scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Activity in the Regional Hospitals of Andalusia (Spain)

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 363
Author(s):  
Antonio Lopez-Villegas ◽  
Rafael Jesus Bautista-Mesa ◽  
Miguel Angel Baena-Lopez ◽  
Antonio Garzon-Miralles ◽  
Miguel Angel Castellano-Ortega ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The large global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has overloaded the public health systems and reduced the regular healthcare activity, leading to a major health crisis. The main objective of this study was to carry out a comparative evaluation of the healthcare activities in the hospitals of Eastern Andalusia, Spain. (2) Methods: In this study, an observational, multicentered, and retrospective approach was adopted to compare the healthcare activities of the Poniente Hospital (PH) and the Alto Guadalquivir Health Agency (AGHA). Data was collected over a period of 24 months, i.e., from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020, and the variables evaluated were: patients seen in the hospital emergency service (HES), X-ray tests performed, patients cited in outpatient consultations, surgical interventions performed, and patients included in the waiting list. (3) Results: The analysis of the above-mentioned variables revealed a significant reduction in the number of patients registered in 2020 at HES as compared to that in 2019 for both PH (p = 0.002) and AGHA (p < 0.001). Moreover, the number of surgical interventions in 2020 was significantly reduced from that in 2019 for both PH (p = 0.001) and AGHA (p = 0.009). Moreover, for PH (p < 0.001), a significant reduction was observed in the waiting list admissions in 2020 compared to that in 2019; however, no significant difference in the waiting list admissions between the years 2020 and 2019 was observed for AGHA (p = 0.446). In 2020, the number of teleconsultations was significantly increased from that in 2019 for both PH (p < 0.001) and AGHA (p = 0.006). (4) Conclusion: The analysis carried out indicates that in 2020, compared to 2019, healthcare activity was significantly reduced in most of the parameters included in this study.

Author(s):  
Joshua M. Sharfstein

Firefighters fight fires. Police officers race to crime scenes, sirens blaring. And health officials? Health officials respond to crises. There are infectious disease crises, budget crises, environmental health crises, human resources crises—and many more. At such critical moments, what happens next really matters. A strong response can generate greater credibility and authority for a health agency and its leadership, while a bungled response can lead to humiliation and even resignation. Health officials must be able to manage and communicate effectively as emotions run high, communities become engaged, politicians lean in, and journalists circle. In popular imagination, leaders intuitively rise to the challenge of a crisis: Either they have what it takes or they do not. In fact, preparation is invaluable, and critical skills can be learned and practiced. Students and health officials alike can prepare not only to avoid catastrophe during crises, but to take advantage of new opportunities for health improvement. The Public Health Crisis Survival Guide provides historical perspective, managerial insight, and strategic guidance to help health officials at all levels not just survive but thrive in the most challenging of times.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casper M. Kersten ◽  
Sergei M. Hermelijn ◽  
René M. H. Wijnen ◽  
Dick Tibboel ◽  
Robert J. M. Houmes ◽  
...  

Aim of Study: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has increased as a result of technological developments and the expansion of indications. Relatedly, the number of patients undergoing surgery during ECMO is also rising, at least in the adult population. Little is known on surgery in children during ECMO-therapy. We therefore aimed to assess the frequencies and types of surgical interventions in neonatal and pediatric patients on ECMO and to analyze surgery-related morbidity and mortality.Methods: We retrospectively collected information of all patients on ECMO over a 10-year period in a single tertiary and designated ECMO-center, excluding patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and correction of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Chi-squared test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze data.Main Results: Thirty-two of 221 patients (14%) required surgery when on ECMO. Common interventions were thoracotomy (32%), laparotomy (23%), fasciotomy (17%), and surgical revision of ECMO (15%). Complications occurred in 28 cases (88%), resulting in a 50% in-hospital mortality rate. Surgical patients had a longer ICU stay and longer total hospital stay compared to those not receiving surgery during ECMO. No significant difference in mortality was found when comparing surgical to non-surgical patients (50 vs. 41%).Conclusions: Approximately one in seven neonatal or pediatric patients required surgical intervention during ECMO, of whom almost 90% developed a complication, resulting in a 50% mortality rate. These results should be taken into account in counseling.


