scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic: Insights into genetic susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and host genes implications on virus spread, disease severity and outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Saba Dastar ◽  
Jalal Gharesouran ◽  
Deniz Mortazavi ◽  
Hassan Hosseinzadeh ◽  
Seyed Jalal Kian ◽  
...  

The outbreak of the newly emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) all over the world has caused global public health emergencies, international concern and economic crises. The systemic SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) can lead to death through causing unrestrained cytokines-storm and subsequent pulmonary shutdown among the elderly and patients with pre-existing comorbidities. Additionally, in comparison with poor nations without primary health care services, in developed countries with advanced healthcare system we can witness higher number of infections per one million people. In this review, we summarize the latest studies on genes associated with SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and propose possible mechanisms of the virus replication cycle and its triggered signaling pathways to encourage researchers to investigate genetic and immune profiles of the disease and try strategies for its treatment. Our review shows that immune response in people with different genetic background might vary as African and then Asian populations have lowest number of affected cases compared with European and American nations. Considering SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, we put forward some potentially important genetic gateways to COVID-19 infection including genes involved in the entry and replication of SARS-CoV-2 and the regulation of host immune response which might represent explanation for its spread, severity, and morality. Finally, we suggest that genetic alterations within these gateways could be critical factors in influencing geographical discrepancies of the virus, so it is essential to fully study them and design appropriated and reliable therapeutic agents against COVID-19.

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa I. Remennick ◽  
Naomi Ottenstein-Eisen

The post-1989 immigration wave from the former U.S.S.R. has increased the Israeli population by over 12 percent, seriously affecting the host health care system. This study draws on semi-structured interviews with the immigrants visiting outpatient clinics in the Tel-Aviv area in order to explore organizational and cultural aspects of their encounter with the Israeli medical services. While instrumental aspects of care were seen as an improvement over the Soviet standards, communication between providers and clients was seriously flawed, reflecting both a language barrier and diverse cultures of illness and cure. Many interviewees complained of the impersonal, “technical” attitude of Israeli physicians toward patients and the lack of holism in care, which they allegedly enjoyed before emigration. Some immigrant patients feel deprived of the paternalism of the Soviet medical system, complaining that Israeli providers “forego responsibility” for patients' health. A consumerist approach to medical services is also a novelty, and immigrants have to learn to be informed and assertive clients. Most problems are experienced by the elderly patients; overall, women seem to adjust to the new system better than men.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-371
Author(s):  
A. A. Mahfouz ◽  
A. I. Al Sharif ◽  
M. N. El Gamal ◽  
A. H. Kisha

Use of primary health care [PHC] services and satisfaction among elderly people [60 + years] in Asir was studied in 26 PHC centers. They visited PHC centers significantly less often than younger adults but they were referred significantly more often to secondary and tertiary care and for more laboratory tests. A r and om sample of 253 elderly people attending the centers was interviewed about accessibility, continuity, humaneness, informativeness and thoroughness of care. Overall, 79.0% were satisfied with the services provided. The leading 3 items of dissatisfaction were:not enough audiovisual means for health education [65.1%], long time spent in the centre [46.4%], and not enough specialty clinics [42.5%]


Author(s):  
Mubasher Rehman ◽  
Shehzad Ahmed ◽  
Umair Ahmed ◽  
Kosar Tamanna ◽  
Muhammad Shehryar Sabir ◽  
...  

Self-medication is the use of medicines by people on their own experience without consulting a doctor. People use medicines for pain management or to cure a disease and sometime this may be unnecessary. There are a lot of public and professional health concerns about miss usage of medicines and globally physicians agree upon this rising issue that leads to antibiotic resistance. In developing countries medicines without prescription are easily available which results in many adverse outcomes especially bacterial resistance. Insufficient health care services and socioeconomic factors result in increased proportion of self-medication as compared to drugs prescribed by physicians. This review article is focused on indicating prevalence rate of self-medication in different developed and under developed countries, major risk factors and control of self-medication due to which antibiotic resistance rate can be minimized. 


