The Development of Support for People Following COVID-19 Infection in Kyrgyzstan: Survey Study of Patients and Clinical Workers

Abstract Background: After the acute period from SARS-CoV-2 infection, many COVID-19 survivors continue to have ongoing symptoms. There is a need to render assistance to such COVID-19 survivors in Kyrgyzstan but it is unclear how support should be designed. This study aimed to examine what this support should look like, specifically the persisting post-COVID symptoms, views on the optimal timing, suitable delivery methods, content of the support, and obstacles to implementation. Methods: This study was conducted by using two cross-sectional online surveys in the Russian language. The first group included clinical workers of various specialties who worked in the places of treatment for patients with COVID-19. The second group consisted of patients aged ≥18 years who had recovered from COVID-19 who were recruited from family medicine centers using the database of COVID-19 survivors. The survey was conducted anonymously and voluntarily, and consisted of 16 questions. Results: 85 clinical workers and 132 COVID-19 survivors took part in the survey. COVID-19 survivors reported they would be willing to devote 1-3 sessions per a week (84%) with a duration of no more than 1 hour (90%) to post-COVID interventions. Respondents identified the Internet (43%) and separate smartphone applications (42%) as the best media via which to receive support at home. The greatest barrier to accepting help was the risk of re-infection (43%). According to clinical workers, the main goal of post-COVID-19 support should be the amelioration of breathing problems (70%), increased physical exercise (57%) and elements of psychological support (57%). Clinical workers reported that support should begin during treatment for COVID-19 (65%), or immediately after returning from the hospital (59%). Respondents stated that it would be better to carry out support at home via video conference (65%), or by means of telephone calls (47%). The cost of treatment (47%) and the individual’s employment at work (43%) were deemed potential barriers to COVID-19 survivors participating in support interventions.Conclusions: Clinical workers and COVID-19 survivors deemed post-COVID-19 support necessary. Our results will directly inform the development and delivery of post-COVID support interventions in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, in combination with the views and needs identified directly from people with persisting post-COVID symptoms.

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Meal and Sleep Timing before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Anonymous Survey Study from Sweden

Clocks & Sleep ◽

10.3390/clockssleep3020015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 251-258

Author(s):

Christian Benedict ◽

Luiz Eduardo Mateus Brandão ◽

Ilona Merikanto ◽

Markku Partinen ◽

Bjørn Bjorvatn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sample Size ◽

Metabolic Health ◽

Survey Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Daily Routines ◽

Sleep Timing ◽

Social Jetlag ◽

Meal Timing ◽

At Home

The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, such as stay-at-home-orders, have significantly altered daily routines and lifestyles. Given their importance for metabolic health, we herein compared sleep and meal timing parameters during vs. before the COVID-19 pandemic based on subjective recall, in an anonymous Swedish survey. Among 191 adults (mean age: 47 years; 77.5% females), we show that social jetlag, i.e., the mismatch in sleep midpoint between work and free days, was reduced by about 17 min during the pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic state (p < 0.001). Concomitantly, respondents’ sleep midpoint was shifted toward morning hours during workdays (p < 0.001). A later daily eating midpoint accompanied the shift in sleep timing (p = 0.001). This effect was mainly driven by a later scheduled first meal (p < 0.001). No difference in the timing of the day’s last meal was found (p = 0.814). Although our survey was limited in terms of sample size and by being cross-sectional, our results suggest that the delay in sleep timing due to the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a corresponding shift in the timing of early but not late meals.

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Perceptions and Attitudes of Pharmacogenomics Through the Lens of Community Pharmacists and Patients

Journal of Contemporary Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.37901/jcphp20-00016 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 21-30

Author(s):

Dalga Surofchy ◽

Christina Mnatzaganian ◽

Lord Sarino ◽

Grace Kuo

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Survey Study ◽

Routine Practice ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Potential Barriers ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes ◽

