scholarly journals Coping with COVID-19 pandemic lockdown – The lady doctors perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 164-169
Author(s):  
Indu Bansal Aggarwal ◽  
Jaishree Ganjiwale ◽  
Aparna Parikh ◽  
Nirali Trivedi ◽  
Satinder Kaur ◽  
...  

Objectives: This study is about the challenges faced by the women doctors in India during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: We conducted an online survey in 2020 for women doctors who were professionally engaged in active patient management in India before the onset of the current pandemic. Results: A total of 260 valid responses were received. Only 28% (73/260) were able to provide at least 50% of professional services as compared to the pre COVID-19 lockdown period. Statistically significant differences related to emotional health (feelings), physical activity, changes in how family sees the lady professional, personal free time availability, and family bonding. Conclusion: COVID-19 has led to the following important concerns for professional women - academic productivity; work-life balance; missed opportunities for collaborating; mental health, the need for equity-minded academic leadership, and decision-making. Our study showed that majority were stressed during the COVID-19 lockdown – with the impact being highest among those giving more than 50% of their time to professional medical services outside their homes.

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly A Fisher ◽  
Thomas H Gallagher ◽  
Kelly M Smith ◽  
Yanhua Zhou ◽  
Sybil Crawford ◽  
...  

BackgroundMany patients are reluctant to speak up about breakdowns in care, resulting in missed opportunities to respond to individual patients and improve the system. Effective approaches to encouraging patients to speak up and responding when they do are needed.ObjectiveTo identify factors which influence speaking up, and to examine the impact of apology when problems occur.DesignRandomised experiment using a vignette-based questionnaire describing 3 care breakdowns (slow response to call bell, rude aide, unanswered questions). The role of the person inquiring about concerns (doctor, nurse, patient care specialist), extent of the prompt (invitation to patient to share concerns) and level of apology were varied.SettingNational online survey.Participants1188 adults aged ≥35 years were sampled from an online panel representative of the entire US population, created and maintained by GfK, an international survey research organisation; 65.5% response rate.Main outcomes and measuresAffective responses to care breakdowns, intent to speak up, willingness to recommend the hospital.ResultsTwice as many participants receiving an in-depth prompt about care breakdowns would (probably/definitely) recommend the hospital compared with those receiving no prompt (18.4% vs 8.8% respectively (p=0.0067)). Almost three times as many participants receiving a full apology would (probably/definitely) recommend the hospital compared with those receiving no apology (34.1% vs 13.6% respectively ((p<0.0001)). Feeling upset was a strong determinant of greater intent to speak up, but a substantial number of upset participants would not ‘definitely’ speak up. A more extensive prompt did not result in greater likelihood of speaking up. The inquirer’s role influenced speaking up for two of the three breakdowns (rudeness and slow response).ConclusionsAsking about possible care breakdowns in detail, and offering a full apology when breakdowns are reported substantially increases patients’ willingness to recommend the hospital.


Author(s):  
Krishna Prasad K. ◽  
Vinayachandra ◽  
Geetha Poornima K. ◽  
Rajeshwari M.

Purpose: This empirical research aims to see whether students in higher educational institutions are satisfied with technology-assisted Online Education during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on their physical mental and emotional health. The findings of this study could help policymakers and healthcare professionals develop effective psychological therapies and cost-efficient recommendations for preventing negative feelings among general people who are solitary at home. Methodology: To demonstrate the demographic and other selected features of the respondents, a descriptive analysis was done. Due to the non-normal distribution of the data, a non-parametric test was employed to investigate the significant correlations between sample characteristics and the level of health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak. The connection between gender, education level, and age group vs the stated level of health problems was evaluated using a One-Way ANOVA test for independence. Findings/Result: It was found that too much exposure to mobile and laptop screens is currently one of the major disadvantages of online education and leads to a feeling of isolation and fear. It may indicate distress and an increased abnormal or obsessive tendency like picking nails, sucking the thumb, and pulling the hair. Excessive use of gadgets even resulted in mental health problems, stress sensations, anxiety, excitation or thrill, headaches, tiredness of the muscle, eye and ear strains, obesity or overweight, faintness, irregular sleep patterns, mental disturbance, back pain, aching shoulders, neck, and muscles pain, etc. Online education also affected the physical activity levels of students like bad postures, later bedtimes, longer sleep rise discontinuation, and later waking times which has been associated with motionless and lazy lifestyles. Originality: The study used data collected through an online survey to learn how students are dealing with online education, which has been around for a long time but is still underutilized, and how satisfied they are with it. During June 2021, data was obtained. The online survey form was kept open for a week to allow respondents to reply. The participating population does not have a regional boundary Paper Type: Empirical research.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett ◽  
Zhen Cong ◽  
Thomas W. Hale

Overview: This study examines the impact of birth interventions, such as epidurals, inductions, pain medications, and cesarean sections, on breastfeeding and postpartum depression with a large sample of mothers.Method: Data for the present analyses were from the Survey of Mothers’ Sleep and Fatigue, a 253-item online survey of 6,410 mothers 0–12 months postpartum.Findings: Mothers were significantly more likely to be breastfeeding if they had unassisted vaginal births, or did not have epidurals or other pain medication during labor. Mothers had higher depressive symptoms if they perceived that their labors were difficult and they experienced high levels of pain. They also had higher depressive symptoms if they had planned or emergency cesareans, but unplanned (nonemergent) cesareans were associated with lower levels. When multivariate analysis was conducted, only epidural, postpartum hemorrhage, and postpartum surgery were significantly related to depressive symptoms.Conclusions: The type of birth a woman experiences influences breastfeeding and her emotional health. Contrary to previous findings, epidurals are associated with lower breastfeeding rates and higher rates of postpartum depression. Other birth interventions and complications, such as postpartum hemorrhage or surgery, have a negative impact as well.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252898
Author(s):  
Udoy Saikia ◽  
Melinda M. Dodd ◽  
James Chalmers ◽  
Gouranga Dasvarma ◽  
Susanne Schech

