Psychological Behavior of Frontline Medical Staff in the Use of Preventive Medication for COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: To understand the current pandemic, levels of anxiety in frontline staff, and whether they have been using medication to prevent COVID-19. METHODS: Between January 10 and March 10, 2020, 290 frontline staff completed a questionnaire incorporating the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 (GAD-7) to indicate their psychological behavior in the use of preventive medication. RESULTS: Of those who participated in the study, 77.6% used preventive medication, with 47.5, 40.9, and 11.6% using these as part of routine preventive treatment, to fight infection after it was contracted, and after occupational exposure, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between the anxiety scale scores and the frequency of medication use (P < 0.05). Comparative analyses revealed that the scores of those in the group taking medication after occupational exposure (to respiratory and blood-borne pathogens) were significantly different from other groups. The proportion of participants choosing Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and integrated Chinese and Western medicine was 24.4, 28.0, and 47.6%, respectively. Additionally, the relationship between the anxiety scale scores and the three types of medication was statistically significant (P < 0.05), as was the difference between Western medicine and other groups. According to Multinomial logistic regression based on the adjustment to gender, age, educational level, marital status, current workplace, and profession, participants with moderate to severe anxiety, had higher odds (OR = 10.331, 95%CI:1.453-73.429) of using Western medicine than participants with no anxiety. Participants with moderate anxiety were 6.399 times more likely to use an integrated combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine compared to those with no anxiety (OR = 6.399, 95%CI:1.007-40.658). Furthermore, those with mild anxiety were 2.656 times more likely to use integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine than those with no anxiety (OR = 2.657, 95%CI:1.075-6.570). The probability that frontline medical staff with moderate anxiety took preventive medication after occupational exposure to COVID-19 was 8.066 times (OR = 8.066, 95%CI:1.043-62.353) higher than that of staff without anxiety. DISCUSSION: This study revealed that there was more anxiety among frontline medical staff who took medication after unexpected occupational exposure. There was less anxiety among those using an integrated course of Chinese and Western medicine than Western medicine alone. It was also observed that anxiety affects the types and frequency of the preventive medication taken. Frontline medical staff who suffer from anxiety are also more likely to use medication to prevent COVID-19.

Primary dysmenorrhea and self-care strategies among Chinese college girls: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea (PD), the characteristics of PD and self-care strategies for managing PD among Chinese college girls. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Changsha, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2555 college girls were recruited using multistage cluster random sampling. OUTCOME MEASURES: A self-report questionnaire was used to measure sociodemographic information, characteristics of PD and self-care strategies for managing PD. Additionally, a Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure pain severity. RESULTS: Of the 2555 girls, 1306 had experienced PD, representing a 51.1% prevalence. In addition, the prevalence rates of mild, moderate and severe pain in PD were 18.1%, 27.7% and 5.4%, respectively. The most common symptoms associated with PD were cramps (96.9%), weakness (70.0%), backache (65.1%), facial blemishes (55.3%) and irritability (55.3%). Commonly used self-care strategies for managing PD comprised reducing physical activity (94.6%), keeping warm (84.6%), communicating dysmenorrhea with friends or classmates (79.0%), drinking warm beverages (75.7%) and avoiding cold drinks and foods (74.2%). In addition, only 34.8% self-medicated with Western medicine (15.6%), traditional Chinese medicine (8.6%), or both (10.6%). Medical advice was sought by 27.4% of subjects from a Western medical doctor (10.3%), a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (13.6%), or both (3.5%). Girls who had greater pain severity were more likely to be self-medicated (OR=7.01; 95% CI 4.50 to 10.91), use complementary therapies (OR=2.64; 95% CI 1.70 to 4.10) and seek medical advice (OR=5.93; 95% CI 3.80 to 9.24). CONCLUSIONS: PD is highly prevalent among Chinese college girls, with a high burden of symptoms. In addition, these girls are most likely to change their lifestyle, communicate dysmenorrhea with friends or mothers, use heat therapy and engage in self-talk, but less likely to self-medicate or seek medical advice for managing PD.

Qualitative analysis of flavors and fragrances added to tea by using GC-MS.

A precise identification method was developed to identify the flavors and fragrances added to tea matrix artificially using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The proposed method was based on the corresponding "three-column retention indices, two exact mass numbers, one mass spectrum matching degree" database of 40 kinds of common flavors and fragrances. The intraday and the interday relative standard deviation of the retention indices were less than 0.048 and 0.093%, respectively. The accuracy of exact mass was between 0.15 and 6.22 ppm. And the validation of the created database was performed by analyzing the tea samples. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for the precise identification of the flavors and fragrances added to tea matrix artificially without standard substances as a reference.