Practice Methods ◽

Pharmacy Chain

Background Pharmacists represent some of the most accessible healthcare workers and are in an opportune position to spearhead new clinical initiatives, such as pharmacogenomics (PGx) services. It is important that we understand the perceptions and attitudes both pharmacists and patients have regarding PGx and potential barriers of implementing it into routine clinical practice. Methods A cross-sectional survey study was conducted across one regional division of a large community pharmacy chain to assess the perceptions and attitudes of pharmacists and patients regarding PGx in California. A secondary aim was to determine perceived barriers to PGx implementation into community pharmacies. Results The majority (67%) of pharmacists agreed or strongly agreed to understanding PGx compared to 35% of patients being aware of PGx (p<0.001). More patients (62%) preferred their pharmacist compared to pharmacists (43%) preferring themselves as a provider to manage patients' medications based on their PGx results (p<0.01). Many patients (88%) expressed interest in participating in a PGx test; both pharmacists (84%) and patients (85%) were unlikely to have participated or know someone who has participated in PGx testing. Pharmacists and patients expressed similar concerns about privacy of their PGx data by employers (p=0.287) and insurers (p=0.953), a potential barrier to PGx implementation. Conclusion Pharmacists are well positioned to spearhead PGx consultations and patients are interested in pharmacists using PGx to help manage their medications; however, various barriers were identified that must be overcome for PGx to become incorporated in routine practice.

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Willingness of Patients from an Urban Safety-Net Dermatology Clinic to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine

SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine ◽

10.25251/skin.5.6.7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 649-655

Author(s):

Hannah Mumber ◽

Daniela Del Campo ◽

Manuel Alvarado ◽

Jacqueline Watchmaker

Keyword(s):

Vaccine Development ◽

Safety Net ◽

Survey Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dermatology Clinic ◽

Safety Net Hospital ◽

Urban Safety ◽

Flu Vaccine ◽

Caucasian Patients ◽

To Receive

Background: While recent vaccine development has initiated a return to pre-COVID "normalcy" both in the dermatology clinic and worldwide, significant challenges remain regarding the public’s willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Dermatologists often discuss vaccinations with their patients and aid them in making evidence-based medical decisions. Previous studies have looked at the U.S. population’s willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but no studies have examined the dermatology patient population from an urban, safety-net hospital. Studies have shown that understanding the target audience is the first step towards increasing vaccine acceptance. Methods: A cross-sectional, telephone-based survey study was administered to 326 patients of an urban, safety-net hospital from July 2020 to August 2020 in order to assess willingness to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Our survey study showed that 57.7% of patients with a recent dermatology appointment are willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and that safety concerns represent the main reason for patient hesitancy. Patients who do not regularly receive a flu vaccine, non-Caucasian patients, and those who know someone who tested positive for COVID-19 are less willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Patients with a recent dermatology appointment are more willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine than those who did not have a recent dermatology appointment. Conclusions: Our results provide dermatologists, especially those working in urban safety-net clinics, with key information about the attitude of patients toward the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Participation in Virtual Urology Conferences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/24369 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. e24369

Author(s):

Menghua Wang ◽

Banghua Liao ◽

Zhongyu Jian ◽

Xi Jin ◽

Liyuan Xiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Response Rate ◽

Survey Study ◽

The Internet ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Face To Face ◽

Item Questionnaire ◽

Video And Audio ◽

Academic Conferences ◽

At Home

Background Due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional face-to-face academic conferences have been restricted, and many of these conferences have moved onto the internet. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the virtual conferences in the field of urology during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide suggestions for better organization of such conferences. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 30 to June 15, 2020, in China. Our team designed a 23-item questionnaire to investigate the conferences attended by urologists during the COVID-19 pandemic. SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corporation) was applied to analyze the data collected. Results A total of 330 Chinese urologists participated in our survey, and the response rate was 89.7% (330/368). Among the participants, 40.9% (135/330) were associate chief physicians. The proportion of participants who took part in conventional face-to-face academic conferences decreased from 92.7% (306/330) before the COVID-19 pandemic to 22.1% (73/330) during the pandemic (P<.001). In contrast, the proportion of urologists who took part in virtual conferences increased from 69.4% (229/330) to 90% (297/330) (P<.001). Most urologists (70.7%, 210/297) chose to participate in the virtual conferences at home and thought that a meeting length of 1-2 hours was most appropriate. Among the urologists, 73.7% (219/297) reported that their participation in the virtual conferences went smoothly, while the remaining respondents reported that they had experienced lags in video and audio streaming during the virtual conferences. When comparing conventional face-to-face conferences with virtual conferences, 70.7% (210/297) of the respondents thought that both conference formats were acceptable, while 17.9% (53/297) preferred virtual conferences and 11.5% (34/297) preferred conventional face-to-face meetings. Conclusions Virtual conferences are increasing in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many aspects of these conferences could be improved for better organization.

