Alcohol in urban streetscapes: a comparison of the use of Google Street View and on-street observation.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-related harm is a major global health issue, and controls on alcohol marketing are one intervention utilized by governments. This study investigated the use of Google Street View (GSV) as a novel research method for collecting alcohol-related data in the urban environment. METHODS: The efficacy of GSV and on-street observation by observer teams was compared by surveying 400 m stretches of 12 streets in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Data on alcohol sale, alcohol-related advertising, health promotion materials, regulatory information and visible alcohol consumption were collected. RESULTS: A total of 403 retailers with evidence of alcohol sales and 1161 items of alcohol-related communication were identified in on-street observation. Of the latter, 1028 items (89 %) were for alcohol marketing and 133 (11 %) were for alcohol-related health promotion and alcohol regulation. GSV was found to be a less sensitive tool than on-street observation with only 50 % of the alcohol venues identified and 52 % of the venue-associated brand marketing identified. A high degree of inter-observer reliability was generally found between pairs of observers e.g., for the detection of alcohol retail venues the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.93 (95 % CI: 0.78 to 0.98) for on-street observation and 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.49 to 0.96) for using GSV. CONCLUSIONS: GSV does not seem suitable for the comprehensive study of the influences on alcohol consumption in the urban streetscape. However, it may still have value for large, static objects in the environment and be more time efficient than traditional on-street observation measures, especially when used to collect data across a wide geographical area. Furthermore, GSV might become a more useful research tool in settings with better image quality (such as more 'footpath views') and with more regularly updated GSV imagery.

Clinical features of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 from February to October 2020, during the early waves of the pandemic in New Zealand.

AIM: As New Zealand transitions towards endemic SARS-CoV-2, understanding patient factors predicting severity, as well as hospital resourcing requirements will be essential for future planning. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients hospitalised with COVID-19 from 26 February to 5 October 2020 as part of the COVID-19 HospitalisEd Patient SeverIty Observational Study NZ (COHESION). Data on demographics, clinical course and outcomes were collected and analysed as a descriptive case series. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were identified across eight district health boards. Forty-one (49%) were male. The median age was 58 years [IQR: 41.7-70.3 years]. By ethnicity, hospitalisations included 38 NZ European (45%), 19 Pasifika (23%), 13 Maori (15%), 12 Asian (14%) and 2 Other (2%). Pre-existing co-morbidities included hypertension (26/82, 32%), obesity (16/66, 24%) and diabetes (18/81, 22%). The median length of stay was four days [IQR: 2-15 days]. Twelve patients (12/83, 14%) were admitted to an intensive care unit or high dependency unit (ICU/HDU). Ten (10/83, 12%) patients died in hospital of whom seven (70%) were not admitted to ICU/HDU; the median age at death was 83 years. CONCLUSION: Despite initially low case numbers in New Zealand during 2020, hospitalisation with COVID-19 was associated with a high mortality and hospital resource requirements.

Information, support, and follow-up offered to women who experienced severe maternal morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what information, support, and follow-up were offered to women who had experienced severe maternal morbidity (SMM). METHODS: The present retrospective case review included patients who experienced SMM (admission to intensive care during pregnancy or up to 42 days postpartum) who had previously been reviewed for potential preventability as part of a nationwide New Zealand study performed between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Data were audited to ascertain documented evidence of an event debrief or explanation; referral to social support and/or mental health services; a detailed discharge letter; and a follow-up appointment with a specialist. RESULTS: Of 257 patients who experienced SMM, 23 (8.9%) were offered all four components of care, 99 (38.5%) an event debrief, 102 (39.7%) a referral to social support and/or mental health services, 148 (57.6%) a detailed discharge letter, and 131 (51.0%) a follow-up appointment. CONCLUSIONS: Many women who had experienced SMM did not receive explanatory information about their illness, an offer of psychosocial support, or a follow-up appointment prior to discharge from hospital. It is incumbent on clinicians and the maternity care system to improve these aspects of care for all women experiencing a potentially life-changing SMM event to minimize the risk and burden of long-term mental illness.