ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN A PANDEMIC CONDITION: CURRENT CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS

Author(s):  
Maryna Myronets ◽  
◽  
Tetiana Kulinich ◽  
Yuliia Tsipan ◽  
◽  
...  

The ecological effect of the pandemic has been known since the beginning of our era, when the "Justinian plague" restored the flora and fauna of the planet. However, with the development of scientific and technological progress, the means of combating the epidemic have changed, and accordingly its impact on the environment has been transformed. With this in mind, this paper discusses the environmental problems that arise in the modern corona viral pandemic. It is determined that if earlier tissue masks were used to fight the epidemic, which could be disposed of without any problems, now the current means of protection require much more careful handling. In particular, it is not only necessary to properly dispose of medical care, but also to dispose of it according to special protocols, which in practice is not always performed. In addition, it has been established that in the conditions of a pandemic, the use of disposables, ie plastic bags, rubber gloves, etc., is increasing, which also has a negative impact on the environment after a long period of decay. In addition, the article found that the pandemic is causing a decline in the ranks of the economy, as well as an increase in the use of personal, transport, which also pollutes the environment. It has been studied that the pandemic affects the ecological situation in the Arctic, which determines the climate of the entire planet. At the same time, the article states that the World Health Organization has made a number of recommendations to improve the situation. In addition, a number of measures have been taken to improve the environmental situation in a pandemic. The positive impact of the introduction of global quarantine on the environment, as well as the probable directions of change in the situation after its completion have been studied. In particular, it is noted that in order to improve the long-term ecological environment of the planet, it is necessary not only to take measures to improve the situation, but also to form environmental awareness in people.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
Basem Al-Lozi ◽  
Sheren Hamed

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges of the Jordanian economy during COVID-19. The Jordanian economy may have to face different scenarios in his macro-environment. Specifically, the study focused on the impact COVID-19 on the Jordanian economy. Methodology: An exploratory research method was used to build three scenarios. The sample randomly selected from Jordanians in the capital of Jordan Amman. The study divided the sample to three groups and asking them three questions related to the expectations of the impact of COVID-19 on the Jordanian economy for the coming years. Results: The study findings revealed that the majority of respondents (55.2%) are optimistic that the COVID-19 will finish and Jordan economy will be booming. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Recommendations were provided for Jordanian policy makers to deal scenarios. For example Jordan government and policy makers has to be pragmatic, and work toward lowering level of expectations among Jordanian economy to avoid the negative impact of COVID-19 on the economy. Cooperation between the public sector and private sector in implementing the instructions of the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health to decrease the number of cases to open more sectors which will have a positive impact on the Jordanian economy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-274
Author(s):  
Anna Świąder-Leśniak ◽  
◽  
Anna Majcher ◽  
Beata Pyrżak ◽  
Piotr Dziechciarz ◽  
...  

Regular, long-term anthropometric follow-up is one of the fundamental methods of assessing the child’s health and well-being. However, there is still a lot of inconsistency in anthropometric practices and standards that may have a negative impact on clinical practice (e.g. delay in diagnosing children with growth or feeding disorders, genetic and metabolic syndromes). The paper discusses the principles of basic measurements: length/height, body weight, circumferences: head, chest and arm. Attention was also paid to the use of professional anthropometric equipment. Appropriately performed measurements allow the calculation of weight-height indices, which define nutrition disturbances (overweight, obesity and malnutrition), and also constitute the basis for conducting specialised diagnostics. In 2011, a group of experts recommended standards of body length/height, body weight, head circumference and body mass index developed by the World Health Organization for children up to 5 years of age. In 2013, nationwide reference values for weight, height and body mass index for children aged from 3 to 6 years were published and accepted as valid (OLA project). They complemented previously developed percentile charts for children aged 7–18 years (OLAF project). The paper proposes to adopt uniform standards of anthropometric measurements and to initiate a discussion in the paediatric community on the acceptance of common growth charts for the basic anthropometric measurements.


2020 ◽  
pp. 276-289
Author(s):  
Mobina Fathi ◽  
Kimia Vakili ◽  
Niloofar Deravi

