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Kim MJ, Haizan I, Ahn MJ, Park DH, Choi JH. Recent Advances in Lateral Flow Assays for Viral Protein Detection with Nanomaterial-Based Optical Sensors. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:197. [PMID: 38667190 PMCID: PMC11048458 DOI: 10.3390/bios14040197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Controlling the progression of contagious diseases is crucial for public health management, emphasizing the importance of early viral infection diagnosis. In response, lateral flow assays (LFAs) have been successfully utilized in point-of-care (POC) testing, emerging as a viable alternative to more traditional diagnostic methods. Recent advancements in virus detection have primarily leveraged methods such as reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Despite their proven effectiveness, these conventional techniques are often expensive, require specialized expertise, and consume a significant amount of time. In contrast, LFAs utilize nanomaterial-based optical sensing technologies, including colorimetric, fluorescence, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), offering quick, straightforward analyses with minimal training and infrastructure requirements for detecting viral proteins in biological samples. This review describes the composition and mechanism of and recent advancements in LFAs for viral protein detection, categorizing them into colorimetric, fluorescent, and SERS-based techniques. Despite significant progress, developing a simple, stable, highly sensitive, and selective LFA system remains a formidable challenge. Nevertheless, an advanced LFA system promises not only to enhance clinical diagnostics but also to extend its utility to environmental monitoring and beyond, demonstrating its potential to revolutionize both healthcare and environmental safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jung Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea; (M.J.K.); (D.-H.P.)
| | - Izzati Haizan
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Min Ju Ahn
- Department of Biotechnology, Jeonbuk National University, 79 Gobongro, Iksan-si 54596, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Dong-Hyeok Park
- School of Chemical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea; (M.J.K.); (D.-H.P.)
| | - Jin-Ha Choi
- School of Chemical Engineering, Clean Energy Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea; (M.J.K.); (D.-H.P.)
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea;
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Bellocchio L, Dipalma G, Inchingolo AM, Inchingolo AD, Ferrante L, Del Vecchio G, Malcangi G, Palermo A, Qendro A, Inchingolo F. COVID-19 on Oral Health: A New Bilateral Connection for the Pandemic. Biomedicines 2023; 12:60. [PMID: 38255167 PMCID: PMC10813615 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and transmission are generally known to be produced by respiratory droplets and aerosols from the oral cavity (O.C.) of infected subjects, as stated by the World Health Organization. Saliva also retains the viral particles and aids in the spread of COVID-19. Angiotensin-converting enzyme Type 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) are two of the numerous factors that promote SARS-CoV-2 infection, expressed by O.C. structures, various mucosa types, and the epithelia of salivary glands. A systemic SARS-CoV-2 infection might result from viral replication in O.C. cells. On the other hand, cellular damage of different subtypes in the O.C. might be associated with various clinical signs and symptoms. Factors interfering with SARS-CoV-2 infection potential might represent fertile ground for possible local pharmacotherapeutic interventions, which may confine SARS-CoV-2 virus entry and transmission in the O.C., finally representing a way to reduce COVID-19 incidence and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Bellocchio
- INSERM, U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, University of Bordeaux, 33063 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Gianna Dipalma
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Angelo Michele Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Alessio Danilo Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Laura Ferrante
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Gaetano Del Vecchio
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Giuseppina Malcangi
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
| | - Andrea Palermo
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, Birmingham B4 6BN, UK;
| | - Andis Qendro
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine, 1005 Tirana, Albania;
| | - Francesco Inchingolo
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Study “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.M.I.); (A.D.I.); (L.F.); (G.D.V.); (F.I.)
