Unequal Impact of COVID-19 on Private and Academic Neurosurgical Workforce: Results of an International Survey

Background: Since the COVID-19 outbreak several manuscripts regarding neurosurgical practice during this pandemic have been published. Qualitative studies on how the pandemic affected neurosurgeons, with additional focus on their practice, are still scarce. This study's objective was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of the professional and private life of a homogeneous group of international neurosurgeons affiliated to the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS).Methods: Neurosurgeons from Europe and abroad were invited to participate in an online survey endorsed by the Individual Membership Committee of the EANS. The survey captured a subjective snapshot of the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on EANS members and was advertised through its Institutional website. In addition to departmental data, personal feeling of safety, financial security, local precautions, number of surgeries performed, changes in daily routine, and other practice-related information were inquired. Differences among practice types were closely reviewed.Results: The survey was distributed between April and May 2020: 204 neurosurgeons participated. Participants were typically active EANS members (73%), consultants (57.9%), from university hospitals (64.5%). Elective surgical practice was still ongoing only for 15% of responders, whereas 18.7% of them had already transitioned to COVID-19 and emergency medical services. While 65.7% of participants thought their institutions were adequately prepared, lack of testing for SARS-CoV-2, and scarcity of personal protective equipment were still a matter of concern for most of them. Overall surgical activity dropped by 68% (cranial by 54%, spine by 71%), and even emergencies decreased by 35%. COVID-19 prompted changes in communication in 74% of departments, 44% increased telemedicine by >50%. While most neurosurgeons had concerns about personal and families' health, financial outlook appeared to be gloomy only for private practitioners.Conclusion: The lockdown imposed in many countries by the COVID-19 outbreak called for immediate modification of working routine and resulted in a dramatic decrease of elective surgical procedures. Neurosurgeons share common concerns but were not equally exposed to the personal health and financial dangers of the ongoing pandemic.

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The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on People With Epilepsy and Vagal Nerve Stimulation

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2021.640581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Eleonora Grande ◽

Tommaso Tufo ◽

Marco Ciavarro ◽

Ines Di Muccio ◽

Filomena Fuggetta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Clinical Information ◽

Vagal Nerve ◽

Psychological Status ◽

Related Information ◽

Vagal Nerve Stimulator ◽

Remote Assistance ◽

Restrictive Measures ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Objectives: Restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to limit contagion, have had a severe impact on mental health. The burden of lockdown has been particularly heavy on patients with chronic neurologic diseases such as People with Epilepsy (PwE). Our survey aims to describe the struggles and needs of Drug-Resistant (DR) PwE with implanted Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS) during the first wave of the COVID-19 lockdown in order to find strategies that help patients cope with present or future periods of restriction.Methods: We collected answers from 30 respondents who underwent an online survey including socio-demographic and clinical information and COVID-19-related information. Depression, anxiety symptoms, and sleep quality were investigated in patients through BDI II, GAD-7, and the PSQI scale.Results: In all, 46% of our sample reported an increase in the number of seizures; the entire sample complained of epilepsy-related issues (medication availability, VSN adjustments, anxiety, sleep disturbance); one out of three participants reported major epilepsy issues felt urgent; 30% had to postpone scheduled examination. Significantly higher scores for depression and anxiety scales were found in patients who perceived seizure frequency worsening and reported major epilepsy-related issues.Conclusion: Preliminary findings showed that the first lockdown influenced the clinical and psychological status of PwE and was related to seizures worsening. The lack of medical assistance and control on VNS therapy left patients to cope with the situation without a chance to contact a specialist. We discuss how a wider implementation of telemedicine programs could facilitate remote assistance of PwE with a VNS implant.

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Anxious and Angry: Emotional and Political Motives for Approving of and Complying with Hygiene Measures related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

10.31234/osf.io/3vzu2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David Abadi ◽

