scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dermatology Practice Worldwide: Results of a Survey Promoted by the International Dermoscopy Society (IDS)

2021 ◽  
pp. e2021153
Author(s):  
Claudio Conforti ◽  
Aimilios Lallas ◽  
Giuseppe Argenziano ◽  
Caterina Dianzani ◽  
Nicola Di Meo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skin Cancer ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Skin Manifestations ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: The International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) conducted an online survey to investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on the daily practice of dermatologists working with skin cancer patients, to collect data regarding the frequency of skin manifestations noticed by the members, and to obtain information about the use of teledermatology during the pandemic. Methods: All IDS members were asked to fill in a questionnaire, sent by email. A questionnaire available in English was sent to all IDS members (≈16.0000 members) by email. The questionnaire was anonymous, with a compiling time of less than 5 minutes. The survey was open for 30 days (from April 24, 2020 to May 24, 2020) and it could only be filled out once. Results: Overall, 678 dermatologists responded to the questionnaire; 334 members stated that there has been a reduction of more than 75% in daily work activity during the pandemic, 265 dermatologists worked fewer days per week, and 118 experienced telemedicine for the first time. Acrodermatitis was the most frequently observed skin manifestation (n = 80) followed by urticarial rash (n = 69), morbilliform rash (n = 53) and purpuric manifestation (n = 40). In regard to the role of teledermatology, 565 dermatologists reported an increased number of teleconsultations, and the number of melanomas diagnosed during the pandemic was practically 0 for 385 (56.78%) of respondents. Conclusion: This survey highlights that the outbreak had a negative impact on most dermatology services, with a significant reduction in consultation time spent for chronic patients, and an increased risk of missed melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) diagnosis. Moreover, our study confirms earlier findings of a wide range of skin manifestations associated with COVID-19.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Patient’s Decision about Bariatric Surgery: Results of a National Survey

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 756
Author(s):  
Maciej Walędziak ◽  
Anna Różańska-Walędziak ◽  
Paweł Bartnik ◽  
Joanna Kacperczyk-Bartnik ◽  
Andrzej Kwiatkowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Weight Loss Surgery ◽  
General Information ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Bariatric Patients ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Impact

Background: the COVID-19 pandemic and the implemented restrictions have changed the functioning of healthcare systems worldwide. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of the present epidemiological situation on patients’ decisions about undergoing weight loss surgery. Methods: data were collected from 906 bariatric patients by the means of a national online survey, the majority of whom were women (87.9%). The survey started on 9 April 2020 and was open until 28 April 2020. The questionnaire included multiple choice and open questions, divided into three chapters: general information about the patient, life during the COVID-19 pandemic, and bariatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: despite the pandemic and the associated risk of COVID-19 infection, 443 responders (48.9%) would have decided to undergo bariatric surgery. Awareness of the negative impact of obesity on the course of COVID-19 illness had only marginable impact on patients’ decision-making (76.6% vs. 75.3%; p < 0.80). Contact with COVID-19 prior to the survey had a negative impact on the willingness to undergo bariatric surgery (3.0% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.55). There was a positive correlation between the BMI and preference for bariatric surgery in the time of the pandemic (37.4 ± 9.0 vs. 34.9 ± 8.7; p < 0.001). Conclusions: the level of awareness about the advantages of operative treatment of obesity is high among bariatric patients. The majority of patients awaiting bariatric surgery at the moment of the survey were positive about undergoing bariatric surgery despite the increased risk of a serious course of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, a large proportion of patients was determined to have bariatric treatment even during the pandemic, being aware of the increased risk of worse pace of COVID-19 disease in case of obesity and related diseases.

scholarly journals Impact of paid work on the academic performance of nursing students