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D'Adamo A, Schnake-Mahl A, Mullachery PH, Lazo M, Diez Roux AV, Bilal U. Health disparities in past influenza pandemics: A scoping review of the literature. SSM Popul Health 2022; 21:101314. [PMID: 36514788 PMCID: PMC9733119 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing health disparities. To provide a historical perspective on health disparities for pandemic acute respiratory viruses, we conducted a scoping review of the public health literature of health disparities in influenza outcomes during the 1918, 1957, 1968, and 2009 influenza pandemics. Methods We searched for articles examining socioeconomic or racial/ethnic disparities in any population, examining any influenza-related outcome (e.g., incidence, hospitalizations, mortality), during the 1918, 1957, 1968, and 2009 influenza pandemics. We conducted a structured search of English-written articles in PubMed supplemented by a snowball of articles meeting inclusion criteria. Results A total of 29 articles met inclusion criteria, all but one focusing exclusively on the 1918 or 2009 pandemics. Individuals of low socioeconomic status, or living in low socioeconomic status areas, experienced higher incidence, hospitalizations, and mortality in the 1918 and 2009 pandemics. There were conflicting results regarding racial/ethnic disparities during the 1918 pandemic, with differences in magnitude and direction by outcome, potentially due to issues in data quality by race/ethnicity. Racial/ethnic minorities had generally higher incidence, mortality, and hospitalization rates in the 1957 and 2009 pandemics. Conclusion Individuals of low socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic minorities have historically experienced worse influenza outcomes during pandemics. These historical patterns can inform current research to understand disparities in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D'Adamo
- Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alina Schnake-Mahl
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Health Management and Policy, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pricila H. Mullachery
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mariana Lazo
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Community Health and Prevention, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ana V. Diez Roux
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Usama Bilal
- Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Corresponding author. Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, 3600 Market St. Suite 730, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Anderson KF, Ray-Warren D. Racial-Ethnic Residential Clustering and Early COVID-19 Vaccine Allocations in Five Urban Texas Counties. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 63:472-490. [PMID: 35164599 PMCID: PMC9716049 DOI: 10.1177/00221465221074915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has indicated that racial-ethnic minority communities lack a wide variety of health-related organizations. We examine how this relates to the early COVID-19 vaccine rollout. In a series of spatial error and linear growth models, we analyze how racial-ethnic residential segregation is associated with the distribution of vaccine sites and vaccine doses across ZIP codes in the five largest urban counties in Texas. We find that Black and Latino clustered ZIP codes are less likely to have vaccine distribution sites and that this disparity is partially explained by the lack of hospitals and physicians' offices in these areas. Moreover, Black clustering is also negatively related to the number of allocated vaccine doses, and again, this is largely explained by the unequal distribution of health care resources. These results suggest that extant disparities in service provision are key to understanding racial-ethnic inequality in an acute crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Falkenstein L, Eckel N, Kadel SB, Koenig J, Litaker D, Eichinger M. Service provision and utilisation in German paediatric primary care practices during public health crises: Protocol of the mixed-methods COVID-19 PedCare Study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e054054. [PMID: 36220317 PMCID: PMC9556743 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Public health crises such as pandemics can cause serious disruptions to the utilisation and provision of healthcare services with negative effects on morbidity and mortality. Despite the important role of paediatric primary care in maintaining high-quality healthcare services during crises, evidence about service utilisation and provision remains limited especially in Germany. This study, therefore, explores the utilisation and provision of paediatric primary care services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and their barriers and facilitators. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The study uses a convergent mixed-methods design and comprises online surveys to parents, adolescents and primary care paediatricians (PCPs) and semistructured interviews with parents and PCPs. We recruit parents and adolescents from paediatric primary care practices and PCPs via email using mailing lists of the German Professional Association of Paediatricians and the German Society of Ambulatory Primary Care Paediatrics. The parent and adolescent surveys assess, inter alia, the utilisation of paediatric primary care services and its correlates, aspects of parental and child health as well as socioeconomic characteristics. The PCP survey investigates the provision of paediatric primary care services and its correlates, aspects of PCP health as well as sociodemographic and practice characteristics. The semistructured interviews with parents and PCPs explore several aspects of the online surveys in more detail. We use descriptive statistics and generalised linear mixed models to assess service utilisation and provision and specific correlates covered in the online surveys and apply qualitative content analysis to explore barriers and facilitators of service utilisation and provision more broadly in the semistructured interviews. We will integrate findings from the quantitative and qualitative analyses at the interpretation stage. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Review Board of the Medical Faculty Mannheim at Heidelberg University (2020-650N). Study results will be published in journals with external peer-review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Falkenstein
