scholarly journals COVID-19: Needs assessment of the pharmacy profession and contributions so far across the Commonwealth

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Ashiru-Oredope ◽  
Amy Chan ◽  
Omotayo Olaoye ◽  
Victoria Rutter ◽  
Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Pharmacy Profession ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Abstract BackgroundThe declaration of COVID-19 a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on the 11March 2020 marked the beginning of a global health crisis of an unprecedented natureand scale. The approach taken by countries across the world varied widely, however,the delivery of frontline healthcare was consistently recognised as being central to thepandemic response. This study aimed to identify and explore the issues currentlyfacing pharmacy teams across Commonwealth countries during the COVID-19pandemic. The study also evaluates pharmacy professionals’ understanding of keyknowledge areas from the COVID-19 webinar hosted by the CommonwealthPharmacists’ Association ( CPA) on 5 th June 2020.MethodA quantitative survey-based approach was adopted, using a 32-item questionnairedeveloped from the literature on pharmacy and pandemic response. The survey washosted on Survey Monkey and pilot tested. The final survey was disseminated by CPAmember organisations. A 6-item online questionnaire was sent via email to allattendees of CPA's COVID-19 webinar. Descriptive statistics on frequency distributionsand percentages were used to analyse the responses. Data were analysed usingMicrosoft® Excel (2010).ResultsThere were 545 responses from pharmacy professionals across 31/54 commonwealthcountries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. Majority of therespondents reported being at least somewhat worried (90%) and more than 65% werevery worried or extremely about the impact of COVID-19 on them personally andprofessionally. Nearly two-thirds of respondents stated finding it somewhat difficult orvery difficult to work effectively during the pandemic. Challenges mostly faced bypharmacy professionals working remotely included; general anxiety about the impact ofCOVID-19 on their lives (12%), and difficulties in communicating with their co-workers(12%). Most pharmacy professionals had not previously been actively involved in aglobal health emergency (82%) nor obtained training on global/public healthemergency preparedness (62%). Between 45% to 97% of the COVID-19 webinarattendees provided the correct answers to post-webinar questions, suggesting someimprovement in knowledge.ConclusionOur study confirms pharmacy professional’s concerns about practice during apandemic and provides preliminary data on the challenges and learning needs of theprofession. The CPA has since acted on these findings, providing on-goingopportunities to develop and refine resources for the profession as the pandemicevolves. Pharmacy professionals have also demonstrated improved knowledge on themanagement of COVID-19 and resources available for professionals.

scholarly journals Needs assessment and impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy professionals in 31 commonwealth countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Ashiru-Oredope ◽  
◽  
Amy Hai Yan Chan ◽  
Omotayo Olaoye ◽  
Victoria Rutter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
The World ◽  
Pandemic Response ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The declaration of COVID-19 a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020 marked the beginning of a global health crisis of an unprecedented nature and scale. The approach taken by countries across the world varied widely, however, the delivery of frontline healthcare was consistently recognised as being central to the pandemic response. This study aimed to identify and explore the issues currently facing pharmacy teams across Commonwealth countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also evaluates pharmacy professionals’ understanding of key knowledge areas from the COVID-19 webinar hosted by the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association (CPA). Method A quantitative survey-based approach was adopted, using a 32-item questionnaire developed from the literature on pharmacy and pandemic response. The survey was hosted on Survey Monkey and pilot tested. The final survey was disseminated by CPA member organisations. A 6-item online questionnaire was sent via email to all attendees of CPA's COVID-19 webinar. Descriptive statistics on frequency distributions and percentages were used to analyse the responses. Data were analysed using Microsoft® Excel (2010). Results There were 545 responses from pharmacy professionals across 31/54 Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. Majority of the respondents reported being at least somewhat worried (90%) and more than 65% were very worried or extremely about the impact of COVID-19 on them personally and professionally. Nearly two-thirds of respondents stated finding it somewhat difficult or very difficult to work effectively during the pandemic. Challenges mostly faced by pharmacy professionals working remotely included; general anxiety about the impact of COVID-19 on their lives (12%), and difficulties in communicating with their co-workers (12%). Most pharmacy professionals had not previously been actively involved in a global health emergency (82%) nor obtained training on global/public health emergency preparedness (62%). Between 45 and 97% of the COVID-19 webinar attendees provided the correct answers to post-webinar questions, suggesting some improvement in knowledge. Conclusion Our study confirms pharmacy professionals’ concerns about practice during a pandemic and provides preliminary data on the challenges and learning needs of the profession. The CPA has since acted on these findings, providing ongoing opportunities to develop and refine resources for the profession as the pandemic evolves. Pharmacy professionals have also demonstrated improved knowledge on the management of COVID-19 and resources available for professionals.

