scholarly journals The Impact of and Government Planning and Responses to Pandemics for People with Disability: A Rapid Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6505
Author(s):  
Adyya Gupta ◽  
Anne Kavanagh ◽  
George Disney
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
General Population ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
People With Disability ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Objective—To collate evidence on (1) the risk of infection for people with disability during infectious disease outbreaks and/or pandemics and (2) government responses and pandemic plans for people with disability. Methods—Through two rapid reviews, relevant peer-reviewed studies and grey literature published from 2002 onwards in the English language were identified. Data were synthesised narratively. Results—Aim 1: Of the 680 studies, two studies were included in the review. No grey literature was eligible for inclusion. The evidence regarding risk was inconclusive. Aim 2: Of the 50 studies, three peer-review studies, along with four government reports were included. The literature largely reported on measures being taken to maximise the prevention of transmission of COVID-19 for the general population, with only a few programs including people with disability. Conclusion—Overall, there is inconclusive evidence on the risk of infection for people with disability during infectious disease outbreaks and/or pandemics and the government preparedness and planning for disease outbreaks and/or pandemics largely exclude people with disability. From a population health perspective, during disease outbreaks and pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the general population, it is important for governments to include people with disability in their pandemic planning and response.

scholarly journals De-escalation strategies for non-pharmaceutical interventions following infectious disease outbreaks: a rapid review and a proposed dynamic de-escalation framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charbel El Bcheraoui ◽  
Sophie Alice Müller ◽  
Eleanor C Vaughan ◽  
Andreas Jansen ◽  
Robert Cook ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
System Capacity ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Pharmaceutical Interventions

Abstract Background The severity of COVID-19, as well as the speed and scale of its spread, has posed a global challenge. Countries around the world have implemented stringent non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) to control transmission and prevent health systems from being overwhelmed. These NPI have had profound negative social and economic impacts. With the timeline to worldwide vaccine roll-out being uncertain, governments need to consider to what extent they need to implement and how to de-escalate these NPI. This rapid review collates de-escalation criteria reported in the literature to provide a guide to criteria that could be used as part of de-escalation strategies globally. Methods We reviewed literature published since 2000 relating to pandemics and infectious disease outbreaks. The searches included Embase.com (includes Embase and Medline), LitCovid, grey literature searching, reference harvesting and citation tracking. Over 1,700 documents were reviewed, with 39 documents reporting de-escalation criteria included in the final analysis. Concepts retrieved through a thematic analysis of the included documents were interlinked to build a conceptual dynamic de-escalation framework. Results We identified 52 de-escalation criteria, the most common of which were clustered under surveillance (cited by 43 documents, 10 criteria e.g. ability to actively monitor confirmed cases and contact tracing), health system capacity (cited by 30 documents, 11 criteria, e.g. ability to treat all patients within normal capacity) and epidemiology (cited by 28 documents, 7 criteria, e.g. number or changes in case numbers). De-escalation is a gradual and bi-directional process, and resurgence of infections or emergence of variants of concerns can lead to partial or full re-escalation(s) of response and control measures in place. Hence, it is crucial to rely on a robust public health surveillance system. Conclusions This rapid review focusing on de-escalation within the context of COVID-19 provides a conceptual framework and a guide to criteria that countries can use to formulate de-escalation plans.

scholarly journals The Impact of Organisational Characteristics of Staff and Facility on Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Care Homes: a Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Liljas ◽  
Lenke Morath ◽  
Bo Burström ◽  
Pär Schön ◽  
Janne Agerholm
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older People ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Facility Design ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Facility Size ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Nurse Aides