2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Budhi Darmawan ◽  
Dwi Utami Anjarwati

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one infectious disease of the middle ear, most commonly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A high number of patients come to the ENT outpatient clinic with active benign type of CSOM. The bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of producing biofilm which protects itself from penetration of antibiotics, and therefore creates resistance towards antibiotics and difficult to eradicate. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity levels of chloramphenicol, polymyxin-neomycin, cyprofloxacin and ofloxacine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with active benign type CSOM in ENT clinic. Method: The method used was across sectional study on 25 patients, from August 2010 until December 2010. Samples were taken withear swab and then put on sensitivity test to chloramphenicol, polymyxin-neomycin, cyprofloxacin andofloxacine using the diffusion disc method. The analysis used in this study was Cochran test. Results: Results showed a significant difference in sensitivity among chloramphenicol (38,70%), polymyxinneomycin(83,87%),cyprofloxacin(90,32%)andofloxacin(58,06%)withp=0,000(p<0,05).PostHocanalysisusing the Mc Nemar indicated that there were significant differences in sensitivity betweenpolymyxin-neomycin to chloramphenicol with p=0,000 (p<0,05), ciprofloxacin to chloramphenicol andciprofloxacin to ofloxacine with p= 0,002, but there were no significant differences between cyprofloxacinto polymyxin-neomycin with p=0,687, polymyxin-neomycin to ofloxacin p=0.057 and ofloxacin tochloramphenicol p=0,109.   There were significant differences in antibiotic ear dropssensitivity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with active benign type of CSOM. Cyprofloxacin andpolymyxin-neomycin were more sensitive than ofloxacin and chloramphenicol. Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, active benign type of chronic suppurative otitis media, antibioticear drops.  Abstrak :  Latar belakang: Otitis media supuratif kronik (OMSK) merupakan penyakit infeksi kronik telinga tengah yang sering dijumpai di klinik THT. Penyebab tersering OMSK adalah bakteri Pseudomonasaeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa mempunyai kemampuan untuk membentuk biofilm yangmelindunginya dari penetrasi antibiotik sehingga menimbulkan resistensi terhadap antibiotik dan sulituntuk eradikasinya. Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui perbandingan tingkat sensitivitas kloramfenikol,polimiksin-neomisin, ciprofloksasin dan ofloksasin terhadap isolat Pseudomonas aeruginosa padapasien OMSK benigna aktif di klinik THT RSMS. Metode: Metode yang digunakan adalah crosssectional terhadap 29 pasien OMSK di klinik THT RSMS periode bulan Agustus 2010 - Desember2010. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan swab telinga. Uji sensitivitas terhadap kloramfenikol,polimiksin-neomisin, ciprofloksasin dan ofloksasin dilakukan dengan metode cakram secara difusi.Analisis yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Cochran dan analisis post hoc. Hasil: Didapatkansensitivitas kloramfenikol sebesar 38,70%, polimiksin-neomisin sebesar 83,87%, ciprofloksasin sebesar90,32% dan ofloksasin sebesar 58,06% dengan p=0,01 (P<0,05), yang menunjukkan adanya perbedaansensitivitas yang bermakna antara kloramfenikol, polimiksin-neomisin, ciprofloksasin dan ofloksasinterhadap Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Analisis post hoc menggunakan Mc Nemar menunjukkan bahwaterdapat perbedaan sensitivitas yang bermakna antara tetes telinga polimiksin-neomisin terhadapkloramfenikol, dan ciprofloksasin terhadap kloramfenikol p=0,000 (p<0,05), serta terdapat perbedaanyang bermakna antara tetes telinga ciprofloksasin terhadap ofloksasin, p=0,002, tetapi tidak terdapatperbedaan yang bermakna antara ciprofloksasin terhadap polimiksin-neomisin, p=0,687, polimiksinneomisinterhadap ofloksasin p=0,057, dan kloramfenikol terhadap ofloksasin p=0,109. Kesimpulan:Terdapat perbedaan sensitivitas yang bermakna tetes telinga antibiotik terhadap Pseudomonas aeruginosa pada pasien OMSK benigna aktif. Ciprofloksasin dan polimiksin-neomisin tetes telinga mempunyai sensitivitas yang lebih baik dibanding ofloksasin dan kloramfenikol. Kata kunci: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, otitis media supuratif kronik, tetes telinga antibiotik 


