scholarly journals Assessment of health equity consideration in masking/PPE policies to contain COVID-19 using PROGRESS-plus framework: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anindit Chhibber ◽  
Aditi Kharat ◽  
Dylan Kneale ◽  
Vivian Welch ◽  
Mukdarut Bangpan ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 has unmasked the true magnitude of health inequity worldwide. Policies and guidance for containing the infection and reducing the COVID-19 related deaths have proven to be effective, however the extent to which health inequity factors were considered in these policies is rather unknown. The aim of this study is to measure the extent to which COVID-19 related policies reflect equity considerations by focusing on the global policy landscape around wearing masks and personal protection equipment (PPE). Methods A systematic search for published documents on COVID-19 and masks/PPE was conducted across six databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, ASSIA and Psycinfo. Reviews, policy documents, briefs related to COVID-19 and masks/PPE were included in the review. To assess the extent of incorporation of equity in the policy documents, a guidance framework known as ‘PROGRESS-Plus’: Place of residence, Race/ethnicity, Occupation, Gender/sex, Religion, Education, Socioeconomic status, Social capital, Plus (age, disability etc.) was utilized. Results This review included 212 policy documents. Out of 212 policy documents, 190 policy documents (89.62%) included at least one PROGRESS-plus component. Most of the policy documents (n = 163, 85.79%) focused on “occupation” component of the PROGRESS-plus followed by personal characteristics associated with discrimination (n = 4;2.11%), place of residence (n = 2;1.05%) and education (n = 1;0.53%). Subgroup analysis revealed that most of the policy documents (n = 176, 83.01%) were focused on “workers” such as healthcare workers, mortuary workers, school workers, transportation workers, essential workers etc. Of the remaining policy documents, most were targeted towards whole population (n = 30; 14.15%). Contrary to “worker focused” policy documents, most of the ‘whole population focused’ policy documents didn’t have a PROGRESS-plus equity component rendering them equity limiting for the society. Conclusion Our review highlights even if policies considered health inequity during the design/implementation, this consideration was often one dimensional in nature. In addition, population wide policies should be carefully designed and implemented after identifying relevant equity related barriers in order to produce better outcomes for the whole society.

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e018826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacquie Boyang Lu ◽  
Kristin J Danko ◽  
Michael D Elfassy ◽  
Vivian Welch ◽  
Jeremy M Grimshaw ◽  
...  

BackgroundSocially disadvantaged populations carry a disproportionate burden of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. There is an emerging interest in quality improvement (QI) strategies in the care of patients with diabetes, however, the effect of these interventions on disadvantaged groups remains unclear.ObjectiveThis is a secondary analysis of a systematic review that seeks to examine the extent of equity considerations in diabetes QI studies, specifically quantifying the proportion of studies that target interventions toward disadvantaged populations and conduct analyses on the impact of interventions on disadvantaged groups.Research design and methodsStudies were identified using Medline, HealthStar and the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care database. Randomised controlled trials assessing 12 QI strategies targeting health systems, healthcare professionals and/or patients for the management of adult outpatients with diabetes were eligible. The place of residence, race/ethnicity/culture/language, occupational status, gender/sexual identity, religious affiliations, education level, socioeconomic status, social capital, plus age, disability, sexual preferences and relationships (PROGRESS-Plus) framework was used to identify trials that focused on disadvantaged patient populations, to examine the types of equity-relevant factors that are being considered and to explore temporal trends in equity-relevant diabetes QI trials.ResultsOf the 278 trials that met the inclusion criteria, 95 trials had equity-relevant considerations. These include 64 targeted trials that focused on a disadvantaged population with the aim to improve the health status of that population and 31 general trials that undertook subgroup analyses to assess the extent to which their interventions may have had differential impacts on disadvantaged subgroups. Trials predominantly focused on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and place of residence as potential factors for disadvantage in patients receiving diabetes care.ConclusionsLess than one-third of diabetes QI trials included equity-relevant considerations, limiting the relevance and applicability of their data to disadvantaged populations. There is a need for better data collection, reporting, analysis and interventions on the social determinants of health that may influence the health outcomes of patients with diabetes.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42013005165.