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Wuerttemberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Eckel
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Wuerttemberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simone B Kadel
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Wuerttemberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochem Koenig
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - David Litaker
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Wuerttemberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Eichinger
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health Baden-Wuerttemberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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6
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Kronman MP, Snowden JN. Historical Perspective of Pediatric Health Disparities in Infectious Diseases: Centuries in the Making. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2022; 11:S127-S131. [PMID: 36112495 PMCID: PMC9494470 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus (COVID-19) laid bare the disproportionate effects of infectious agents on vulnerable communities. However, historically, infectious diseases have long been known to affect certain communities to a greater extent than others. The mechanisms behind these differences are multifactorial, and lie less in biological susceptibility and instead more on socioeconomic factors and other social determinants of health. This article highlights health disparities in common infections such as respiratory syncytial virus, tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis, and influenza and will use lessons learned from previous pathogens and infectious disease disparities in vulnerable populations to provide context to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Kronman
- Corresponding Author: Matthew P. Kronman, MD, MSCE, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Jessica N Snowden
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA,Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Community Health Resources, Globalization, Trust in Science, and Voting as Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccination Rates: A Global Study with Implications for Vaccine Adherence. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081343. [PMID: 36016231 PMCID: PMC9416245 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 global pandemic requires, not only an adequate supply of, but public adherence to safe and effective vaccinations. This study analyzes the human and economic resources and political and public attitudinal factors that influence widely varying country-level coronavirus vaccination rates. Using data on up to 95 countries, we found that countries’ strength of community health training and research (CHTR), education index, globalization, and vaccine supply are associated with a greater COVID-19 vaccination rate. In a separate analysis, certain political factors, and public attitudes (perceived government effectiveness, government fiscal decentralization, trust in science, and parliamentary voter turnout) predicted vaccination rates. Perceived corruption and actual freedoms (political rights and civil liberties) related to vaccination rates in prior studies were not significantly predictive when controlling for the above factors. The results confirm our prior findings on the importance of CHTR resources for increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates. They also suggest that to motivate vaccine adherence countries need, not only an adequate vaccine supply (which depends on a country having either its own resources or effective global political, social, and economic connections) and community health workforce training and research, but also a population that trusts in science, and is actively engaged in the political process.
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8
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The Importance of Outdoor Spaces during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Aotearoa—New Zealand. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14127308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its extensive variants have caused drastic changes to people’s habits and routines in many countries worldwide, including Aotearoa—New Zealand. The levels of lockdown and/or movement limitations affected how people used outdoor spaces, often keeping them away from nature’s benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted to control it provide an interesting experiment investigating the links between nature exposure, recreational use of outdoor spaces, and people’s health and wellbeing under extreme conditions. Using an online survey distributed during lockdown and based on 212 responses, this article explores the different typologies of the outdoor spaces that people had access to during lockdown and the associated physical activities practised. It investigates how outdoor space affects our emotional response and how such space and related activities can help us cope with confinement. The results of this study enable us to better understand those spatial elements and characteristics of outdoor spaces that are essential to people’s wellbeing, especially in unusual circumstances where access is restricted.
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History Repeating-How Pandemics Collide with Health Disparities in the United States. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2022; 10:1455-1465. [PMID: 35595916 PMCID: PMC9122254 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01331-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Across the United States, public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have fallen short. COVID-19 has exacerbated longstanding public health shortfalls in disadvantaged communities. Was this predestined? Understanding where we are today requires reflection on our longer journey. Disparities cataloged during COVID-19 reflect the same unequal host exposure and susceptibility risks that shaped previous pandemics. In this review, we provide historical context to better understand current events and to showcase forgotten lessons which may motivate future action to protect our most vulnerable citizens.
