Asia-Pacific perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pawankar R
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8222936 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly worldwide. It is common to encounter patients with COVID-19 with abnormal liver function, either in the form of hepatitis, cholestasis, or both. The clinical implications of liver derangement might be variable in different clinical scenarios. With growing evidence of its clinical significance, it would be clinically helpful to provide practice recommendations for various common clinical scenarios of liver derangement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Asia-Pacific Working Group for Liver Derangement during the COVID-19 Pandemic was formed to systematically review the literature with special focus on the clinical management of patients who have been or who are at risk of developing liver derangement during this pandemic. Clinical scenarios covering the use of pharmacological treatment for COVID-19 in the case of liver derangement, and assessment and management of patients with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis, and liver transplantation during the pandemic are discussed.
| S-EPMC7308747 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Colorectal cancer(CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the Asia-Pacific region, and many countries in this region have launched population CRC service screening. In this study, CRC screening key indicators, including the FIT(fecal immunochemical test) screening rate (or participation rate) and the rate of undergoing colonoscopy after positive FIT in 2019 and 2020, were surveyed in individual countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The impact of the pandemic on the effectiveness of CRC screening was simulated given different screening rates and colonoscopy rates and assuming the pandemic would persist or remain poorly controlled for a long period of time, using the empirical data from the Taiwanese program and the CRC natural history model. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the programs in this region were affected, but to different extents, which was largely influenced by the severity of the local pandemic. Most of the programs continued screening services in 2020, although a temporary pause occurred in some countries. The modeling study revealed that prolonged pauses of screening led to 6% lower effectiveness in reducing CRC mortality. Screening organizers should coordinate with health authorities to elaborate on addressing screening backlogs, setting priorities for screening, and applying modern technologies to overcome potential obstacles. Many novel approaches that were developed and applied during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the risk-stratified approach that takes into account personal CRC risk and the local epidemic status, as well as new digital technologies, are expected to play important roles in CRC screening in the future.
| S-EPMC8443175 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The impact of COVID-19 has forced higher education institutes to go into lockdown in order to curb the situation. This sudden change caused students within the institutions to forgo traditional face to face classroom settings and to attend immediate online classes. This review aims to summarize the evidence of the social demographic mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students in higher education institutes within the Asia Pacific region and identify the coping mechanisms adopted during these times. A systematic literature search was conducted using three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus), out of which 64 studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The findings revealed that the social demographic groups most at risk were female students, those who were in the final years of their studies (i.e., students who were almost graduating), and postgraduate students as well as students studying medical fields (nursing, dental, medicine, health sciences etc.). The majority of the studies identified that students were relying on mobile devices and extended screen time to cope with the pandemic. Having proper social support, be it through a network of friends or positive family cohesion, can be a good buffer against the mental impacts of COVID-19. Students in higher education institutes are at risk of mental consequences due to COVID-19. By reducing their screen time, finding a healthier coping system, increasing the availability of support within the family and community, as well as actively engaging in beneficial activities students may be able to alleviate general negative emotions, specifically during the pandemic.
| S-EPMC9329973 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-BSST1055 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundWith no vaccines or specific treatments, non-pharmaceutical interventions are the only tools for controlling the human-to-human transmission of the COVID-19 disease, which appeared in Wuhan, China last December and has spread globally since. Here we describe and compare the first-wave mitigation strategies and epidemiology of five Asia-Pacific countries that responded rapidly to the epidemic.MethodsFrom January to April 2020, mitigation measures and epidemiological data for Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong were screened from official local government websites and a review of investigational studies was conducted. Daily case reports and mitigation measures information were extracted. Epidemiological estimates were calculated and compared between countries.ResultsAll five countries combined measures, focusing on contact tracing, testing, isolation efforts and healthcare management. Epidemiological data varied temporally and geographically: incubation period ranged 3.9-7.1 days, effective reproduction number at time t (Rt) ranged 0.48-1.5, with intensive care admissions 1-3% of hospitalised patients, and case fatality rates were 0.1-3%. Extrinsic estimates to the virus were lower than global estimates.ConclusionImplemented mitigation strategies in these countries allowed a rapid and successful control or delay of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. These are valuable examples to inform subsequent waves.
| S-EPMC8505019 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background/objectivesThe economic recession caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic disproportionately affected poor and vulnerable populations globally. Better uunderstanding of vulnerability to shocks in food supply and demand in the Asia Pacific region is needed.Subjects/methodsUsing secondary data from rapid assessment surveys during the pandemic response (n = 10,420 in mid-2020; n = 6,004 in mid-2021) in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this study examined the risk factors for reported income reduction or job loss in mid-2021 and the temporal trend in food security status (household food availability, and market availability and affordability of essential items) from mid-2020 to mid-2021.ResultsThe proportion of job loss/reduced household income was highest in India (60.4%) and lowest in Indonesia (39.0%). Urban residence (odds ratio [OR] range, 2.20-4.11; countries with significant results only), female respondents (OR range, 1.40-1.69), engagement in daily waged labor (OR range, 1.54-1.68), and running a small trade/business (OR range, 1.66-2.71) were significantly associated with income reduction or job loss in three out of 4 countries (all P < 0.05). Food stock availability increased significantly in 2021 compared to 2020 in all four countries (OR range, 1.91-4.45) (all P < 0.05). Availability of all essential items at markets increased in India (OR range, 1.45-3.99) but decreased for basic foods, hygiene items, and medicine in Vietnam (OR range, 0.81-0.86) in 2021 compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). In 2021, the affordability of all essential items significantly improved in India (OR range, 1.18-3.49) while the affordability of rent, health care, and loans deteriorated in Indonesia (OR range, 0.23-0.71) when compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsLong-term social protection programs need to be carefully designed and implemented to address food insecurity among vulnerable groups, considering each country's market conditions, consumer food purchasing behaviors, and financial support capacity.