Around the end of December 2019, a new beta-coronavirus from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China began to spread rapidly. The new virus, called SARS-CoV-2, which could be transmitted through respiratory droplets, had a range of mild to severe symptoms, from simple cold in some cases to death in others. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 was named COVID-19 by WHO and has so far killed more people than SARS and MERS. Following the widespread global outbreak of COVID-19, with more than 132758 confirmed cases and 4955 deaths worldwide, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic disease in January 2020. Earlier studies on viral pneumonia epidemics has shown that pregnant women are at greater risk than others. During pregnancy, the pregnant woman is more prone to infectious diseases. Research on both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which are pathologically similar to SARS-CoV-2, has shown that being infected with these viruses during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal death, stillbirth, intrauterine growth retardation and, preterm delivery. With the exponential increase in cases of COVID-19 throughout the world, there is a need to understand the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the health of pregnant women, through extrapolation of earlier studies that have been conducted on pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV. There is an urgent need to understand the chance of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mother to fetus and the possibility of the virus crossing the placental barrier. Additionally, since some viral diseases and antiviral drugs may have a negative impact on the mother and fetus, in which case, pregnant women need special attention for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 121-121
Author(s):  
Catarina Pedro ◽  
Beatriz Jorge ◽  
Mariana Duarte

Introduction:Dementia has become a worldwide concern. According to the World Health Organization, there are 50 million individuals suffering from dementia across the world and approximately 20 million new cases are diagnosed each year. The efficacy of medications in controlling agitation and psychotic symptoms is modest and may cause serious adverse effects, outlining the urge for new treatment methods for patients with dementia. Music therapy (MT) is a nonpharmacologic strategy that is used in patients with early-to-late stages of dementia with promising results.Objectives:The aim of this presentation is to evaluate the benefits of music therapy in cognitive functioning and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia. We also summarize the current knowledge about this topic.Methods:A non-systematic review of the literature was performed on PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of science using selected keywords.Results:MT sustains its benefit because musical memory regions in the brain are relatively spared compared to cognitive function. “Musical memories” can, thus, be stored longer than non-musical memories, allowing to recall associated life events and emotions. Systematic reviews suggest that MT seem to have a positive effect on symptoms such as depression, anxiety and behavioral problems while the findings concerning agitation/aggression are inconsistent. No large differences were found between studies using live or recorded music although the latter reported more of a consistently positive impact on behavioral and psychological outcomes. The studies using live music, however, reported specific benefits to relationships and interactions.Conclusions:The majority of the studies have methodological limitations, making it difficult to offer firm conclusions. Despite this, there were positive results on aspects of quality of life, cognitive function, behavioral, psychological, physiological and communication outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-chang Chen ◽  
Keh-chung Lin ◽  
Chen-Jung Chen ◽  
Shu-Hui Yeh ◽  
Ay-Woan Pan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Joint contractures, which affect activity, participation, and quality of life, are common complications of neurological conditions among elderly residents in long-term care facilities. This study examined the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales in a population with joint contractures. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample included elderly residents older than 64 years with joint contractures in an important joint who had lived at one of 12 long-term care facilities in Taiwan for more than 6 months (N = 243). The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales for joint contractures was generated from the English version through five stages: translation, review, back-translation, review by a panel of specialists, and a pretest. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity were evaluated, and the results were compared with those for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule. Results The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales had excellent reliability, with a Cronbach α coefficient of 0.975 (mean score, 28.98; standard deviation, 17.34). An exploratory factor analysis showed three factors and one factor with an eigenvalue > 1 that explained 75.176 and 62.83 % of the total variance in the Activity subscale and Participation subscale, respectively. The subscale-to-total scale correlation analysis showed Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.881 for the Activity subscale and 0.843 for the Participation subscale. Pearson’s product-moment correlation revealed that the correlation coefficient (r) between the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule was 0.770, whereas that for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale was − 0.553; these values were interpreted as large coefficients. Conclusions The underlying theoretical model of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales functions well in Taiwan and has acceptable levels of reliability and validity. However, the Chinese version must be further tested for applicability and generalizability in future studies, preferably with a larger sample and in different clinical domains.


Author(s):  
Roberta Patalano ◽  
Vincenzo De Luca ◽  
Jess Vogt ◽  
Strahil Birov ◽  
Lucia Giovannelli ◽  
...  

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide obesity rate has tripled since 1975. In Europe, more than half of the population is overweight and obese. Around 2.8 million people die each year worldwide as a result of conditions linked to being overweight or obese. This study aimed to analyze the policies, approaches, and solutions that address the social and health unmet needs of obese patients, at different levels, in order to simulate the definition of an integrated approach, and to provide and share examples of innovative solutions supporting health promotion, disease prevention, and integration of services to improve the collaboration between the different health and care stakeholders involved across the country and in the lives of obese patients. A collaborative approach involving various levels of government and regional experts from different European countries was applied to identify, explore, and evaluate different aspects of the topic, from the innovation perspective and focusing on a European and a regional vision. Currently, people prefer more foods rich in fats, sugars, and salt/sodium than fruits, vegetables, and fiber. This behavior leads to a significant negative impact on their health-related quality of life. Changes in healthcare systems, healthy policy, and approaches to patient care and better implementation of the different prevention strategies between all the stakeholders are needed, taking advantage of the digital transformation of health and care. Such changes can support obese patients in their fight against an unhealthy lifestyle and at the same time reduce healthcare costs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Robson de Sousa ◽  
Maria do Socorro Rocha Sarmento Nobre