Sexualities ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 224-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julieta Vartabedian

Most literature on prostitution centres exclusively on street and female sex workers. Considering the lack of inclusion of trans sex workers within research agendas and public policies, in this article I analyse websites where trans women offer their services in Portugal and the UK. I examine the way trans women escorts present themselves to potential clients through detailed descriptions of their bodies’ sizes, physical attributes, personal characteristics and lovemaking skills, and how they negotiate gender, nationality, race, ethnicity and sexuality in relation to the cultural and socio-economic demands of the market. An intersectional framework provides the critical perspective from which to consider how certain trans narratives are displayed through these online advertisements while decentring hegemonic notions (mainly, white and middle class) of representing trans experiences. This exploratory research aims to better understand the online trans sex industry as a place of empowerment where ‘beautiful’ trans escorts can strategically position themselves in order to succeed in a competitive market and, simultaneously, lay claim for a certain degree of (finite) recognition.


Author(s):  
Versha Prasad

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has heavily burdened, and in many cases overwhelmed, healthcare systems including healthcare workers. The novel COVID-19 started from Wuhan in mainland China. Since then it has affected most of the nations and continents because of its rapid spread. Most commonly affected are the healthcare professionals who are working on the frontline. The COVID-19 epidemic has mushroomed globally, disrupting the existence of millions It is a generalized mental condition occurring without any trigger or stimulus. Various symptoms of depression are: anxious, sad and empty feelings, hopelessness, guilt and may be sense of helplessness, restless attitude, irritation, and lack of interest in various hobbies and activities and were once considered relax able and which are used to provide pleasure. Furthermore, healthcare workers reported mental health problems putatively associated with healthcare workers’ occupational activities during and up until years after epidemics, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress, burnout, depression and anxiety. As for lack of material, a high percentage of professionals are getting infected for not having adequate personal protection equipment (PPE) and not using it properly, having to re-use in many occasions equipment which is only recommended for one-time utilization. During work performed by healthcare workers, several pressure elements from different sources may impact on keeping optimal conditions for a healthy working environment, and because of the saturation of the sanitary facilities due to the high level of virus infection, the health of these professionals has been obviously affected. While the main focus is concentrated on laboratory testing, finding the disease cure and prevention of transmission, all individuals are undergoing a plethora of psychological problems while adjusting to current lifestyles and disease fear. In current study, an attempt has been made to find out the impact of this pandemic situation on psychological well-being of healthcare and non-healthcare workers. Our study has reported identical findings to those reported by numerous investigators working across the globe. The present paper has outlined the stressors which the frontline health care professionals have faced including fear of spreading disease to co-workers and members of the family, irregular sleep patterns, abrupt work cycles, and lack of adequate training skills in dealing with such a novel situation.


Author(s):  
Rosalyn Cooperman

Voter support for women candidates in American politics may best be summed up by the often-repeated phrase, “when women run, women win.” This statement indicates that when compared to male candidates running in a similar capacity, such as candidates for open seats in which no incumbent is present, female candidates are equally likely to win elected office. Voters, therefore, seem equally likely at face value to support female candidates. However, the literature on voter support for women candidates suggests that this voter support may be more conditional in nature. A central research thread on voters and women candidates is how voters perceive women candidates and, in turn, their electability. Research on gender stereotypes and candidates examines voter perceptions of the traits they typically associate with men and women, candidates, and officeholders and the circumstances under which these traits make gender and political candidacy more or less attractive. The literature on political party and voter support for women candidates explores how gender and party affect levels of voter support and is offered as one explanation for the party imbalance in women’s representation with female Democrats significantly outnumbering female Republicans as candidates and officeholders. Researchers have also examined how voters evaluate other components of women’s candidacies, including their party affiliation, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. In addition to personal characteristics, scholars have explored how the type or level of office impacts voter support of women candidates with certain types of elected positions often considered more or less well suited for women candidates. More recently, a thread of research on voter support for women candidates has focused on women’s absence from the nation’s highest elected position—the US presidency. Scholars, and the candidate herself, have assessed voter support for or opposition to Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential bids in 2008 and 2016. This line of research includes public opinion polling that measures both the abstract idea of electing a woman president as well as electing a specific woman president, namely Clinton.


PRiMER ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sey Park ◽  
Maribeth Porter ◽  
Ki Park ◽  
Lauren Bielick ◽  
Benjamin J. Rooks ◽  
...  

