scholarly journals On the Outside Looking In: A Global Doula Response to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Johnson Searcy ◽  
Angela N. Castañeda
Keyword(s):  
Initial Study ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Obstetric Violence ◽  
The World ◽  
Hospital Policies ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Virtual Support ◽  
The Impact

From around the world, doulas report the impact of new COVID-19 restrictions on their ability to provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to pregnant people and their families. In a qualitative survey conducted in March and April 2020, we heard from over 500 doulas in 24 countries. Doulas practicing across the world revealed rapid changes to hospital policies. Even accounting for different public health responses across countries, the doulas in our study pointed to one common theme - their absence at births and the subsequent need to support birthing people virtually. In a follow-up survey and in interviews we conducted in July, we reconnected with doulas from our initial study to track their access to institutional birthing spaces. As countries experienced the effects of “flattening the curve,” we found that doulas were still not considered “essential” workers and the majority could not attend births. Our research shows that doulas have ambiguous feelings about the efficacy of virtual support, that they raise concerns about the long-term impact of COVID on their profession and that they are concerned about mistreatment and obstetric violence as birthing people enter hospitals alone.

scholarly journals The long-term impact of wheelchair delivery on the lives of people with disabilities in three countries of the world

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Shore
Keyword(s):  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Friedman Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The World ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Background: Lack of access to mobility for people with disabilities, particularly in less- resourced settings, continues to be widespread. Despite challenges to wheelchair delivery, the benefits to health, employment, social integration and life satisfaction are apparent.Objectives: Previous studies have explored the impact of receiving a wheelchair on the lives of the users through cross-sectional or short-term longitudinal analysis. The current study was undertaken to evaluate whether previously reported changes were sustained after 30 months of use, and whether results varied between two differing models of a wheelchair.Method: One hundred and ninety-one subjects from Peru, Uganda and Vietnam received one of two models of wheelchair provided by the Free Wheelchair Mission. Using interviews to record survey results, data were collected at the time the wheelchair was received and following 12 and 30 months of use. Variables of overall health, employment, income and travel were explored through non-parametric analysis.Results: There was a significant improvement in overall health and distance travelled after 12 months, but these changes were no longer significant by 30 months (Friedman test for overall change, p = 0.000). Employment status showed a small but significant increase at 12 and 30 months (Cochran’s Q, p = 0.000). Reported income increased slowly, becoming significantly different at 30 months (Friedman test, p = 0.033). There was no association between the model of wheelchair received and the incidence of pressure ulcers, pain or maintenance required. There was higher satisfaction with the GEN_2 wheelchair at 12 months (p = 0.004), but this difference was not apparent by 30 months. Overall wheelchair satisfaction and maintenance levels were favourable.Conclusion: While overall health status, and distance travelled into the community fluctuated over time, receipt of one of two models of a wheelchair in less-resourced settings of the world appears to have a positive sustained impact on employment and income. Further investigations should be carried out to confirm these results and explore the factors responsible for fluctuating variables. This study affirms the importance of long-term follow-up of outcomes associated with wheelchair distribution in less-resourced environments.

scholarly journals Long term impact on lung function of patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. A prospective cohort study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Qureshi ◽  
Nosheen Nasir ◽  
Naveed Haroon Rashid ◽  
Naveed Ahmed ◽  
Zoya Haq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Lung Function ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
List Type ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIntroductionA significant number of patients continue to recover from COVID-19; however, little is known about the lung function capacity among survivors. We aim to determine the long-term impact on lung function capacity in patients who have survived moderate or severe COVID-19 disease in a resource-poor setting.Methods and analysisThis prospective cohort study will include patients aged 15 years and above and have reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for COVID 19 (nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal). Patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of obstructive or interstitial lung disease, lung fibrosis and cancers, connective tissue disorders, autoimmune conditions affecting the lungs, underlying heart disease, history of syncope and refuse to participate will be excluded. Pulmonary function will be assessed using spirometry and diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) at three- and six-months interval. A chest X-ray at three and six-month follow-up and CT-chest will be performed if clinically indicated after consultation with the study pulmonologist or Infectious Disease (ID) physician. Echocardiogram (ECHO) to look for pulmonary hypertension at the three months visit and repeated at six months if any abnormality is identified initially. Data analysis will be performed using standard statistical software.Ethics and disseminationThe proposal was reviewed and approved by ethics review committee (ERC) of the institution (ERC reference number 2020-4735-11311). Informed consent will be obtained from each study participant. The results will be disseminated among study participants, institutional, provincial and national level through seminars and presentations. Moreover, the scientific findings will be published in high-impact peer-reviewed medical journals.Strengths and Limitations of this study-The study has the potential to develop context-specific evidence on the long-term impact on lung function among COVID-19 survivors-Findings will play key role in understanding the impact of the disease on vital functions and help devise rehabilitative strategies to best overcome the effects of disease-This is a single-center, study recruiting only a limited number of COVID-19 survivors-The study participants may loss-to-follow up due to uncertain conditions and disease reemergence