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10
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Shi CF, So MC, Stelmach S, Earn A, Earn DJD, Dushoff J. From science to politics: COVID-19 information fatigue on YouTube. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:816. [PMID: 35461254 PMCID: PMC9034744 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13151-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The COVID-19 pandemic is the first pandemic where social media platforms relayed information on a large scale, enabling an “infodemic” of conflicting information which undermined the global response to the pandemic. Understanding how the information circulated and evolved on social media platforms is essential for planning future public health campaigns. This study investigated what types of themes about COVID-19 were most viewed on YouTube during the first 8 months of the pandemic, and how COVID-19 themes progressed over this period. Methods We analyzed top-viewed YouTube COVID-19-related videos in English from December 1, 2019 to August 16, 2020 with an open inductive content analysis. We coded 536 videos associated with 1.1 billion views across the study period. East Asian countries were the first to report the virus, while most of the top-viewed videos in English were from the US. Videos from straight news outlets dominated the top-viewed videos throughout the outbreak, and public health authorities contributed the fewest. Although straight news was the dominant COVID-19 video source with various types of themes, its viewership per video was similar to that for entertainment news and YouTubers after March. Results We found, first, that collective public attention to the COVID-19 pandemic on YouTube peaked around March 2020, before the outbreak peaked, and flattened afterwards despite a spike in worldwide cases. Second, more videos focused on prevention early on, but videos with political themes increased through time. Third, regarding prevention and control measures, masking received much less attention than lockdown and social distancing in the study period. Conclusion Our study suggests that a transition of focus from science to politics on social media intensified the COVID-19 infodemic and may have weakened mitigation measures during the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is recommended that authorities should consider co-operating with reputable social media influencers to promote health campaigns and improve health literacy. In addition, given high levels of globalization of social platforms and polarization of users, tailoring communication towards different digital communities is likely to be essential. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13151-7.
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Roberts JD, Dickinson KL, Hendricks MD, Jennings V. "I Can't Breathe": Examining the Legacy of American Racism on Determinants of Health and the Ongoing Pursuit of Environmental Justice. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:211-227. [PMID: 35244891 PMCID: PMC8894549 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00343-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review “I can’t breathe” were the last words spoken by Eric Garner (July 17, 2014), Javier Ambler (March 28, 2019), Elijah McClain (August 30, 2019), Manuel Ellis (March 3, 2020), and George Floyd (May 25, 2020). These were all African American men who died at the hands of police in the United States. Recently, police brutality has gained critical and overdue attention as one clear manifestation of systemic racism. However, historical and current policies related to a wide range of environmental hazards have exposed Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to disproportionately high levels of physical, mental, social, emotional, and cultural toxicities, thus creating unbreathable and unlivable communities. Recent Findings This paper traces the roots of systemic anti-Black racism in America from its origins in the 1400s, through systems of scientific racism that pathologized Blackness in order to justify slavery, and through evolving policies and structures that have shifted over time but consistently exposed many African American communities to unsafe and unhealthy environments. Summary We conclude with calls for bold solutions to move through and past this oppressive history and toward true environmental justice the enables all communities to thrive together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Roberts
- Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
| | - Katherine L Dickinson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Marccus D Hendricks
- Department of Urban Studies and Planning, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Viniece Jennings
- Department of Public Health, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA, 30030, USA
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12
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Barros MBDA, Lima MG, Malta DC, Azevedo RCSD, Fehlberg BK, Souza Júnior PRBD, Azevedo LO, Machado ÍE, Gomes CS, Romero DE, Damacena GN, Werneck AO, Silva DRPD, Almeida WDSD, Szwarcwald CL. Mental health of Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:100015. [PMID: 34977912 PMCID: PMC8695311 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycom.2021.100015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to assess the factors associated with frequent sadness and nervousness in Brazilian adolescents, during the Covid-19 pandemic, in 9470 adolescents (aged 12-17 years), interviewed from June 27 to September 17, 2020. Prevalences and prevalence ratios were estimated according to socio-demographic variables and factors related to family, school, friends, and health. Brazilian adolescents often felt sad (32.4%) and nervous (48.7%). Higher prevalences of these feelings were related to: being female; aged 15-17 year; from families with financial difficulties; having learned little or nothing with remote education; missing friends; having few friends; family disagreements; having regular/bad health before the pandemic; and worsened health and sleep during the pandemic. Higher prevalence of nervousness was also found in adolescents who worked before the pandemic and those who reported lack of concentration and not knowing if they had COVID-19. Sadness and nervousness in Brazilian adolescents is high and the need for action by the government, schools, health services, and parents to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the physical and mental health of adolescents. Special attention must be paid to adolescents with previous health problems and those belonging to the most socially vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Luiz Otávio Azevedo
- Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ísis Eloah Machado
- School of Medicine, Federal University of Ouro Preto. Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Crizian Saar Gomes
- School of Nursing. Federal University of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Dália Elena Romero
- Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Giseli Nogueira Damacena
- Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Wanessa da Silva de Almeida
- Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Célia Landmann Szwarcwald
- Institute of Communication and Scientific and Technological Information in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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13
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Tortolero GA, Otto MDO, Ramphul R, Yamal JM, Rector A, Brown M, Peskin MF, Mofleh D, Boerwinkle E. Examining Social Vulnerability and the Association With COVID-19 Incidence in Harris County, Texas. Front Public Health 2022; 9:798085. [PMID: 35071172 PMCID: PMC8767157 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.798085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and the proportion of those who stayed completely at home among 783 Harris County, Texas census tracts. SARS-CoV-2 incidence data were collected between May 15 and October 1, 2020. The SVI and its themes were the primary exposures. Median percent time at home was used as a covariate to measure the effect of staying at home on the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and negative binomial regressions (NBR) controlling for testing rates and staying at home. Results showed that a unit increase in the SVI score and the SVI themes were associated with significant increases in SARS-CoV-2 incidence. The incidence risk ratio (IRR) was 1.090 (95% CI, 1.082, 1.098) for the overall SVI; 1.107 (95% CI, 1.098, 1.115) for minority status/language; 1.090 (95% CI, 1.083, 1.098) for socioeconomic; 1.060 (95% CI, 1.050, 1.071) for household composition/disability, and 1.057 (95% CI, 1.047, 1.066) for housing type/transportation. When controlling for stay-at-home, the association between SVI themes and SARS-CoV-2 incidence remained significant. In the NBR model that included all four SVI themes, only the socioeconomic and minority status/language themes remained significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Community-level infections were not explained by a communities' inability to stay at home. These findings suggest that community-level social vulnerability, such as socioeconomic status, language barriers, use of public transportation, and housing density may play a role in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of the ability of some communities to stay at home because of the need to work or other reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo A. Tortolero
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Marcia de Oliveira Otto
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ryan Ramphul
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jose-Miguel Yamal
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alison Rector
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Michael Brown
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Melissa F. Peskin
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Dania Mofleh
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Zimmermann R, Sarma N, Thieme-Thörel D, Alpers K, Artelt T, Azouagh K, Bremer V, Broistedt P, Eckmanns T, Feltgen N, Huska M, Kröger S, Puls A, Scheithauer S, Mayr E, Rexroth U. COVID-19 Outbreaks in Settings With Precarious Housing Conditions in Germany: Challenges and Lessons Learned. Front Public Health 2021; 9:708694. [PMID: 34621717 PMCID: PMC8490676 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.708694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Two COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in residential buildings with overcrowded housing conditions in the city of Göttingen in Germany during May and June 2020, when COVID-19 infection incidences were low across the rest of the country, with a national incidence of 2.6/100,000 population. The outbreaks increased the local incidence in the city of Göttingen to 123.5/100,000 in June 2020. Many of the affected residents were living in precarious conditions and experienced language barriers. The outbreaks were characterized by high case numbers and attack rates among the residents, many asymptomatic cases, a comparatively young population, and substantial outbreak control measures implemented by local authorities. We analyzed national and local surveillance data, calculated age-, and gender-specific attack rates and performed whole genome sequencing analysis to describe the outbreak and characteristics of the infected population. The authorities' infection control measures included voluntary and compulsory testing of all residents and mass quarantine. Public health measures, such as the general closure of schools and a public space as well as the prohibition of team sports at local level, were also implemented in the district to limit the outbreaks locally. The outbreaks were under control by the end of June 2020. We describe the measures to contain the outbreaks, the challenges experienced and lessons learned. We discuss how public health measures can be planned and implemented through consideration of the needs and vulnerabilities of affected populations. In order to avoid coercive measures, barrier-free communication, with language translation when needed, and consideration of socio-economic circumstances of affected populations are crucial for controlling infectious disease transmission in an outbreak effectively and in a timely way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Zimmermann
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Navina Sarma
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Katharina Alpers
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Artelt
- Infection Control and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Viviane Bremer
