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Challenges to pediatric services during COVID-19 pandemic: A London, UK perspective
... Similar decreases in hospital admission had been observed from other studies from different geographic locations. 18,20 Various reasons adduced to this were the fear of contacting the infection and effect of the 10 Mortality rate increased by 60.8%, from the pre-COVID era to the pandemic era, despite the decline in hospital admission recorded during the pandemic. These deaths may likely be non-COVID related, because the health workers would have been extremely cautious with their administration of care to the patients, while waiting for the completion of screening for COVID-19 (lasts 48-72 hours in our center), thus leading to delayed medical intervention of non-COVID illnesses. ...
Background and objectives:
Corona virus disease was declared a global pandemic in March 2020 and it precipitated unprecedented and devastating crisis on non-COVID hospital visits in almost all the countries within the globe, with a downward slide in the number of paediatric consultations and emergency admissions. Thus, we assessed the utilization of services offered in the department of Paediatrics and the observed mortality rates in comparison to similar non-pandemic period.
Methods:
This study was carried out in the department of Pediatrics, Federal Medical Center Asaba. All the admissions at the children's ward and emergency, then visits at clinics and the immunization center were reviewed using a consecutive sampling method from April 2019 to September 2019 (pre COVID-19) and April 2020 to September 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic).
Results:
The total number of vaccines given in the immunization clinic was higher during the pre-COVID-19 period, so also the number of clinic visits. There was a decline in admission by 68.2% from the pre-COVID period to the pandemic period and this decline was across all age groups and gender. Also, a 60.8% increase in mortality was observed during the COVID-19 period and mortality pattern showed no gender difference across both study periods.
Conclusion:
There was a decline in the utilization of health services at the Department of Paediatrics, Federal Medical Center Asaba, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a rise in mortality, despite the fact that all the units of the department were fully operational within the period of pandemic.
... The pandemic has caused unprecedented transformations of healthcare facilities worldwide, including training programs. 1,2 A shift to telemedicine and virtual teaching has occurred as part of the initial phase of the pandemic response. However, as the gradual reopening of organizations, including healthcare facilities, transpires, we face new challenges of how to deliver the safest and most effective care. ...
The impact of COVID‐19 on everyone's lives has been significant. However, there is also another factor related to the well‐being of healthcare workers (HCWs) and that is how they are perceived by the general public. The aim of this study is to provide insight into the scope of this potential problem and describe how HCWs perceive community views and if this influences provision of patient care. A paper‐based survey was conducted within mental health wards and community services as well as medical and surgical wards of a large metropolitan hospital in Queensland. Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to explore the dimensionality of the HCW stigma scale from the staff survey. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to assess validity and reliability. A total of 545 staff (67.9% nursing, 6.6% medical, 14.7% Allied Health and 10.8% Administrative) completed the survey between June and July 2020. Exploratory Factor Analysis showed that five factors explained 55% of the variance and represent factors of (i) Alienation, (ii) Social isolation, (iii) Perceived workplace harmony, (iv) Perceived job demands, (v) Clinical self‐efficacy. The survey displayed high internal reliability and discriminant validity was observed for all subscales. Australian HCW's reported feeling well supported at work and appreciated by society in general during the pandemic, possibly because Australian healthcare services were better prepared than those countries that first experienced COVID‐19.
The global spread of COVID-19 has caused sudden and dramatic societal changes. The allergy/immunology community has quickly responded by mobilizing practice adjustments and embracing new paradigms of care to protect patients and staff from SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Social distancing is key to slowing contagion but adds to complexity of care and increases isolation and anxiety. Uncertainty exists across a new COVID-19 reality and clinician wellbeing may be an underappreciated priority. Wellness incorporates mental, physical and spiritual health to protect against burnout, which impairs both coping and caregiving abilities. Understanding the stressors that COVID-19 is placing on clinicians can assist in recognizing what is needed to return to a point of wellness. Clinicians can leverage easily accessible tools, including the Strength-Focused and Meaning-Oriented Approach to Resilience and Transformation (SMART) approach, wellness apps, mindfulness, and gratitude. Realizing early warning signs of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder is important to access safe and confidential resources. Implementing wellness strategies can improve flexibility, resilience, and outlook. Historical parallels demonstrate that perseverance is as inevitable as pandemics and that we need not navigate this unprecedented time alone.
Impact of COVID-19 on child health services tool Available from
- Royal College
- Child Paediatrics
- Health
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.. Impact of COVID-19 on child
health services tool Available from: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/impactcovid-19-child-health-services-tool. Accessed May 24, 2020.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2020.06.025