Author(s):  
Sarah Palmeter

In the completion of my practicum at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) this summer, I worked to develop a surveillance knowledge product to support the national surveillance of developmental disorders. This project used Statistics Canada’s 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability to investigate the burden of developmental disorders in Canada. Developmental disorders are conditions with onset in the developmental period. They are associated with developmental deficits and impairments of personal, social, academic, and occupational function. The project objectives are to estimate the prevalence of developmental disorders in Canadians 15 years of age or older, overall and by age and sex, as well as report on the age of diagnosis, disability severity, and disability co-occurrence in those with developmental disorders. The majority of the analysis has been completed and preliminary results completed, which cannot be released prior to PHAC publication. Although not highly prevalent, developmental disorders are associated with a high level of disability in young Canadians. Early detection and interventions have been shown to improve health and social outcomes among affected individuals. Understanding the burden of developmental disorders in Canada is essential to the development of public health policies and services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 462-468
Author(s):  
Latika kothari ◽  
Sanskruti Wadatkar ◽  
Roshni Taori ◽  
Pavan Bajaj ◽  
Diksha Agrawal

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable infection caused by the novel coronavirus resulting in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV). It was recognized to be a health crisis for the general population of international concern on 30th January 2020 and conceded as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. India is taking various measures to fight this invisible enemy by adopting different strategies and policies. To stop the COVID-19 from spreading, the Home Affairs Ministry and the health ministry, of India, has issued the nCoV 19 guidelines on travel. Screening for COVID-19 by asking questions about any symptoms, recent travel history, and exposure. India has been trying to get testing kits available. The government of India has enforced various laws like the social distancing, Janata curfew, strict lockdowns, screening door to door to control the spread of novel coronavirus. In this pandemic, innovative medical treatments are being explored, and a proper vaccine is being hunted to deal with the situation. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the current situation. Thus, this review illustrates and explains the criteria provided by the government of India to the awareness of the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
pp. 3-25
Author(s):  
D. Lukanin ◽  
G. Rodoman ◽  
M. Klimenko ◽  
A. Sokolov ◽  
A. Sokolov

The article presents the results of a prospective controlled parallel clinical study of a new modification of laparoscopic antireflux surgery in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in combination with a hiatal hernia compared with laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in terms of assessing quality of life after surgery. Clinical and instrumental examination of patients was carried out a year after surgical interventions. In accordance with the results of instrumental examination after surgery, the proposed modification of laparoscopic partial fundoplication is not inferior to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication both, in terms of relief of reflux esophagitis symptoms and in relation to the recurrence of hiatal hernia. Clinical monitoring indicates a significantly higher quality of life for patients after the modified antireflux surgery, which is associated with a number of factors. The implementation of this fundoplication led to a decrease in the number of patients with complaints of dysphagia, the development of which is directly related to the surgery performance, as well as to a statistically significant reduction of bloating in the upper abdomen. Another advantage of the modified surgery is a significantly smaller number of cases of gas-bloat syndrome. In addition, the disorders developing in the framework of the gas bloat syndrome after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication are more severe.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (CSI) ◽  
pp. 12-18
Author(s):  
Ali Al-Rubaye ◽  
Dhurgham Abdulwahid ◽  
Aymen Albadran ◽  
Abbas Ejbary ◽  
Laith Alrubaiy