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Tim Eckmanns
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolas Feltgen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthew Huska
- Department of Methodology and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Kröger
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Simone Scheithauer
- Infection Control and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eckart Mayr
- Local Public Health Authority, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ute Rexroth
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Geer LA, Radigan R, Bruneli GDL, Leite LS, Belian RB. COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study of Healthcare Students' Perceptions of Life during the Pandemic in the United States and Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18179217. [PMID: 34501806 PMCID: PMC8431579 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Societal influences, such as beliefs and behaviors, and their increasing complexity add to the challenges of interactivity promoted by globalization. This study was developed during a virtual global educational exchange experience and designed for research and educational purposes to assess personal social and cultural risk factors for students’ COVID-19 personal prevention behavior and perceptions about life during the pandemic, and to inform future educational efforts in intercultural learning for healthcare students. We designed and implemented a cross-sectional anonymous online survey intended to assess social and cultural risk factors for COVID-19 personal prevention behavior and students’ perceptions about life during the pandemic in public health and healthcare students in two public universities (United States n = 53; Brazil n = 55). Statistically significant differences existed between the United States and Brazil students in degree type, employment, risk behavior, personal prevention procedures, sanitization perceptions, and views of governmental policies. Cultural and social differences, risk messaging, and lifestyle factors may contribute to disparities in perceptions and behaviors of students around the novel infectious disease, with implications for future global infectious disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Geer
- School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Rachel Radigan
- School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA;
| | - Guilherme de Lima Bruneli
- Keizo Asami Immunopathology Laboratory, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Brazil; (G.d.L.B.); (L.S.L.); (R.B.B.)
| | - Lucas Sampaio Leite
- Keizo Asami Immunopathology Laboratory, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Brazil; (G.d.L.B.); (L.S.L.); (R.B.B.)
| | - Rosalie Barreto Belian
- Keizo Asami Immunopathology Laboratory, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Brazil; (G.d.L.B.); (L.S.L.); (R.B.B.)
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16
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Rahi M, Le Pluart D, Beaudet A, Ismaël S, Parisey M, Poey N, Tarhini H, Lescure FX, Yazdanpanah Y, Deconinck L. Sociodemographic characteristics and transmission risk factors in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 before and during the lockdown in France. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:812. [PMID: 34388990 PMCID: PMC8361240 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06419-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The efficacy of lockdown in containing the COVID-19 pandemic has been reported in different studies. However, the impact on sociodemographic characteristics of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to describe the changes in sociodemographic characteristics of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and to compare the transmission risk factors of COVID-19 before and during lockdown in France. Methods An observational retrospective study was conducted in a University Hospital in Paris, France. Data from patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Infectious Diseases Department between February 26 and May 11, 2020 were collected. The study population was divided into 2 groups: group A of patients infected before lockdown, and group B of patients infected during lockdown, considering a maximum incubation period of 14 days. Sociodemographic characteristics and transmission risk factors were compared between the 2 groups using Student’s t-test for continuous variables and Chi-2 test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables. Results Three hundred eighty-three patients were included in the study, 305 (79.6%) in group A and 78 (20.4%) in group B. Patients in group A were significantly younger (60.0 versus (vs) 66.5 years (p = 0.03)). The professionally active population was larger in group A (44.3% vs 24.4%). There were significantly more non-French-speaking people in group B (16.7% vs 6.6%, p < 0.01). Most patients from group A had individual accommodation (92.8% vs 74.4%, p < 0.01). Contact with a relative was the main transmission risk factor in both groups (24.6% vs 33.3%, p = 0.16). Recent travel and large gathering were found only in group A. The proportion of people living in disadvantaged conditions, such as homeless people or people living in social housing, was significantly higher in group B (11.5% vs 4.3%, p = 0.03) as was the proportion of institutionalized individuals (14.1% vs 3.0%, p < 0.01). Conclusions In this study conducted in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Paris, France, the likelihood of being infected despite the lockdown was higher for people who do not speak French, live in social housing, are homeless or institutionalized. Targeted measures have to be implemented to protect these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayda Rahi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Diane Le Pluart
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Beaudet
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Ismaël
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Marion Parisey
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Nora Poey
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Hassan Tarhini
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - François-Xavier Lescure
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Yazdan Yazdanpanah
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France.
