Impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic on neurobehavioral profile of children aged 6-12 years (NeuBeC study).

Background: The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of children and resulted in behavioral and emotional disturbances in children. This study was planned to identify the prevalence of these problems in Indian children. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of lockdown on the neurobehavioral profile of children 6-12 years of age by using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scale. CBCL is the most widely used validated scientific tool to detect behavioral and emotional problems in children. Materials and Methods: All children 6-12 years of age who were fulfilling the inclusion criteria of the study were included from all over India through an online Google form link. The children attending the outpatient department (OPD) at our tertiary-level care medical college were also included in offline mode. Data were collected and entered in an Excel sheet and analyzed statistically. Results: A total of 173 children in the age group 6-12 years were enrolled. The mean standard deviation (SD) age of all children was 8.88 (1.84) years, out of which males were of a mean age of 9.2 (1.84) years and females were 8.44 (1.74) years. Total CBCL T-scores (mean (SD)) for internalizing, externalizing, and total scores were 63.07 (7.98), 63.95 (6.51), and 62.39 (4.9), respectively. Conclusion: Lockdown has resulted in neurobehavioral changes in normal children. The independent predictors found were the increase in screen-based media use, sleep issues, or behavioral changes like aggression due to restriction of their mobility or confinement. Females exhibited more internalizing problems, and males exhibited more externalizing problems.

Prevalence and Predictors of Effective Face Mask Usage Among Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A total of 320 children, aged 1 to 14 years were observed to ascertain the prevalence of face mask usage and the factors affecting the same. 67% of children used face masks, but only 25% of them used them correctly. Factors such as age, type of school, socioeconomic status, maternal education, history of allergic diseases, COVID vaccination status of the parents, and having a sibling were significantly associated with the use of face masks. Age-appropriate targeted health interventions should be implemented to improve proper mask usage.

Utility of telemedicine for providing Obstetrics and Gynecology services during the COVID-19 pandemic-A single center experience from a tertiary care teaching hospital located in South India.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impeded the provision of public healthcare within a healthcare system that was already under considerable strain. Routine patient care services were impacted during that time, leading to the promotion of telemedicine as a means of maintaining uninterrupted healthcare services. Telemedicine involves the utilization of electronic technology and communication to provide health-related information and medical care to individuals who are physically separated from healthcare professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess the feasibility of utilizing telemedicine for providing women's health services, we conducted a six-month analysis of data collected from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology's teleconsultation application at AIIMS, Mangalagiri. Our objective was to evaluate the practicality of telemedicine in delivering diverse healthcare services to women. Our institution offered two types of telehealth services: a "call-based"approach and an "app-based" approach. We examined several parameters within the data, including the distribution of ages, the geographic locations of teleconsultation registrations, whether the registrations were new or follow-up cases, the various presenting complaints, the recommended treatments, the number of consultations (single or multiple), and whether cases required in-person or hospital visits. Additionally, we also compared patient responses between these two modalities. RESULTS: The "call-based" consultation method was preferred by the majority of our patients (94%). The registered cases included both related to obstetrics and gynecology, with a higher proportion of complaints relating to gynecological issues (82.5%). We were able to make a diagnosis in 77% of cases, while in 20% of cases, additional physical examinations and diagnostic tests were necessary. Follow-up appointments were recommended for 53% of patients. The success rate of consultations for patients seeking obstetrics and gynecology services showed a statistically significant difference (P value < 0.001). The vast majority of patients (99%) expressed high satisfaction with the consultation process. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine proved to be an effective approach in mitigating the overcrowding of hospitals and preventing the spread of infection. Its success suggests that telemedicine can be a viable option for managing elective gynecology matters and low-risk obstetric cases in the future, thereby alleviating the strain on healthcare systems.