scholarly journals Pregnancy and Childbirth Expectations During COVID-19 in a Convenience Sample of Women in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237437352110393
Author(s):  
Tishra Beeson ◽  
Amy Claridge ◽  
Amie Wojtyna ◽  
Debra Rich ◽  
Gracie Minks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Delivery Date ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Disease Risks

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the health care landscape and shifted individuals’ expectations for and interactions with essential health services, including pregnancy-related care. This study explores alterations to individuals’ pregnancy and childbirth decisions during an infectious disease pandemic. A convenience sample of 380 pregnant individuals with an expected delivery date between April and December 2020 consented to enroll and complete an online questionnaire on their pregnancy and childbirth expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic; a subset of respondents ( n = 18) participated in semi-structured phone interviews. Survey data were analyzed quantitatively while interview data were analyzed using a thematic content analysis until a consensus on key themes was achieved. Respondents reported substantial stressors related to shifting policies of health care facilities and rapidly changing information about COVID-19 disease risks. As a result, respondents considered modifying their prenatal and childbirth plans, including the location of their birth (25%), health care provider (19%), and delivery mode (13%). These findings illuminate the concerns and choices pregnant individuals face during the COVID-19 pandemic and offer recommendations to engage in compassionate, supportive, and person-centered care during a time of unprecedented risk and uncertainty.

scholarly journals Characterizing the Rural Opioid Use Environment in Kentucky Using Google Earth: Virtual Audit

10.2196/14923 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. e14923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Danielle Crawford ◽  
Regine Haardöerfer ◽  
Hannah Cooper ◽  
Izraelle McKinnon ◽  
Carla Jones-Harrell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Care Facilities

Background The opioid epidemic has ravaged rural communities in the United States. Despite extensive literature relating the physical environment to substance use in urban areas, little is known about the role of physical environment on the opioid epidemic in rural areas. Objective This study aimed to examine the reliability of Google Earth to collect data on the physical environment related to substance use in rural areas. Methods Systematic virtual audits were performed in 5 rural Kentucky counties using Google Earth between 2017 and 2018 to capture land use, health care facilities, entertainment venues, and businesses. In-person audits were performed for a subset of the census blocks. Results We captured 533 features, most of which were images taken before 2015 (71.8%, 383/533). Reliability between the virtual audits and the gold standard was high for health care facilities (>83%), entertainment venues (>95%), and businesses (>61%) but was poor for land use features (>18%). Reliability between the virtual audit and in-person audit was high for health care facilities (83%) and entertainment venues (62%) but was poor for land use (0%) and businesses (12.5%). Conclusions Poor reliability for land use features may reflect difficulty characterizing features that require judgment or natural changes in the environment that are not reflective of the Google Earth imagery because it was captured several years before the audit was performed. Virtual Google Earth audits were an efficient way to collect rich neighborhood data that are generally not available from other sources. However, these audits should use caution when the images in the observation area are dated.

Challenges of Designing and Implementing High Consequence Infectious Disease Response

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan M. King ◽  
Chetan Tiwari ◽  
Armin R. Mikler ◽  
Martin O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Disease Response ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
State And Local

AbstractEbola is a high consequence infectious disease—a disease with the potential to cause outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics with deadly possibilities, highly infectious, pathogenic, and virulent. Ebola’s first reported cases in the United States in September 2014 led to the development of preparedness capabilities for the mitigation of possible rapid outbreaks, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) providing guidelines to assist public health officials in infectious disease response planning. These guidelines include broad goals for state and local agencies and detailed information concerning the types of resources needed at health care facilities. However, the spatial configuration of populations and existing health care facilities is neglected. An incomplete understanding of the demand landscape may result in an inefficient and inequitable allocation of resources to populations. Hence, this paper examines challenges in implementing CDC’s guidance for Ebola preparedness and mitigation in the context of geospatial allocation of health resources and discusses possible strategies for addressing such challenges. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:563–566)

Optimizing Health Care Coalitions: Conceptual Frameworks and a Research Agenda

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Hupert ◽  
Karen Biala ◽  
Tara Holland ◽  
Avi Baehr ◽  
Aisha Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
The Us ◽  
Hospital Preparedness