| | - Laurène Deconinck
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department
- , Bichat - Claude-Bernard University Hospital, AP-HP, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France
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17
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The novel COVID-19 pandemic struck the world unprepared. This keynote outlines challenges and successes using data to inform providers, government officials, hospitals, and patients in a pandemic. METHODS The authors outline the data required to manage a novel pandemic including their potential uses by governments, public health organizations, and individuals. RESULTS An extensive discussion on data quality and on obstacles to collecting data is followed by examples of successes in clinical care, contact tracing, and forecasting. Generic local forecast model development is reviewed followed by ethical consideration around pandemic data. We leave the reader with thoughts on the next inevitable outbreak and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION COVID-19 must be a lesson for the future to direct us to better planning and preparing to manage the next pandemic with health informatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mujeeb A. Basit
- Clinical Informatics Center, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christoph U. Lehmann
- Clinical Informatics Center, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics, Population & Data Sciences, and Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Richard J. Medford
- Clinical Informatics Center, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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18
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Martínez-Rodríguez D, Gonzalez-Parra G, Villanueva RJ. Analysis of Key Factors of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Program: A Mathematical Modeling Approach. EPIDEMIOLOGIA 2021; 2:140-161. [PMID: 35141702 PMCID: PMC8824484 DOI: 10.3390/epidemiologia2020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The administration of vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started in early December of 2020. Currently, there are only a few approved vaccines, each with different efficacies and mechanisms of action. Moreover, vaccination programs in different regions may vary due to differences in implementation, for instance, simply the availability of the vaccine. In this article, we study the impact of the pace of vaccination and the intrinsic efficacy of the vaccine on prevalence, hospitalizations, and deaths related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Then we study different potential scenarios regarding the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in the near future. We construct a compartmental mathematical model and use computational methodologies to study these different scenarios. Thus, we are able to identify some key factors to reach the aims of the vaccination programs. We use some metrics related to the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to assess the impact of the efficacy of the vaccine and the pace of the vaccine inoculation. We found that both factors have a high impact on the outcomes. However, the rate of vaccine administration has a higher impact in reducing the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. This result shows that health institutions need to focus on increasing the vaccine inoculation pace and create awareness in the population about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Martínez-Rodríguez
- Insituto Universitario de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain; (D.M.-R.); (R.-J.V.)
| | | | - Rafael-J. Villanueva
- Insituto Universitario de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain; (D.M.-R.); (R.-J.V.)
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19
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Immigration status as a health care barrier in the USA during COVID-19. J Migr Health 2021; 4:100036. [PMID: 33778797 PMCID: PMC7979269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the context of the United States of America (U.S.), COVID-19 has influenced migrant experiences in a variety of ways, including the government's use of public health orders to prevent migration into the country and the risk of immigrants contracting COVID-19 while in detention centers. However, this paper focuses on barriers that immigrants of diverse statuses living in the U.S.—along with their families—may face in accessing health services during the pandemic, as well as implications of these barriers for COVID-19 prevention and response efforts. We report findings from a scoping review about immigration status as a social determinant of health and discuss ways that immigration status can impede access to health care across levels of the social ecology. We then develop a conceptual outline to explore how changes to federal immigration policies and COVID-19 federal relief efforts implemented in 2020 may have created additional barriers to health care for immigrants and their families. Improving health care access for immigrant populations in the U.S. requires interventions at all levels of the social ecology and across various social determinants of health, both in response to COVID-19 and to strengthen health systems more broadly.
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20
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Green Infrastructure in the Time of Social Distancing: Urban Policy and the Tactical Pandemic Urbanism. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13041632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic generated a number of changes in the functioning of urban areas all over the world and had a visible impact on the use of green infrastructure, including city parks. The study discusses and compares operation and use of two such parks located in Wellington, New Zealand and Warsaw, Poland by adopting “pandemic urban ethnography”, an approach that includes autoethnography, interviews with users, non-participant observation, and analysis of social media content. As indicated by the findings of the study, the importance of less rigidly designed, multifunctional spaces that give their users freedom of “tactical” adjustments, significantly grows during times of lockdown and “social distancing”. During such a crisis, the management and everyday use of urban parks are highly related to urban policies. The article provides insight into how those policies impact the functional values of green infrastructure confronting it with user-generated adaptations and the landscape design itself. The global health emergency showed how access to green areas becomes a crucial determinant on environmental justice while proving the significance of “tactical pandemic urbanism” as both a design and management method.
