The effects of the pandemic on the well-being of brazilian nurses in the fight against Covid-19: a scoping review / Os efeitos da pandemia no bem-estar dos enfermeiros brasileiros no combate ao Covid-19: uma revisão de escopo / Los efectos de la pandemia en el bienestar de las enfermeras brasileñas en la lucha contra el Covid-19: a scoping review

Introdução: Estudos indicam que os profissionais de saúde têm alto risco de desenvolver sintomas relacionados à saúde mental, especialmente depressão, ansiedade e estresse. Objetivo: identificar e sintetizar os estudos sobre os preditores relacionados a saúde mental entre enfermeiros que atuam na linha de frente no combate ao COVID- 19. Método: Trata-se de uma revisão de escopo, sem limitação de linguagem e ano, nas bases BVS, PubMed, SCIELO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, MedNar, CAPES e ProQuest. Foi realizada síntese narrativa. Resultados: A pandemia da COVID-19 trouxe sérios impactos a saúde mental dos profissionais de enfermagem, os achados revelaram cinco temas principais sentimento de insegurança, falta de equipamentos de proteção individual, falta de exames diagnósticos, mudanças no fluxo de atendimento e medo do desconhecido. Existe uma associação significativa entre o bem-estar físico e metal e a produtividade laboral. Conclusão: Destaca-se os desafios enfrentados pelos enfermeiros no combate da COVID-19, mesmo com a repercussões no ambiente de trabalho os enfermeiros ainda padecem de reconhecimento adequado que incluem situações de estresse, ansiedade, depressão e estão diretamente relacionadas à frustração, esgotamento físico e mental, sentimento de impotência e insegurança profissional vivenciados durante a pandemia, principalmente por jovens profissionais sem experiência no cuidado de pacientes críticos.

Introduction: Studies indicate that health professionals are at high risk of developing symptoms related to mental health, especially depression, anxiety and stress. Objective: identify and synthesize studies on mental health-related predictors among nurses who work on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. Method: This is a scope review, without language and year limitations, in the VHL, PubMed, SCIELO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, MedNar, CAPES and ProQuest databases. Narrative synthesis was performed. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic had serious impacts on the mental health of nursing professionals, the findings revealed five main themes: feeling of insecurity, lack of personal protective equipment, lack of diagnostic tests, changes in the flow of care and fear of the unknown. There is a significant association between physical and mental well-being and labor productivity. Conclusion: The challenges faced by nurses in the fight against COVID-19 are highlighted, even with the repercussions in the work environment, nurses still suffer from adequate recognition and include situations of stress, anxiety and even depression, which are directly related to frustration , physical and mental exhaustion, feeling of helplessness and professional insecurity experienced during the pandemic, especially by young professionals with no experience in caring for critically ill patients.

Introducción: Los estudios indican que los profesionales de la salud tienen un alto riesgo de desarrollar síntomas relacionados con la salud mental, especialmente depresión, ansiedad y estrés. Objetivo: identificar y sintetizar estudios sobre predictores relacionados a la salud mental entre enfermeros que trabajan en primera línea en la lucha contra el COVID-19. Método: Se trata de una revisión de alcance, sin limitaciones de idioma y año, en las bases de datos BVS, PubMed, SCIELO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, MedNar, CAPES y ProQuest. Se realizó una síntesis narrativa. Resultados: La pandemia de COVID-19 tuvo graves impactos en la salud mental de los profesionales de enfermería, los hallazgos revelaron cinco temas principales: sensación de inseguridad, falta de equipo de protección personal, falta de pruebas diagnósticas, cambios en el flujo de atención y miedo a lo desconocido. Existe una asociación significativa entre el bienestar físico y mental y la productividad laboral. Conclusiones: Se destacan los retos a los que se enfrentan las enfermeras en la lucha contra la COVID-19, aún con las repercusiones en el ámbito laboral, las enfermeras siguen sufriendo un reconocimiento adecuado e incluyen situaciones de estrés, ansiedad e incluso depresión, que están directamente relacionadas con la frustración , el agotamiento físico y mental, la sensación de impotencia y la inseguridad profesional experimentada durante la pandemia, especialmente por profesionales jóvenes sin experiencia en el cuidado de pacientes críticos.

Contamination by Covid-19 in professionals of a reference hospital in Para's state / Contaminação pelo Covid-19 em profissionais de hospital de referência no Pará / Contaminación por Covid-19 en profesionales de un hospital de referencia del estado de Pará

A pandemia do novo coronavírus colocou em alerta os sistemas de saúde, estabelecendo sentimentos de instabilidade e de medo. O trabalho é e importante pilar para o traçado de políticas públicas. Objetivo: analisar a contaminação pelo COVID-19 em profissionais de hospital de referência no Pará. Metodologia: Trata-se de estudo retrospectivo, quantitativo, observacional, com aplicação de série temporal no período de março de 2020 a março de 2022. Foram incluídos todos os servidores atuantes durante a pandemia, que apresentaram atestados médicos com diagnóstico de COVID, e/ou testagem positiva, ou atestados por suspeita de contaminação. O perfil de servidores foi analisado, explorando as variáveis sexo, idade, convivência ou não com parceiros, grau de escolaridade, cargo e setor; juntamente com a incidência de casos confirmados e incidência total (suspeitos e confirmados). Resultados: O total de afastamentos do trabalho devido ao diagnóstico de COVID-19 foi de 1.420 casos, mais 839 casos suspeitos; sendo que 173 trabalhadores apresentaram reincidência. A incidência foi maior nos meses de maio de 2020, março de 2021 e janeiro de 2022. Houve predominância do sexo feminino e da categoria de enfermagem. Setores administrativos e financeiros apresentaram maior porcentagem de contaminados durante a pandemia (73,40%), proporcionalmente ao quantitativo de servidores atuantes na lotação. Entretanto, foram servidores da assistência direta ao paciente que apresentaram maior porcentagem de reinfecção. Conclusão: Foi possível visualizar três ondas na distribuição temporal dos casos de COVID-19, com destaque para elevação nos primeiros meses de 2022. O declínio no diagnóstico de casos novos no hospital estudado após dois anos de pandemia pode representar esforços individuais e coletivos em resistir às dificuldades da conjuntura. É importante observar o comportamento da pandemia em distintas regiões do Brasil para atualização de estratégias de enfrentamento como um todo.