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Posture correction system of squat using EMG and 6-axis acceleration sensor

International Journal of Engineering & Technology ◽

10.14419/ijet.v7i3.33.21012 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3.33) ◽

pp. 194

Author(s):

Hwangsung Min ◽

Songchang Won ◽

Hojun Yeom

Keyword(s):

Acceleration Sensor ◽

Personal Training ◽

The Cost ◽

To Receive ◽

Correction System ◽

At Home

Recently, the need for fitness for health and appearance has increased and interest in fitness has been increasing. Because of the cost of personal training (PT), many people are doing exercise at home. However, when the correct feedback is not received, the exercise is performed in a wrong posture, resulting in frequent cases of injuries or sprains.In this study, we developed an exercise posture correcting device to exercise alone at home. Especially, we have studied squat which many people are doing individually. The EMG module is placed on both thighs to receive the signal, and the EMG of the main muscle is compared with the EMG of the correct posture. At the same time, the MPU-6050, which is a 6-axis acceleration sensor, measures the angle of the knee and the degree of sitting. We will develop a system that enables feedback.

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Acceptance and hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccine among university students in Egypt: a nationwide survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1162301/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samar Tharwat ◽

Ahmed Mohammed Saad ◽

Mohammed Kamal Nassar ◽

Dalia Kamal Nassar

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Knowledge Score ◽

Nationwide Survey ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Survey Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

To Receive

Abstract Background: The public's willingness to be vaccinated will determine the success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. The aim of this study was to identify acceptance and hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccine among university students in Egypt, assess their level of knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine and identify barriers for hesitancy to uptake of COVID-19 vaccine.Methods: This cross-sectional survey study included 1071 university students. A standardized and self-administered questionnaire was constructed by the authors and distributed to university students allover Egypt.Results: Of the 1071 respondents, 739 (69%) were willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 while 223 (20.8%) reported vaccine hesitancy. Median knowledge score of participants about COVID-19 vaccine was 4 out of 8 (IQR=8). While fear of getting infected (53.6%) and desire to get back to normal life (51%) were the main motives for intention to get vaccinated, fear of serious side effects (100%) and doubting the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine (60.5%) were the main reasons for vaccine hesitancy and resistance. About 21% of students (n=225) reported voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: We identified rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy and detected poor knowledge scores among university students which may hinder vaccine acceptance. We also detected poor translation of vaccination intention into actual vaccine uptake. Educational campaigns and efforts aiming to raise awareness about safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines need to be directed to this important population.

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MO028BARRIERS TO HOME HEMODIALYSIS IN SASKATCHWAN CANADA: RESULTS FROM A PROVINCIAL SURVEY

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation ◽

10.1093/ndt/gfaa140.mo028 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (Supplement_3) ◽

Author(s):

Bhanu Prasad ◽

Maryam Jafari ◽

Lucas Diebel ◽

Sachin Shah

Keyword(s):

Formal Education ◽

System Level ◽

Patient Specific ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Home Hemodialysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Active Involvement ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

