Differences in the incidence of nosocomial-onset COVID-19 among hospitalized patients with exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

We evaluated the secondary COVID-19 incidence among uninfected hospitalized patients after nosocomial COVID-19 exposure. An exposure source of SARS-CoV-2 was hospitalized patients or healthcare personnel (HCP) newly diagnosed as having COVID-19. Patients exposed to a COVID-19-infected patient in a shared room more frequently developed COVID-19 than those exposed to an infected HCP.

[Factors associated with mental health depending on the type of stress related to admission among correspondence course high school students in Japan].

Objective　This study aimed to determine the factors associated with mental health based on the type of stress related to high school admissions for correspondence courses.Methods　The targeted participants were 3,888 students belonging to 11 campuses of a high school providing correspondence courses. During the homeroom, the teachers in charge distributed and collected questionnaires directly. The questionnaire was designed to collect data concerning demographic characteristics, stresses, mental health, and life skills. Concerning stress, the questions inquired about stress before admission and after admission. Further, they asked about stress related to entry regarding the study, friendship, relationship with teachers, club activities, school events, home environment, health, and work. Kessler 6 was used as an index of mental health.Results　Questionnaires were returned by 2,424 students (response rate of 62.3%). Regarding the change in stress before and after admission, students showed decreases in anxiety after admission in other areas, excluding work. Because of the k-means clustering analysis, based on the scores of the eight areas of stress related to admission, six groups were extracted. Factors related to mental health were extracted from each group. Health stress was strongly associated with the K6 score in all groups. For the study stress group, friendship stress group, family environment, and health stress group, stress related to admission were associated with the K6 score. Furthermore, for the complex school-related stress group, friendship and family environment stress were associated with the K6 score. In the high-stress group, the K6 score was significantly associated with study stress. As for life skills, stress management and decision-making skills were associated with higher mental health.Conclusions　These findings indicate that it is important to understand students' needs and support them in coping with stress and improving their life skills according to their stress type. Support should be developed for high school students enrolled in correspondence courses.

[Factors associated with quality of life among patients with psoriasis. Comparison between psoriasis-specific QOL measures and generic QOL measures].

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine factors associated with QOL in patients with psoriasis. For comparison, we used psoriasis-specific and generic QOL measures. METHODS: The targeted participants were 228 patients diagnosed as having psoriasis. Our questionnaire had two versions, the first one answered by the physician, and the second one answered by the patients themselves. The physician's questionnaire collected data concerning demographic characteristics, complications, health habits, affected body surface area; BSA, PASI and so on. The patients' questionnaire asked for Self-BSA, Self-PASI, PDI, SF-36 and so on. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 216 patients. In consideration of some missing data on PDI and SF-36, the data for only 200 patients were used for this analysis. Concerning PDI, significant sex differences in mean scores were shown in areas of 'daily activities' and 'work'. Concerning SF-36, significant sex differences were shown in all areas except for 'general health'. Multiple regression analysis suggested that for male patients the PDI total score was related to age, PASI and Self-PASI; the SF-36 total score was related to PASI and Self-PASI. For female patients, although it was suggested that the PDI total score was related to PASI and Self-PASI, the SF-36 total score was related to Self-PASI only. On the whole, PDI was related much stronger for PASI and Self-PASI than was SF-36. Furthermore, in female patients the Self-PASI score was strongly related to QOL scores. Therefore considering QOL for female patients, Self-PASI is possibly more useful than PASI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that severity of disease, sex and age are associated with QOL. PDI and Self-PASI are useful tools for the assessment and care of psoriasis patients considering QOL.