scholarly journals The COVID-19 Pandemic as a Social Stressor: Psychological and Psychiatric Risk Factors (Based on Foreign Studies)

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
Z.V. Lukovtseva

Objective. Systematization of the main factors of psychological and psychiatric risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, identified in foreign studies. Background. The need to clarify ideas about the determination of psychological and psychiatric problems caused by the socially stressful impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is dictated primarily by the demands of practice. The relevance of actions in this direction is determined by the continuing instability of the epidemiological and socio-economic situation, the need for prompt and wide coverage of those in need with programs of psychological and psychiatric care, the fragmentation and inconsistency of existing information about the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the population. Methodology. A theoretical analysis of literature sources describing foreign studies of psychological and psychiatric risk factors against the background of a pandemic was carried out; using a comparative analytical method, the meaning and degree of knowledge of situational and individual factors are determined. Conclusions. The general features of studies conducted by psychologists and psychiatrists from different countries against the background of the coronavirus threat were revealed (the predominance of the remote format, the reduction in the variety and volume of diagnostic tools, the use of large-scale samples). The main factors of psychological and psychiatric risk affecting the population in the context of the spread of coronavirus are divided into situational and individual. The factors of the first group are differentiated according to their degree of specificity for the COVID-19 pandemic, while in the second group, socio-demographic and medico-psychological factors are distinguished. It is shown that individual psychological characteristics that can determine the nature of a person’s response to a pandemic remain the least studied and clarification of their composition is an urgent scientific and practical task.

1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (08) ◽  
pp. 818-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le-Anh Luong ◽  
Hugh Montgomery ◽  
Ian Day ◽  
Vidya Mohamed-Ali ◽  
John Yudkin ◽  
...  

IntroductionThis review will focus on the inflammatory risk factors that may influence changes in plasma fibrinogen levels and that may influence an individual’s risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). These inflammatory risk factors occur to a different extent in individuals as their environment changes. Although a specific genotype may be associated, in healthy subjects, with modest differences in levels of a risk factor for thrombosis, this effect may be larger or smaller in subgroups of subjects. Documenting such gene-environment interactions is important if genotype information is ever to be used in a clinical or diagnostic setting. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of such interactions is vital to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to reduce risk of myocardial infarction (MI).We review some of the gene-environment interactions detected to date for the G-455A β-fibrinogen gene promoter polymorphism. Carriers of the A allele, representing roughly 20% of the population, consistently have, on average, 7% to 10% higher fibrinogen levels than those with the genotype GG. Data will be presented to demonstrate interaction between situations of inflammatory stimulation (e.g., smoking habit, presence of ischemic disease, and level of physical exercise) in the determination of the magnitude of the effect of the A allele on plasma fibrinogen levels.The cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the likely link between inflammatory processes and IHD. Recently we have identified a functional G/C polymorphism at -174bp in the IL-6 promoter, with the G allele being a 2 to 4 times stronger promoter upon stimulation with interleukin-1 (IL-1) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In a small study of healthy subjects, the C allele was associated with significantly lower mean plasma levels of IL-6, an effect which may be protect against the development of IHD. Finally, we describe a rapid throughput genotyping method that is useful for large-scale genetic epidemiology studies.


Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 40-47
Author(s):  
M. A. Asmanova ◽  
◽  
N. V. Lukyanenko ◽  

Introduction: The article presents an analysis of the state of the immune system of HIV-infected patients with tuberculosis, the rate of recurrence of tuberculosis in HIV-infected people against the background of insufficient preventive therapy against HIV-infection and tuberculosis. Aim: To assess the effect of clinical aspects of the course of combined pathology (HIV infection and tuberculosis) on the spread of isolation of bacteria of tuberculosis mycobacteria as one of the main risk factors for infection in foci. Materials and methods: comparative analysis of isolation of bacteria of tuberculosis mycobacteria among patients with combined pathology (tuberculosis and HIV) was carried out (main group): determination of CD4 lymphocyte cell number and isolation of tuberculosis mycobacteria (n = 100). The number of TB recurrences in the main group (100 patients) and comparison group (TB patients) – 100 patients were studied. Data processing was carried out using the calculation of intensive and extensive indicators, the calculation of the standard error of the average (m). Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. The results testified: the impact of the clinical course in tuberculosis patients with HIV infection characterized by an immunodeficiency condition, the presence of stages of 4B and 4V HIV infection (65,0 (95% RI:55;74)) and the recurrent course of tuberculosis in 25% (95 RI:17,5;34) is 1.4 times higher than in tuberculosis and is one of the main risk factors for infection in foci.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Panetta ◽  
Nichola Eliza Davies Calvani ◽  
Bronwyn Orr ◽  
Aldo Gianfranco Nicoletti ◽  
Michael P. Ward ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a life-threatening infection of dogs with a global distribution. Information on the prevalence of D. immitis and associated risk factors for canine heartworm antigen positivity—and thus disease—in Australia is scarce or outdated. The current reference method for D. immitis diagnosis in dogs is via the detection of heartworm antigen in blood using commercially available microwell-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Heat treatment of canine plasma prior to testing has been suggested to increase test sensitivity. The aim of the current study was to estimate the prevalence of D. immitis in dogs confined to shelters in Queensland, Australia. The impact of heat treatment on antigen test results was also assessed. Methods Blood samples (n = 166) were collected directly from dogs in seven shelters across Queensland (latitudinal span of approx. 1700 km) into EDTA blood collection tubes. A commercially available ELISA (DiroCHEK®) was used to detect canine heartworm antigen in untreated and heat-treated plasma. Whole blood was concurrently tested for the presence of microfilariae and D. immitis DNA using a modified Knott’s test and real-time PCR, respectively. Risk factors (age, gender, source, location) associated with the odds of positivity for canine heartworm were assessed using binary logistic regression models. Results A total of 16 dogs (9.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.9–15.2%) were positive for canine heartworm based on combined test results. Heat treatment did not impact on the positivity of D. immitis antigen within samples (Cohen’s kappa = 0.98), but the optical density was significantly increased in paired plasma samples for D. immitis antigen-positive samples (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, two-tailed P < 0.01). Location of the dog in a shelter in northern Queensland was the only risk factor significantly associated with the odds of a dog being more likely to be D. immitis antigen positive (odds ratio: 4.39; 95% CI: 1.26–13.51). All samples positive for the modified Knott’s test were also positive for D. immitis DNA by PCR. Conclusions This study demonstrated the presence of heartworm-positive dogs in shelters in Queensland, with positive animals significantly more likely to occur in northern Queensland than southern Queensland. Sustained testing for the presence of D. immitis microfilariae and antigen remain important diagnostic tools in areas with known and re-emerging canine heartworm activity. Graphical Abstract