Irene Arnaldo ◽

Agneta Fischer

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Social Impact ◽

Infection Age ◽

Political Beliefs ◽

Political Implications ◽

Hygiene Measures ◽

The Government ◽

The Individual ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

The current COVID-19 pandemic elicits a vast amount of collective anxiety, which may also have broader societal and political implications. In the current study, we investigate the individual and social impact of this anxiety. We conducted an online survey in four different countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK; N=2031), examining whether anxiety about the Coronavirus leads to more approval of and compliance with hygiene measures deployed in those countries, and what role political beliefs play at this. We found significant differences between the four countries, with Spain marking highest anxiety as well as approval of and compliance with hygiene measures. Furthermore, three linear regressions showed that one’s anxiety is not only predicted by proximity to sources of infection (age, country, oneself or friends being infected), but also by political views (populist attitudes, anger at the government). Importantly, people who are anxious are also angry, at transgressors of hygiene rules or at their government. Thus, anger does not reduce one’s fear, but fear leads to more anger, especially in countries with the highest infection rates. Anxiety also leads to more approval of and compliance with hygiene measures, but again anger and political beliefs play a role in this relation. Whereas behavioral compliance is more predicted by fear and anger at others who transgress the rules, approval of the measures is better predicted by anxiety about the impact of Coronavirus and anger at the government.

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The impact of leadership and organizational context on the acceptability of unethical HRM practices

Psicologia ◽

10.17575/psicologia.v34i1.1471 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 56-66

Author(s):

Eduardo Simões ◽

Patrícia Duarte ◽

Patrícia Nunes

Keyword(s):

Ethical Leadership ◽

Online Survey ◽

Organizational Context ◽

Management Practices ◽

Codes Of Conduct ◽

Socially Responsible ◽

Hr Management ◽

The Individual ◽

Corporate Social ◽

The Impact

Recent research has found that human resource (HR) practitioners judge the acceptability of ethically questionable practices based on the importance their organization attributes to ethical infrastructure (e.g., codes of conduct) and corporate social responsibility practices. This study sought to evaluate the effects of ethical leadership and the aforementioned factors on other non-HR organizational actors. More specifically, this research examined how these individuals judge the acceptability of three ethically dubious HR management practices: discrimination, disregard for the individual, and favoring those in power. Results obtained from data collected through an online survey indicate that ethical leadership is negatively associated with the acceptability of all three practices. Individuals in organizations with a stronger ethical infrastructurealso find discrimination and disregard for the individual less acceptable. The same is true of participants in organizations perceived as more socially responsible regarding employees and economic aspects.

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The Effects of Organizational Climate on Adherence to Guidelines for COVID-19 Prevention and Organizational Identification: A Three-Wave Study

10.31234/osf.io/sj94b ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Philipp Hubert ◽

Sascha Abdel Hadi ◽

Andreas Mojzisch ◽

Jan A. Häusser

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Organizational Climate ◽

Organizational Identification ◽

Online Survey ◽

Private Life ◽

Team Identification ◽

Adherence To Guidelines ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

During the current pandemic, it is essential that people follow the COVID-19 guidelines (e.g., physical distancing). Organizations substantially affect their employees’ behavior in a wide range of areas, but can they also affect how strictly employees adhere to COVID-19 guidelines? To answer this question, the present study examined the impact of an organizational climate for preventing infectious diseases (OCID) on employees’ adherence to COVID-19 guidelines both at work and in their private life. Using a three-wave longitudinal online survey with N = 304 UK based workers, our results show that OCID during the lockdown in April 2020 (T2) was positively linked to adherence to COVID-19 guidelines at work one month later (T3). We also found a relationship between OCID (T2) and adherence in one’s private life (T3) that was fully mediated through adherence at work (T3). Furthermore, we found that a pre-pandemic health climate (T1) was positively linked to our novel measure of organizational climate (T2). Finally, our study revealed that OCID (T2) and a pre-pandemic health climate (T1) contribute to stronger organizational and team identification (T3). These results highlight the key role organizations play in mitigating the current pandemic.

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Mature or Emerging? The Impact of Treatment-Related Internet Health Information Seeking on Patients’ Trust in Physicians

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15091855 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (9) ◽

pp. 1855

Author(s):

Runtong Zhang ◽

Xinyi Lu ◽

Wen Wu ◽

Xiaopu Shang ◽

Manlu Liu

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Online Information ◽

Internet Health Information ◽

Related Information ◽

Emerging Treatments ◽

Trust In Physicians ◽

The Impact

Years of clinical trials have proven the maturity and safety of certain treatments, however, some of these mature treatments may not be highly effective. Several treatments have emerged through technological innovations, but their long-term safety, efficacy, and adverse effects remain unknown. At present, many patients seek information related to their treatments on the Internet, which may impact their attitudes towards different treatments and their trust in physicians. In this study, a research model was developed to examine how patients’ trust in their physicians is influenced by related online information on mature or emerging treatments. The hypotheses were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). A total of 336 valid responses were collected through an online survey. Mature treatments related health information was found to significantly improve patients’ trust. Thus, physicians should pay more attention to mature treatments, and encourage their patients to seek related information online. Moreover, the quality of online information should be developed further to increase patients’ satisfaction. Physicians should also consider their patients’ psychological safety in communication with patients to strengthen their trust.