RESUMO Estratégia usada internacionalmente a busca ativa de sintomáticos respiratórios permite identificar precocemente pessoas com tosse por tempo igual ou superior a três semanas consideradas com suspeita de tuberculose pulmonar visando à descoberta dos casos bacilíferos. É uma atividade de saúde pública e deve ser realizada por todos os serviços de saúde de forma permanente. Com o objetivo de identificar os casos, interromper a cadeia de transmissão e reduzir a incidência da doença a longo prazo.  Objetivo: Conhecer os números de casos notificados de tuberculose e realizar um comparativo com os indicadores de sintomático respiratório no município de Palmas/TO entre os anos de 2015 e 2016. Método: O estudo é do tipo descritivo, de corte transversal e documental direta. Conclusão: Verifica-se que o número confirmado de TB da pesquisa do SR tanto para o ano de 2015 quanto para o ano de 2016 está muito aquém dos casos novos notificados, foi possível perceber a descontinuidade dos pacientes que são encaminhados para avaliação e que não há segmentos principalmente em relação ao resultado dos exames.   Palavras-chave: Tuberculose. Vigilância Epidemiológica. Organização Mundial da Saúde. ABSTRACT A strategy used internationally for the active search of respiratory symptomatic patients allows early identification of people with cough for a time equal to or greater than three weeks considered with suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis in order to discover the bacilliferous cases. It is a public health activity and must be performed by all health services on an ongoing basis. In order to identify the cases, interrupt the transmission chain and reduce the incidence of the disease in the long term. Objective: To know the numbers of reported cases of tuberculosis and to carry out a comparison with the indicators of respiratory symptomatology in the municipality of Palmas / TO between the years 2015 and 2016. Method: The study is descriptive, cross-sectional and direct documentary. Conclusion: It is verified that the confirmed number of TB of the RS research for both the year 2015 and the year 2016 is well below the new cases reported, it was possible to perceive the discontinuity of the patients that are referred for evaluation and which are not mainly related to the results of the exams. Keywords: Tuberculosis. Epidemiological surveillance. World Health Organization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1846-1848
Author(s):  
Sarmad Khalil ◽  
Hizbullah Riaz Ansari ◽  
Ali Ijaz Ahmad ◽  
Abdullah Ali Mohammad Al-Hutam ◽  
Majid Zaheer ◽  
...  

Aim: To find out if there was a negative impact or consequence of performing surgeries related to sports injuries during COVID-19 period when most of the hospital services were suspended all over the globe. Study design: Prospective study Place and duration of study: Department Orthopaedic and Spine, Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital, Lahore from 19thMarch 2020 to 6thAugust 2020. Methodology: Seventy patients with sports injuries were enrolled. The history and thorough clinical examination, X-rays and CBC along with other relevant investigations were recorded. The patients were discharged in 24 to 74 hours period intervals and all the necessary SOPs regarding COVID-19 were strictly followed. Results: None of the patients who underwent procedure developed infection or acquired coronavirus illness after discharge from the hospital or during follow-ups in OPD. Conclusion: The surgeries performed during COVID-19 did not result in wound infection or patient-related mortality. Keywords: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Arthroscopy, COVID-19, Pandemic, Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), Sports injuries, Infection, World Health Organization (WHO)


2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidyanidhi Gumma ◽  
Kyle DeGruy ◽  
Davara Bennett ◽  
Thanh Nguyen Thi Kim ◽  
Heidi Albert ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Following the endorsement of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2010, Viet Nam’s National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP) began using GeneXpert instruments in NTP laboratories. In 2013, Viet Nam’s NTP implemented an Xpert MTB/RIF external quality assurance (EQA) program in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND). Proficiency-testing (PT) panels comprising five dried tube specimens (DTS) were sent to participating sites approximately twice a year from October 2013 to July 2016. The number of enrolled laboratories increased from 22 to 39 during the study period. Testing accuracy was assessed by comparing reported and expected results; percentage scores were assigned; and feedback reports were provided to sites. On-site evaluation (OSE) was conducted for underperforming laboratories. The results from the first five rounds demonstrate the positive impact of PT and targeted OSE visits on testing quality. On average, for every additional round of feedback, the odds of achieving PT scores of ≥80% increased 2.04-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.39- to 3.00-fold). Future work will include scaling up PT to all sites and maintaining the performance of participating laboratories while developing local panel production capacity.


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