The new coronavirus pandemic has put health systems on alert, establishing feelings of instability and fear. Working is an important pillar for the design of public policies. Objective: to analyze the contamination by COVID-19 in professionals of a reference hospital in Para's State. Methodology: This is a retrospective, quantitative, observational study, with the application of a time series from March 2020 to March 2022. All civil servants working during the pandemic, who presented medical certificates with a diagnosis of COVID, and/or or positive test, or attestations for suspected contamination. The servants' profile was analyzed, exploring the variables sex, age, living or not with partners, education level, position and sector; along with the incidence of confirmed cases and total incidence (suspected and confirmed). Results: The total number of absences from work due to the diagnosis of COVID-19 was 1,420 cases, plus 839 suspected cases; 173 workers presented recurrence. The incidence was higher in the months of May 2020, March 2021 and January 2022. There was a predominance of females and the nursing category. Administrative and financial sectors had a higher percentage of people infected during the pandemic (73.40%), proportionally to the number of servers working in the capacity. However, it was direct patient care workers who had the highest percentage of reinfection. Conclusion: It was possible to visualize three waves in the temporal distribution of COVID-19 cases, with emphasis on an increase in the first months of 2022. The decline in the diagnosis of new cases in the hospital studied after two years of the pandemic may represent individual and collective efforts to resist to the difficulties of the situation. It is important to observe the behavior of the pandemic in different regions of Brazil to update coping strategies in a general scenery.

La nueva pandemia de coronavirus ha puesto en alerta a los sistemas de salud, estableciendo sentimientos de inestabilidad y miedo. El trabajo es un pilar importante para el diseño de políticas públicas. Objetivo: analizar la contaminación por COVID-19 en profesionales de un hospital de referencia en el Estado de Pará. Metodología: Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo, cuantitativo, observacional, con la aplicación de una serie de tiempo de marzo de 2020 a marzo de 2022. Todos los funcionarios que trabajaron durante la pandemia, que presentaron certificados médicos con diagnóstico de COVID, y/o o test positivo, o atestados por sospecha de contaminación. Se analizó el perfil de los funcionarios, explorando las variables sexo, edad, convivencia o no con la pareja, nivel de escolaridad, cargo y sector; junto con la incidencia de casos confirmados y la incidencia total (sospechosos y confirmados). Resultados: El número total de bajas laborales por diagnóstico de COVID-19 fue de 1.420 casos, más 839 casos sospechosos; 173 trabajadores presentaron recurrencia. La incidencia fue mayor en los meses de mayo de 2020, marzo de 2021 y enero de 2022. Hubo predominio del sexo femenino y de la categoría de enfermería. Los sectores administrativo y financiero presentaron mayor porcentaje de infectados durante la pandemia (73,40%), proporcionalmente al número de servidores que trabajaban en esa función. Sin embargo, fueron los trabajadores de atención directa al paciente los que presentaron el mayor porcentaje de reinfección. Conclusiones: Fue posible visualizar tres olas en la distribución temporal de los casos de COVID-19, destacándose un aumento en los primeros meses de 2022. La disminución en el diagnóstico de nuevos casos en el hospital estudiado después de dos años de pandemia puede representar esfuerzos individuales y colectivos para resistir a las dificultades de la situación. Es importante observar el comportamiento de la pandemia en diferentes regiones de Brasil para actualizar las estrategias de afrontamiento en un escenario general.

Nursing teleconsultation: development of a platform for Covid-19 case management / Teleconsulta de enfermagem: desenvolvimento de plataforma para atendimento de casos de Covid-19 / Telecosulta en enfermería: desarrollo de una plataforma para el manejo de casos de Covid-19

Objetivo: Desenvolver uma plataforma virtual de Teleconsulta para atendimento a casos suspeitos de Síndromes Gripais e infecção por COVID-19. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo de natureza aplicada, com desenvolvimento de produção tecnológica e inovadora, prospectivo, ecológico, descritivo, de série temporal. A população do estudo foi formada por qualquer pessoa sintomática para Síndromes Gripais por COVID-19, suspeitos ou confirmados, de qualquer local do Brasil. Este estudo foi realizado em duas etapas, a saber: Etapa I: Desenvolvimento da Aplicação para Plataforma de Teleconsulta. Etapa II: atendimento por meio de Teleconsulta de Casos suspeitos de COVID-19 e Sindromes Gripais. A metodologia utilizada para o desenvolvimento da aplicação proposta foi a modelagem por prototipação evolucionária. Resultados: Foram realizados 209 atendimentos na Plataforma de Teleconsulta, sendo 151 (70%) do sexo feminino e 65 (30%) do sexo masculino, com prevalência de idade variando de 20 a 29 anos (41%). Quanto ao risco de infecção por COVID-19, 42 (20%) tinham alto risco, 75 (36%) médio risco e 92 (44%) baixo risco. Os sintomas mais prevalentes foram: secreção nasal ou espirros (53%), dores no corpo (49%), dor de cabeça (47%), dor de garganta (46%), tosse seca (35%), Febre (31%), falta de ar (25%) e diarreia (23%). Inicialmente o teleatendimento foi composto por teletriagem com classificação de risco com base na sintomatologia dos pacientes que foram codificados com pontuações conforme a gravidade do sintoma para formas graves de COVID-19. A classificação de risco categorizou os pacientes em risco baixo (1 a 9 pontos), risco médio (10 a 19 pontos) e risco alto (20 a 36 pontos). Em seguida, a teleconsulta foi agendada conforme disponibilidade do paciente por meio do método SBAR para comunicação efetiva e ao término do atendimento um plano de cuidados com Sistematização da Assistência de Enfermagem ­ SAE era encaminhado ao paciente por meio de WhatsApp ou e-mail. Conclusão: A plataforma de teleconsulta possibilitou a triagem dos pacientes, reduziu as visitas desnecessárias às unidades de emergência, permitiu a avaliação e monitoramento dos casos, bem como o acompanhamento de pacientes ambulatoriais que não necessitam de avaliação presencial.