The Cost ◽

At Home

Abstract Background and Aims Home hemodialysis (HHD) offers similar, and perhaps even superior clinical outcomes to in-center hemodialysis (HD) at a fraction of the cost. HHD remains underutilized as remote HD patients in the province of Saskatchewan often relocate or travel hundreds of kilometers weekly in order to receive dialysis related care. Many barriers to accessing and utilizing HHD have been described, but the degree to which these factors impact our province’s residents has not been quantified. In quantifying these barriers we can better design better protocols to address the unique barriers leading to low utilization of HHD in our province. The purpose of this study was to determine the barriers to receiving HHD in the province of Saskatchewan. Method We conducted a cross sectional survey of in-center HD patients across the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. A total of 740 in-center HD patients (two academic sites, 7 satellite units) were approached by study coordinators. 421 patients (n=268 in the main units and n=153 in the satellite units) agreed to participate in the study. A five-point Likert scale survey was created to identify barriers to HHD with questions addressing HHD awareness and knowledge, accessibility, home constraints, impact on family members, and risks, fears, beliefs surrounding HHD. Responses were anonymous and tabulated using a data collection tool. Survey data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results 41.7 % of participants had more than 12 years of formal education. 12% lived on reserve, 18% on farm, and 70% in town/city. The median (interquartile range=IQR) distance of home to in-center dialysis units was 12 (5-80) kilometers. Only 76% of patients were aware of HHD. 46% of patients felt they had no understanding of the benefits or risks of HHD. Despite only 8% of patients being told they were unsuitable for HHD by their nephrologist, only 28% had ever considered it as a treatment option. Other prominent barriers to HHD were: satisfaction with in-center HD (76%), medical supervision during HD (76%), opportunity to socialize with in-center HD patients (73%), increase in utility payments (54%), and fear of having a major health event at home (51%). Other home constraints (space, inability to make modifications to the home) also figured prominently (35%). Conclusion In this study, we identified patient specific barriers to HHD in a prevalent cohort of HD patients. Several barriers were identified with a few consistent themes being identified, including deficiencies in knowledge and awareness, home constraints, and perceived benefits of in-center care (satisfaction with current care, socializing with patients and staff, and fear of a catastrophic event at home). The most frequently reported knowledge barrier was a lack of understanding of the benefits and risks of HHD. These findings suggest that not enough patients are receiving formal education, or active involvement in deciding which modality they would be most suitable for them when initiating dialysis. In center dialysis is considered the ‘default’ option for many patients, resulting in limited education on HHD. Changing the culture surrounding in-center dialysis as the ‘default’ method of dialysis requires broader physician, allied health professional, and system level recognition of the potential benefits HHD could offer patients. Differences in remuneration for HHD and in-center HD also pose an obstacle to ensuring patients are making truly informed choices when it comes to in-center HD versus HHD. While the study does not reflect views of all the patients, this information will be valuable in designing an educational program to improve adoption of HHD within our province.

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Investigating the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in Macao: implications for vaccination strategies

10.1101/2021.06.11.21258734 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carolina Oi Lam Ung ◽

Yuanjia Hu ◽

Hao Hu ◽

Ying Bian

Keyword(s):

Social Responsibility ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Belief ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Survey Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Severity ◽

Vaccination Strategies ◽

To Receive

Importance: Understanding the intention of receiving COVID-19 vaccines is important for informing effective vaccination strategies especially for areas with low incidence. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination, identify the key influencing factors, and determine the most important intention predictors using a theoretically principled model. Design, setting, and participants: This was a cross-sectional online survey study hosted by Survey Monkey and implemented for 10 days from May 14 2021. People who aged 18 years or above and had been residing in Macao for 12 months prior to the study were recruited through social media. Main outcomes and measures: Intention, the constructs of protection motivation theory (perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, maladaptive response reward, self-efficacy, response-efficacy, and response cost), constructs of health belief model (cues to action), social attitude, social norm, past experience and information seeking behavior, in addition to demographic variables. Results: Of the 552 respondents, 79.5% aged between 25 and 54 years old, 59.4% were female, and 88% had a bachelor degree or above. Overall, 62.3% of the respondents indicated their intention while 19.2% were hesitant and 18.5% did not have any intention. While 67.0% believed COVID-19 infection was life-threatening, only 19.0% thought they were at risk. Control variables such as age, gender, education level, and having travel plans were significantly correlated with intention. Significant associations were found between intention and all the measures (p<0.05). The most important positive predictors of intention were "being able to make arrangement to receive the vaccine" (β = 0.333, P <0.001), "a sense of social responsibility" (β = 0.326, P < 0.001), and "time off from work after vaccination" (β = 0.169, P <0.001), whereas "concerns over vaccine safety" (β = -0.124, P < 0.001) and "relying on online resources for vaccine information" (β = -0.065, P <0.05) were negative predictors. Perceived severity was not a predictor of intention. Conclusion and relevance: Multi-component strategies that address various factors affecting intention are needed to formulate effective interventions. Health literacy, vaccination convenience, social responsibility, reasonable incentives and well-informed risk and benefit analysis are recommended consideration for future vaccination campaigns.