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Impact of Covid-19 on clinical care and lived experience of systemic sclerosis: An international survey from EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe

Journal of Scleroderma and Related Disorders ◽

10.1177/2397198321999927 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 239719832199992

Author(s):

Michael Hughes ◽

John D Pauling ◽

Andrew Moore ◽

Jennifer Jones

Keyword(s):

Systemic Sclerosis ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Online Survey ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Immunosuppressive Treatment ◽

Well Being ◽

Personal Threat ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Outcomes related to Covid-19 in systemic sclerosis patients could be influenced by internal organ involvement and/or immunosuppressive treatment, leading to efforts to shield patients from Covid-19 transmission. We examined the impact of Covid-19 on the lived experience of systemic sclerosis with regards to other aspects of daily living including occupation and emotional well-being. Method: Individuals with systemic sclerosis or relatives/carers participated in an online survey, disseminated through international patient associations and social media pages, designed to examine the impact of Covid-19 on living with a rare disease. Results: Responses from 121 individuals (98% were patients with systemic sclerosis) from 14 countries were evaluable. Covid-19 was considered a probable/definite personal threat (93%) or threat for the individual they care for (100%). Approximately two-thirds of responders reported either cancellation or postponement/delay to appointments, diagnostic tests, medical therapies at home (e.g. infusions), surgery or transplant, psychiatry follow-up or rehabilitation services. Twenty-six percent reported at least one systemic sclerosis medicine/treatment had been unavailable, and 6% had to either stop taking usual medications or use an alternative. Most reported online consultations/telemedicine via phone (88%) and online (96%) as being ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ useful. Respondents reported tensions among family members (45%) and difficulty overcoming problems (48%). Restrictions on movement left around two-thirds feeling isolated (61%), unhappy and/or depressed (64%), although the majority (85%) reported a strengthening of the family unit. Conclusion: Covid-19 has resulted in significant impact on the clinical-care and emotional well-being of systemic sclerosis patients. Changes to clinical care delivery have been well-received by patients including telemedicine consultations.

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COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil: adherence to national preventive measures and impact on people’s lives, an online survey

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10222-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edlaine Faria de Moura Villela ◽

Rossana Verónica Mendoza López ◽

Ana Paula Sayuri Sato ◽

Fábio Morato de Oliveira ◽

Eliseu Alves Waldman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Face Mask ◽

Daily Routine ◽

Brazilian Government ◽

First Case ◽

Preventive Behaviour ◽

Prevention Guidelines ◽

Restrictive Measures ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The first case of COVID-19 infection was diagnosed in Brazil 26th February 2020. By March 16th, physical distancing and confinement measures were implemented by the Brazilian government. Little is known about how these measures were followed up by the Brazilian people and their impact on daily routine. Methods In early April 2020, using an online platform, we organized an online survey among adults living in Brazil about their COVID-19 preventive behavior and impact on their daily routine. Results Data from 23,896 respondents were analyzed (mean age: 47.4 years). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, half (51.1%) of the professionals reported working from home. Regular handwashing was practiced by 98.7% of participants; 92.6% reported adhering to the 1.5-2 m physical distancing rule, but only 45.5% wore a face mask when going outside. While 29.3% of respondents found it relatively easy to stay at home, indoor confinement was extremely difficult for 7.9% of participants. Moreover, 11% of participants were extremely worried about their health during the COVID-19 epidemic. Younger people, male, persons living in a rural area/village or popular neighbourhoods, students and workers reported less preventive behaviour. Conclusion Restrictive measures markedly affected the daily and professional routines of Brazilians. Participants showed a satisfactory level of adherence to national COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Qualitative and follow-up studies are needed to monitor the impact of COVID-19 in the Brazilian society.