Objective: To develop a virtual Teleconsultation platform for care of suspected cases of influenza syndromes and infection by COVID-19. Methodology: This is a study of applied nature, with development of technological and innovative production, prospective, ecological, descriptive, time series. The study population was made up of any person symptomatic for COVID-19 influenza syndromes, suspected or confirmed, from any location in Brazil. This study was conducted in two stages, namely: Stage I: Development of the Application for Teleconsultation Platform. Stage II: care through Teleconsultation of suspected cases of COVID-19 and influenza syndromes. The methodology used to develop the proposed application was evolutionary prototyping modeling. Results: There were 209 consultations in the Teleconsultation Platform, 151 (70%) were female and 65 (30%) were male, with prevalence of age ranging from 20 to 29 years (41%). As for the risk of infection by COVID-19, 42 (20%) had high risk, 75 (36%) medium risk and 92 (44%) low risk. The most prevalent symptoms were: nasal discharge or sneezing (53%), body aches (49%), headache (47%), sore throat (46%), dry cough (35%), fever (31%), shortness of breath (25%), and diarrhea (23%). Initially, the telecare was composed of teletry with risk classification based on the symptomatology of the patients who were coded with scores according to symptom severity for severe forms of COVID-19. The risk classification categorized patients into low risk (1 to 9 points), medium risk (10 to 19 points), and high risk (20 to 36 points). Then, the teleconsultation was scheduled according to the patient's availability through the SBAR method for effective communication and at the end of the service a care plan with Nursing Assistance Systematization - SAE was forwarded to the patient through WhatsApp or e-mail. Conclusion: Teleconsultation platform enabled patient triage, reduced unnecessary visits to emergency units, allowed the evaluation and monitoring of cases, as well as the follow- up of outpatients who do not need face-to-face evaluation.

Objetivo: Desarrollar una plataforma de Teleconsulta virtual para atender casos sospechosos de síndromes gripales e infección por COVID-19. Metodología: Se trata de un estudio aplicado, con desarrollo de producción tecnológica e innovadora, prospectivo, ecológico, descriptivo, con serie de tiempo. La población de estudio estuvo formada por cualquier persona sintomática de síndromes gripales por COVID-19, sospechada o confirmada, de cualquier localidad de Brasil. Este estudio se realizó en dos etapas, a saber: Etapa I: Desarrollo de Aplicaciones para la Plataforma de Teleconsulta. Etapa II: atención mediante teleconsulta de casos sospechosos de COVID-19 y síndromes gripales. La metodología utilizada para el desarrollo de la aplicación propuesta fue el modelado por prototipo evolutivo. Resultados: Se realizaron 209 consultas en la Plataforma de Teleconsulta, 151 (70%) del sexo femenino y 65 (30%) del masculino, con prevalencia de edades entre 20 a 29 años (41%). En cuanto al riesgo de infección por COVID-19, 42 (20%) fueron de alto riesgo, 75 (36%) de riesgo medio y 92 (44%) de bajo riesgo. Los síntomas más prevalentes fueron: secreción nasal o estornudos (53%), dolor de cuerpo (49%), dolor de cabeza (47%), dolor de garganta (46%), tos seca (35%), fiebre (31%), falta de aliento (25%) y diarrea (23%). Inicialmente, la teleasistencia consistía en teleselección con clasificación de riesgo en función de la sintomatología de los pacientes a los que se codificaba con puntuaciones según la gravedad del síntoma para formas graves de COVID-19. La clasificación de riesgo clasificó a los pacientes en riesgo bajo (1 a 9 puntos), riesgo medio (10 a 19 puntos) y riesgo alto (20 a 36 puntos). Luego, se programó la teleconsulta de acuerdo a la disponibilidad del paciente a través del método SBAR para una comunicación efectiva y al final de la atención se remitió al paciente un plan de cuidados con Sistematización de Atención de Enfermería - SAE vía WhatsApp o correo electrónico. Conclusión: La plataforma de teleconsulta posibilitó el triaje de pacientes, redujo las visitas innecesarias a las unidades de emergencia, permitió la evaluación y seguimiento de casos, así como el seguimiento de pacientes ambulatorios que no requieren evaluación presencial.

The health of adolescents returning to face-to-face school activities after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic - school-based cross-sectional study in Pelotas/RS / A saúde de adolescentes na volta às atividades escolares presenciais após dois anos de pandemia do Covid-19 ­ estudo transversal de base escolar em Pelotas/RS / La salud de los adolescentes que retornan a las actividades escolares presenciales después de dos años de la pandemia de Covid-19 - estudio transversal escolar en Pelotas/RS

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a percepção sobre a massa corporal, comportamentos relacionados à saúde, e a saúde mental de escolares adolescentes durante o período de retorno às atividades escolares presenciais com o período anterior à pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo foi realizado com 425 escolares (16,96±1,39 anos; 60,2% do sexo feminino) selecionados aleatoriamente de escolas das redes pública e privada de Pelotas/RS. Para a coleta dos dados foi utilizado um questionário de autopreenchimento contendo perguntas retrospectivas e atuais sobre as variáveis analisadas. Os resultados indicaram que a percepção sobre a massa corporal, o nível de atividade física, o tempo de sono, e a saúde mental (apenas para as meninas) estão piores (p<0,05) no momento atual quando comparados ao período anterior à pandemia. Por outro lado, hábitos alimentares e tempo de tela recreativo apresentaram melhores resultados (p<0,05) no momento atual do que no período anterior à pandemia. Estes resultados mostram um complexo panorama em relação à saúde de adolescentes no período de retomada das atividades presencias, tornando o retorno às atividades escolares presenciais um desafio para os próprios adolescentes, seus familiares, para professores, e para as escolas.