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mery Constanza García-Vargas ◽  
Mercedes Rizo-Baeza ◽  
Ernesto Cortés-Castell
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Grade Point Average ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Paid Work ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Background.Little research exists on the impact of paid work on academic performance of students of health sciences. No research exists on this subject for students in Colombia.Objectives.This paper seeks to analyze the impact of paid work on academic performance among nursing students. Design, settings and participants: cross-sectional research, involving 430 of nursing students from the National University of Colombia (N= 566).Methods.Variables analyzed: sex, age, work activity, attendance, current semester, degree subjects studied and unavailable, lost credits, grades during the second semester of 2013, and delayed semesters. Subgroups analyzed: (i) according to labor activity: do not work, work up to 20 h and work more than 20 h per week; (ii) Grade point average: failing is considered as less than 3.0 and passing 3.0 or above out of 5.0. Percentage of delayed semesters were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative variables were analyzed for groups by work activity. The percentage and probability of students getting a grade point average less than 3.0 and delaying semesters were calculated by multivariate logistic regression.Results. A total of 219 of the students work (50.9%), the main reason is socioeconomic, of which 99 (45.2%) work more than 20 h per week and have an increased risk of failing, which is higher in the first semester. They also get lower grades, lose more credits and take longer to finish the degree. The logistic bivariate regressions of success (grade point average, credits gained, courses gained and not having delayed semesters) reduce with work, above all in those who work more than 20 h per week and increase as the number of semesters completed increases, independent of sex.Conclusion.A high percentage of nursing students work more than 20 h per week. The compatibility of paid work with studies in university nursing students has a negative impact on academic performance, more so when they work more than 20 h per week. This negative impact diminishes as the student completes semesters, irrespective of the sex of the students.

Birth Interventions Related to Lower Rates of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Increased Risk of Postpartum Depression in a Large Sample

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett ◽  
Zhen Cong ◽  
Thomas W. Hale
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Postpartum Depression ◽  
Postpartum Hemorrhage ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Pain Medications ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Overview: This study examines the impact of birth interventions, such as epidurals, inductions, pain medications, and cesarean sections, on breastfeeding and postpartum depression with a large sample of mothers.Method: Data for the present analyses were from the Survey of Mothers’ Sleep and Fatigue, a 253-item online survey of 6,410 mothers 0–12 months postpartum.Findings: Mothers were significantly more likely to be breastfeeding if they had unassisted vaginal births, or did not have epidurals or other pain medication during labor. Mothers had higher depressive symptoms if they perceived that their labors were difficult and they experienced high levels of pain. They also had higher depressive symptoms if they had planned or emergency cesareans, but unplanned (nonemergent) cesareans were associated with lower levels. When multivariate analysis was conducted, only epidural, postpartum hemorrhage, and postpartum surgery were significantly related to depressive symptoms.Conclusions: The type of birth a woman experiences influences breastfeeding and her emotional health. Contrary to previous findings, epidurals are associated with lower breastfeeding rates and higher rates of postpartum depression. Other birth interventions and complications, such as postpartum hemorrhage or surgery, have a negative impact as well.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Patient’s Decision About Bariatric Surgery: Results of a National Survey.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Walędziak ◽  
Anna Różańska-Walędziak ◽  
Paweł Bartnik ◽  
Joanna Kacperczyk-Bartnik ◽  
Andrzej Kwiatkowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Level Of Consciousness ◽  
Bariatric Patients ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Impact

Abstract BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the implemented restrictions have changed the functioning of healthcare systems worldwide. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of the present epidemiological situation on their decisions about undergoing weight loss surgery.MethodsData was collected with a national online survey from 906 bariatric patients.Results In spite of the pandemic and the associated risk of developing COVID-19, 443 responders (48.9%) would decide to undergo bariatric surgery in the current situation. Awareness of negative impact of obesity on the COVID-19 treatment had only marginable impact on decision making (76.59% vs 75.26%; p<0.80). Responders who had contact with people potentially infected with COVID-19 would prefer not to undergo surgery at the moment (3.02% vs 4.40%; p<0.55). There was a positive correlation between the BMI and the willingness for bariatric surgery (37.43±9.06 vs 34.93±8.67; p<0.001).ConclusionThe level of consciousness about the advantages of operative treatment is high among bariatric patients. Therefore, a large proportion of patients is determined to have bariatric treatment even during the pandemic, being aware of the increased risk of worse pace of COVID-19 disease in case of obesity and related diseases.

scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ourania Tzoraki ◽  
Svetlana Dimitrova ◽  
Marin Barzakov ◽  
Saad Yaseen ◽  
Vasilis Gavalas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
The Public ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
The Impact

The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.

