Unveiling Lived Experiences: Exploring the Health and Lifestyle Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant life disruptions among healthcare workers (HCWs), including changes in weight, eating habits, and physical activity. This qualitative study sought to evaluate the initial and longitudinal effects of health habits among HCWs throughout the pandemic. Data were collected through Qualtrics surveys at three points over a 2-year period with questions asking participants (n = 234) to describe whether they experienced changes in weight, eating behaviors, and physical activity and why they believe these changes occurred. The open-ended responses were analyzed following the summative content analysis approach. Four key themes emerged: (1) problematic eating patterns and habits, (2) disruptions in physical activity, (3) alterations in work environment and schedule, and (4) declines in mental health. Respondent reflections highlight the immediate and long-term pandemic-related effects on weight status for some, attributed to alterations in routines and health habits. Other HCWs reported a "reset" or indicated their habits may have been initially disrupted but normalized or improved over the 2-year time span. Findings underscore the need for strategies that support the physical and mental health of healthcare workers.

Discomfort and relieving factors among patients with bladder cancer undergoing office-based cystoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the degree of discomfort among patients with bladder cancer undergoing office-based cystoscopy and identify factors and interventions that influence discomfort and anxiety. METHODS: We conducted a survey of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Patient Survey Network (BCAN PSN) to investigate the degree of discomfort associated with office-based cystoscopy and prevalence of interventions used to reduce discomfort. All patients had undergone at least one previous cystoscopy. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with moderate-to-severe cystoscopy discomfort. RESULTS: Among 488 BCAN PSN respondents (50% response rate), 392 responded with demographic data and discomfort score. Cystoscopy was associated with moderate-to-severe discomfort in 52% of patients. Respondents who reported moderate-to-severe discomfort were more likely to describe their most recent cystoscopy discomfort as worse than prior (P<0.001) and to be interested in planning discomfort mitigation for cystoscopy (P<0.001). On multivariable analysis, gender was the only factor independently associated with discomfort, with women reporting less discomfort than men (OR 0.59, 95%CI 0.37-0.95,P=0.03). Patients reported a wide variety of cystoscopy-specific interventions with differing perceived effectiveness, the most common being intraurethral lidocaine. CONCLUSIONS: Over half of patients undergoing office-based cystoscopy for bladder cancer report moderate-to-severe discomfort, constituting a substantial problem among patients undergoing the procedure. Future large pragmatic comparative effectiveness trials are needed to better understand which interventions work most effectively to reduce discomfort associated with cystoscopy.