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International attitudes on COVID-19 vaccination: repeat national cross-sectional surveys across 15 countries

10.1101/2021.03.08.21252449 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Roberto Fernandez Crespo ◽

Manar Shafat ◽

Natalie Melas-Kyriazi ◽

Lisa J Gould ◽

Sarah Jones ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Younger Adults ◽

The Public ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Outcomes Measures ◽

Short Time ◽

To Receive ◽

At Home

Objective: To examine the general publics views around willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines and concerns regarding their safety. Design: Repeat cross-sectional surveys. Setting: Online surveys in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom Participants: National samples of adults aged 18 years and above in November 2020 and January 2021. Main outcomes measures: The proportion of adults reporting: willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccination; concern regarding side-effects from vaccinations; concerns over contraction COVID-19, and beliefs around vaccine provision in their country. Changes between the November and January surveys are also reported. Results: Across the 15 countries, the proportion of respondents reporting they would have the COVID-19 vaccine increased from 40.7% (range: 25.0-55.1) to 55.2% (range: 34.8-77.5), proportion reporting worried about the side-effects of vaccine decreased from 53.3% (range: 42.1-66.7) to 47.9% (range: 28.0-66.1). On the second survey, willingness to receive vaccine remained low in females (49.4%, range: 30.2-79.1), aged 18-39 years (42.1%, range: 25.9-71.7), those not working or unemployed (48.9, range: 18.8-67.0), students (45.9%, range: 22.8-70.0), and those with children at home (46.5%, range: 32.4-68.9). Concerns regarding safety of vaccine remained high in females (53.7%, range: 31.8-70.4), aged 18-39 years (50.8%, range: 28.2-60.7), aged 40-64 years (51.3%, range: 30.7-68.5), those working (50.5%, range: 26.7-65.0), those not working or unemployed (53.3, range: 35.4-73.8) and those with children at home (55.8%, range: 36.5-64.7). Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy decreased considerably over a relatively short time coinciding with the discovery of effective vaccines. The public remain concerned about their safety, and public health messaging will need to emphasis their safety especially amongst females, parents and younger adults.

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Participation in Virtual Urology Conferences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24369 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Menghua Wang ◽

Banghua Liao ◽

Zhongyu Jian ◽

Xi Jin ◽

Liyuan Xiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Response Rate ◽

Survey Study ◽

The Internet ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Face To Face ◽

Item Questionnaire ◽

Video And Audio ◽

Academic Conferences ◽

At Home

BACKGROUND Due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional face-to-face academic conferences have been restricted, and many of these conferences have moved onto the internet. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the virtual conferences in the field of urology during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide suggestions for better organization of such conferences. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 30 to June 15, 2020, in China. Our team designed a 23-item questionnaire to investigate the conferences attended by urologists during the COVID-19 pandemic. SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corporation) was applied to analyze the data collected. RESULTS A total of 330 Chinese urologists participated in our survey, and the response rate was 89.7% (330/368). Among the participants, 40.9% (135/330) were associate chief physicians. The proportion of participants who took part in conventional face-to-face academic conferences decreased from 92.7% (306/330) before the COVID-19 pandemic to 22.1% (73/330) during the pandemic (<i>P</i><.001). In contrast, the proportion of urologists who took part in virtual conferences increased from 69.4% (229/330) to 90% (297/330) (<i>P</i><.001). Most urologists (70.7%, 210/297) chose to participate in the virtual conferences at home and thought that a meeting length of 1-2 hours was most appropriate. Among the urologists, 73.7% (219/297) reported that their participation in the virtual conferences went smoothly, while the remaining respondents reported that they had experienced lags in video and audio streaming during the virtual conferences. When comparing conventional face-to-face conferences with virtual conferences, 70.7% (210/297) of the respondents thought that both conference formats were acceptable, while 17.9% (53/297) preferred virtual conferences and 11.5% (34/297) preferred conventional face-to-face meetings. CONCLUSIONS Virtual conferences are increasing in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many aspects of these conferences could be improved for better organization.

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