AbstractThe US health care system has maintained an objective of preparedness for natural or manmade catastrophic events as part of its larger charge to deliver health services for the American population. In 2002, support for hospital-based preparedness activities was bolstered by the creation of the National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program, now called the Hospital Preparedness Program, in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Since 2012, this program has promoted linking health care facilities into health care coalitions that build key preparedness and emergency response capabilities. Recognizing that well-functioning health care coalitions can have a positive impact on the health outcomes of the populations they serve, this article informs efforts to optimize health care coalition activity. We first review the landscape of health care coalitions in the United States. Then, using principles from supply chain management and high-reliability organization theory, we present 2 frameworks extending beyond the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s current guidance in a way that may help health care coalition leaders gain conceptual insight into how different enterprises achieve similar ends relevant to emergency response. We conclude with a proposed research agenda to advance understanding of how coalitions can contribute to the day-to-day functioning of health care systems and disaster preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness.2015;9:717–723)

scholarly journals 2017 Annual Report of the University of Kansas Health System Poison Control Center

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 70-79
Author(s):  
Lisa K Oller ◽  
Stephen L Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Human Exposure ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Poison Control ◽  
University Of Kansas ◽  
Control Center ◽  
Route Of Exposure

Introduction This is the 2017 Annual Report of the University of Kansas Health System Poison Control Center (PCC). The PCC is one of 55 certified poison control centers in the United States and serves the state of Kansas 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. The PCC receives calls from the public, law enforcement, health care professionals, and public health agencies, which are answered by trained and certified specialists in poison information with the immediate availability of medical toxicology back up. All calls to the PCC are recorded electronically in the Toxicall® data management system and uploaded in near real-time to the National Poison Data System (NPDS), which is the data repository for all poison control centers in the United States. Methods All encounters reported to the PCC from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 were analyzed. Data recorded for each exposure included caller location, age, weight, gender, substance exposed to, nature of exposure, route of exposure, interventions, medical outcome, disposition and location of care. Encounters were classified further as human exposure, animal exposure, confirmed non-exposure, or information call (no exposure reported). Results The PCC logged 21,431 total encounters in 2017, including 20,278 human exposure cases. Cases came from every county in Kansas. Most of the human exposure cases (51.4%, n = 10,430) were female. Approximately 66% (n = 13,418) of human exposures involved a child (defined as age less than 20 years). Most encounters occurred at a residence (94.0%, n = 19,018) and most calls (69.5%, n = 14,090) originated from a residence. Almost all human exposures (n = 19,823) were acute cases (exposures occurring over eight hours or less). Ingestion was the most common route of exposure documented (80.5%, n = 17,466). The most common reported substance in pediatric encounters was cosmetics/personal care products (n = 1,255), followed by household cleaning products (n = 1,251). For adult encounters, analgesics (n = 1,160) and sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics (n = 1,127) were the most frequently involved substances. Unintentional exposures were the most common reason for exposures (78.6%, n = 15,947). Most encounters (69.4%, n = 14,073) were managed in a non-health care facility (i.e., a residence). Among human exposures, 14,940 involved exposures to pharmaceutical agents, while 9,896 involved exposure to non-pharmaceuticals. Medical outcomes were 28% (n = 5,741) no effect, 18% (n = 3,693) minor effect, 9% (n = 1,739) moderate effect, and 2% (n = 431) major effect. There were 16 deaths in 2017 reported to the PCC. Number of exposures, calls from health care facilities, cases with moderate or major medical outcomes, and deaths increased in 2017 compared to 2016, despite a decrease in total exposures. Conclusions The results of the 2017 University of Kansas Health System Poison Control annual report demonstrated that the center continues to receive calls from the entire state of Kansas, totaling over 20,000 human exposures per year. While pediatric exposures remain the most common, a trend of increasing number of calls remains from health care facilities and for cases with serious outcomes. The 2017 PCC data reflected current national trends. This report demonstrated the continued importance of the PCC to both the public and health care providers in the state of Kansas.

scholarly journals Three Unsuspected CT Diagnoses of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Vu ◽  
Maryanne Ruggiero ◽  
Woo Sung Choi ◽  
Daniel Masri ◽  
Mark Flyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Ground Glass ◽  
Imaging Findings ◽  
Adequate Supply ◽  
Imaging Characteristics ◽  
Care Facilities

Abstract PURPOSE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel strain of coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has quickly spread around the globe. Health care facilities in the United States currently do not have an adequate supply of COVID-19 tests to meet the growing demand. Imaging findings for COVID-19 are nonspecific but include pulmonary parenchymal ground-glass opacities in a predominantly basal and peripheral distribution.METHODS: Three patients imaged for non-respiratory related symptoms with a portion of the lungs in the imaged field.RESULTS: Each patient had suspicious imaging findings for COVID-19, prompting the interpreting radiologist to suggest testing for COVID-19. All 3 patients turned out to be infected with COVID-19 and one patient is the first reported case of the coincident presentation of COVID-19 and an intraparenchymal hemorrhage.CONCLUSION: Using imaging characteristics of COVID-19 on abdominal or neck CT when a portion of the lungs is included, patients not initially suspected of COVID-19 infection can be quarantined earlier to limit exposure to others.