The aim of this study was to compare the perception of body mass, health- related behaviors and mental health of adolescent schoolchildren during the period of return to face to face school activities with the period before COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried out with 425 students (16.96±1.39 years; 60.2% female) randomly selected from public and private schools in Pelotas/RS. For data collection, a self-completion questionnaire was used, containing retrospective and current questions about analyzed outcomes. The results indicated that the perception of body mass, level of physical activity, sleep time, and mental health (only for girls) are worse (p<0.05) at present when compared to the period before the pandemic. On the other hand, eating habits and recreational screen time showed better results (p<0.05) at present than in the period before the pandemic. These results show a complex panorama concerning the health of adolescents in the period of resumption of face to face activities, making this return a challenge for the adolescents themselves, their families, teachers and for schools.

El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la percepción de masa corporal, comportamientos relacionados a la salud y salud mental de escolares adolescentes durante el período de retorno a las actividades escolares presenciales con el período anterior a la pandemia de COVID-19. El estudio fue realizado con 425 alumnos (16,96±1,39 años; 60,2% del sexo femenino) seleccionados aleatoriamente de escuelas públicas y privadas de Pelotas/RS. Para la recolección de datos, se utilizó un cuestionario auto-completado, conteniendo preguntas retrospectivas y actuales sobre los resultados analizados. Los resultados indicaron que la percepción de la masa corporal, el nivel de actividad física, el tiempo de sueño y la salud mental (sólo para las niñas) son peores (p<0,05) en la actualidad en comparación con el período anterior a la pandemia. Por otro lado, los hábitos alimentarios y el tiempo de pantalla recreativo mostraron mejores resultados (p<0,05) en la actualidad que en el periodo anterior a la pandemia. Estos resultados muestran un panorama complejo en relación a la salud de los adolescentes en el período de reanudación de las actividades presenciales, haciendo de este retorno un desafío para los propios adolescentes, sus familias, profesores y para las escuelas.

Religiosity/spirituality among the brazilian population in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and the correlation with quality of life / Religiosidade/espiritualidade entre a população brasileira diante da pandemia Covid-19 e a correlação com a qualidade de vida / Religiosidad/espiritualidad en la población brasileña frente a la pandemia de Covid-19 y la correlación con la calidad de vida

A pandemia causada pelo SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) trouxe inúmeros impactos na vida cotidiana, tanto nos aspectos econômicos, como nos emocionais, psicológicos e sociais. Em situações difíceis, as pessoas, muitas vezes, recorrem à espiritualidade ou à religiosidade. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a presença da religiosidade/espiritualidade entre a população brasileira diante da pandemia da COVID- 19, correlacionado com a qualidade de vida. É um estudo quantitativo, descritivo e transversal, realizado nos últimos meses de 2020. Os dados foram coletados por meio de respostas aos instrumentos WHOQOL-Bref e o WHOQOL-SRPB, de forma online, por meio do Google Forms®. Utilizou-se o método de amostragem não probabilístico do tipo snowball sampling, totalizando 948 respostas. Os dados foram tabulados por meio do software Microsoft Excel (2019) e analisados estatisticamente, considerando significativo p<0,05. Os dados apresentados mostram de forma enfática como os participantes que pertencem a alguma religião, apresentaram melhor relação nos domínios saúde psicológica, independência, meio ambiente e espiritualidade/religião/crenças pessoais em comparação àqueles que declaram não pertencer a uma religião. No entanto, não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para os domínios saúde física e relações sociais. Conclui-se que o pertencimento a uma religião pode contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade de vida e auxiliar o enfrentamento das situações desfavoráveis durante a pandemia COVID-19. Diante disso, destaca-se a importância do desenvolvimento de novos estudos sobre o tema, para compreender com mais veemência e detalhamento, a relação dessas variáveis em contextos de crise que possam alterar a rotina de vida das pessoas.

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has brought numerous impacts on daily life, both in economic, emotional, psychological, and social aspects. In difficult situations, people often turn to spirituality or religiosity. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of religiosity/spirituality among the Brazilian population facing the pandemic of COVID-19, correlated with quality of life. Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in the last months of 2020. Data were collected by means of responses to the WHOQOL-Bref and the WHOQOL-SRPB instruments, online, through Google Forms®. The non-probabilistic snowball sampling method was used, totaling 948 answers. Data were tabulated using Microsoft Excel software (2019) and statistically analyzed, considering p<0.05 significant. The data presented emphatically show how the participants, who belong to some religion, presented a better relationship in the domains psychological health, independence, and environment and spirituality/religion/personal beliefs compared to those who do not have a religion. However, there was no statistically significant difference for the physical health and social relationships domains. It is concluded that belonging to a religion can contribute to improved quality of life and assist in coping with unfavorable situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the importance of developing new studies on the subject is highlighted, in order to understand more vehemently the relationship of these variables in crisis contexts that can change the routine of people's lives.

La pandemia causada por el SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) ha traído numerosos impactos en la vida cotidiana, tanto en los aspectos económicos, emocionales, psicológicos y sociales. En situaciones difíciles, las personas suelen recurrir a la espiritualidad o la religiosidad. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la presencia de religiosidad/espiritualidad en la población brasileña que enfrenta la pandemia de COVID- 19, correlacionada con la calidad de vida. Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal, realizado en los últimos meses de 2020. Los datos fueron recolectados por medio de respuestas a los instrumentos WHOQOL-Bref y WHOQOL-SRPB, en línea, a través de Google Forms®. Se utilizó el método de muestreo no probabilístico de bola de nieve, totalizando 948 respuestas. Los datos fueron tabulados utilizando el software Microsoft Excel (2019) y analizados estadísticamente, considerando p<0,05 significativa. Los datos presentados muestran enfáticamente cómo los participantes, que pertenecen a alguna religión, presentaron una mejor relación en los dominios salud psicológica, independencia y entorno y espiritualidad/religión/creencias personales en comparación con aquellos que no tienen religión. Sin embargo, no hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas para los dominios salud física y relaciones sociales. Se concluye que la pertenencia a una religión puede contribuir a mejorar la calidad de vida y ayudar a afrontar situaciones desfavorables durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Por lo tanto, se destaca la importancia de desarrollar nuevos estudios sobre el tema, para comprender con más vehemencia la relación de estas variables en contextos de crisis que pueden cambiar la rutina de vida de las personas.