Author(s):  
Juliana Almeida Marques Lubenow ◽  
Anne Jaquelyne Roque Barrêto ◽  
Jordana de Almeida Nogueira ◽  
Antônia Oliveira Silva

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Jose Luis HernandezNavarro Espigares ◽  
Elisa Hernández Torres ◽  
Teresa García Muñoz

The increase in the percentage of the elderly (the population 65 years or older) in developed countries is a cause for concern about the levels of health care services expenditures and the widening of long-term care services in these countries. The current debate includes the issue of establishing a system of protection for dependence as a new modality of social protection. The objective of this paper is to analyse the evolution of the degree of dependence in the Spanish population over 65 years during the period between 1997 and 2003, and to estimate the impact of dependence on health status and health care utilisation for the same period. An increasing trend of dependence prevalence as well as of the consumption of health care services has been found. A statistical association between the degree of dependence and the variables of health status, drug consumption and in-patient services has been observed. But this association is not significant in the case of medical consultations. The low degree of association between dependence and out-patient health care services strengthens the hypothesis that the elderly population presents specific necessities, oriented to assistance of dependence needs rather than ambulatory health care services.


Author(s):  
Luan Augusto Alves Garcia ◽  
Giovanna Gaudenci Nardelli ◽  
Ana Flávia Machado de Oliveira ◽  
Luiza Elena Casaburi ◽  
Fernanda Carolina Camargo ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the satisfaction of octogenarians with Primary Health Care services. Method: a descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, was carried out with 30 older users of the Family Health Strategy, selected by a non-probabilistic sample. Data were collected at home, using the following questionnaires: the mini-mental state exam, a questionnaire on sociodemographic factors, health conditions and access to services, and a questionnaire on satisfaction with Primary Health Care. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The satisfaction analysis showed that the elderly octogenarians are satisfied in terms of care ( X ´ = 6,0 ; ± 1,5) and the interest that community agents demonstrate in them ( X ´ = 5,9 ; ± 1,6) and the availability of nurses for their treatment ( X ´ = 5,9 ; ± 1,1). Aspects related to the waiting time for nurses ( X ´ = 4,6 ; ± 1,6) and doctors ( X ´ = 4,9 ; ± 1,6), facilities for the disabled ( X ´ = 4,6 ; ± 1,4) and the perception that the unit is close to a perfect health unit ( X ´ = 4,6 ; ± 1,8). Conclusion: The services were positively evaluated, reflecting the importance of considering the perspective of octogenarian users in the planning of healthcare actions, since the evaluation of the quality of these services can lead to changes and guide actions in a way that is coherent with the lives of users, increasing their effectiveness, especially regarding actions aimed at the octogenarian population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Oliveira Miranda ◽  
P Santos Luis ◽  
M Sarmento

Abstract Background Primary health care services are the cornerstone of all health systems. Having clear data on allocated human resources is essential for planning. This work intended to map and compare the primary health care human resources of the five administrative regions (ARS) of the Portuguese public health system, so that better human resources management can be implemented. Methods The chosen design was a descriptive cross sectional study. Each of the five ARS were divided into primary health care clusters, which included several primary health care units. All of these units periodically sign a “commitment letter”, where they stand their service commitments to the covered population. This includes allocated health professionals (doctors, nurses), and the information is publicly accessible at www.bicsp.min-saude.pt. Data was collected for 2017, the year for which more commitment letters were available. Several ratios were calculated: patients/health professional; patients/doctor (family medicine specialists and residents); patients/nurse and patients/family medicine specialist. Mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values were calculated. Results National patients/health professional ratio was 702 with the mean of the 5 ARS calculated at 674+-7.15% (min 619, max 734) whilst the national patients/doctor ratio was 1247 with the mean of the 5 ARS calculated at 1217+-7.17% (min 1074, max 1290). National patients/nurse ratio was 1607 with the mean of the 5 ARS calculated at 1529+-13.08% (min 1199, max 1701). Finally, national patients/family medicine specialist ratio was 1711 with the mean of the 5 ARS calculated at 1650+-6,36% (min 1551, max 1795). Conclusions Human resources were differently spread across Portugal, with variations between the five ARS in all ratios. The largest differences occur between nursing staff, and may translate into inequities of access, with impact on health results. A more homogeneous human resources allocation should be implemented. Key messages Human resources in the Portuguese primary health care services are not homogeneously allocated. A better and more homogeneous allocation of human resources should be implemented to reduce access health inequities.


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