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Extracting Family Connections from Administrative Data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v3i4.724 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Stacy Ann Vasquez ◽

Miro Palfy ◽

Alexandre Franco Garcia

Keyword(s):

Hereditary Diseases ◽

Birth Registry ◽

Related Information ◽

Additional Layer ◽

Traditional Sense ◽

Data Source ◽

Family Connections ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

And Storage

IntroductionRecord linkage has existed for decades, regarded as an activity where an entity is ascertained across different data sources. Initially medically driven to determine further outcomes. Developments in technology led to cheaper computing and storage, which ushered capture of information beyond the primary entities such as carer’s details. Objectives and ApproachAdministrative datasets that capture an event involving a child would more often than not, capture information about their parents or carers including relationship to the primary entity within the record. The main objective was to exploit the connections across the entities captured in a record and have that as an additional layer of information that may contribute to context. All entities extracted from one record were clearly defined as related. Information was considered true at the point of capture. Then record linkage for all the individual entities extracted were performed. ResultsFamily structures evolve and a family structure during birth may change by the time the child attends school where carer information was recorded during enrolment. Each data source inevitably becomes a “source of truth” and understanding the different aspects of a dataset affects its credibility. Authority for collection dictates if the recording of the event is mandatory or optional and directly influences the coverage. The process of data capture and storage is also important; manual vs digital input and if any validation was present. Application of family connection to specific types of research will dictate the relevant “source of truth”. If one is to use family connections in the context of hereditary diseases, pregnancy outcomes would be more suitable than a birth registry. Conclusion/ImplicationsFamily unit as defined in the traditional sense have changed and all variations are reflected in the data. Assessing the impact of social connections to ones health may now be possible. Extracting these connections from administrative datasets can serve as additional intelligence that may inform if not shape longitudinal studies.

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Mental Health Status, Life Satisfaction, and Mood State of Elite Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Follow-Up Study in the Phases of Home Confinement, Reopening, and Semi-Lockdown Condition

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.630414 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Amir Hossien Mehrsafar ◽

Ali Moghadam Zadeh ◽

Parisa Gazerani ◽

Jose Carlos Jaenes Sanchez ◽

Mehri Nejat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Online Survey ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Mood State ◽

Elite Athletes ◽

Self Report ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Daily Routine ◽

The Impact

Scientific reports notified that the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised an unprecedented mental health emergency worldwide. Abrupt changes in daily routine, environmental constraints, adopted home confinement measures, and uncertainty about a date for returning to usual activities can potentially affect mental health and sports activities in athletes. Hence, we designed a cross-sectional study with a within-subjects design to investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health, mood states, and life satisfaction of elite athletes. During the three phases of home confinement (April 14–24, n = 525), reopening (May 9–19, n = 464), and current semi-lockdown (July 20–31, n = 428), elite athletes voluntarily responded to an online survey. The self-report questionnaire was prepared to collect demographic and epidemiological variables of interest and the COVID-19-related information. All participants also completed the Profile of Mood State (POMS), General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The main result is that the training rate, mental health, life satisfaction, and positive mood have decreased during the home confinement period as compared with the reopening and semi-lockdown phases. However, the need for psychosocial services has increased during the pandemic period. The present study provides the first preliminary evidence that home confinement conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic might have negatively influenced elite athlete’s mood state, mental health, and life satisfaction, as well as training rates. Monitoring the psychological parameters of elite athletes and developing strategies to improve their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic should be on the agenda. Next studies, therefore, seem reasonable to focus on active interventions for athletes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Comparison of Stigmatization of Suicidal People by Medical Professionals with Stigmatization by the General Population

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9070896 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 896

Author(s):

Jill Julia Eilers ◽

Erich Kasten ◽

Thomas Schnell

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Online Survey ◽

Practical Experience ◽

Medical Professional ◽

Medical Professionals ◽

Age And Gender ◽

And Gender ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

Stigmatization of suicide (SOS) affects help-seeking for suicidality and impedes successful treatment. This study aimed to identify different types of stigmatization and understand the causes and glorification of suicide by comparing three groups; within each of the following groups, the impact of age and gender was explored: (1) practicing medical professional in direct contact with suicidality (psychotherapists, psychiatrists, related medical professions (nurses, etc.)), (2) future medical professionals still in training, (3) and the general population with no professional contact with suicidality. German adults completed an online survey with a total of 742 participants. A MANCOVA was calculated with age and gender being controlled as covariates, due to different distribution. Practicing professionals showed significantly higher levels of SOS than the other groups, while the future professionals showed no differences in SOS from the general population. The understanding of suicide causes was similar across all groups. Men showed higher levels of SOS than women, while women scored higher at understanding of causes and glorification of suicide. Within the individual groups, female professionals in the age group “36–65 years” stigmatized suicide most, while showing the least glorification. The results suggest that tendencies towards SOS are promoted by practical experience with suicidality. Therefore, special training is recommended to reduce SOS.

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