Abstract Background: Infectious disease outbreaks are common in care homes, often with substantial impact on the rates of infection and mortality of the residents, who primarily are older people vulnerable to infections. There is growing evidence that organisational characteristics of staff and facility might play a role in infection outbreaks however such evidence have not previously been systematically reviewed. Therefore, this systematic review aims to examine the impact of facility and staff characteristics on the risk of infectious disease outbreaks in care homes.Methods: Five databases were searched. Studies considered for inclusion were of any design reporting on an outbreak of any infectious disease in one or more care homes providing care for primarily older people with original data on: facility size, facility location (urban/rural), facility design, use of temporary hired staff, staff compartmentalizing, residence of staff, and/or nursing aides hours per resident. Retrieved studies were screened, assessed for quality, and analysed employing a narrative synthesis.Results: Sixteen studies (8 cohort studies, 6 cross-sectional studies, 2 case-control) were included from the search which generated 10,424 unique records. COVID-19 was the most commonly reported cause of outbreak (n=11). The other studies focused on influenza, respiratory and gastrointestinal outbreaks. Most studies reported on the impact of facility size (n=11) followed by facility design (n=4), use of temporary hired staff (n=3), facility location (n=2), staff compartmentalizing (n=2), nurse aides hours (n=2) and residence of staff (n=1). Findings suggest that urban location and larger facility size may be associated with greater risks of an infectious outbreak. Additionally, the risk of a larger outbreak seems lower in larger facilities. Whilst staff compartmentalizing may be associated with lower risk of an outbreak, staff residing in highly infected areas may be associated with greater risk of outbreak. The influence of facility design, use of temporary staff, and nurse aides hours remains unclear.Conclusions: This systematic review suggests that larger facilities have greater risks of infectious outbreaks, yet the risk of a larger outbreak seems lower in larger facilities. Due to lack of robust findings the impact of facility and staff characteristics on infectious outbreaks remain largely unknown.PROSPERO: CRD42020213585

scholarly journals Mental health services for infectious disease outbreaks including COVID-19: a rapid systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (15) ◽  
pp. 2498-2513
Author(s):  
Jing-Li Yue ◽  
Wei Yan ◽  
Yan-Kun Sun ◽  
Kai Yuan ◽  
Si-Zhen Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Stepped Care ◽  
Research Database ◽  
The Public ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Culturally Adapted ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe upsurge in the number of people affected by the COVID-19 is likely to lead to increased rates of emotional trauma and mental illnesses. This article systematically reviewed the available data on the benefits of interventions to reduce adverse mental health sequelae of infectious disease outbreaks, and to offer guidance for mental health service responses to infectious disease pandemic. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, WHO Global Research Database on infectious disease, and the preprint server medRxiv were searched. Of 4278 reports identified, 32 were included in this review. Most articles of psychological interventions were implemented to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, followed by Ebola, SARS, and MERS for multiple vulnerable populations. Increasing mental health literacy of the public is vital to prevent the mental health crisis under the COVID-19 pandemic. Group-based cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological first aid, community-based psychosocial arts program, and other culturally adapted interventions were reported as being effective against the mental health impacts of COVID-19, Ebola, and SARS. Culturally-adapted, cost-effective, and accessible strategies integrated into the public health emergency response and established medical systems at the local and national levels are likely to be an effective option to enhance mental health response capacity for the current and for future infectious disease outbreaks. Tele-mental healthcare services were key central components of stepped care for both infectious disease outbreak management and routine support; however, the usefulness and limitations of remote health delivery should also be recognized.

scholarly journals LIFE HISTORIES OFFER A CLUE TO THE FUTURE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE ON CORAL REEFS

2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
L. YAKOB ◽  
P. J. MUMBY
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Demographic Rates ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIncreased frequency and severity of stressors associated with climate change are drastically altering ecosystems. Caribbean coral reefs differ markedly from just 30 years ago, with much restructuring attributable to infectious disease outbreaks. Using a classic epidemiological approach, we demonstrate how density-dependent demographic rates serve as a mechanism for intrinsic coral resilience to population perturbations arising from disturbances such as disease. We explore the impact of allowing infection status to influence demographic rates and ascertain outbreak thresholds that are corroborated by epizootic patterns observed in the field. We discuss how our threshold calculations may provide metrics of coral epizootic early warning systems. Integrating our infection model with equations describing the interspecific competition for space between coral and macroalgae, we provide new mechanistic understanding of the influence that coral life history dynamism and infectious disease have on the changing face of these threatened ecosystems.

