scholarly journals Illness Behavior in the Face of COVID-19 Infection: A Qualitative Study on Homecare in Afghanistan

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Kalateh Sadati ◽  
Kimia Mohammadi

Background: Illness behavior refers to the ways of perceiving, assessing, and managing specific symptoms by an individual. Objectives: The present study aims to investigate illness behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak among Afghan people. Methods: The study is a thematic analysis conducted between May and September 2020. Data were collected purposefully through semi-structured telephone interviews with 17 infected people from the cities of Kabul, Bamian, and Balkh in Afghanistan. Results: As the participants believed, the COVID-19 outbreak in their country was a socio-political rather than a medical phenomenon. In this situation, the health system is unable to meet medical needs, and patients creatively take care of themselves at home with exercise, local soups, and oxygen therapy if needed. There were four themes explored, including de-hospitalization, healthcare-seeking behavior, social stigma, and the role of media. Conclusions: The illness behavior regarding disease outbreaks is a social rather than a clinical phenomenon. It includes de-pharmaceuticalization perceptions and activities. Therefore, healthcare systems are recommended to pay attention to the socio-political dimensions of illness behavior during such outbreaks.

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402097579
Author(s):  
Manoj Kumar Sharma ◽  
Nitin Anand ◽  
Keshav Kumar ◽  
Rajkumar Lenin Singh ◽  
Pranjali Chakraborty Thakur ◽  
...  

Cyberspace provides a completely different platform for the expression of one’s needs in comparison to the face-to-face world. The use of cyberspace by teenagers is becoming a major concern due to the emergence of engagement in deviant use of internet applications inclusive of engagement in sexting; excessive and addictive use of the internet, consumption of pornography, and as well as phenomena of internet chat rooms. The online disinhibition, anonymity, personality factors, sensation-seeking behavior, impulsivity, deviant socialization processes, and absence of social systems to educate adolescents about gender sensitivity and sex appear to predispose teenagers for indulgence in deviant usage of cyberspace. There is an urgent need to understand the factors related to deviant use of cyberspace and for offering programs for parents and adolescents on gender sensitivity, sexuality, sex, consent in relationships, and deviant use of internet applications. Such initiatives will help to offer opportunities for a corrective experience through appropriate socialization experiences and enhance cyberliteracy among children and adolescents.


2021 ◽  
pp. PP. 21-22
Author(s):  
Ahmed A. Elngar ◽  
◽  
◽  
S.I. El El-Dek

We introduce our idea about a new face mask against Covid-19. Herein our novel face mask is a polymeric matrix of nanofibers. These nanofibers are decorated with special engineered nanocomposite. The later possesses antiviral, antimicrobial. A well-established IR temperature biosensor will be implanted in the face mask and connected to the mobile phone using App (Seek thermal) to allow temperature monitoring. Artificial Intelligence can play a vital role in the fight against COVID-19. AI is being successfully used in the identification of disease clusters, monitoring of cases, prediction of the future outbreaks, mortality risk, diagnosis of COVID-19, disease management by resource allocation, facilitating training, record maintenance and pattern recognition for studying the disease trend. Therefore, AI is used as a type of alarm which be connected through Global Position System (GPS) to a central networking system to monitor the crowded areas of probable infections. In this case, the hospital in this neighborhood will be charged to let a mobile unit of assessment travel quickly to the infected people areas.


COVID-19 has become a pandemic affecting the most of countries in the world. One of the most difficult decisions doctors face during the Covid-19 epidemic is determining which patients will stay in hospital, and which are safe to recover at home. In the face of overcrowded hospital capacity and an entirely new disease with little data-based evidence for diagnosis and treatment, the old rules for determining which patients should be admitted have proven ineffective. But machine learning can help make the right decision early, save lives and lower healthcare costs. So, there is therefore an urgent and imperative need to collect data describing clinical presentations, risks, epidemiology and outcomes. On the other side, artificial intelligence(AI) and machine learning(ML) are considered a strong firewall against outbreaks of diseases and epidemics due to its ability to quickly detect, examine and diagnose these diseases and epidemics.AI is being used as a tool to support the fight against the epidemic that swept the entire world since the beginning of 2020.. This paper presents the potential for using data engineering, ML and AI to confront the Coronavirus, predict the evolution of disease outbreaks, and conduct research in order to develop a vaccine or effective treatment that protects humanity from these deadly diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peiliang Sun ◽  
Kang Li

AbstractThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic spread to the UK in early 2020 with the first few cases being identified in late January. A rapid increase in confirmed cases started in March, and the number of infected people is however unknown, largely due to the rather limited testing scale. A number of reports published so far reveal that the COVID-19 has long incubation period, high fatality ratio and non-specific symptoms, making this novel coronavirus far different from common seasonal influenza. In this note, we present a modified SEIR model which takes into account the time lag effect and probability distribution of model states. Based on the proposed model, it is estimated that the actual total number of infected people by 1 April in the UK might have already exceeded 610,000. Average fatality rates under different assumptions at the beginning of April 2020 are also estimated. Our model also reveals that the R0 value is between 7.5–9 which is much larger than most of the previously reported values. The proposed model has a potential to be used for assessing future epidemic situations under different intervention strategies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 418-418
Author(s):  
Olivia Walter
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Karsten Klingberg ◽  
Adrian Stoller ◽  
Martin Müller ◽  
Sabrina Jegerlehner ◽  
Adam D. Brown ◽  
...  

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are being increasingly used for low-acuity conditions and as primary care providers. Research indicates that patients with the status of asylum seeker (AS) may be seeking care in EDs at higher levels than nationals. The aim of this study was to identify disparities in the use of emergency care between AS and Swiss nationals (SN) with non-urgent complaints. Methods: Data were obtained from a survey in the period 01/12/2016–31/07/2017 of walk-in low-acuity patients attending the ED of the University Hospital Bern (Switzerland). AS and a gender, age-matched control group of SN of ≥16 years of age were included. Sociodemographic and survey data comprised information about health-seeking behavior in the home and reception country, knowledge of health care systems (HCSs), barriers to care and perceived acuity of the visit. Furthermore, attending physicians assessed the level of urgency of each case. Results: Among AS patients, 30.2% reported that they had no knowledge of the Swiss HCS. In total, 14.2% considered that their medical needs were non-urgent. On the other hand, 43.4% of the attending physicians in the ER considered that the medical needs were non-urgent. This contrast was less pronounced in SN patients. The majority of AS (63.2%) and SN (67.6%) patients sought care from the ED without first contacting a GP. In 53.8% of cases, an interpreter was needed during the ED consultation. Conclusions: Several factors associated with health-seeking behavior in the ED differed between AS and SN patients. Measures to increase health literacy, provision of easily accessible primary care services and intercultural-trained staff could improve quality of care and reduce the usage of EDs as primary care providers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-515
Author(s):  
Katie L. Acosta

The impact of COVID–19 on racially minoritized communities in the United States has forced us all to look square in the face of the systemic racism that is embedded in every fabric of our society. As the number of infected people continues to rise, the racial disparities are glaringly obvious. Black and Latinx communities have been hit considerably harder by this pandemic. Both racial/ethnic groups have seen rates of infection well above their percentage in the general population and African Americans have seen rates of death from COVID–19 as high as twice their percentage in the general population. These numbers bear witness to the high cost of racism in the United States.


Author(s):  
Katharine Bowker ◽  
Michael Ussher ◽  
Sue Cooper ◽  
Sophie Orton ◽  
Tim Coleman ◽  
...  

