Dataset Information

[Impact of COVID-19 on rheumatological care : A national survey in April 2020].

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The preparations of healthcare systems to accommodate the large numbers of severely ill COVID-19 patients in March/April 2020 also had a substantial impact on rheumatological patient care. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this online survey was to assess the changes and current status of rheumatology departments and practices in Germany. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A web-based questionnaire was designed to differentiate the impact of the pandemic on inpatient and outpatient operations. Questions addressed the following issues: characteristics of the department, impact on patient care, application of recommendations, personal protective equipment (PPE), and organizational adaptations to the new framework conditions. The survey was available for 14 days and closed on 3 May 2020. RESULTS:A total of 66 complete answers were recorded and evaluated. In the first 4 weeks of the COVID-19 crisis the proportion of outpatients in the institutions decreased on average by -40.6%. The number of outpatients receiving infusions decreased by -25.6%. Of the inpatient facilities 81% reported an average decrease of hospitalized patients of -54.9% and 52% of the participants complained of a lack of PPE. Organizational adjustments are reported. CONCLUSION:The rheumatological services were significantly reduced 4 weeks after the SARS-CoV?2 pandemic had reached Germany on a large scale. The study showed that in this phase there were decisive turning points in patient care and implicated substantial organizational and ultimately also economic effects on the healthcare system, both in hospitals and private practices. As the survey cannot adapt to the daily dynamic changes in priorities it serves as a first snapshot, which requires follow-up studies.

SUBMITTER: Freudenberg S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7357446 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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[Impact of COVID-19 on rheumatological care : A national survey in April 2020].

Freudenberg S S Vossen D D

Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie 20200801 6

<h4>Background</h4>The preparations of healthcare systems to accommodate the large numbers of severely ill COVID-19 patients in March/April 2020 also had a substantial impact on rheumatological patient care.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this online survey was to assess the changes and current status of rheumatology departments and practices in Germany.<h4>Material and methods</h4>A web-based questionnaire was designed to differentiate the impact of the pandemic on inpatient and outpatient operati ...[more]

PMID: 32661916

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Project description:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed significant challenges on health-care systems worldwide, whether in the preparation, response, or recovery phase of the pandemic. This has been primarily managed by dramatically reducing in- and outpatient services for other diseases and implementing infection prevention and control measures. The impact of the pandemic on nuclear medicine departments and their services has not yet been established. The aim of this online survey was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on nuclear medicine departments. Methods: A web-based questionnaire, made available from April 16 to May 3, 2020, was designed to determine the impact of the pandemic on in- and outpatient nuclear medicine departments, including the number of procedures, employee health, availability of radiotracers and other essential supplies, and availability of personal protective equipment. The survey also inquired about operational aspects and types of facilities as well as other challenges. Results: A total of 434 responses from 72 countries were registered and analyzed. Respondents reported an average decline of 54% in diagnostic procedures. PET/CT scans decreased by an average of 36%, whereas sentinel lymph-node procedures decreased by 45%, lung scans by 56%, bone scans by 60%, myocardial studies by 66%, and thyroid studies by 67%. Of all participating centers, 81% performed radionuclide therapies, and they reported a reduction of 45% on average in the last 4 wk, ranging from over 76% in Latin America and South East Asia to 16% in South Korea and Singapore. Survey results showed that 52% of participating sites limited their 99mTc/99Mo generator purchases, and 12% of them temporarily cancelled orders. Insufficient supplies of essential materials (radioisotopes, generators, and kits) were reported, especially for 99mTc/99Mo generators and 131I, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Conclusion: Both diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures declined precipitously, with countries worldwide being affected by the pandemic to a similar degree. Countries that were in the postpeak phase of the pandemic when they responded to the survey, such as South Korea and Singapore, reported a less pronounced impact on nuclear medicine services; however, the overall results of the survey showed that nuclear medicine services worldwide had been significantly impacted. In relation to staff health, 15% of respondents experienced COVID-19 infections within their own departments.

Project description:Background: Transmission of COVID-19 in developing countries is expected to surpass that in developed countries; however, information on community perceptions of this new disease is scarce. The aim of the study was to identify possible misconceptions among males and females toward COVID-19 in Uganda using a rapid online survey distributed via social media. Methods: A cross-sectional survey carried out in early April 2020 was conducted with 161 Ugandans, who purposively participated in the online questionnaire that assessed understandings of COVID-19 risk and infection. Sixty-four percent of respondents were male and 36% were female. Results: We found significant divergences of opinion on gendered susceptibility to COVID-19. Most female respondents considered infection risk, symptoms, severe signs, and death to be equally distributed between genders. In contrast, male respondents believed they were more at risk of infection, severe symptoms, severe signs, and death (52.7 vs. 30.6%, RR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.14-2.8). Most women did not share this perception and disagreed that males were at higher risk of infection (by a factor of three), symptoms (79% disagree), severe signs (71%, disagree), and death (70.2% disagree). Overall, most respondents considered children less vulnerable (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.55-2.2) to COVID-19 than adults, that children present with less symptoms (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 0.77-3.19), and that there would be less mortality in children (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.41-1.88). Of female respondents, 76.4% considered mortality from COVID-19 to be different between the young and the elderly (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.01-2.92) and 92.7% believed young adults would show fewer signs than the elderly, and 71.4% agreed that elderly COVID-19 patients would show more severe signs than the young (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.4, 4.8). While respondents considered that all races were susceptible to the signs and symptoms of infection as well as death from COVID-19, they considered mortality would be highest among white people from Europe and the USA. Some respondents (mostly male 33/102, 32.4%) considered COVID-19 to be a "disease of whites" (30.2%). Conclusion: The WHO has identified women and children in rural communities as vulnerable persons who should be given more attention in the COVID-19 national response programs across Africa; however, our study has found that men in Uganda perceive themselves to be at greater risk and that these contradictory perceptions (including the association of COVID-19 with "the white" race) suggest an important discrepancy in the communication of who is most vulnerable and why. Further research is urgently needed to validate and expand the results of this small exploratory study.

Dataset Information

[Impact of COVID-19 on rheumatological care : A national survey in April 2020].

Publications

[Impact of COVID-19 on rheumatological care : A national survey in April 2020].

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