scholarly journals The benefit of a tough skin: bullet holes, weathering and the preservation of heritage

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 160335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Mol ◽  
M. Gomez-Heras ◽  
C. Brassey ◽  
O. Green ◽  
T. Blenkinsop
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Surface Hardness ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Building Stone ◽  
Rock Surface ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Moisture Movement ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Projectile damage to building stone is a widespread phenomenon. Sites damaged 100 years ago during the First World War still see daily use, while in a more contemporary setting numerous reports show the damage to buildings in Babylon, Mosul and Palmyra. While research has been carried out on the long-term effects of conflict such as fire damage, little is known about the protracted damage sustained through the impact of bullets, shrapnel and other metal projectiles outside of the field of engineering focused on ceramics and metals. To investigate alterations to mineral structure caused by projectile damage, impacts were created in medium-grained, well-compacted, mesoporous sandstone samples using 0.22 calibre lead bullets shot at a distance of 20 m. Half these samples were treated with a surface consolidant (Wacker OH 100), to mimic natural cementation of the rock surface. These samples were then tested for changes to surface hardness and moisture movement during temperature cycles of 15–65°C. Petrographic thin section analysis was carried out to investigate the micro-scale deformation associated with high-speed impact. The results surprisingly show that stress build-up behind pre-existing cementation of the surface, as found in heritage sites that have been exposed to moisture and temperature fluctuations for longer periods of time, can be alleviated with a bullet impact. However, fracture networks and alteration of the mineral matrices still form a weak point within the structure, even at a relatively low impact calibre. This initial study illustrates the need for geomorphologists, geologists, engineers and heritage specialists to work collectively to gain further insights into the long-term impact of higher calibre armed warfare on heritage deterioration.

Long-term impact of coordinated warren ripping programmes on rabbit populations

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. McPhee ◽  
K. L. Butler
Keyword(s):  
Population Decline ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Control Effort ◽  
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Haemorrhagic Disease ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Context. It is important to examine the long-term effectiveness of rabbit management programmes based on warren destruction using modern warren ripping machinery, at a time when the continuing impacts of both myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) may have reduced the capacity of rabbit populations to recover. Aims. To determine the long-term effectiveness of coordinated warren ripping programmes in reducing rabbit densities and maintaining these low densities. Methods. Commencing in 1998, 14 sites with coordinated warren ripping programmes and three sites without rabbit control were monitored within Victoria. Spotlight counts of rabbit numbers recorded before the spread of RHD and warren ripping were compared with numbers recorded from 2005 to 2008. The efficacy of coordinated warren ripping programmes was assessed in relation to the machinery used, the manner in which the warrens were ripped, the characteristics of the ripped areas and the impact of follow-up control. Key results. Warren ripping programmes were very successful in reducing rabbit numbers for up to 10 years, whereas rabbit populations that were not managed returned to pre-RHD densities. The most effective warren ripping programmes, which reduced populations to 97% of the pre-RHD densities and maintained them at this level, used heavy, powerful ripping machinery to rip all warrens within 12 months. There was no evidence that the relationship between rabbit population decline and warren ripping was affected by the characteristics of the ripped areas or the follow-up control effort. Conclusions. Following the spread of RHD in areas where warren ripping is practicable, well-managed ripping programmes provide an immediate solution for achieving and sustaining low rabbit populations. Implications. The efficacy of RHD in regulating rabbit populations has diminished. The improvement of existing or the development of new biological control agents could take decades. In contrast, coordinated warren ripping programmes provide more predictable long-term reductions in rabbit populations.