E-cigarettes may have a role in supporting pregnant women who would otherwise smoke to stop smoking. The study aimed to understand pregnant women’s vaping experiences, in particular how vaping to stop smoking is facilitated and how barriers to this are overcome. We conducted semi structured telephone interviews (n = 15) with pregnant or postpartum women who vaped during pregnancy, either exclusively (n = 10) or dual-used (n = 5) (smoked and vaped). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Two themes emerged. First, ‘facilitating beliefs’: inherent beliefs that helped women overcome barriers to vaping. These included understanding the relative safety of vaping and economic gains compared with smoking and pregnancy being a motivator to stop smoking. Second, ‘becoming a confident vaper’: accumulating sufficient skill and confidence to comfortably vape. This included experimentation with e-cigarettes to ensure nicotine dependence and sensory needs were met. Seeking social support and employing strategies to address social stigma were also important. Positive beliefs about vaping and becoming proficient at vaping were viewed as ways to overcome barriers to vaping. The theoretical domain framework informed intervention recommendations to assist pregnant smokers who have tried but cannot stop smoking to switch to vaping.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Jindal ◽  
Shrisha Rao

AbstractMany countries are implementing lockdown measures to slow the COVID-19 pandemic, putting more than a third of the world’s population under restrictions. The scale of such lockdowns is unprecedented, and while some effects of lockdowns are readily apparent, it is less clear what effects they may have on outbreaks of serious communicable diseases. We examine the impact of these lockdowns on outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. Using an agent-based model and simulations, we find that the risk and severity of such outbreaks is much greater under lockdown conditions, with the number of infected people doubling in some cases. This increase in number of cases varies by different mosquito-borne diseases, and is significantly higher for diseases spread by day-biting mosquitoes. We analysed various intervention strategies and found that during lockdowns, decentralised strategies such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying are more effective than centralised strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Nasarudin Nasarudin ◽  
Suliamin Kasnar ◽  
Rahedin Suwo

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the preparedness of households residing on the banks of the Tugurara river against lahar flooding on aspects of knowledge related to lava flooding, information-seeking behavior about disasters, attitudes of vigilance, and community attitudes in dealing with disasters. Ternate community in facing the threat of cold lava flood in the Tugurara watershed. The method used is a survey method with a questionnaire targeting households that live on the banks of the Ternate Tugurara river. The results showed that household/community preparedness on the banks of the Tugurara watershed in the face of cold lava floods was not yet optimal. Household preparedness in the aspect of knowledge related to disasters 94.62% who do not have knowledge 5.38%. In the aspect of finding information related to household disasters that sometimes search for disaster, information reaches 36.2%. Whereas for household vigilance attitudes that often have a vigilance attitude towards the threat of danger the percentage reached 29.2% and those who rarely had vigilance attitudes were 24.6%. While the attitude of households who have an attitude in dealing with disasters that strongly agrees to the actions taken when a disaster occurs is 82.3% and the hesitant household is 2.3%.Keywords: Preparedness, Flood, Lava.  AbstrakTujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui kesiapsiagaan rumah tangga yang bermukim di bantaran sungai Tugurara terhadap banjir lahar pada aspek pengetahuan terkait banjir lahar, perilaku pencarian informasi tentang bencana, sikap kewaspadaan ancaman bahaya, dan sikap masyarakat dalam menghadapi bencana. Ternate masyarakat dalam menghadapi ancaman banjir lahar dingin di DAS Tugurara. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode survei dengan kuesioner dengan sasaran pada rumah tangga yang bermukim di bantaran sungai Tugurara Ternate. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kesiapsiagaan rumah tangga/masyarakat di bantaran DAS Tugurara dalam menghadapi banjir lahar dingin belum maksimal. Kesiapsiagaan rumah tangga pada aspek pengetahuan terkait bencana 94,62% yang tidak memiliki pengetahuan 5,38%. Pada aspek pencarian informasi terkait bencana rumah tangga yang kadang mencari informasi bencana mencapai 36,2%. Sedangkan pada sikap kewaspadaan rumah tangga yang sering memiliki sikap waspada terhadap ancaman bahaya persentase mencapai 29,2% dan yang jarang memiliki sikap kewaspadaan adalah 24,6%. Sedangkan sikap rumah tangga yang memiliki sikap dalam menghadapi bencana yang sangat setuju terhadap tindakan yang dilakukan pada saat terjadi bencana adalah 82,3% dan rumah tangga yang ragu-ragu adalah 2,3%.  Kata kunci : Kesiapsiagaan, Banjir, Lahar.


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