Research efforts in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on the actual and potential impacts on societies, economies, sectors, and governments. Less attention was paid to the experiences of individuals and less still to the impact of COVID-19 on an individual’s wellbeing. This research addresses this gap by utilising a holistic wellbeing framework to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the overall wellbeing of individuals in the Australian state of South Australia through an online survey. The research framework for the survey comprises six dimensions: psychological and emotional health, physical health, living standards, family and community vitality, governance, and ecological diversity and resilience. The results show that most respondents (71%) were able to maintain overall wellbeing during the pandemic. However, more than a half of the respondents could not maintain wellbeing in psychological and emotional health. Further examination of the drivers of inability to maintain overall wellbeing reveals that low-income individuals, younger respondents (aged 18–24) and women suffer disproportionate hardships. Defining poverty in terms of multi-dimensional deprivations in wellbeing enables a nuanced analysis of the unequal impacts of COVID-19 mitigation policies that can be used to improve policymaking.


2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Dee Adams Nikjeh

Abstract Administrators and supervisors face daily challenges over issues such as program funding, service fees, correct coding procedures, and the ever-changing healthcare regulations. Receiving equitable reimbursement for speech-language pathology and audiology services necessitates an understanding of federal coding and reimbursement systems. This tutorial provides information pertaining to two major healthcare coding systems and explains the relationship of these systems to clinical documentation, the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and equitable reimbursement. An explanation of coding edits and coding modifiers is provided for use in those occasional atypical situations when the standard use of procedural coding may not be appropriate. Also included in this tutorial is a brief discussion of the impact that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (HR 6331 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act [MIPPA], 2008) has had on the valuation of speech-language pathology procedure codes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-193
Author(s):  
Kacem Abdelhadi ◽  
Houar Abdelatif ◽  
Zerf Mohamed ◽  
Bengoua Ali

SummaryThis study tests the impact of COVID-19 on sleep of Algerian population before and during the COVID-19 quarantine by an estimated online survey, adapted from the PSQI Italian version. Including 1210 participants (age between 18-60 years old). The statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22.0 software. Our results showed a significant change in sleeping quality during quarantine, the sleep timing markedly changed, we also noticed additional use of sleeping medications. Algerian scientists recommend to build public awareness and to provide necessary information regarding Algerian sleep quality, especially for Algerian adults.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽  
Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽  
Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽  
Thanh Vo Van ◽  
Toi Phung Lam ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged &lt;18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL


2021 ◽  
pp. 026921632110198
Author(s):  
Catriona R Mayland ◽  
Rosemary Hughes ◽  
Steven Lane ◽  
Tamsin McGlinchey ◽  
Warren Donnellan ◽  
...  

Background: COVID-19 public health restrictions have affected end-of-life care experiences for dying patients and their families. Aim: To explore bereaved relatives’ experiences of quality of care and family support provided during the last days of life; to identify the impact of factors associated with perceived support. Design: A national, observational, open online survey was developed and disseminated via social media, public fora and professional networks (June–September 2020). Validated instruments and purposively designed questions assessed experiences. Analysis used descriptive statistics, logistic regression and thematic analysis of free-text responses. Participants: Individuals (⩾18 years) who had experienced the death of a relative/friend (all care settings) within the United Kingdome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Respondents ( n = 278, mean 53.4 years) tended to be female ( n = 216, 78%); over half were ‘son/daughter’ (174, 62.6%) to the deceased. Deceased individuals (mean 81.6 years) most frequently died in their ‘usual place of care’ ( n = 192, 69.3%). Analysis established five conceptual themes affecting individualised care: (1) public health restrictions compounding the distress of ‘not knowing’; (2) disparate views about support from doctors and nurses; (3) challenges in communication and level of preparedness for the death; (4) delivery of compassionate care; (5) emotional needs and potential impact on grief. Male respondents (OR 2.9, p = 0.03) and those able to visit (OR 2.2, p = 0.04) were independently associated with good perceptions of family support. Conclusion: Despite public health restrictions, individualised care can be enabled by proactive, informative communication; recognising dying in a timely manner and facilitating the ability to be present before death.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135245852110053
Author(s):  
Emilio Portaccio ◽  
Mattia Fonderico ◽  
Bernhard Hemmer ◽  
Tobias Derfuss ◽  
Bruno Stankoff ◽  
...  

Background: The spread of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) poses unique challenges in the management of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Objectives: To collect data about the impact of COVID-19 emergency on access to care for PwMS and on MS treatment practices. Methods: Between March and July 2020, the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) promoted an online survey covering patient access to care, management of relapses and visits, disease-modifying therapy (DMT) and experience with COVID-19. Results: Three-hundred and sixty neurologists from 52 countries (68% from Europe) completed the survey. 98% reported COVID-19-related restrictions. Telemedicine was adopted to overcome the limited access to care and was newly activated (73%) or widely implemented (17%). 70% reported changes in DMT management. Interferons and glatiramer were considered safe. Dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide and fingolimod were considered safe except for patients developing lymphopenia. No modifications were considered for natalizumab in 64%, cladribine in 24%, anti-CD20 in 22% and alemtuzumab in 17%; 18% (for alemtuzumab and cladribine) and 43% (for anti-CD20) considered postponing treatment. Conclusion: The ECTRIMS survey highlighted the challenges in keeping standards of care in clinical practice. Telemedicine clearly needs to be implemented. Gathering data on DMT safety will remain crucial to inform treatment decisions.


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