scholarly journals Impact of Built Environments on Body Weight (the Moving to Health Study): Protocol for a Retrospective Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J Mooney ◽  
Jennifer F Bobb ◽  
Philip M Hurvitz ◽  
Jane Anau ◽  
Mary Kay Theis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
King County ◽  
Kaiser Permanente ◽  
Neighborhood Conditions ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Studies assessing the impact of built environments on body weight are often limited by modest power to detect residential effects that are small for individuals but may nonetheless comprise large attributable risks. OBJECTIVE We used data extracted from electronic health records to construct a large retrospective cohort of patients. This cohort will be used to explore both the impact of moving between environments and the long-term impact of changing neighborhood environments. METHODS We identified members with at least 12 months of Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA) membership and at least one weight measurement in their records during a period between January 2005 and April 2017 in which they lived in King County, Washington. Information on member demographics, address history, diagnoses, and clinical visits data (including weight) was extracted. This paper describes the characteristics of the adult (aged 18-89 years) cohort constructed from these data. RESULTS We identified 229,755 adults representing nearly 1.2 million person-years of follow-up. The mean age at baseline was 45 years, and 58.0% (133,326/229,755) were female. Nearly one-fourth of people (55,150/229,755) moved within King County at least once during the follow-up, representing 84,698 total moves. Members tended to move to new neighborhoods matching their origin neighborhoods on residential density and property values. CONCLUSIONS Data were available in the KPWA database to construct a very large cohort based in King County, Washington. Future analyses will directly examine associations between neighborhood conditions and longitudinal changes in body weight and diabetes as well as other health conditions. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/16787

Lighting up the World? Empires and Islanders in the Pacific Whaling Industry, 1790-1860

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Haines
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
Island Communities ◽  
Whaling Industry ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter explores the surge in pelagic whaling in the nineteenth century and how it contributed to globalisation. It examines the contact between European empires and indigenous Pacific island communities and the relationship between the whaling industry and European expansionism. It is divided into four parts: the first reviews whaling historiography; the second examines the origin of the Pacific whaling industry and its international components; the third examines the impact of whaling on Pacific island communities; and the fourth uses case studies exploring the impact from New Zealander and Hawaiian perspectives. It concludes that the whaling industry had a relatively minor long-term impact on globalisation - bar the depletion of whale stock, but an enormous overall impact on the furthering of European expansionism.

scholarly journals Brain Stress Mapping in COVID-19 Survivors Using MR Spectroscopy: New Avenue of Mental Health Status Monitoring

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Avantika Samkaria ◽  
Khushboo Punjabi ◽  
Shallu Sharma ◽  
Shallu Joon ◽  
Kanika Sandal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Stress Mapping ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has emerged as a human catastrophe worldwide, and it has impacted human life more detrimentally than the combined effect of World Wars I and II. Various research studies reported that the disease is not confined to the respiratory system but also leads to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders suggesting that the virus is potent to affect the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, the damage to CNS may continue to rise even after the COVID-19 infection subsides which may further induce a long-term impact on the brain, resulting in cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging techniques provide the ability to detect and quantify pathological manifestations in the brain of COVID-19 survivors. In this context, a scheme based on structural, spectroscopic, and behavioral studies could be executed to monitor the gradual changes in the brain non-invasively due to COVID-19 which may further help in quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of the survivors. Extensive research is required in this direction for identifying the mechanism and implications of COVID-19 in the brain. Additionally, longitudinal follow-up studies are also needed to perform for monitoring the effects of this pandemic on individuals over a prolonged period.

The Short- and Long-Term Impact of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Subjects with Sarcoidosis: A Prospective Study and Review of the Literature