scholarly journals Early Childhood Educators’ Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Eadie ◽  
Penny Levickis ◽  
Lisa Murray ◽  
Jane Page ◽  
Catriona Elek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Student Teacher Relationship ◽  
Learning At Home ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe importance of Early Childhood (EC) educators’ wellbeing has been brought into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, as educators have navigated numerous additional stressors while providing education and care services for some children and ongoing support for many others learning at home. This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on EC educators’ wellbeing and educator-child relationships, as growing evidence shows the influence of these factors on children’s developmental outcomes.In July 2020, members of a Research Network of EC Professionals—who previously identified educator wellbeing as a priority issue—were invited to participate in an online survey. The survey included two published, validated scales: the Early Childhood Professional Wellbeing scale (ECPW) and the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale (modified). Survey items about educators’ experiences during the pandemic were also included. Two hundred and thirty-two EC educators from across Australia completed the survey, mostly from Victoria where lockdowns were most severe. Linear regression analysis demonstrated stronger professional wellbeing was associated with less conflict in educator-child relationships and lower risk of staff turnover. This was more likely to be experienced by senior or more experienced staff. Although a negative impact of COVID-19 was reported, ECPW scores were relatively high, and organizational structures supporting professional wellbeing were most strongly associated with lower risk of turnover (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). Findings highlight that supporting EC educators’ wellbeing is essential for workforce retention, and for promoting quality educator-child relationships which are central to young children’s learning and development.

scholarly journals Impact of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Respiratory Pseudomonas on VAP and VAE During Long-Term Acute Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s258-s259
Author(s):  
James Harrigan ◽  
Ebbing Lautenbach ◽  
Emily Reesey ◽  
Magda Wernovsky ◽  
Pam Tolomeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
16S Sequencing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Background: Clinically diagnosed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is common in the long-term acute-care hospital (LTACH) setting and may contribute to adverse ventilator-associated events (VAEs). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common causative organism of VAP. We evaluated the impact of respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization and bacterial community dominance, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, on subsequent P. aeruginosa VAP and VAE events during long-term acute care. Methods: We enrolled 83 patients on LTACH admission for ventilator weaning, performed longitudinal sampling of endotracheal aspirates followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina HiSeq), and bacterial community profiling (QIIME2). Statistical analysis was performed with R and Stan; mixed-effects models were fit to relate the abundance of respiratory Psa on admission to clinically diagnosed VAP and VAE events. Results: Of the 83 patients included, 12 were diagnosed with P. aeruginosa pneumonia during the 14 days prior to LTACH admission (known P. aeruginosa), and 22 additional patients received anti–P. aeruginosa antibiotics within 48 hours of admission (suspected P. aeruginosa); 49 patients had no known or suspected P. aeruginosa (unknown P. aeruginosa). Among the known P. aeruginosa group, all 12 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with elevated admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.97; IQR, 0.33–1). Among the suspected P. aeruginosa group, all 22 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with a wide range of admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.0088; IQR, 0.00012–0.31). Of the 49 patients in the unknown group, 47 also had detectable respiratory Psa, and many had high P. aeruginosa proportional abundance at admission (median, 0.014; IQR, 0.00025–0.52). Incident P. aeruginosa VAP was observed within 30 days in 4 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (33.3%), 5 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (22.7%), and 8 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (16.3%). VAE was observed within 30 days in 1 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (8.3%), 2 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (9.1%), and 1 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (2%). Admission P. aeruginosa abundance was positively associated with VAP and VAE risk in all groups, but the association only achieved statistical significance in the unknown group (type S error <0.002 for 30-day VAP and <0.011 for 30-day VAE). Conclusions: We identified a high prevalence of unrecognized respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization among patients admitted to LTACH for weaning from mechanical ventilation. The admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance was strongly associated with increased risk of incident P. aeruginosa VAP among these patients.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Head and Neck Surgery Training: A Brazilian National Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Kober Leite ◽  
Leandro Luongo Matos ◽  
Claudio R. Cernea ◽  
Luiz Paulo Kowalski
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck ◽  
Surgical Training ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Neck Surgery ◽  
Head And Neck Surgery ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Surgery Training ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a high impact on surgical training around the world due to required measures regarding the suspension of elective procedures and the dismissal of nonessential personnel. Objectives To understand the impact the pandemic had on head and neck surgery training in Brazil. Methods We conducted a 29-question online survey with head and neck surgery residents in Brazil, assessing the impact the pandemic had on their training. Results Forty-six residents responded to the survey, and 91.3% of them reported that their residency was affected by the pandemic, but most residents were not assigned to work directly with patients infected with the new coronavirus (71.4%). All residents reported decrease in clinic visits and in surgical procedures, mostly an important reduction of ∼ 75%. A total of 56.5% of the residents described that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental, health and only 4 (8.7%) do not have any symptoms of burnout. The majority (78.3%) of the residents reported that educational activities were successfully adapted to online platforms, and 37% were personally infected with the virus. Conclusion Most surgical residencies were greatly affected by the pandemic, and residents had an important decrease in surgical training. Educational activities were successfully adapted to online modalities, but the residency programs should search for ways of trying to compensate for the loss of practical activities.