scholarly journals The Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Aetiology and Development of Uveal Melanoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1700
Author(s):  
Melissa Chalada ◽  
Charmaine A. Ramlogan-Steel ◽  
Bijay P. Dhungel ◽  
Christopher J. Layton ◽  
Jason C. Steel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Ultraviolet Radiation ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Genetic Mutations ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Uveal melanoma (UM) is currently classified by the World Health Organisation as a melanoma caused by risk factors other than cumulative solar damage. However, factors relating to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) susceptibility such as light-coloured skin and eyes, propensity to burn, and proximity to the equator, frequently correlate with higher risk of UM. These risk factors echo those of the far more common cutaneous melanoma (CM), which is widely accepted to be caused by excessive UVR exposure, suggesting a role of UVR in the development and progression of a proportion of UM. Indeed, this could mean that countries, such as Australia, with high UVR exposure and the highest incidences of CM would represent a similarly high incidence of UM if UVR exposure is truly involved. Most cases of UM lack the typical genetic mutations that are related to UVR damage, although recent evidence in a small minority of cases has shown otherwise. This review therefore reassesses statistical, environmental, anatomical, and physiological evidence for and against the role of UVR in the aetiology of UM.

scholarly journals An Italian Survey on Dietary Habits and Changes during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1197
Author(s):  
Luana Izzo ◽  
Antonio Santonastaso ◽  
Gaetano Cotticelli ◽  
Alessandro Federico ◽  
Severina Pacifico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
World Health ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Diet Adherence ◽  
Mediterranean Diet Adherence ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; the outbreak has led to lockdowns in several parts of the world, and sudden changes in people’s lifestyles. This study explores the impact of the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period on dietary habits, lifestyle changes, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet among the Italian population, through an online questionnaire, conducted from April to May 2020, involving 1519 participants. The 14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) highlighted a medium Mediterranean diet adherence in 73.5% of responders, which principally included the younger population, aged 18–30 years (p < 0.05). In regards to changes in eating habits, 33.5% of responders declared an influence of the pandemic period on nutritional practice. A decrease in alcohol consumption was reported by 81% of responders, while an increase in frozen food consumption was reported by 81.3% of responders. In addition, 58.8% reported positive weight modification (40.8%, +1–3 kg); physical activity reduction was reported for 70.5% of responders. Our study contributes toward amplifying the investigation on the dietary habits and changes of the Italian population during the COVID-19 lockdown, although the pandemic is ongoing. Similar studies should be performed around the world to understand how the emergency has impacted people’s habits.

29 September, International Day of Otolaryngologist

2020 ◽  
pp. 75-79
Author(s):  
Oksana Rybachok
Keyword(s):  
Injury Risk ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
The World ◽  
Injury Risk Factor ◽  
The Impact

According to the World Health Organisation, deafness is one of the most widely spread sensory disorders in the world affecting about 360 million people worldwide. The causes of deafness can be very diverse, from genetic diseases, the impact of injury-risk factor and infectious agents to the administration of ototoxic drugs. Moreover, otolaryngologists believe that about half of deafness and hearing loss cases could have been prevented. Though otolaryngology was separated as an independent medical science in the mid-18th century, the decision to celebrate the Otolaryngologist Day on September 29 as a professional holiday for medical practitioners in this speciality was made not so long ago. This date at the end of September was chosen on purpose: the influx of patients to medical practitioners in this speciality is observed closer to the mid-autumn, after the first cold snap.

scholarly journals The impact of maternal obesity on completion of fetal anomaly screening