Background: There has been a rapid rise in cases of COVID-19 infection and its mortality rate since the first case reported in February 2020. This led to the rampant dissemination of misinformation and rumors about the disease among the public. Objectives: To investigate the scale of public misinformation about COVID-19 in Basrah, Iraq. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a 22-item questionnaire to assess public knowledge and understanding of information related to the COVID-19 infection. Results: A total of 483 individuals completed the questionnaire. The most frequent age group was 26–35 years (28.2%); there were 280 (58%) males and 203 (42%) females. Of the participants, 282 (58.4%) were with an education level below the Bachelor’s degree, 342 (70.8%) were married, and 311 (64%) were living in districts in Basra other than the central district. Overall, 50.8% (11.8/ 22 * 100%) of individuals had the correct information regarding COVID-19. There was a significant association between the level of COVID-19 related misinformation and participants’ educational levels and occupation (p <0.05). However, there was no significant difference found across sex, age group, marital state, and area of residence. Conclusions: Misinformation related to COVID-19 is widely spread and has to be addressed in order to control the pandemic. Keywords: COVID-19, misinformation, knowledge, Iraq


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 772-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Ebenhan ◽  
Elena Lazzeri ◽  
Olivier Gheysens

Infectious diseases remain a major health problem and cause of death worldwide. It is expected that the socio-economic impact will further intensify due to escalating resistance to antibiotics, an ageing population and an increase in the number of patients under immunosuppressive therapy and implanted medical devices. Even though radiolabeled probes and leukocytes are routinely used in clinical practice, it might still be difficult to distinguish sterile inflammation from inflammation caused by bacteria. Moreover, the majority of these probes are based on the attraction of leukocytes which may be hampered in neutropenic patients. Novel approaches that can be implemented in clinical practice and allow for swift diagnosis of infection by targeting the microorganism directly, are posing an attractive strategy. Here we review the current strategies to directly image bacteria using radionuclides and we provide an overview of the preclinical efforts to develop and validate new approaches. Indeed, significant progress has been made in the past years, but very few radiopharmaceuticals (that were promising in preclinical studies) have made it into clinical practice. We will discuss the challenges that remain to select good candidates for imaging agents targeting bacteria.


Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Khan ◽  
Tusha Sharma ◽  
Basu Dev Banerjee ◽  
Scotty Branch ◽  
Shea Harrelson

: Currently, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has transformed into a severe public health crisis and wreaking havoc worldwide. The ongoing pandemic has exposed the public healthcare system's weaknesses and highlighted the urgent need for investments in scientific programs and policies. A comprehensive program utilizing the science and technologydriven strategies combined with well-resourced healthcare organizations appears to be essential for current and future outbreak management.


KYAMC Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-135
Author(s):  
Joya Debnath ◽  
Arpan Kumar Basak ◽  
Md Zubaidur Rahman ◽  
Anujit Saha

Background : Self poisoning with organophosphate pesticides is a major health problem in world wide. Organophosphorus compound poisoning is a very common toxicological emergency encountered at Mirzapur in Tangail. It is particularly common among the rural agricultural worker's which comprise a substantial group of the population of this region.Objective: The objective of this study was to find out the incidence, frequency, pattern of poisoning, outcome and aetiological aspect of Organo phosphorus poisoning patient admitted in Kumudini Women's Medical college Hospital.Methods: A total 366 cases of OPC poisoning were analysed during 1 year from January 2015 to December 2015. The emphasis was given on age, sex, socio-economic status, occupation, motive of poisoning, types of compound consumed its quality, place, distance from referral place and the ultimate outcome.Results: Young population of rural background, particularly agricultural workers were the commonest patients (51.91%). The most common motive of poisoning was with a suicidal intent, both in males (27.59%) and females (66.39%). Financial crisis was one of the most common reasons analysed as the motive behind the poisoning (54.20%). Three hundred forty four Patients recovered and 22 were expired. The major cause of death in these cases was respiratory failure followed by multi-organ failure.Conclusion : Strict of the pesticide act and involving a new policy by the government to educate the public and youth in large about the dangerous, life threatening effects of Organophosphorus compound could help amelerioating the harmful effects of such poisoning.KYAMC Journal Vol. 9, No.-3, October 2018, Page 133-135


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