| S-EPMC10861339 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To understand and analyse the global impact of COVID-19 on outpatient services, inpatient care, elective surgery, and perioperative colorectal cancer care, a DElayed COloRectal cancer surgery (DECOR-19) survey was conducted in collaboration with numerous international colorectal societies with the objective of obtaining several learning points from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our colorectal cancer patients which will assist us in the ongoing management of our colorectal cancer patients and to provide us safe oncological pathways for future outbreaks.
| 2346925 | ecrin-mdr-crc
Project description:BackgroundThis study assesses the areas and extent of impact of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on rare disease (RD) organisations in the Asia Pacific region. There is no existing literature that focuses on such impact on RD organisations in any jurisdictions, nor RD populations across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to RD organisations between April and May 2020. Quantitative and qualitative data on the impact of COVID-19 on RD organisations and patients were collected from the organisation representative's perspective. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. A follow-up focus group meeting was conducted in August 2020 to validate the survey findings and to discuss specific needs, support and recommendations for sustainable healthcare systems during the pandemic.ResultsA total of 80 RD organisations from Australia, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, India, Japan, mainland China, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan participated in the study. Of all, 89% were concerned about the impact of pandemic on their organisations. Results indicate that 63% of the organisations functioned at a reduced capacity and 42% stated a decrease in funding as their biggest challenge. Overall, 95% believed their patients were impacted, particularly in healthcare access, social lives, physical health, psychological health and financial impact. Specifically, 43% identified the reduced healthcare access as their top impact, followed by 26% about the impact on daily living and social life. Focus group meeting discussed differential impact across jurisdictions and point towards telemedicine and digitalisation as potential solutions.ConclusionsThis serves as the first study to assess the impact of COVID-19 on RD patients and organisations across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region, identifying major themes on the impact on both RD patients and organisations. By including 80 organisations from ten jurisdictions, our study presents the most comprehensive assessment of the pandemic's impact to date. It highlights the need for mental health support and sheds light on moving towards telemedicine and digitalisation of organisation operation, which constitutes a sustainable model in times of pandemics and beyond.
| S-EPMC7935006 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems globally, with governments imposing strict distancing and movement restrictions. Little is known about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This study examined perceived effects of COVID-19 on SRH service provision and use in the Asia-Pacific region. We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 28 purposively sampled SRH experts in 12 Asia-Pacific countries (e.g. United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations, ministries of health, academia) between November 2020 and January 2021. We analysed data using the six-stage thematic analysis approach proposed by Braun and Clarke (2019). Interviewees reported that COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as transport restrictions and those that decreased the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), reduced SRH service provision and use in most countries. SRH needs related to service barriers and gender-based violence increased. Systemic challenges included fragmented COVID-19 response plans and insufficient communication and collaboration, particularly between public and private sectors. SRH service-delivery challenges included COVID-19 response prioritisation, e.g. SRH staff task-shifting to COVID-19 screening and contact tracing, and lack of necessary supplies and equipment. Innovative SRH delivery responses included door-to-door antenatal care and family planning provision in the Philippines, online platforms for SRH education and outreach in Viet Nam, and increasing SRH service engagement through social media in Myanmar and Indonesia. To ensure continuation of SRH services during health emergencies, governments should earmark human and financial resources and prioritise frontline health-worker safety; work with communities and the private sector; and develop effective risk communications.
| S-EPMC10494729 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Covid-19 pandemic had affected transfusion services including recruitment of donors and blood donation camps activities. The blood donors may have concerns, confusion, and misleading rumours about blood donation during pandemic. People's priorities for blood donation may shift because of a dearth of necessities. It is important to identify factors which prevent or motivate blood donors during pandemic. This study was designed to understand blood donors' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions during the Covid-19 pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional study to assess donor's knowledge, attitude, and perception regarding blood donation using self-administered 20 questions. The study duration was 4 months. A total 503 whole blood donors participated. The fear of infection and reduced blood donor motivation were observed to be the major deterrents of blood donation activity. Environment of blood donation area and travel to blood donation site were perceived two major sources of Covid-19 infection by participants. The top 3 motivational factor for blood donation were direct patient request to donate (30%), followed by family/ friends need and social media campaigns (26% each). Most donors (70.6%) were aware of importance of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour during current pandemic. The 67% donors felt that adequate Covid-19 preventive measures had been followed by the staff involved in blood collection. Based on the survey results, the inferences are that donors may harbour fear of infection and concerns for their safety, deterring blood donation. The direct appeal from a patient's relative to donate blood or a requirement in their family/friends and social media appeals emerge important factors to motivate donors. Travel facility arrangement may aide blood donation. Most of the donors are more than satisfied with the blood donation experience and are motivated to inform the transfusion services of any appearance of Covid-19 symptoms post donation. The donors were satisfied with the steps to reduce Covid-19 infection.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-021-01504-y.
| S-EPMC8630517 | biostudies-literature