scholarly journals Population-Level Interest and Telehealth Capacity of US Hospitals in Response to COVID-19: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Google Search and National Hospital Survey Data (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Rock Hong ◽  
John Lawrence ◽  
Dunc Williams Jr ◽  
Arch Mainous III
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Population Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Internet Search ◽  
American Hospital ◽  
Search Volume ◽  
Google Search

BACKGROUND As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is widely spreading across the United States, there is a concern about the overloading of the nation’s health care capacity. The expansion of telehealth services is expected to deliver timely care for the initial screening of symptomatic patients while minimizing exposure in health care facilities, to protect health care providers and other patients. However, it is currently unknown whether US hospitals have the telehealth capacity to meet the increasing demand and needs of patients during this pandemic. OBJECTIVE We investigated the population-level internet search volume for telehealth (as a proxy of population interest and demand) with the number of new COVID-19 cases and the proportion of hospitals that adopted a telehealth system in all US states. METHODS We used internet search volume data from Google Trends to measure population-level interest in telehealth and telemedicine between January 21, 2020 (when the first COVID-19 case was reported), and March 18, 2020. Data on COVID-19 cases in the United States were obtained from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resources Center. We also used data from the 2018 American Hospital Association Annual Survey to estimate the proportion of hospitals that adopted telehealth (including telemedicine and electronic visits) and those with the capability of telemedicine intensive care unit (tele-ICU). Pearson correlation was used to examine the relations of population search volume for telehealth and telemedicine (composite score) with the cumulative numbers of COVID-19 cases in the United States during the study period and the proportion of hospitals with telehealth and tele-ICU capabilities. RESULTS We found that US population–level interest in telehealth increased as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, with a strong correlation (<i>r</i>=0.948, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). We observed a higher population-level interest in telehealth in the Northeast and West census region, whereas the proportion of hospitals that adopted telehealth was higher in the Midwest region. There was no significant association between population interest and the proportion of hospitals that adopted telehealth (<i>r</i>=0.055, <i>P</i>=.70) nor hospitals having tele-ICU capability (<i>r</i>=–0.073, <i>P</i>=.61). CONCLUSIONS As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, so does the US population’s interest in telehealth. However, the level of population interest did not correlate with the proportion of hospitals providing telehealth services in the United States, suggesting that increased population demand may not be met with the current telehealth capacity. Telecommunication infrastructures in US hospitals may lack the capability to address the ongoing health care needs of patients with other health conditions. More practical investment is needed to deploy the telehealth system rapidly against the impending patient surge.

scholarly journals A Brief Survey on Six Basic and Reduced eHealth Indicators in Seven Countries in 2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (03) ◽  
pp. 704-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhold Haux ◽  
Elske Ammenwerth ◽  
Sabine Koch ◽  
Christoph Lehmann ◽  
Hyeoun-Ae Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Patient Centered Care ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Record Data ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Future Work

Background Holistic, ubiquitous support of patient-centered health care (eHealth) at all health care institutions and in patients' homes through information processing is increasingly supplementing institution-centered care. While eHealth indicators may measure the transition from institution-centered (e.g., hospital-centered) information processing to patient-centered information processing, collecting relevant and timely data for such indicators has been difficult. Objectives This article aims to design some basic eHealth indicators, which are easily collected and measure how well information processing supports holistic patient-centered health care, and to evaluate penetrance of patient-centered health as measured by the indicators internationally via an expert survey. Methods We identified six basic indicators that measure access of health care professionals, patients, and caregivers to the patient's health record data and the ability of providers, patients, and caregivers to add information in the patient's record. In a survey of international informatics experts, these indicators' penetrance were evaluated for Austria, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States in the summer of 2017. Results The eHealth status measured by the indicators varied significantly between these seven countries. In Finland, most practices measured by the indicators were fully implemented whereas in Germany only one practice was partially realized. Conclusion Progress in the implementation of practices that support patient-centered care could mainly be observed in those countries where the “political will” focused on achieving patient-centered care as opposed to an emphasis on institution-centered care. The six eHealth indicators seem to be useful for measuring national progress in patient-centered care. Future work will extend the number of countries analyzed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document