Laudato si and the Role of the Church in Promoting Environmental Awareness Toward a Better Health-Related Quality of Life.

This paper looks at the efforts of the Catholic Church in promoting a healthy environment and how educating citizens with responsible stewardship helps to achieve a better health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, the researchers use See-Discern-Act as their method. First, we discuss the need for environmental awareness and protection. Second, we expound on the main points of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si, the Church document which focuses on the environment. Third, the paper looks into the Church's role in promoting environmental awareness and protection so that the Church can help in the goal to achieve a better HRQoL. Lastly, the researchers claim that the Church's effort to preserve the environment aligns with promoting a better HRQoL through the concept of a preferential option for the poor.

Providing psychosocial support for work-from-home educators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A recent article discussed the results of mental support for healthcare professionals and mental care during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the report, the researchers suggest that healthcare professionals must be given psychosocial support during and after the pandemic to prevent any long-term consequence. In this correspondence, this paper proposes that psychosocial support must also be given to educators in a work-from-home setup since they are also affected by the stresses that came with the pandemic.

Coblation tonsillectomy: is it inherently bloody?

The aim of the study was to compare a single surgeon's post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage rates using cold steel dissection and coblation tonsillectomy techniques. Retrospective study on patients, who underwent tonsillectomy at West Wales General Hospital (WWGH) performed by a single surgeon from 2006 to 2010 employing both cold steel and coblation tonsillectomies. Data were analysed using Mann-Whitney and Chi-squared tests. The nominated surgeon performed 239 tonsillectomies at WWGH from 2006 to 2010. 119 patients underwent cold steel dissection and 120 had coblation tonsillectomy. There was no demographic difference between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups (median 1 day in each group). 6/119 (5.0%) patients in the cold steel group, and 7/120 (5.8%) in the coblation group had post-operative bleeding (p = 1.00). The return to theatre rate for cold steel dissection was 1/119 (0.84%) and for coblation surgery was 1/120 (0.83%) (p = 1.00). Among the first 60 cases of coblation tonsillectomies, 4 patients (6.6%) had post-operative haemorrhage and the latter 60 cases had 3 patients (5%). There was no evidence of a difference in the overall post-operative bleeding between those who had cold steel dissection and coblation tonsillectomies. These data suggest that higher post-operative haemorrhage is not inherent to coblation tonsillectomy.

Give ears some respite from regular microsuctioning in bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the external ear canal.

BACKGROUND: This paper reports a case series of three elderly patients who were regularly attending ENT clinic every four to six weeks for ear canal care to address chronic otitis externa. All three patients had been taking bisphosphonate alendronic acid for years, and it is suspected that this drug was partly to blame for the progression of their chronic ear conditions. RESULTS: Some improvements were noted when the bisphosphonate was discontinued. The regular microsuctioning, and application of topical antibiotics with steroids, provided temporary relief of symptoms. The present pandemic shut down the routine clinic and the patients were not seen for four to five months. On latest review, it was a surprise to see that their ears seemed to have significantly improved, with healthy re-epithelialisation. CONCLUSION: It is thus believed that excessive and repeated microsuctioning in bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of that external ear canal can delay re-epithelialisation, and gradually prolonging the intervals between microsuctioning could help in overall resolution of the disease.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on head and neck urgent suspected cancer referral pathways in rural Wales.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on head and neck urgent suspected cancer referral pathways in rural areas of Wales. METHOD: A retrospective audit was conducted of 2234 head and neck urgent suspected cancer referrals received from January 2019 to November 2020. RESULTS: The referrals dropped by 35 per cent in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The time from general practitioner referral to the first ENT appointment improved during the pandemic (8.0 vs 10.0 days; p < 0.001). Of referrals, 92.1 per cent were seen within a 14-day period in 2020, compared with 79.6 per cent in 2019 (p < 0.001). There were no differences between 2020 and 2019 in terms of: the (confirmed cancer) conversion rate (10.6 per cent vs 9.7 per cent; p = 0.60), general practitioner referral to multidisciplinary team discussion time (35.5 vs 41.5 days; p = 0.40) or general practitioner referral to initiation of treatment time (68.0 vs 78.0 days; p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: Whilst coronavirus disease 2019 reduced the number of overall head and neck urgent suspected cancer referrals, the pathways were generally unchanged, if not slightly improved, in rural Wales.

A double-blind randomised clinical trial of the treatment of otitis externa using topical steroid alone versus topical steroid-antibiotic therapy.