The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students / O impacto da pandemia da covid-19 na saúde mental de estudantes universitários / El impacto de la pandemia de covid-19 en la salud mental de los estudiantes universitarios

A pandemia pelo SARS-CoV-2 é um dos maiores desafios sanitários em escala global. Devido estado de emergência, uma série de medidas de controle e prevenção foram adotadas, como distanciamento social e redução das reuniões públicas. Nesse cenário, buscou-se avaliar a saúde mental de estudantes de uma instituição privada de Ensino Superior diante da pandemia. Esta pesquisa trata-se de um estudo transversal descritivo desenvolvido na Faculdade do Vale do Jaguaribe, localizada em Aracati-CE. A coleta de dados ocorreu de dezembro de 2020 a fevereiro de 2021, utilizando formulário eletrônico contendo variáveis sociodemográficas, epidemiológicas e relativas aos diferentes aspectos da saúde mental do estudante frente a pandemia da COVID-19. A análise foi baseada no cálculo de frequências absolutas e relativas das variáveis além de medidas de tendência central e dispersão. Dos 333 discentes que participaram do estudo, a média de idade foi 25, com variação entre 18 e 56 anos, sendo maioria do sexo feminino (72,7%), autodenominação de cor/etnia parda (72,7%) e não estarem trabalhando (53,8%). A taxa de positividade entre os graduandos para COVID-19 foi de 9% (30). Ao serem questionados sobre como a pandemia alterou seus níveis de estresse ou saúde mental, 75,5% responderam que houve piora. Dentre os sintomas mais relatados no período da quarentena, estavam medo e ansiedade (ambos com 74,2%), seguidos por insegurança (69,7%). Baseados nos achados deste estudo, recomenda-se a incorporação de ações multiprofissionais na atenção aos estudantes dentro da academia. Sugere-se a implantação de um serviço qualificado buscando desenvolver um olhar holístico para os discentes.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented itself as one of the greatest health challenges on a global scale. Given the state of public health emergency, a series of control and prevention measures have been adopted, such as social distancing and reduction of public meetings, as in universities. Faced with this scenario, we sought to evaluate the mental health of students from a private institution of Higher Education in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this research was a descriptive cross-sectional study developed at the Faculdade do Vale do Jaguaribe, located in the City of Aracati- CE. Data collection occurred from December 2020 to February 2021, using an electronic form containing sociodemographic and epidemiological variables, as well as variables related to the repercussions in different aspects of the student's mental health when facing the pandemic of COVID-19. The analysis was based on the calculation of absolute and relative frequencies of the variables, as well as measures of central tendency and dispersion. Of the 333 students who participated in the study, the mean age was 25 years, with ages ranging from 18 to 56 years, the majority being female (72.7%), self- denominated as Brown (72.7%), not working when answering the form (53.8%). The positivity rate among undergraduates for COVID-19 was 9% (30/333). When asked how the pandemic altered their stress levels or mental health, 75.5% responded that it had worsened. Among the symptoms most reported by students during the quarantine period were fear and anxiety (both 74.2%), followed by insecurity (69.7%). It is suggested the implementation of a qualified approach service seeking to develop a holistic look for the students.

La pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 es uno de los mayores desafíos sanitarios a escala global. Debido al estado de emergencia, se han adoptado una serie de medidas de control y prevención, como el distanciamiento social y la reducción de reuniones públicas. En este escenario, se buscó evaluar la salud mental de los estudiantes de una institución privada de educación superior frente a la pandemia. Esta investigación es un estudio descriptivo transversal desarrollado en la Facultad de Valle de Jaguaribe, ubicada en Aracati-CE. La recopilación de datos se llevó a cabo de diciembre de 2020 a febrero de 2021, utilizando un formulario electrónico que contiene variables sociodemográficas, epidemiológicas y relacionadas con los diferentes aspectos de la salud mental del estudiante frente a la pandemia de COVID-19. El análisis se basó en el cálculo de frecuencias absolutas y relativas de las variables, además de medidas de tendencia central y dispersión. De los 333 estudiantes que participaron en el estudio, la media de edad fue de 25 años, con variación entre 18 y 56 años, siendo la mayoría del sexo femenino (72,7%), autodenominación de la raza / etnia morena (72,7%) y no trabajando (53,8%). La tasa de positividad entre los estudiantes de pregrado para COVID-19 fue del 9% (30). Cuando se les preguntó cómo la pandemia había alterado su nivel de estrés o salud mental, el 75,5% respondió que había empeorado. Entre los síntomas más comunes durante el período de cuarentena, se encontraban el miedo y la ansiedad (ambos con un 74,2%), seguidos de la inseguridad (69,7%). Basados en los resultados de este estudio, se recomienda la incorporación de acciones multiprofesionales en la atención a los estudiantes dentro de la academia. Se sugiere la implementación de un servicio calificado que busque desarrollar una mirada holística hacia los estudiantes.

The Effects of Covid-19 on Financial-Economic and Performance Efficiency of Hospitals.

