Articles: pandemics.
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The lancet oncology · Aug 2023
Changes in cancer diagnoses and stage distribution during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA: a cross-sectional nationwide assessment.
The emergence of COVID-19 disrupted health care, with consequences for cancer diagnoses and outcomes, especially for early stage diagnoses, which generally have favourable prognoses. We aimed to examine nationwide changes in adult cancer diagnoses and stage distribution during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic by cancer type and key sociodemographic factors in the USA. ⋯ None.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2023
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPrevalence of COVID-19 and Risk Factors for Infection Among Pediatric Anesthesia Patients: A Report From the PEACOC Research Network.
The Pediatric Anesthesia COVID-19 Collaborative (PEACOC) is a research network to advance the care of children during the pandemic. Here we calculate the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among children undergoing anesthesia, look at prevalence in the population data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and assess independent risk factors for infection. ⋯ Rates of COVID-19 in pediatric anesthesia patients were consistently lower than in the general population. Independent risk factors of a positive test for children were identified. This is the first time universal testing for a single infectious disease was undertaken on a wide scale. As such, the association of infection with surgical case type or emergency case status is unprecedented.
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The rapid spread of medical rumors and false or misleading information on social media during times of uncertainty is a vexing challenge that threatens public health. Understanding the information ecosystem, social media networks, and the scope of incentives that drive users and social media platforms can provide critical insights for strong coordination between stakeholders and funders to address this challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity to demonstrate the role of media monitoring and counter-messaging efforts in responding to dangerous medical rumors, misinformation, and disinformation. ⋯ Examples in other fields that offer a path forward include Information Sharing and Analysis Centers and Public Health Emergency Operations Centers. Understanding the scale and scope of what it takes to address viral medical rumors, misinformation, and disinformation in a networked information environment should inspire elected leaders to consider policy and regulatory reforms. Our transformed information ecosystem requires new public health infrastructure to address information that threatens personal safety and population health.
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To evaluate subsequent shifts to patient access to tertiary pain management care following shelter-in-place (SIP) and increased telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Overall, accessibility to pediatric pain management through telehealth during SIP was maintained despite significant declines in overall access to health care, with some trends in increased accessibility for patients with government insurance.