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Hamedifar ◽  
Herve Wilczynski

Abstract Major Oil and Gas operators and service companies look to undertake large scale digital transformations aimed at producing integrated, connected, and intelligent enterprises. These transformations require accelerating the journey to the cloud to modernize the entire application portfolio. By transitioning to the cloud, firms enjoy improved data analytics which allow for evolution to next generation digital work environment. This shift, however, comes with workforce challenges. Employees in all categories and at most levels will require significant cross- and up-skilling to take full advantage of the digital transformation. As vendors, suppliers, service companies, and operators move products and equipment around an expanding ecosystem of assets, security threats are likely to increase due to further geopolitical instability. Data based decision making, which enables the optimization of assets and automation of operations to minimize workforce risk exposure must be implemented with consideration of enterprise risk reduction (across the asset and workforce operational risk life cycle). As Oil and Gas operations become more geographically dispersed and diverse, they are exposed to new and evolving risk factors which can directly impact value. These risk factors make asset acquisition, development, management, and maintenance all more challenging. Analyses of risk in a digital foundation risk-based platform is most valuable at the earliest stages of asset development in determining whether to proceed with the planned development through to end-of-life decommissioning. Successful firms must create an end-to-end digital roadmap which delineates between technical and transactional activities and outlines effective stakeholder engagement at each project stage. The fundamental thesis of this paper is that although risk can be mitigated and reduced through the introduction of digital tools into oil and gas operations, it can never be completely removed. Furthermore, while industry research on the impact of digitalization usually rely heavily on cost savings, optimization, and health, safety, and environment (HSE) related cases, they typically fail to consider the contribution of digitalization on risk assessment and management. This paper argues that we need to move away from the focus on cost savings, process optimization, and HSE metrics improvement metrics. This paper sets up a mechanism for developing risk-based strategies for implementation of digital solutions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerda K. Pot ◽  
Suzana Almoosawi ◽  
Alison M. Stephen