Background: During the pandemic of COVID-19, the function and performance of hospitals have been affected by various economic-financial and management aspects. The aim of the current study was to assess the process of therapeutic care delivery and also the economic-financial functions of the selected hospitals before and after COVID-19. Methods: This research is a descriptive-analytical study and a cross-sectional-comparative study in terms of time, and it was conducted in several selected teaching hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. A purposeful and convenient sampling method was used. The data has been collected using the standard research tool (standard checklist of the Ministry of Health) in the two areas of financial-economic and healthcare performance (such as Data of financial and economic indicators such as direct and indirect costs, liquidity ratio and profitability index as well as key performance indicators of hospitals such as bed occupancy ratio (BOR; %), average length of stay (ALOS), bed turnover rate (BTR), bed turnover distance rate (BTIR) and hospital mortality rate (HMR), physician-to-bed ratio and nurse-to-bed ratio) of hospitals in two times before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 (time period 2018 to 2021). The data was collected from 2018 to 2021. Pearson/Spearman regression was used for the evaluation of the relationship between variables using SPSS 22. Results: This research showed the admission of COVID-19 patients caused a change in the indicators we evaluated. ALOS (-6.6%), BTIR (-40.7%), and discharge against medical advice (-7.0%) decreased from 2018 to 2021. BOR; % (+5.0%), occupy bed days (+6.6%), BTR (+27.5%, HMR (+50%), number of inpatients (+18.8%), number of discharges (+13.1%), number of surgeries (+27.4%), nurse-per-bed ratio (+35.9%), doctor-per-bed ratio (+31.0%) increased in the same period of time. The profitability index was correlated to all of the performance indicators except for the net death rate. Higher length of stay and turnover interval had a negative effect on the profitability index while higher bed turnover rate, bed occupancy ratio, bed day, number of inpatient admission, and number of surgery had a positive effect on the profitability index. Conclusion: It has been shown from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance indicators of the studied hospitals were negatively affected. As a consequence of the COVID-19 epidemic, many hospitals were not able to deal with the negative financial and medical outcomes of this crisis due to a significant decrease in income and a double increase in expenses.

PCL-based nanoparticles for doxorubicin-ezetimibe co-delivery: A combination therapy for prostate cancer using a drug repurposing strategy.

Introduction: Drug repurposing is an effective strategy for identifying the use of approved drugs for new therapeutic purposes. This strategy has received particular attention in the development of cancer chemotherapy. Considering that a growing body of evidence suggesting the cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe (EZ) may prevent the progression of prostate cancer, we investigated the effect of EZ alone and in combination with doxorubicin (DOX) on prostate cancer treatment. Methods: In this study, DOX and EZ were encapsulated within a PCL-based biodegradable nanoparticle. The physicochemical properties of drug containing nanoparticle based on PCL-PEG-PCL triblock copolymer (PCEC) have been exactly determined. The encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of DOX and EZ were also studied at two different pHs and temperatures. Results: The average size of nanoparticles (NPs) observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was around 82±23.80 nm, 59.7±18.7 nm, and 67.6±23.8 nm for EZ@PCEC, DOX@PCEC, and DOX+EZ@PCEC NPs, respectively, which had a spherical morphology. In addition, DLS measurement showed a monomodal size distribution of around 319.9, 166.8, and 203 nm hydrodynamic diameters and negative zeta potential (-30.3, -6.14, and -43.8) mV for EZ@PCEC, DOX@PCEC, and DOX+EZ@PCEC NPs, respectively. The drugs were released from the NPs sustainably in a pH and temperature-dependent manner. Based on the MTT assay results, PCEC copolymer exhibited negligible cytotoxicity on the PC3 cell line. Therefore, PCEC was a biocompatible and suitable nano-vehicle for this study. The cytotoxicity of the DOX-EZ-loaded NPs on the PC3 cell line was higher than that of NPs loaded with single drugs. All the data confirmed the synergistic effect of EZ in combination with DOX as an anticancer drug. Furthermore, fluorescent microscopy and DAPI staining were performed to show the cellular uptake, and morphological changes-induced apoptosis of treated cells. Conclusion: Overall, the data from the experiments represented the successful preparation of the nanocarriers with high encapsulation efficacy. The designed nanocarriers could serve as an ideal candidate for combination therapy of cancer. The results corroborated each other and presented successful EZ and DOX formulations containing PCEC NPs and their efficiency in treating prostate cancer.

Specificities of pediatric ocular emergencies before and during the COVID-19 era: A retrospective comparative study in an eye-related emergency department in Paris.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological data on the use of eye-related emergency services by children are limited. The objective of this study was to determine how COVID-19 affected the epidemiological trends of pediatric ocular emergencies. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of children under the age of 18 years who visited our eye-related emergency department between March 17 and June 7, 2020 and between March 18 and June 9, 2019. This was a descriptive and comparative analysis of the two study periods based on the demographic characteristics of patients and the diagnosis reported by the ophthalmologist in the digital medical charts. One of the investigators performed a second reading of the files to homogenize the diagnosis classification based on the most frequently found items. RESULTS: In total, 754 children were seen in our eye-related emergency department during the 2020 study period versus 1399 in 2019, representing a 46% decrease. In 2019, the four main diagnoses were traumatic injury (30%), allergic conjunctivitis (15%), infectious conjunctivitis (12%), and chalazion/blepharitis (12%). In the 2020 study period there was a significant decrease in the proportion of patients presenting with traumatic injuries (p < 0.001), infectious conjunctivitis (p = 0.03), and chalazion/blepharitis (p < 0.001). Consultations for chalazion/blepharitis were the most affected by the pandemic, followed by traumatic injuries (-72% and -64%, respectively). The proportion of patients who required surgery after trauma was higher in 2020 than in 2019 (p < 0.01), but the absolute number of severe trauma cases remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a decrease in the overall use of a pediatric eye-related emergency services in Paris. Visits due to benign causes and ocular trauma also decreased, but visits for more severe pathologies were not affected. Longer-term epidemiological studies may confirm or refute a change in eye emergency department use habits.

Unveiling an oral hemangiolymphangioma.

