Articles: pandemics.
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A new indigenously developed technology, coronavirus disease (COVID) Kavach, an IgG immunoglobulin-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, was developed in 2020 by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune, India. The primary objective of this study was to determine the total cost of development of COVID Kavach IgG ELISA and estimate the unit cost (UC) as well. ⋯ The estimates from this study can be useful for conducting economic evaluations, which will help in deciding upon the subsidy in government health facilities. The data may be useful to set up laboratory facilities analogous to the National Reference Laboratory located at the ICMR-NIV, Pune and for allotting sufficient budget to develop such assays in government-funded laboratories.
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General practice is an important place for patients experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence and abuse (DVA), and for their children to seek and receive help. While the incidence of DVA may have increased during the COVID- 19 pandemic, there has been a reduction in DVA identifications and referrals to specialist services from general practice. Concurrently there has been the imposition of lockdown measures and a shift to remote care in general practices in the UK. ⋯ Perspectives of patients and their families affected by DVA should be prioritised in general practice service planning, including during periods of transition and change.
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Journal of women's health · Oct 2023
Trends, Prevalence, and Risk Factors of Food Insecurity Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the United States: Findings from the 2019-2021 National Health Interview Survey.
Background: Despite the widespread food insecurity in the United States, there is limited research investigating its prevalence among pregnant women and the potential impact it has on maternal and child health outcomes. This study examined trends in the prevalence of, and investigated risk factors for, food insecurity among peripartum women, using a nationally representative sample in the United States. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included pregnant and postpartum women aged 18-49 years who reported being currently pregnant or pregnant in the past 12 months and who participated in the National Health Interview Survey from 2019 to 2021. ⋯ The adjusted odds of food insecurity were significantly higher among pregnant and postpartum women in 2020 (aOR 2.15), who had a health insurance coverage (aOR 2.98) and who had an unmet health care need in the preceding 12 months (aOR 6.52). Conclusion: We found that food insecurity was common among peripartum women between 2019 and 2021 and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying the factors that predispose peripartum women to the risk of food insecurity can guide the development and implementation of targeted interventions aimed at reducing the adverse impact of food insecurity on perinatal and infant health.
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The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the volume and nature of pediatric primary care visits nationwide. This study aimed to identify trends in pediatric visits at our institution during the pandemic to reveal opportunities to improve care of children and adolescents. ⋯ A sharp increase in behavioral health concerns among adolescents stands out as the most notable impact of COVID-19 on pediatric care at our institution. Our findings raise questions about how behavioral health care can be optimized for adolescents in the postpandemic era.
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This study will describe trends in the use of emergency departments before and after the Spanish State of Alarm, especially in pathologies not directly related to this infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted of all visits to the emergency departments in two third-level hospitals in two Spanish communities during the Spanish State of Alarm, compared with the same period of the previous year. ⋯ We also saw a drop of between 20 and 30% in time-dependent pathologies (heart attack, stroke, sepsis, poisoning). The decrease in overall attendance in the emergency departments and absence of serious pathologies, such as time-dependent diseases, observed during the Spanish State of Alarm compared to the previous year highlights the need to strengthen the messages addressed to the population to encourage them to seek care without delay in case of alarming symptoms and reduce the high morbidity and mortality rate if the diagnosis is delayed.