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21
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Roberts JD, Dickinson KL, Koebele E, Neuberger L, Banacos N, Blanch-Hartigan D, Welton-Mitchell C, Birkland TA. Clinicians, cooks, and cashiers: Examining health equity and the COVID-19 risks to essential workers. Toxicol Ind Health 2020; 36:689-702. [PMID: 33241763 PMCID: PMC7691477 DOI: 10.1177/0748233720970439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In Spring/Summer 2020, most individuals living in the United States experienced several months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Clinicians, restaurant cooks, cashiers, transit operators, and other essential workers (EWs), however, continued to work outside the home during this time in order to keep others alive and maintain a functioning society. In the United States, EWs are often low-income persons of color who are more likely to face socioeconomic vulnerabilities, systemic racism, and health inequities. To assess the various impacts of COVID-19 on EWs, an online survey was distributed to a representative sample of individuals residing in six states during May/June 2020. The sample included 990 individuals who identified as EWs and 736 nonessential workers (NWs). We assessed differences between EW and NW respondents according to three categories related to health equity and social determinants of health: (1) demographics (e.g. race/ethnicity); (2) COVID-19 exposure risk pathways (e.g. ability to social distance); and (3) COVID-19 risk perceptions (e.g. perceived risk of contracting COVID-19). EWs were more likely to be Black or Hispanic than NWs and also had lower incomes and education levels on average. Unsurprisingly, EWs were substantially more likely to report working outside the home and less likely to report social distancing and wearing masks indoors as compared to NWs. EWs also perceived a slightly greater risk of contracting COVID-19. These findings, which we discuss in the context of persistent structural inequalities, systemic racism, and health inequities within the United States, highlight ways in which COVID-19 exacerbates existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities faced by EWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Roberts
- Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, 1068University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Katherine L Dickinson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, 144805Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Elizabeth Koebele
- Department of Political Science, 6851University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Lindsay Neuberger
- Nicholson School of Communication and Media, 6243University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Natalie Banacos
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, 144805Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Courtney Welton-Mitchell
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, 144805Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas A Birkland
- Department of Public Administration, 6798NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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22
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Disaster Preparedness and Equitable Care during Pandemics. J Natl Med Assoc 2020; 113:220-222. [PMID: 33268104 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2020.09.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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23
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Roberts JD, Tehrani SO, Isom R, Stone EA, Brachman ML, Garcia VN. Case-comparison study protocol for gauging effects of neighbourhood trends and sickness: examining the perceptions of transit-Induced gentrification in Prince George's County. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e039733. [PMID: 33046474 PMCID: PMC7552829 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Impoverished neighbourhoods and communities of colour often bear the brunt of unintended transit-oriented development (TOD) impacts. These impacts have been known to come in the form of transit-induced gentrification (TIG), a socioeconomic by-product of TOD defined as a phenomenon that occurs when the provision of transit service, particularly light rail transit (LRT), 'up-scales' nearby neighbourhood(s) and displaces existing residents. Consequently, TIG or even the perception of TIG can impact health outcomes (eg, anxiety) and social determinants of health (SDOH) (eg, crime). METHODS/ANALYSIS In 2022, the purple line (PL), a 16.2 mile LRT line, is opening in Prince George's County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC, comprised of over 80% African American and Hispanic residents. By taking advantage of this natural experiment, we are proposing the GENTS (Gauging Effects of Neighborhood Trends and Sickness: Examining the Perceptions of Transit-Induced Gentrification in Prince George's County) Study in order to evaluate perceived TIG and associated health outcome and SDOH changes, at two points in time, among Prince George's County adults in a prospective case-comparison design during the pre-PL LRT period. Descriptive analysis and latent growth curve modelling will be used to examine these changes over time. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval has been granted by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board. The GENTS Study will identify temporal changes in perceived TIG, health outcomes and SDOH among case and comparison residents before the completion and operation of the PL LRT, an under researched period of TOD. The dissemination of GENTS Study findings will be able to address research questions and policy issues that are specifically tailored to PG County while also providing more effective procedural solutions for other regions undergoing TOD and TIG risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Roberts
- Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Shadi O Tehrani
- School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Roger Isom
- Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric A Stone
- Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Micah L Brachman
- Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
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