Hemangiolymphangioma is a very rare vascular malformation that develops as a combination of dilated venous and lymphatic vessels. We describe an unusual case of hemangiolymphangioma of the tongue affecting an adult man who complained of an uncomfortable, slowly progressing exophytic irregular dark red-violaceous nodular mass on his tongue that impaired speech and swallowing for two weeks. The clinical differential diagnoses were Kaposi's sarcoma and a COVID-19-related lesion. A complete blood count and serology for HIV-1 and 2 and RT-PCR for COVID-19 were requested and results were negative. An incisional biopsy was performed. Microscopically, the lesion exhibited several dilated vessels lined by normal-appearing endothelial cells, some filled with prominent intravascular erythrocytes and others containing proteinaceous eosinophilic material resembling lymphatic vessels, in close association with hyperkeratosis, papillomatosis, and acanthosis. From immunohistochemical analysis, most vessels were found to be CD34 positive, some highlighted by α-SMA, whereas D2-40 was focal. Positive staining for some lymphatic and blood vessel markers, i.e., D2-40 and CD34, respectively, indicates a mixed derivation of the lesion. HHV-8 was negative. Clinical features, the congested blood vessels with ectasia in intimate association with hyperplastic epithelium, and the immunohistochemical profile supported the final diagnosis of oral hemangiolymphangioma. The patient underwent minimally invasive surgical excision with no intercurrences. After 18 months of follow-up, there were no signs of relapse.

An Innovative Technique of Microsurgical Training on Fresh "Chicken Quarter" Model: Our Experience.

Purpose Regular practice, quality clinical exposure, and academic discussion are essential in any surgical specialty training. This study discusses and validates the option of using a fresh "chicken quarter" model with a measurable scoring system, as a standard training regimen in microvascular surgery. This can be a very effective, economical, and easily accessible model for residents. Materials and Methods This study was conducted in the Department of Plastic surgery, from October 2020 to May 2021. Twenty-four fresh "chicken quarter" specimens were dissected and the ischial arteries and femoral veins' external diameter (ED) were measured. The microsurgical skills of the trainee were assessed in 6 months intervals using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills Scale (OSATS) as well as the time taken for anastomosis. All the data were analyzed using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) version 21. Results A task-specific score value of 50% on October 2020 improved to 85.7% by May 2021. This was found to be statistically significant ( p = 0.043). The mean ED of the ischial artery and femoral vein was 2.07 and 2.26 mm, respectively. The mean width of the vein measured at the lower one-third of the tibia was 2.08 mm. A greater than 50% reduction in anastomosis time was observed after a period of 6 months. Conclusion In our minimal experience, the "chicken quarter model" with OSATS scoring system seems to be effective, economical, very affordable, and easily accessible microsurgery training model for the residents. Our study is done only as a pilot project due to limited resources and we have the plan to introduce it as a proper training method in the near future with more residents.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in mortality due to respiratory diseases: A comparative analysis of 2021 and 2020 vs 2019 in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: We previously reported an increase in respiratory mortality in 2020 in Spain after COVID-19. It is unclear if this rise is sustained in the longer-term. We aimed to determine whether respiratory mortality in 2021 in Spain returned to pre-pandemic levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In an observational, large study using official National Institute of Statistics data, we explored deaths due to respiratory diseases, that is, all causes of death by the standard WHO list of diseases of the respiratory system plus COVID-19, tuberculosis and lung cancer. Using the latest available official data of Spain, we analyzed changes in the mortality pattern in Spain from January 2019 to December 2021. We endorsed STROBE guidance for observational research. RESULTS: There were 98,714 deaths due to respiratory diseases in 2021 in Spain, corresponding to 21.9% of all deaths, becoming second in the ranking of causes of death. Respiratory diseases mortality in Spain has not returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, still with an increase of 30.3% (95% CI 30.2-30.4) compared to rates in 2019. All respiratory-specific causes of death decreased in 2021, except for lung cancer, that increased in women and decreased in men compared to 2019 (both p<0.05). In a multivariate analysis some established risk factors for respiratory diseases mortality were confirmed, such as male gender and older age; further, an association with reduced mortality in rural Spain was observed, still with a large geographical variability. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on deaths due to respiratory diseases and certain specific causes of death in 2021, and it has disproportionately affected certain regions.

Recent COVID-19 infection is associated with increased mortality in the ambulatory surgery population.

BACKGROUND: The effect of COVID-19 infection on post-operative mortality and the optimal timing to perform ambulatory surgery from diagnosis date remains unclear in this population. Our study was to determine whether a history of COVID-19 diagnosis leads to a higher risk of all-cause mortality following ambulatory surgery. METHODS: This cohort constitutes retrospective data obtained from the Optum dataset containing 44,976 US adults who were tested for COVID-19 up to 6 months before surgery and underwent ambulatory surgery between March 2020 to March 2021. The primary outcome was the risk of all-cause mortality between the COVID-19 positive and negative patients grouped according to the time interval from COVID-19 testing to ambulatory surgery, called the Testing to Surgery Interval Mortality (TSIM) of up to 6 months. Secondary outcome included determining all-cause mortality (TSIM) in time intervals of 0-15 days, 16-30 days, 31-45 days, and 46-180 days in COVID-19 positive and negative patients. RESULTS: 44,934 patients (4297 COVID-19 positive, 40,637 COVID-19 negative) were included in our analysis. COVID-19 positive patients undergoing ambulatory surgery had higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to COVID-19 negative patients (OR = 2.51, p < 0.001). The increased risk of mortality in COVID-19 positive patients remained high amongst patients who had surgery 0-45 days from date of COVID-19 testing. In addition, COVID-19 positive patients who underwent colonoscopy (OR = 0.21, p = 0.01) and plastic and orthopedic surgery (OR = 0.27, p = 0.01) had lower mortality than those underwent other surgeries. CONCLUSIONS: A COVID-19 positive diagnosis is associated with significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality following ambulatory surgery. This mortality risk is greatest in patients that undergo ambulatory surgery within 45 days of testing positive for COVID-19. Postponing elective ambulatory surgeries in patients that test positive for COVID-19 infection within 45 days of surgery date should be considered, although prospective studies are needed to assess this.