The objective of the study was to determine if the addition of topical antibiotic increases the efficacy of topical steroid in controlling otitis externa. A double-blind randomised controlled trial was performed from February 2003 to April 2005 in an otolaryngology emergency clinic (acute urban teaching hospital) in the United Kingdom. Patients were followed up for 2 weeks. Forty-five adults with otitis externa based on the presence of oedema, discharge or debris in the outer ear canal were recruited. The patients were randomised to one of the two treatment groups, namely using betamethasone sodium phosphate 0.1% (Vista-Methasone) or betamethasone sodium phosphate 0.1% with neomycin sulphate 0.5% (Vista-Methasone N), and were instructed to use the trial medication at three drops three times a day for 2 weeks. Subjects' visual analogue symptom scores (blockage, pain, discharge, and itching) for otitis externa pre-treatment (day 0) and post-treatment (day 15), percentage changes in visual analogue symptom scores as a result of treatment, proportion of patients whose symptom scores failed to improve or deteriorated on treatment were analysed. The two experimental arms demonstrated statistically similar presenting symptom scores at recruitment (mean symptom scores of 19.2 for betamethasone group and 28.7 for betamethasone-neomycin group). The mean symptom score change in response to treatment was 82.8 and 47.8% in the betamethasone-neomycin and betamethasone-alone groups, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in median percentage symptom score change in response to treatment. All patients in the betamethasone-neomycin group showed symptom improvement but in the betamethasone alone group, five patients got worse (Fishers exact, P = 0.05). Topical antibiotic-steroid combination therapy is superior to steroid-alone treatment for symptomatic control of otitis externa.

Reseña Bibliográfica: Teória y práctica de la Psicología comunitaria: La tensión entre comunidad y sociedad / Teoria e Prática da PsicologiaComunitária: A tensão entre a comunidade ea sociedade / Theory and Practice of Community Psychology: The tension between community and society

Maritza Montero autora de la obra aborda el tema de la PsicologíaComunitaria – como expresión del vínculo interdisciplinario y de interacción entre lapsicología y la sociología activa – al campo multidisciplinar de la Nueva Salud Pública,en la incesante búsqueda de la integralidad de enfoque y abordaje de la concepción ypráctica del salubrismo integral. Basado en esa tónica, nada mejor que recurrir a estetexto de Maritza Montero, para ofrecer un claro panorama sobre las bases sustancialesde la Psicología Comunitaria, que como se aprecia en la estructura y diseño del texto,ha desarrollado la selección y ordenamiento temático dentro de un esquema didácticoestructurado sobre la base, en la totalidad de los capítulos, de un desarrollo conceptualamplio en cada uno de los tópicos subordinados que componen el tema principal y, a su vez,con un sentido efectivamente práctico concluye cada capítulo con un breve cuestionariode “preguntas para reflexionar”, ”ejercicios problematizadores“, bibliografía de referenciay “lecturas recomendadas”. Sin duda se trata de una obra que precede a otras de la misma autora y que resulta muyrecomendable para todos los que conformas el equipo de salud, y muy especialmente paraquienes se desempeñan en el trabajo social y en atención primaria salud...

Maritza Montero author of the book addresses the issue of PsychologyCommunity - as an expression of interdisciplinary linkage and interaction betweenpsychology and sociology active - the multidisciplinary field of New Public Health,in the relentless pursuit of comprehensiveness of approach and approach to the design andsalubrismo comprehensive practice. Based on this pattern, nothing better to resort to thisMaritza Montero text to provide a clear picture on substantial groundsof Community Psychology, which as seen in the structure and design of the text,It has developed the theme selection and ordering within an educational schemestructured on the basis, in all the chapters of a conceptual developmentwide in each of the subordinate topics that make up the main theme and, in turn,with a sense practical effectively concludes each chapter with a short questionnaire"question for refl ection," "problematical exercises" reference literatureand "recommended reading". No doubt this is a work that precedes others of the same author and it is veryrecommended for all who settle the health team, and especially forthose working in social work and health primary care...

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma implantation after fine needle aspiration cytology.

We report the case of a 59-year-old man with a two-month history of a fast-growing, left-sided neck mass and a 5 mm nodule over a thyroid mass at the site of fine needle aspiration cytology performed four weeks earlier. Histopathological studies confirmed anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid and cutaneous needle track seeding of the primary tumour. The patient succumbed to extensive disease 10 weeks after initial diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is a rare report of implantation of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma along the track of fine needle aspiration. Some factors involved in needle track seeding are: needle size; number of passes; withdrawing the needle without releasing suction; injecting the tumour at time of biopsy; and inherent characteristics of the lesion (e.g. number of cells dislodged, adhesiveness of cells, amount of stroma present, enzymes released and immunologic characteristics).

Reseña bibliográfica / Literature review

De muy reciente aparición “El Sistema de Salud : De donde viene y hacia donde va” libro de HugoEduardo Arce es lanzado por la editorial Prometeo Libros a consideración del público con interés particular sobre el tema, sean aquellos abocados a la acción dentro del campo específico de la salud, como de aquellos otros que intervienen de diferentes modos en los ámbitos más extensivos de lagestión política, social y económica.El autor con un largo y destacado desempeño en ámbitos académicos del país y del extranjero y en los más variados campos de la praxis salubrista, que incluyen experiencias en niveles gubernamentales, dan pie para entender la motivación inductora para producir una obra de esta características, tal como hemos podido extraer de algunas reflexiones incluidas en el prólogo y en consideraciones que efectúa en el capítulo inicial metodológico.