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly-Ann Eastwood ◽  
Ciara Daly ◽  
Alyson Hunter ◽  
David McCance ◽  
Ian Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Obesity ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
World Health ◽  
Fetal Anomaly ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Fetal Medicine ◽  
Obese Class ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjective:To examine the impact of maternal obesity on completion of fetal anomaly screening.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 500 anomaly scans (19+0–21+6 weeks) was included. Women were categorised according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) body mass index (BMI) classification: normal weight (18.50–24.99 kg/mResults:Image quality deteriorated as BMI increased and was significantly different across the BMI categories (P<0.001). Performance was poorest in imaging of the fetal chest and was significantly different across BMI categories (P<0.001). In obese class III, 33% of four-chamber cardiac views and 38% of outflow tract views were not obtained. In total, 119 women (23.6%) had an incomplete scan. In obese class III, 44.1% of scans were incomplete compared with 10.2% in the normal BMI category (P<0.001). Of 117 women attending for repeat scans, 78.6% were complete, 11.1% were incomplete, 6.8% were advised to re-attend and 3.4% were referred to Fetal Medicine.Conclusion:Maternal obesity has a significant impact on completion of fetal anomaly screening.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (07) ◽  
pp. 1085-1090
Author(s):  
Harsh Vikram Arora ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Stock Market ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The COVID19 pandemic which came unprecedentedly has brought forward a lot of confusion and unrest in the world. There are a lot of changes with regard to the global landscape in multiple ways. SARS-CoV-2 is the primary virus, which is the root contributor to the COVID19 outbreak, which started in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. It did not take much time to spread across the world. This pandemic has resulted in a universal health crisis, along with a major decline in the global economy. One of the major reasons for the fluctuation in the stock price is supply and demand. When the number of people who want to sell their stocks outnumbers those who want to purchase it, the stock price drops. Due to the result in the gap, the financial markets will suffer in the short duration, but in the long run, markets will correct themselves and would increase again. There is a sharp decline in the stock price because of the pandemic. The current scenario has resulted in a world health crisis which has contributed to global and economic crises. Almost all financial markets across the world have been affected by the recent health crisis, with stock and bond values falling gradually and severely. In the United States, the Dow Jones and S& P 500 indices have fallen by more than 20%. The Shanghai Stock Exchange and the New York Dow Jones Stock Exchange both indicate that they had a significant impact on China’s and the United States’ financial markets. The primary purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of COVID19 on stock markets. The rapid spread of the virus has left a major impact on the global financial markets. There is a link between the pandemic and the stock market, and this has been studied in this paper. Along with it, an attempt is taken to compare stock price returns in pre-COVID19 and post-COVID19 scenarios. The stock market in India faced uncertainty during the pandemic, according to the findings.

scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on measles surveillance in the World Health Organisation African Region, 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balcha Masresha ◽  
Richard Luce ◽  
Reggis Katsande ◽  
Annick Dosseh ◽  
Patricia Tanifum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
African Region ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Kontribusi KKP UIN Mataram Dalam Meningkatkan Kesadaran Masyarakat Kembang Kerang Mematuhi Protocol Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
Al Kusaeri Al Kusaeri
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Public Life ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
World Community ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Since the enactment of the COVID-19 pandemic status by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Massive joint efforts are needed by the world community to fight the spread of the COVID 19 virus so as not to cause more victims. The crisis due to the spread of Covid 19 is not only seen as a health crisis, but affects crises in various sectors of public life, because the impact affects all sectors of life. Facing this, in addition to medical efforts by finding anti-viruses, public awareness of a healthy lifestyle is also needed, namely getting used to behavior following health protocols in carrying out various life activities to inhibit and stop the rate of transmission of Covid 19. Paying attention to the movement of the spread of Covid 19 which runs very fast Therefore, fast public awareness is also needed to get used to following the covid 19 protocol. For this reason, all levels of society must take part in increasing public awareness to carry out various activities by following the Covid 19 protocol including Higher Education, as the efforts that have been carried out by UIN Mataram through Participatory Work Lecture (KKP) activities in 2020

scholarly journals Smallpox in the Post-Eradication Era

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Meyer ◽  
Rosina Ehmann ◽  
Geoffrey L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

Widespread vaccination programmes led to the global eradication of smallpox, which was certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and, since 1978, there has been no case of smallpox anywhere in the world. However, the viable variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, is still kept in two maximum security laboratories in Russia and the USA. Despite the eradication of the disease smallpox, clandestine stocks of VARV may exist. In a rapidly changing world, the impact of an intentional VARV release in the human population would nowadays result in a public health emergency of global concern: vaccination programmes were abolished, the percentage of immunosuppressed individuals in the human population is higher, and an increased intercontinental air travel allows for the rapid viral spread of diseases around the world. The WHO has authorised the temporary retention of VARV to enable essential research for public health benefit to take place. This work aims to develop diagnostic tests, antiviral drugs, and safer vaccines. Advances in synthetic biology have made it possible to produce infectious poxvirus particles from chemicals in vitro so that it is now possible to reconstruct VARV. The status of smallpox in the post-eradication era is reviewed.

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