Respiration ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Elad Guber ◽  
Ori Wand ◽  
Gali Epstein Shochet ◽  
Ayal Romem ◽  
David Shitrit
Keyword(s):  
Exercise Capacity ◽  
Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽  
Pulmonary Sarcoidosis ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Sarcoidosis is a heterogeneous multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology. Dyspnea and fatigue are two of the most common and debilitating symptoms experienced by subjects with sarcoidosis. There is limited evidence regarding the short- and long-term impact of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on exercise capacity and fatigue in these individuals. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate the benefit of PR in subjects with pulmonary sarcoidosis at different severity stages and to review the current literature about PR in sarcoidosis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> PR included a 12-week training program of a twice-weekly 90-min workouts. Fifty-two subjects with stable pulmonary sarcoidosis were recruited. Maximal exercise capacity, defined as VO<sub>2</sub>max, was measured using the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Pulmonary function tests, 6-min walking distance (6MWD), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires were given before and after PR and following 6 months (follow-up). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The PR program significantly increased the VO<sub>2</sub>max (1.8 ± 2.3 mL/kg/min, <i>p</i> = 0.002), following 12 weeks. mMRC and SGRQ scores were also improved (−0.3 ± 0.8, <i>p</i> = 0.03, and −3.87 ± 10.4, <i>p</i> = 0.03, respectively). The impact of PR on VO<sub>2</sub>max was more pronounced in subjects with pulmonary parenchymal involvement. The increase in VO<sub>2</sub>max correlated with initial disease severity (indicated by FEV1/FVC, <i>p</i> = 0.01). Subjects with FEV1/FVC &#x3c;70% showed greater improvement in 6MWD. 6MWD also improved in those with a transfer coefficient of the lung for CO (KCO) above 80% predicted (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). At 6-month follow-up, the VO<sub>2</sub>max, 6MWD, and SGRQ scores remained stable, thus suggesting lasting effects of PR. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> PR is a promising complementary therapeutic intervention for subjects with sarcoidosis. Further study is needed to validate these findings.

scholarly journals The Nudge Puzzle

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-45
Author(s):  
Verena Zimmermann ◽  
Karen Renaud
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Nudging is a promising approach, in terms of influencing people to make advisable choices in a range of domains, including cybersecurity. However, the processes underlying the concept and the nudge’s effectiveness in different contexts, and in the long term, are still poorly understood. Our research thus first reviewed the nudge concept and differentiated it from other interventions before applying it to the cybersecurity area. We then carried out an empirical study to assess the effectiveness of three different nudge-related interventions on four types of cybersecurity-specific decisions. Our study demonstrated that the combination of a simple nudge and information provision, termed a “hybrid nudge,” was at least as, and in some decision contexts even more effective in encouraging secure choices as the simple nudge on its own. This indicates that the inclusion of information when deploying a nudge, thereby increasing the intervention’s transparency, does not necessarily diminish its effectiveness. A follow-up study explored the educational and long-term impact of our tested nudge interventions to encourage secure choices. The results indicate that the impact of the initial nudges, of all kinds, did not endure. We conclude by discussing our findings and their implications for research and practice.

scholarly journals Impact of Built Environments on Body Weight (the Moving to Health Study): Protocol for a Retrospective Longitudinal Observational Study

10.2196/16787 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e16787
Author(s):  
Stephen J Mooney ◽  
Jennifer F Bobb ◽  
Philip M Hurvitz ◽  
Jane Anau ◽  
Mary Kay Theis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
King County ◽  
Kaiser Permanente ◽  
Neighborhood Conditions ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Background Studies assessing the impact of built environments on body weight are often limited by modest power to detect residential effects that are small for individuals but may nonetheless comprise large attributable risks. Objective We used data extracted from electronic health records to construct a large retrospective cohort of patients. This cohort will be used to explore both the impact of moving between environments and the long-term impact of changing neighborhood environments. Methods We identified members with at least 12 months of Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA) membership and at least one weight measurement in their records during a period between January 2005 and April 2017 in which they lived in King County, Washington. Information on member demographics, address history, diagnoses, and clinical visits data (including weight) was extracted. This paper describes the characteristics of the adult (aged 18-89 years) cohort constructed from these data. Results We identified 229,755 adults representing nearly 1.2 million person-years of follow-up. The mean age at baseline was 45 years, and 58.0% (133,326/229,755) were female. Nearly one-fourth of people (55,150/229,755) moved within King County at least once during the follow-up, representing 84,698 total moves. Members tended to move to new neighborhoods matching their origin neighborhoods on residential density and property values. Conclusions Data were available in the KPWA database to construct a very large cohort based in King County, Washington. Future analyses will directly examine associations between neighborhood conditions and longitudinal changes in body weight and diabetes as well as other health conditions. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/16787

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