scholarly journals On the Effectiveness of Sampling for Evolutionary Optimization in Noisy Environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Qian ◽  
Yang Yu ◽  
Ke Tang ◽  
Yaochu Jin ◽  
Xin Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fitness Function ◽  
Evolutionary Optimization ◽  
Function Evaluation ◽  
Noisy Optimization ◽  
Running Time ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
True Value ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

In real-world optimization tasks, the objective (i.e., fitness) function evaluation is often disturbed by noise due to a wide range of uncertainties. Evolutionary algorithms are often employed in noisy optimization, where reducing the negative effect of noise is a crucial issue. Sampling is a popular strategy for dealing with noise: to estimate the fitness of a solution, it evaluates the fitness multiple ([Formula: see text]) times independently and then uses the sample average to approximate the true fitness. Obviously, sampling can make the fitness estimation closer to the true value, but also increases the estimation cost. Previous studies mainly focused on empirical analysis and design of efficient sampling strategies, while the impact of sampling is unclear from a theoretical viewpoint. In this article, we show that sampling can speed up noisy evolutionary optimization exponentially via rigorous running time analysis. For the (1[Formula: see text]1)-EA solving the OneMax and the LeadingOnes problems under prior (e.g., one-bit) or posterior (e.g., additive Gaussian) noise, we prove that, under a high noise level, the running time can be reduced from exponential to polynomial by sampling. The analysis also shows that a gap of one on the value of [Formula: see text] for sampling can lead to an exponential difference on the expected running time, cautioning for a careful selection of [Formula: see text]. We further prove by using two illustrative examples that sampling can be more effective for noise handling than parent populations and threshold selection, two strategies that have shown to be robust to noise. Finally, we also show that sampling can be ineffective when noise does not bring a negative impact.

Abstract 5857: Low Operative Mortality with implantation of a Continuous Flow LVAD and Impact of Concurrent Cardiac Procedures

Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay D Pal ◽  
Charles T Klodell ◽  
Ranjit John ◽  
Francis Pagani ◽  
Joseph G Rogers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aortic Valve ◽  
Continuous Flow ◽  
Operative Mortality ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Heartmate Ii ◽  
Cardiac Procedures ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tricuspid Repair

Objective: Our goal was to determine the operative mortality of isolated implantation of the HeartMate II continuous flow LVAD and the impact of additional concurrent cardiac procedures on patient outcomes. Methods: In a multicenter trial, 279 patients at 33 clinical sites underwent implantation of the HeartMate II continuous flow LVAD as a bridge to transplantation from March 2005 to March 2007. HeartMate II implantation (HM II) was the only procedure required in 172 patients while 80 patients required concurrent cardiac procedures in conjunction with LVAD implantation (HM II+CCP). Results: Preoperative characteristics were similar, but central venous pressure (14.5 vs 11.6 mmHg) was greater for patients requiring concurrent cardiac procedures, suggesting worse right heart dysfunction. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass times increased from 97 to 120 minutes when a concurrent cardiac procedure was performed (p<0.001). Length of stay slightly increased from 23 to 26 days (p=0.17). Overall 30- and 180-day mortality was 5.8% and 13.3% for the HM II group, and 11.3% and 20.0% for the HM II+CCP group. Concurrent valvular procedures increased the risk to 8.5% and 19.1%. Patients who underwent an aortic valve replacement with cardioplegic arrest had a 30-day mortality of 25%, higher than for isolated concurrent mitral (0%) or tricuspid repair (3.3%). Other cardiac procedures were associated with a 30-day mortality of 27.8%. Survival at 180 days was 87% for HMII alone and 80% for HMII+CCP. Conclusion: There is a low 5.8% operative mortality for patients requiring uncomplicated HeartMate II implantation, with no apparent increased risk for concurrent PFO closure, mitral or tricuspid repair. However, concurrent aortic valve and other cardiac procedures are associated with a significantly decreased survival. The increased risk of these procedures must be balanced against the negative impact of uncorrected aortic insufficiency during VAD support.

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