Studying irregular meal patterns fits in with the latest research focusing not only on what people eat but also when they eat, also called chrono-nutrition. Chrono-nutrition involves studying the impact of nutrition on metabolism via circadian patterns, including three aspects of time: (ir)regularity, frequency and clock time. The present paper aimed to narratively review research on irregular meal patterns and cardiometabolic consequences. Only few cross-sectional studies and prospective cohort studies were identified, and most of these suggested that eating meals irregularly is associated with a higher risk of the metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factors, including BMI and blood pressure. This was supported by two randomised controlled intervention studies showing that consuming meals regularly for 2 weeks v. an irregular meal pattern, led to beneficial impact on cardiometabolic risk factors as lower peak insulin, lower fasting total and LDL-cholesterol, both in lean and obese women. In conclusion, the limited evidence on meal regularity and cardiometabolic consequences supports the hypothesis that consuming meals irregularly is adversely associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, it also highlights the need for more large-scale studies, including detailed dietary assessment to further advance the understanding of the impact of chrono-nutrition on public health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
N Tanaka ◽  
K Inoue ◽  
A Kobori ◽  
K Kazutai ◽  
T Morimoto ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The impact of sex differences on the clinical outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is controversial. We previously reported that females experienced more frequent AF recurrences than males after the index and last RFCA procedures. Purpose To identify the risk factors associated with recurrent AF in females and males after RFCA of AF. Methods We conducted a large-scale, prospective, multicenter, observational study (Kansai Plus Atrial Fibrillation Registry). We enrolled 5010 consecutive patients who underwent an initial RFCA of AF at 26 centers (64±10 years; 1369 [27.3%] females; non-paroxysmal AF, 35.7%). The median follow-up duration was 2.9 years. Results The incidence of AF recurrences after a single procedure was 43.3% in females and 39.0% in males. After a multivariate adjustment at baseline, the significant predictors of AF recurrence in females after the index RFCA were non-paroxysmal AF (hazard ration [HR],1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI],1.31–1.93, p&lt;0.0001), a history of AF ≥2 years (HR,1.47; 95% CI,1.24–1.74, p&lt;0.0001), coronary artery disease (HR,1.43; 95% CI,1.03–1.98, p=0.0035), and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)&lt;60 mL/min/1.73m2 (HR,1.46; 95% CI,1.10–1.95, p=0.0086). On the other hand, significant predictors of AF recurrence in males after the index RFCA were non-paroxysmal AF (HR,1.54; 95% CI,1.37–1.73, p&lt;0.0001), a history of AF ≥2 years (HR,1.40; 95% CI,1.26–1.56, p&lt;0.0001), the number of antiarrhythmic drugs (HR,1.06; 95% CI,1.003–1.13, p=0.040), a left atrial diameter≥40mm (HR,1.13; 95% CI,1.007–1.27, p=0.038), and dilated cardiomyopathy (HR,1.55; 95% CI,1.07–2.26, p=0.021), however, an eGFR&lt;60 mL/min/1.73m2 was not associated with AF recurrence in males (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.88–1.13, p=0.97). Conclusion The Kansai Plus Atrial Fibrillation Registry revealed a distinct sex difference in terms of the predictors of recurrent AF after RFCA. Non-Paroxysmal AF and a long history of AF were common risk factors both in females and males. However, renal dysfunction was a significant predictor of AF recurrence in females, while it was not a risk of recurrence in males. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Research Institute for Production Development in Kyoto, Japan.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. O. Portyannikova ◽  
S. M. Tsvinger ◽  
A. V. Govorin ◽  
E. N. Romanova

The review contains data from large-scale foreign and Russian studies of the epidemiology of osteoarthritis (OA). It considers the role of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for OA, such as age, sex, hormonal status, obesity, etc. There are data on genetic susceptibility to OA and on congenital anomalies that contribute to joint structural changes. Data on the impact of racial and ethnic factors on the development and progression of OA are analyzed. The role of metabolic disorders in the pathogenesis of this disease is highlighted. Data on the relationship of OA to patients' professional activities are summarized.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (514) ◽  
pp. 139-145
Author(s):  
M. R. Lychkovska ◽  

The article is aimed at generalizing the essential content of the concept of «remote employment» in the context of components that form it, analyzing the main factors of influence on these components, determining trends and features of development and spread of remote employment in coronavirus crisis. Analyzing and summarizing the scientific works of many scholars and practitioners, the sequence of development and implementation of the novel alternative forms of employment is researched. The tendency to change their essential content is defined as being dependent on the development and introduction of modern technologies. The main factors influencing the possibility of transferring novel forms of employment into a virtual mode are analyzed. The main advantages and disadvantages of spread of remote employment in lockdown conditions are allocated and analyzed. It is specified that a significant part of them can be formulated as follows: the first ones – as an advance that needs to be shared; the second ones – as problems to be solved. Doing this is quite feasible and necessary in order to develop the appropriate policy. As a result of the research, the main obstacles to the development of remote employment are identified, which include a large-scale downturn in the economic attitudes of business entities and the growth of social tension. It is reasoned that under such conditions, the strong-willed orders on the part of government can only worsen the existing situation. It is proved that only strengthening the partnership between the State, business and civil society on the basis of restoring mutual trust of all economic actors will provide an opportunity to develop a deliberate policy of recovery, part of which is the large-scale proliferation of remote labor. Remote labor will become not only a mechanism for overcoming coronavirus crisis, but also a mechanism for large-scale renewal of Ukraine’s economy on the basis of the use of the latest technologies. Prospects for further research in this direction are the creation and adapting of novel forms of remote labor, their formalization, institutional and legal support, the construction of new models of full-fledged social partnership between the State, business and civil society in the sphere of labor and employment, etc.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2439-2445
Author(s):  
Sabeen Tahir ◽  
Basit Shahzad ◽  
Sheikh Tahir Bakhsh ◽  
Mohammed Basheri

The impact and probability of healthcare software risks are widely discussed in software risk management. The identification of healthcare software risk factor will not be useful without measuring its impact and probability. The impact filed determines the damage level of the risk factors if it appears, while the probability determines how probable is the existence of that risk. The risks of having high probability and higher impact levels have to be addressed urgently. The orientation of the risks takes place in response to unbalanced resource allocation. Establishing an association among the project factors and risk factors helps in gaining more effective control of the resource allocation to the healthcare application development. This paper identifies the conceptual and numerical association between the project factors and risk factors by conducting a mixed-method research analysis to optimize the resource allocation and reduce (eliminate) the software risks in large scale healthcare applications. The resultant associations between the project factors and risk factors are categorized as weak or strong based on the resultant data of this study and can be used as a guideline document for developing the large scale healthcare systems.


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