Comparative evaluation using PRO of an algorithm of one-stage immediate alloplastic breast reconstruction versus two-stage reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: One-stage direct-to-implant (DTI) immediate breast reconstruction has proven to be an oncologically safe technique, but there are some conditions that do not allow its performance. The introduction of new surgical techniques and the recent COVID-19 pandemic have pushed us to introduce a breast reconstruction algorithm in our clinical practice. This allows a one-stage immediate reconstruction for all patients, regardless of their anatomical characteristics, the type of implants used, and the need for postoperative radiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 40 patients were recruited and divided into two cohorts, 20 patients underwent immediate one-stage breast reconstruction in the period between October 2019 and January 2021, and 20 patients completed the two-stage reconstructive process in the period prior to October 2019. During the follow-up at 6 months, all patients who had completed the reconstructive process filled out the Breast-Q Reconstruction Module Pre and Postoperative scales questionnaire. The outcomes of the questionnaires were compared between the two cohorts, and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS Statistics 20 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: The analysis of patient-reported outcomes showed that patients from the one-stage group reported better outcomes in all items evaluated. We did not find statistically significant differences concerning the rate of complications and length of hospital stay between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of the results shows that the outcomes reported by patients who completed breast reconstruction according to our algorithm are statistically better than those with the two-stage technique.

Implementing a virtual mind-body prehabilitation program for patients undergoing thoracic surgery: A quality improvement project.

Background: Prehabilitation before thoracic surgery has been found to improve outcomes in patients with cancer; however, COVID-19 presented challenges to access on-site programs. We describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a synchronous, virtual mind-body prehabilitation program developed in response to COVID-19. Methods: Eligible participants were patients seen at a thoracic oncology surgical department of an academic cancer center, aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of thoracic cancer and referred at least 1 week before surgery. The program offered 2 45-minute preoperative mind-body fitness classes each week delivered via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc). We collected data for referrals, enrollment, participation, and evaluated patient-reported satisfaction and experience. We conducted brief semistructured interviews about participants' experience. Results: Among 278 patients referred, 260 were approached, and of those 197 (76%) patients agreed to participate. Among participants, 140 (71%) attended at least 1 class, with an average of 11 attendees per class. The majority of participants reported being extremely satisfied (97.8%), extremely likely to recommend the classes to others (91.2%), and indicated that classes were very much helpful in preparing for surgery (90.8%). Patients also reported that the classes helped reduce anxiety/stress (94.2%), fatigue (88.5%), pain (80.7%), and shortness of breath (86.5%). Qualitative data further suggest that the program made participants feel stronger, more connected to their peers, and better prepared for surgery. Conclusions: This virtual mind-body prehabilitation program was well received with high satisfaction and benefits and is highly feasible to implement. This approach may help overcome some of the challenges to in-person participation.

Response to Intravenous N-Acetylcysteine Supplementation in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19.

Administering N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could counteract the effect of free radicals, improving the clinical evolution of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This study aimed to investigate the clinical and biochemical effects of administering NAC to critically ill patients with COVID-19. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on ICU patients (n = 140) with COVID-19 and divided into two groups: patients treated with NAC (NAC-treated group) and patients without NAC treatment (control group). NAC was administered as a continuous infusion with a loading dose and a maintenance dose during the study period (from admission until the third day of ICU stay). NAC-treated patients showed higher PaO2/FiO2 (p ≤ 0.014) after 3 days in ICU than their control group counterparts. Moreover, C-reactive protein (p ≤ 0.001), D-dimer (p ≤ 0.042), and lactate dehydrogenase (p ≤ 0.001) levels decreased on the third day in NAC-treated patients. Glutathione concentrations decreased in both NAC-treated (p ≤ 0.004) and control (p ≤ 0.047) groups after 3 days in ICU; whereas glutathione peroxidase did not change during the ICU stay. The administration of NAC manages to improve the clinical and analytical response of seriously ill patients with COVID-19 compared to the control group. NAC is able to stop the decrease in glutathione concentrations.

A Multi-Institutional Study of Barriers to Cervical Cancer Care in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose: The global rise in cancer incidence has been accompanied by disproportionately high morbidity and mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries. Many patients who are offered potentially curative treatment for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries never return to start treatment for reasons that are poorly documented and little understood. We investigated the interplay of sociodemographic, financial, and geographic factors as barriers to care among such patients in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Methods and Materials: Patients seen in consultation between 2019 and 2021 who were >3 months late for an appointment to initiate definitive treatment were contacted via telephone and invited to complete a survey. Afterward, an intervention connected patients with resources and counseling to return for treatment. Follow-up data were collected 3 months later to ascertain the outcomes of the intervention. Fisher exact tests analyzed the relationship between the putative number and types of barriers and demographics. Results: We recruited 40 women who initially presented for oncology care but did not return for treatment at [Princess Marina Hospital] in Botswana (n = 20) and [Parirenyatwa General Hospital] in Zimbabwe (n = 20) to complete the survey. Overall, married women experienced more barriers than unmarried women (P < .001), and unemployed women were 10 times more likely to report a financial barrier than employed women (P = .02). In Zimbabwe, financial barriers and belief-associated barriers (eg, fear of treatment) were reported. In Botswana, many patients noted scheduling obstacles associated with administrative delays and COVID-19. At follow-up, 16 Botswana patients and 4 Zimbabwe patients had returned for treatment. Conclusions: Financial and belief barriers identified in Zimbabwe showcase the importance of targeting cost and health literacy to reduce apprehensions. In Botswana, administrative challenges could be addressed with patient navigation. Improving our understanding of the specific barriers to cancer care could enable us to help patients who might otherwise default.

The Role of Surgical Prehabilitation During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

The challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a regression in baseline health of disadvantaged populations, including individuals with frail syndrome, older age, disability, and racial-ethnic minority status. These patients often have more comorbidities and are associated with increased risk of poor postoperative complications, hospital readmissions, longer length of stay, nonhome discharges, poor patient satisfaction, and mortality. There is critical need to advance frailty assessments to improve preoperative health in older populations. Establishing a gold standard for measuring frailty will improve identification of vulnerable, older patients, and subsequently direct designs for population-specific, multimodal prehabilitation to reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality.