Hospital length of stay throughout bed pathways and factors affecting this time: A non-concurrent cohort study of Colombia COVID-19 patients and an unCoVer network project.

Predictions of hospital beds occupancy depends on hospital admission rates and the length of stay (LoS) according to bed type (general ward -GW- and intensive care unit -ICU- beds). The objective of this study was to describe the LoS of COVID-19 hospital patients in Colombia during 2020-2021. Accelerated failure time models were used to estimate the LoS distribution according to each bed type and throughout each bed pathway. Acceleration factors and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to measure the effect on LoS of the outcome, sex, age, admission period during the epidemic (i.e., epidemic waves, peaks or valleys, and before/after vaccination period), and patients geographic origin. Most of the admitted COVID-19 patients occupied just a GW bed. Recovered patients spent more time in the GW and ICU beds than deceased patients. Men had longer LoS than women. In general, the LoS increased with age. Finally, the LoS varied along epidemic waves. It was lower in epidemic valleys than peaks, and decreased after vaccinations began in Colombia. Our study highlights the necessity of analyzing local data on hospital admission rates and LoS to design strategies to prioritize hospital beds resources during the current and future pandemics.

Socioeconomic disparities associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Colombia.

Socioeconomic disparities play an important role in the development of severe clinical outcomes including deaths from COVID-19. However, the current scientific evidence in regard the association between measures of poverty and COVID-19 mortality in hospitalized patients is scant. The objective of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between the Colombian Multidimensional Poverty Index (CMPI) and mortality from COVID-19 in hospitalized patients in Colombia from May 1, 2020 to August 15, 2021. This was an ecological study using individual data on hospitalized patients from the National Institute of Health of Colombia (INS), and municipal level data from the High-Cost Account and the National Administrative Department of Statistics. The main outcome variable was mortality due to COVID-19. The main exposure variable was the CMPI that ranges from 0 to 100% and was categorized into five levels: (i) level I (0%-20%), (ii) level II (20%-40%), (iii) level III (40%-60%), (iv) level IV (60%-80%); and (v) level V (80%-100%). The higher the level, the higher the level of multidimensional poverty. A Bayesian multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate Odds Ratio (OR) and their corresponding 95% credible intervals (CI). In addition, a subgroup analysis was performed according to the epidemiological COVID-19 waves using the same model. The odds for dying from COVID-19 was 1.46 (95% CI 1.4-1.53) for level II, 1.41 (95% CI 1.33-1.49) for level III and 1.70 (95% CI 1.54-1.89) for level IV hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared with the least poor patients (CMPI level I). In addition, age and male sex also increased mortality in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Patients between 26 and 50 years-of-age had 4.17-fold increased odds (95% CI 4.07-4.3) of death compared with younger than 26-years-old patients. The corresponding for 51-75 years-old patients and those above the age of 75 years were 9.17 (95% CI 8.93-9.41) and 17.1 (95% CI 16.63-17.56), respectively. Finally, the odds of death from COVID-19 in hospitalized patients gradually decreased as the pandemic evolved. In conclusion, socioeconomic disparities were a major risk factor for mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Colombia.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Clinical outcomes due to COVID-19. Protocol of a systematic literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes has been associated with an increased risk of complications in patients with COVID-19. Most studies do not differentiate between patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, which correspond to two pathophysiological distinct diseases that could represent different degrees of clinical compromise. OBJECTIVE: To identify if there are differences in the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 and diabetes (type 1 and type 2) compared to patients with COVID-19 without diabetes. METHODS: Observational studies of patients with COVID-19 and diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) will be included without restriction of geographic region, gender or age, whose outcome is hospitalization, admission to intensive care unit or mortality compared to patients without diabetes. Two authors will independently perform selection, data extraction, and quality assessment, and a third reviewer will resolve discrepancies. The data will be synthesized regarding the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with diabetes and without diabetes accompanied by the measure of association for the outcomes. The data will be synthesized regarding the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with diabetes and without diabetes accompanied by the measure of association for the outcomes. EXPECTED RESULTS: Update the evidence regarding the risk of complications in diabetic patients with COVID-19 and in turn synthesize the information available regarding type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, to provide keys to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetics. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRY: This study was registered at the International Prospective Registry for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO)-CRD42021231942.

Unravelling data for rapid evidence-based response to COVID-19: a summary of the unCoVer protocol.

INTRODUCTION: unCoVer-Unravelling data for rapid evidence-based response to COVID-19-is a Horizon 2020-funded network of 29 partners from 18 countries capable of collecting and using real-world data (RWD) derived from the response and provision of care to patients with COVID-19 by health systems across Europe and elsewhere. unCoVer aims to exploit the full potential of this information to rapidly address clinical and epidemiological research questions arising from the evolving pandemic. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, partners are gathering RWD from electronic health records currently including information from over 22 000 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, and national surveillance and screening data, and registries with over 1 900 000 COVID-19 cases across Europe, with continuous updates. These heterogeneous datasets will be described, harmonised and integrated into a multi-user data repository operated through Opal-DataSHIELD, an interoperable open-source server application. Federated data analyses, without sharing or disclosing any individual-level data, will be performed with the objective to reveal patients' baseline characteristics, biomarkers, determinants of COVID-19 prognosis, safety and effectiveness of treatments, and potential strategies against COVID-19, as well as epidemiological patterns. These analyses will complement evidence from efficacy/safety clinical trials, where vulnerable, more complex/heterogeneous populations and those most at risk of severe COVID-19 are often excluded. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: After strict ethical considerations, databases will be available through a federated data analysis platform that allows processing of available COVID-19 RWD without disclosing identification information to analysts and limiting output to data aggregates. Dissemination of unCoVer's activities will be related to the access and use of dissimilar RWD, as well as the results generated by the pooled analyses. Dissemination will include training and educational activities, scientific publications and conference communications.

Correlating the global increase in type 1 diabetes incidence across age groups with national economic prosperity: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The global epidemiology of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is not yet well known, as no precise data are available from many countries. T1D is, however, characterized by an important variation in incidences among countries and a dramatic increase of these incidences during the last decades, predominantly in younger children. In the United States and Europe, the increase has been associated with the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. In our previous systematic review, geographical variation of incidence was correlated with socio-economic factors. AIM: To investigate variation in the incidence of T1D in age categories and search to what extent these variations correlated with the GDP per capita. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to retrieve information about the global incidence of T1D among those younger than 14 years of age. The study was carried out according to the PRISMA recommendations. For the analysis, the incidence was organized in the periods: 1975-1999 and 2000-2017. We searched the incidence of T1D in the age-groups 0-4, 5-9 and 10-14. We compared the incidences in countries for which information was available for the two periods. We obtained the GDP from the World Bank. We analysed the relationship between the incidence of T1D with the GDP in countries reporting data at the national level. RESULTS: We retrieved information for 84 out of 194 countries around the world. We found a wide geographic variation in the incidence of T1D and a worldwide increase during the two periods. The largest contribution to this increase was observed in the youngest group of children with T1D, with a relative increase of almost double when comparing the two periods (P value = 2.5 × e-5). Twenty-six countries had information on the incidence of T1D at the national level for the two periods. There was a positive correlation between GDP and the incidence of T1D in both periods (Spearman correlation = 0.52 from 1975-1999 and Spearman correlation = 0.53 from 2000-2017). CONCLUSION: The incidence increase was higher in the youngest group (0-4 years of age), and the highest incidences of T1D were found in wealthier countries.

Educación dirigida a personas con diabetes: abordajes pedagógicos, teóricos y prácticos en tensión / Education aimed at people with Diabetes Mellitus: pedagogical, theoretical and practical approaches in tension / Educação para pessoas com diabetes: abordagens pedagógicas, teóricas e práticas em tensão

Resumen La educación para personas con Diabetes Mellitus (DM) representa un desafío en el campo de la salud pública. Presentamos una propuesta teórica que orienta el análisis pedagógico de la educación para la salud en personas con DM, a partir de un proceso de investigación documental. Los hallazgos evidenciaron la existencia de diferentes perspectivas teóricas en tensión sobre la educación en personas con DM que luchan por la legitimación, que pueden agruparse en dos tendencias, una tradicional y la otra crítica. Se presenta una propuesta guiada desde la teoría pedagógica y la salud pública para explicar los hallazgos. La teoría construida pretende evidenciar la configuración de corrientes educativas como resultado de los debates y las luchas teóricas, políticas y epistemológicas que se dan en la intersección de los campos de la salud pública y la pedagogía. (AU)

Abstract Education for people with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) represents a challenge in the field of public health. We present a theoretical proposal that guides the pedagogical analysis of health education for people with DM, based on a documentary research process. The findings evidenced the existence of different theoretical perspectives in tension about education in people with DM that struggle for legitimacy, which can be grouped into two tendencies, one traditional and the other critical. A proposal guided by pedagogical theory and public health is presented to explain the findings. The theory constructed intends to evidence the configuration of educational currents as a result of the debates and theoretical, political and epistemological struggles that occur at the intersection of the fields of public health and pedagogy. (AU)

Resumo A educação para pessoas com Diabetes Mellitus (DM) representa um desafio no campo da saúde pública. Apresentamos uma proposta teórica que orienta a análise pedagógica da educação em saúde em pessoas com DM, a partir de um processo de pesquisa documental. Os achados evidenciaram a existência de diferentes perspectivas teóricas em tensão sobre a educação em pessoas com DM que lutam por legitimação, que podem ser agrupadas em duas correntes, uma tradicional e outra crítica. Uma proposta pautada na teoria pedagógica e na saúde pública é apresentada para explicar os achados. A teoria construída visa mostrar a configuração das correntes educacionais como resultado dos debates e lutas teóricas, políticas e epistemológicas que ocorrem na intersecção dos campos da saúde pública e da pedagogia. (AU)

Covariation of the incidence of type 1 diabetes with country characteristics available in public databases.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in children varies dramatically between countries. Part of the explanation must be sought in environmental factors. Increasingly, public databases provide information on country-to-country environmental differences. METHODS: Information on the incidence of T1D and country characteristics were searched for in the 194 World Health Organization (WHO) member countries. T1D incidence was extracted from a systematic literature review of all papers published between 1975 and 2014, including the 2013 update from the International Diabetes Federation. The information on country characteristics was searched in public databases. We considered all indicators with a plausible relation with T1D and those previously reported as correlated with T1D, and for which there was less than 5% missing values. This yielded 77 indicators. Four domains were explored: Climate and environment, Demography, Economy, and Health Conditions. Bonferroni correction to correct false discovery rate (FDR) was used in bivariate analyses. Stepwise multiple regressions, served to identify independent predictors of the geographical variation of T1D. FINDINGS: T1D incidence was estimated for 80 WHO countries. Forty-one significant correlations between T1D and the selected indicators were found. Stepwise Multiple Linear Regressions performed in the four explored domains indicated that the percentages of variance explained by the indicators were respectively 35% for Climate and environment, 33% for Demography, 45% for Economy, and 46% for Health conditions, and 51% in the Final model, where all variables selected by domain were considered. Significant environmental predictors of the country-to-country variation of T1D incidence included UV radiation, number of mobile cellular subscriptions in the country, health expenditure per capita, hepatitis B immunization and mean body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSIONS: The increasing availability of public databases providing information in all global environmental domains should allow new analyses to identify further geographical, behavioral, social and economic factors, or indicators that point to latent causal factors of T1D.

Theoretical conceptions on the theory on health education: systematic review / Concepciones teóricas sobre la teoría en Educación para la Salud: revisión sistemática / Concepções teóricas sobre a teoria em educação para a saúde: revisão sistemática

Objective. To identify the theoretical conceptions of health education (HE) reported by recent scientific literature.Methodology. Systematic review without meta-analysis of the scientific literature published on the theory on HE between 2000 and 2010 in Spanish, English, and Portuguese in PubMed, Elsevier, and SciELO. This included publications developing at least the theoretical categories on HE: conceptual development, history, current situation, as discipline, teaching and research.Results. Some 58 articles on HE were analyzed. The main categories contained in the articles were those of current situation and conceptual development. The definition and conceptualizationof HE are diffuse. Most authors state that the term HE lacks identity and that tension exists between this concept and that of Healthcare Promotion. Conclusion. Processes in HE are notsufficiently qualified.

Objetivo. Identificar las concepciones teóricas de la Educación para la Salud (EpS) reportadas por la literatura científica reciente. Metodología. Revisión sistemática sin meta-análisis de la literatura científica publicada sobre la teoría en EpS entre 2000 y 2010 enespañol, inglés y portugués en PubMed, Elsevier y Scielo. Se incluyeron aquellas publicaciones que desarrollaran al menos las categorías teóricas sobre EpS: desarrollo conceptual, historia,situación actual, como disciplina, enseñanza e investigación.Resultados. Se analizaron 58 artículos sobre EpS. Las principales categorías contenidas en los artículos fueron los de situación actual y desarrollo conceptual. La definición y la conceptuaciónde EpS son difusas. La mayoría de los autores afirman que el término EpS carece de identidad y que existe tensión entre este concepto y el de Promoción para la Salud. Conclusión. Los procesos en EpS no están suficientemente cualificados

Objetivo. Identificar as concepções teóricas da educação para a saúde (EpS) reportadas pela literatura científica recente. Metodologia. Revisão sistemática sem meta-análise da literatura científica publicada sobre a teoria em EpS entre 2000 e 2010 em espanhol, inglês e português em PubMed, Elsevier e Scielo. Incluíram-se aquelas publicações que desenvolvessem ao menos as categorias teóricas sobre EpS: desenvolvimento conceitual, história, situação atual, como disciplina, ensino e investigação. Resultados. Analisaram-se 58 artigos sobre EpS. As principais categorias contidas nos artigos foram os de situação atual e desenvolvimento conceitual. A definição e a conceptualização de EpS são difusas. A maioria dos autores afirmam que o termo EpS carece de identidade e que existe tensão entre este conceito e o de Promoção para a Saúde. Conclusão. Os processos em EpS não estão suficientemente qualificados.