International journal of environmental research and public health
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 Public Health Stages on Paediatric Emergency Attendance.
This study outlines the impact of COVID-19 on paediatric emergency department (ED) utilisation and assesses the extent of healthcare avoidance during each stage of the public health response strategy. Records from five EDs and one urgent care centre in Ireland, representing approximately 48% of national annual public paediatric ED attendances, are analysed to determine changes in characteristics of attendance during the three month period following the first reported COVID-19 case in Ireland, with reference to specific national public health stages. ED attendance reduced by 27-62% across all categories of diagnosis in the Delay phase and remained significantly below prior year levels as the country began Phase One of Reopening, with an incident rate ratio (IRR) of 0.58. ⋯ However, attendance for complex chronic conditions also reduced and had yet to return to pre-COVID levels as reopening began. Attendances referred by general practitioners (GPs) dropped by 13 percentage points in the Delay phase and remained at that level. While changes in living conditions explain much of the decrease in overall attendance and in GP referrals, reduced attendance for complex chronic conditions may indicate avoidance behaviour and continued surveillance is necessary.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Objective Facts or Misleading Hype? Associations between Features of E-Cigarette Marketing and Sales on a Chinese E-Commerce Platform.
Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been increasingly advertised and marketed in China in recent years. This study examined the practice and impact of e-cigarette online marketing on a major retail website-Tmall.com. Methods: Data were obtained by crawling 449 online pages of e-cigarette marketing. ⋯ Conclusions: Online marketing of e-cigarettes was common on one of China's leading e-commerce websites. Sellers employed advertising strategies targeting a wide range of potential consumers-from youth to the elderly. Stricter regulations of online marketing for e-cigarettes should be enforced in China.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Social Distancing Compliance under COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health Impacts: A Population-Based Study.
The success of public health measures for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relies on population compliance. We analyzed compliance with social distancing and its associations with mental health. The Hong Kong COVID-19 Health Information Survey was conducted from 9-23 April 2020 on 1501 adults randomly sampled for landline telephone interviews (n = 500) and online surveys (n = 1001). ⋯ Adoption, perceived effectiveness, and perceived compliance with social distancing were associated with lower stress levels and less anxiety and depressive symptoms (all p < 0.01). However, more days stayed-at-home were associated with more depressive symptoms (adjusted Odds Ratio 1.09; 95%Confidence Interval 1.00, 1.18). The long-term psychological impact in relation to social distancing and staying-at-home requires further investigation.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Correlation of COVID-19 Pandemic with Healthcare System Response and Prevention Measures in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government has taken the decision to prevent the entrance of about 2.5 million international pilgrims seeking to perform hajj in order to protect the world from a catastrophic widespread of disease. Moreover, health systems in Saudi Arabia are offering free testing for residents whether Saudi and non-Saudi. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that performing screening tests as early as possible to facilitate the rapid detection of infected cases, fast treatment, and instant isolation for suspected cases is the most definitive rejoinder for public health. Moreover, our study revealed the significance of performing preventive measures in reducing infection and death rates around Saudi Arabia by 27%, while in other countries, it reduced the death rate ranging from 10-73%. This study provides an achievable strategy for prevention and early detection of COVID-19 spread.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Process, Practice and Progress: A Case Study of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of Brexit in Wales.
Health impact assessment (HIA) is a systematic and flexible tool, which is advocated by the World Health Organisation as a method through which to consider the impact of policies on the health and well-being of a population, and the inequalities that may arise because of it. In 2018, the HIA support unit in Wales carried out a comprehensive and unique HIA on the impact of Brexit in Wales. The aims were to understand the differential impacts that Brexit would have on the health and well-being of the population and to provide evidence to inform decision makers across a range of public bodies. ⋯ It discusses the stages of the HIA, and shares the findings and reflections of implementation which will be beneficial to other HIA practitioners and policy makers. It does not concentrate on the findings of the HIA in detail, but focusses on what worked and any challenges encountered. It has been used to progress the practice of HIA in Wales and demonstrates the value of HIA as a method to inform and influence complex decisions.