandemic has been minimized, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)’s recommendations are now more in accordance with those of the World Health Organization (WHO). In this article we summarize present knowledge regarding transmission from mother to the fetus/newborn. Although both vertical and horizontal transmission are rare, SARS-CoV-2 positivity is associated with an increased risk of premature delivery and higher neonatal mortality and morbidity. Mode of delivery and cord clamping routines should not be affected by the mother’s SARS-CoV-2 status. Skin to skin contact, rooming in and breastfeeding are recommended with necessary hygiene precautions. Antibodies of infected or vaccinated women seem to cross both the placenta and into breast milk and likely provide protection for the newborn.

scholarly journals Functional difficulties and toileting among older adults in Ghana: evidence from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 1

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Kofi Awuviry-Newton ◽  
Kylie Wales ◽  
Meredith Tavener ◽  
Paul Kowal ◽  
Julie Byles
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
World Health ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Functional Difficulties ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Global Ageing

Abstract Ghana's older population is projected to increase in coming decades and as a result will see increasing care needs. Understanding the functional difficulties older adults experience, and the associated factors, will help identify relevant intervention to assist older adults in meeting their care needs. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of functional difficulties among older adults in Ghana, and examine how the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF) conceptual framework can relate to toileting difficulty to understand the factors that increase older adults’ care needs. Data were for 5,096 adults aged ⩾50 years from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 1. Difficulties were assessed using self-reported difficulty on 22 functional items, including toileting. Multivariate logistic regression tested associations between toileting and other factors as related to the WHO-ICF conceptual framework. Older adults reported climbing one flight of stairs without resting as a common functional difficulty. Difficulty eating was the item least identified. Toileting difficulty was ranked second among five total activities of daily living difficulties. Age, marital status, self-reported health, memory, bodily pain, short- and far-distance vision, obesity, stroke, chronic lung disease, trust at individual and neighbourhood level, toilet facility type, socialising with co-workers, and public and religious meeting attendance were statistically significantly associated with toileting difficulty in the final parsimonious model. Post-hoc analysis testing interaction revealed that interaction existed between female sex and never married marital status (p = 0.04), and obesity and widowed marital status (p = 0.01), with toileting as the outcome. A significant level of functional difficulty existed among Ghanaian older adults in this sample. Toileting difficulty was associated with factors across different components in the WHO-ICF, emphasising functional, social and environmental factors related to this fundamental human activity.

scholarly journals World Health Report on Vision: Aging Implications for Global Vision and Eye Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 807-808
Author(s):  
Bonnielin Swenor ◽  
Varshini Varadaraj ◽  
Moon Jeong Lee ◽  
Heather Whitson ◽  
Pradeep Ramulu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Health Report ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Eye Care ◽  
Health Report ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract In 2019, the World Health Organization World Report on Vision estimated that that 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment, of which almost half could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed. As the global population ages and the prevalence of visual impairment increases, inequities in eye care and the downstream health and aging consequences of vision loss will become magnified. This session will: (1) provide key information regarding the burden of eye disease and visual impairment among older adults worldwide; (2) outline a framework created to conceptualize the aging and long-term health implications of vision loss, and (3) discuss the global public health challenges to eye care and to maximizing health for older adults with visual impairments.

scholarly journals Occupational health risk among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: actions to limit the risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman Casper
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
World Health ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Wuhan City ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Respiratory Droplets ◽  
Very High

AbstractThe World Health Organization declared coronavirus infection 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic in March 2020. The infection with coronavirus started in Wuhan city, China, in December 2019. As of October 2020, the disease was reported in 235 countries. The coronavirus infection 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. As of February 2021, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally is 102,942,987 and 2,232,233 deaths according to WHO report. This infection is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) β-coronavirus. The infection is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets.Healthcare workers (HCWs) play an essential role at the front lines, providing care for patients infected with this highly transmittable disease. They are exposed to very high occupational health risk as they frequently contact the infective persons. In order to limit the number of infected cases and deaths among healthcare workers, it is crucial to have better awareness, optimistic attitude, efficient PPE, and adequate health practices about COVID-19.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Pandemic: Coping with the Psychological Outcomes, Mental Changes, and the “New Normal” During and After COVID-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 07-19
Author(s):  
Hiba Takieddine ◽  
Samaa AL Tabbah
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
New Normal ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease that has rapidly swept across the world, inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large and among certain groups in particular, such as older adults, healthcare providers and people with underlying health conditions. Authorities around the world tried to prevent the virus spread by imposing social distancing measures, quarantining citizens and isolating infected persons. Apart from its physical impact, COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous changes to people’s lives. It changed daily routines, caused worldwide economic crisis, increased unemployment, and placed people under emotional and financial pressures. It affected people psychologically and mentally especially in terms of emotions and cognition. During the acute crisis, everyone to varying degrees experienced fear of infection, somatic concerns, worries about the pandemic’s consequences, loneliness, depression, stress, as well as increased alcohol and drug use. As part of its public health response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has worked with partners to develop a set of new guidelines and messages that can be used to prevent, manage, and support mental and psychological well-being in different vulnerable target groups during the outbreak. Whether people like it or not, the psychological sequela of this pandemic will emerge and persist for months and years to come leading to long-term consequences. New lifestyles and “New Normals” will surely emerge. The main purpose of this review is to summarize the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the psychological and mental health of people around the world especially vulnerable groups. It also presents the relevant intervention actions and recommendations to cope efficiently and effectively with the psychological short-term and long-term outcomes, mental changes, and the “New Normal” during and after COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus, Psychological; Mental; New Normal

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