scholarly journals The impact of unplanned school closure on children’s social contact: Rapid evidence review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Brooks ◽  
Louise Smith ◽  
Rebecca Webster ◽  
Dale Weston ◽  
Lisa Woodland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
School Closure ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Spread Of Infection ◽  
The Impact

Background Emergency school closures are often used as public health interventions during infectious disease outbreaks in an attempt to minimise the spread of infection. However, if children continue to mix with others outside the home during the closures, these measures are unlikely to be effective. ObjectivesThis review aimed to summarise existing literature on children’s activities and contacts made outside the home during unplanned school closures.MethodsWe searched four databases from inception to February 2020 for relevant literature. Main findings were extracted. Results3,343 citations were screened and 19 included in the review. Activities and social contacts appeared to decrease during closures but contact was still common. All studies reported children leaving the house or being looked after by non-household members. There was some evidence that older child age and parental disagreement with closure were predictive of children leaving the house, and mixed evidence regarding the relationship between infection status and leaving the home. Parental agreement with closure was generally high, but some parents disagreed due to perceived low risk of infection and practical issues regarding childcare and financial impact. ConclusionsEvidence suggests that many children continue to leave the house and mix with others during school closures despite public health recommendations to avoid social contact. This review of behaviour during unplanned school closures could be used to improve infectious disease modelling.

scholarly journals A Mathematical Model for Stability Analysis of Covid like Epidemic/Endemic/Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Kumar ◽  
Amit Kumar Awasthi
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
World Population ◽  
Containment Control ◽  
Hurwitz Stability ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
The Impact

The transmission and spread of infectious disease like Covid-19 occurs through horizontal and vertical mode. The causative pathogens for such kind of disease may be bacterium, protozoa, virus or toxin. The infectious diseases like AIDS, SARS, MARS, Polio Plague, Bubonic Plague and Covid-19 have destroyed the social and economic structure of world population. The world scientific community adopts different mechanisms to model and analyze the population dynamics of infectious disease outbreaks. Mathematical Modelling is the most effective tool to take the informed decision about the containment, control and eradication of the pandemic. The main focus of Government and public health authorities is to design the strategy in destabilizing the spread and impact of the infections. A series of models-SIR, SEIR, SEIRD, SEAIHCRD, SAUQAR has been under study to combat the Covid-19 since its inception. An effort has been made to design the model based on reproduction number, endemic equilibrium and disease-free equilibrium to curtail the impact of Covid-19 through stability analysis methods- Hurwitz stability criteria, Lyapunov Method and Linear Stability Analysis

scholarly journals The impact of unplanned school closure on children’s social contact: Rapid evidence review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha K. Brooks ◽  
Louise E. Smith ◽  
Rebecca K. Webster ◽  
Dale Weston ◽  
Lisa Woodland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
School Closure ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Spread Of Infection ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundEmergency school closures are often used as public health interventions during infectious disease outbreaks in an attempt to minimise the spread of infection. However, if children continue to mix with others outside the home during the closures, these measures are unlikely to be effective.ObjectivesThis review aimed to summarise existing literature on children’s activities and contacts made outside the home during unplanned school closures.MethodsWe searched four databases from inception to February 2020 for relevant literature. Main findings were extracted.Results3,343 citations were screened and 19 included in the review. Activities and social contacts appeared to decrease during closures but contact was still common. All studies reported children leaving the house or being looked after by non-household members. There was some evidence that older child age and parental disagreement with closure were predictive of children leaving the house, and mixed evidence regarding the relationship between infection status and leaving the home. Parental agreement with closure was generally high, but some parents disagreed due to perceived low risk of infection and practical issues regarding childcare and financial impact.ConclusionsEvidence suggests that many children continue to leave the house and mix with others during school closures despite public health recommendations to avoid social contact. This review of behaviour during unplanned school closures could be used to improve infectious disease modelling.

scholarly journals Smiles behind the masks: A systematic review and narrative synthesis exploring how family members of seriously ill or dying patients are supported during infectious disease outbreaks

2021 ◽  
pp. 026921632110295
Author(s):  
Melissa J Bloomer ◽  
Catherine Walshe
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Narrative Synthesis ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Seriously Ill

Background: Infection control measures during infectious disease outbreaks can have significant impacts on seriously ill and dying patients, their family, the patient-family connection, coping, grief and bereavement. Aim: To explore how family members of patients who are seriously ill or who die during infectious disease outbreaks are supported and cared for during serious illness, before and after patient death and the factors that influence family presence around the time of death. Design: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. Data sources: CINAHL, Medline, APA PsycInfo and Embase were searched from inception to June 2020. Forward and backward searching of included papers were also undertaken. Records were independently assessed against inclusion criteria. Included papers were assessed for quality, but none were excluded. Findings: Key findings from 14 papers include the importance of communication and information sharing, as well as new ways of using virtual communication. Restrictive visiting practices were understood, but the impact of these restrictions on family experience cannot be underestimated, causing distress and suffering. Consistent advice and information were critical, such as explaining personal protective equipment, which family found constraining and staff experienced as affecting interpersonal communication. Cultural expectations of family caregiving were challenged during infectious disease outbreaks. Conclusion: Learning from previous infectious disease outbreaks about how family are supported can be translated to the current COVID-19 pandemic and future infectious disease outbreaks. Consistent, culturally sensitive and tailored plans should be clearly communicated to family members, including when any restrictions may be amended or additional supports provided when someone is dying.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of psychological support interventions for those exposed to mass infectious disease outbreaks: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Doherty ◽  
Valerio Benedetto ◽  
Catherine Harris ◽  
Paul Boland ◽  
Danielle L. Christian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
General Population ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Psychological Interventions ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Abstract Background Mass outbreaks such as pandemics are associated with mental health problems requiring effective psychological interventions. Although several forms of psychological interventions may be advocated or used, some may lack strong evidence of efficacy and some may not have been evaluated in mass infectious disease outbreaks. This paper reports a systematic review of published studies (PROSPERO CRD:42020182094. Registered: 24.04.2020) examining the types and effectiveness of psychological support interventions for the general population and healthcare workers exposed to mass infectious disease outbreaks. Methods A systematic review was conducted. Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT) were identified through searches of electronic databases: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO (EBSCO) and the Cochrane Library Database from inception to 06.05.2021 using an agreed search strategy. Studies were included if they assessed the effectiveness of interventions providing psychological support to the general population and / or healthcare workers exposed to mass infectious disease outbreaks. Studies were excluded if they focused on man-made or natural disasters or if they included armed forces, police, fire-fighters or coastguards. Results Twenty-two RCTs were included after screening. Various psychological interventions have been used: therapist-guided therapy (n = 1); online counselling (n = 1); ‘Emotional Freedom Techniques’ (n = 1); mobile phone apps (n = 2); brief crisis intervention (n = 1); psychological-behavioural intervention (n = 1); Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (n = 3); progressive muscle relaxation (n = 2); emotional-based directed drawing (n = 1); psycho-educational debriefing (n = 1); guided imagery (n = 1); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (n = 1); expressive writing (n = 2); tailored intervention for patients with a chronic medical conditions (n = 1); community health workers (n = 1); self-guided psychological intervention (n = 1), and a digital behaviour change intervention (n = 1). Meta-analyses showed that psychological interventions had a statistically significant benefit in managing depression (Standardised Mean Difference [SMD]: -0.40; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: − 0.76 to − 0.03), and anxiety (SMD: -0.72; 95% CI: − 1.03 to − 0.40). The effect on stress was equivocal (SMD: 0.16; 95% CI: − 0.19 to 0.51). The heterogeneity of studies, studies’ high risk of bias, and the lack of available evidence means uncertainty remains. Conclusions Further RCTs and intervention studies involving representative study populations are needed to inform the development of targeted and tailored psychological interventions for those exposed to mass infectious disease outbreaks.

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