Introduction: Burnout during medical training, including medical school, has gained attention in recent years. Resiliency may be an important characteristic for medical students to have or obtain. The aim of this study was to examine the level of resiliency in fourth-year medical students and whether certain characteristics were associated with students who have higher levels of resiliency. Methods: Subjects were fourth-year medical students who completed a survey during a required end-of-year rotation. The survey collected subjects’ demographic information including age, gender, race, ethnicity, marital status, and chosen specialty. They were also asked to complete the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and answer questions that assessed personal characteristics. Results: The response rate was 92.4%. Most respondents had personal time for themselves after school (92.6%), exercise or participate in physical activity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week (67.2%), were able to stop thinking about medical school after leaving for the day (58.2%), and had current financial stress (51.6%). No differences were noted in demographic information among students across specialty categories. A higher BRS score was associated with being male and having the ability to stop thinking about school. Conclusions: BRS scores in medical students are associated with specific demographic characteristics and the ability to stop thinking about school. Addressing the modifiable activities may assist students with increasing their resiliency and potentially decreasing their risk of burnout.


Author(s):  
Li Wei ◽  
Wenzhi Huang ◽  
Xiaojun Lu ◽  
Yantong Wang ◽  
Linzhi Cheng ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives We performed an environmental sampling study to investigate the environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 by COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status of clinical samples. Methods We sampled the air from rooms for nine COVID-19 patients with illness or positive PCR > 30 days, before and after nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabbing and before and after nebulization treatment. We also sampled patients’ surroundings and healthcare workers’ personal protection equipment (PPE) in a non-ICU ward. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by PCR. Results Eighty-eight samples were collected from high-touch surfaces and floors in patient rooms and toilets, with only the bedsheets of two patients and one toilet positive for SARS-CoV-2. All air samples (n = 34) were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Fifty-five samples collected from PPE were all negative. Conclusion Contamination of near-patient surroundings was uncommon for COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status if environmental cleaning/disinfection were performed rigorously. Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was unlikely in these non-ICU settings.


2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Blystad ◽  
Penny van Esterik ◽  
Marina M de Paoli ◽  
Daniel W Sellen ◽  
Sebalda C Leshabari ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 941-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine S. Eggleston ◽  
Ann L. Coker ◽  
Melanie Williams ◽  
Guillermo Tortolero-Luna ◽  
Jeanne B. Martin ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 9s2 ◽  
pp. SART.S23505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas K. Greenfield ◽  
Katherine J. Karriker-Jaffe ◽  
Lauren M. Kaplan ◽  
William C. Kerr ◽  
Sharon C. Wilsnack

Various harms from others’ drinking have been studied individually and at single points in time. We conducted a US population 15-year trend analysis and extend prior research by studying associations of depression with combinations of four harms – family/marriage difficulties, financial troubles, assault, and vandalism – attributed to partners or family members. Data come from four National Alcohol Surveys conducted by telephone in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 (analytic sample = 21,184). Weighted logistic regression models estimated time trends adjusting for victim characteristics (gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, poverty, employment, family history of alcohol problems, and drinking maximum). The 2015 survey asked the source of the harm; we used similar models to examine characteristics, including anxiety and depression, associated with various combinations of family/marriage, financial, and assault harms due to partner's/spouse's/family members’ drinking. A significant upward trend ( P < 0.001) from 2000 to 2015 was seen for financial troubles but not for other harms due to someone else's drinking. In 2015, depression and/or anxiety were strongly associated with exposures to harms and combinations of harms identified as stemming from drinking spouse/partner and/or family members. The results shed new light on 15-year trends and associations of harms with personal characteristics. A replicated finding is how the victim's own heavy drinking pattern is implicated in risks for exposures to harms from someone else's drinking. Documenting risk factors for and mental health impacts is important for interventions to reduce alcohol's harm to others.


2020 ◽  
pp. 002073142098185
Author(s):  
Arnel M. Borras

Despite unprecedented global wealth creation, health inequity—the unjust health inequality between classes and groups among and within countries—persists, reviving the relevance of social justice as a lens to understand and as an instrument to intervene in these issues. However, the theoretical aspects and polysemous character of social justice as applied in the field of public health are often assumed rather than explicitly explained. An intersectional justice approach to understanding health inequality, inequity, and injustice might be useful. It argues that preexisting class-, race/ethnicity-, and gender-based health injustice and the socially differentiated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are shaped, interconnectedly, by economic maldistribution, cultural misrecognition, and political misrepresentation. Pursuing health justice requires analyses, strategies, and interventions that integrate the economic, cultural, and political spheres of redistribution, recognition, and representation, respectively. Such an intersectional approach to health justice is even more relevant and compelling in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is broadly about class, race/ethnicity, and gender political economy of public health—but with a narrower focus on maldistribution, misrecognition, and misrepresentation, shaping social and health injustices.


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