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Kovacevic A, Smith DRM, Rahbé E, Novelli S, Henriot P, Varon E, Cohen R, Levy C, Temime L, Opatowski L. Exploring factors shaping antibiotic resistance patterns in Streptococcus pneumoniae during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. eLife 2024; 13:e85701. [PMID: 38451256 PMCID: PMC10923560 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented to block SARS-CoV-2 transmission in early 2020 led to global reductions in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). By contrast, most European countries reported an increase in antibiotic resistance among invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from 2019 to 2020, while an increasing number of studies reported stable pneumococcal carriage prevalence over the same period. To disentangle the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on pneumococcal epidemiology in the community setting, we propose a mathematical model formalizing simultaneous transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains of S. pneumoniae. To test hypotheses underlying these trends five mechanisms were built into the model and examined: (1) a population-wide reduction of antibiotic prescriptions in the community, (2) lockdown effect on pneumococcal transmission, (3) a reduced risk of developing an IPD due to the absence of common respiratory viruses, (4) community azithromycin use in COVID-19 infected individuals, (5) and a longer carriage duration of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal strains. Among 31 possible pandemic scenarios involving mechanisms individually or in combination, model simulations surprisingly identified only two scenarios that reproduced the reported trends in the general population. They included factors (1), (3), and (4). These scenarios replicated a nearly 50% reduction in annual IPD, and an increase in antibiotic resistance from 20% to 22%, all while maintaining a relatively stable pneumococcal carriage. Exploring further, higher SARS-CoV-2 R0 values and synergistic within-host virus-bacteria interaction mechanisms could have additionally contributed to the observed antibiotic resistance increase. Our work demonstrates the utility of the mathematical modeling approach in unraveling the complex effects of the COVID-19 pandemic responses on AMR dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Kovacevic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epidemiology and Modelling of Antibiotic Evasion (EMAE) unitParisFrance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Inserm U1018, CESP, Anti-infective evasion and pharmacoepidemiology teamMontigny-Le-BretonneuxFrance
| | - David RM Smith
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epidemiology and Modelling of Antibiotic Evasion (EMAE) unitParisFrance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Inserm U1018, CESP, Anti-infective evasion and pharmacoepidemiology teamMontigny-Le-BretonneuxFrance
- Modélisation, épidémiologie et surveillance des risques sanitaires (MESuRS), Conservatoire national des arts et métiersParisFrance
- Health Economics Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Health, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Eve Rahbé
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epidemiology and Modelling of Antibiotic Evasion (EMAE) unitParisFrance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Inserm U1018, CESP, Anti-infective evasion and pharmacoepidemiology teamMontigny-Le-BretonneuxFrance
| | - Sophie Novelli
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Inserm U1018, CESP, Anti-infective evasion and pharmacoepidemiology teamMontigny-Le-BretonneuxFrance
| | - Paul Henriot
- Modélisation, épidémiologie et surveillance des risques sanitaires (MESuRS), Conservatoire national des arts et métiersParisFrance
- PACRI unit, Institut Pasteur, Conservatoire national des arts et métiersParisFrance
| | - Emmanuelle Varon
- Centre National de Référence des Pneumocoques, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de CréteilCréteilFrance
| | - Robert Cohen
- Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale-Groupe de Recherche Clinique Groupe d’Etude des Maladies Infectieuses Néonatales et Infantiles (IMRB-GRC GEMINI), Université Paris Est, 94000CréteilFrance
- Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique (GPIP), 06200NiceFrance
- Unité Court Séjour, Petits Nourrissons, Service de Néonatologie, Centre Hospitalier, Intercommunal de CréteilCréteilFrance
- Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val-de-Marne (ACTIV), 94000CréteilFrance
- Association Française de Pédiatrie Ambulatoire (AFPA), 45000OrléansFrance
| | - Corinne Levy
- Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale-Groupe de Recherche Clinique Groupe d’Etude des Maladies Infectieuses Néonatales et Infantiles (IMRB-GRC GEMINI), Université Paris Est, 94000CréteilFrance
- Groupe de Pathologie Infectieuse Pédiatrique (GPIP), 06200NiceFrance
- Association Clinique et Thérapeutique Infantile du Val-de-Marne (ACTIV), 94000CréteilFrance
- Association Française de Pédiatrie Ambulatoire (AFPA), 45000OrléansFrance
| | - Laura Temime
- Modélisation, épidémiologie et surveillance des risques sanitaires (MESuRS), Conservatoire national des arts et métiersParisFrance
- PACRI unit, Institut Pasteur, Conservatoire national des arts et métiersParisFrance
| | - Lulla Opatowski
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epidemiology and Modelling of Antibiotic Evasion (EMAE) unitParisFrance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Inserm U1018, CESP, Anti-infective evasion and pharmacoepidemiology teamMontigny-Le-BretonneuxFrance
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Feng S, Huang Z, Tan H, Deng J, Jiang H. Student engagement in voluntary service in response to COVID-19 in Guangzhou, China: Implications for disease control and public health education from a cross-sectional study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e36553. [PMID: 38181278 PMCID: PMC10766220 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Public health students have been seen as a potential force to meet the demand for health workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, few studies have provided empirical data. This study was conducted to summarize the experiences of public health students who engaged in voluntary service in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Guangzhou, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted among postgraduate and undergraduate students at the School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, in August 2021. A self-designed online questionnaire was used to collect data on the experience of voluntary service during the early stage of the outbreak (in February 2020) and during the normalization stage of the prevention and control of COVID-19 (in June 2021) in China. Among the 96 students, 40 (41.7%) participated in voluntary service in February 2020, and 56 (58.3%) participated in voluntary service in June 2021. Most of the students participated in the voluntary service due to the motivations to help others (55.2%), to apply theoretical knowledge to practice (74.0%), to improve their fieldwork skills (72.9%), and to gain the experience for future careers (80.2%). Most volunteers were driven by professional responsibility (81.3%). More than half (53.1%) of the students felt anxious during their voluntary service. A lower proportion of students felt anxious in June 2021 than in February 2020 (44.6% vs 65.0%, P = .049), while a higher proportion of students found voluntary service harder than expected in June 2021 than in February 2020 (33.9% vs 7.5%, P = .002). Most students improved their knowledge and skills about COVID-19 after the training, but some knowledge and skills still needed improvement after their voluntary service. Public health students could help support the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing adequate training and protection. More efforts should be made to provide psychological support for student volunteers and to optimize the curriculum to bridge the gap in public health education between theoretical knowledge and practical skills in responding to public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaixin Feng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoqian Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haomin Tan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junwen Deng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongbo Jiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Abubakar U, Awaisu A, Khan AH, Alam K. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1600. [PMID: 37998802 PMCID: PMC10668951 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12111600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated how the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched to identify potentially eligible studies published from December 2019 to September 2022. A random effect model was used to determine the changes in the rate of HAIs during the pandemic. Thirty-seven studies, mostly from the United States (n = 13), were included. Fifteen studies described how the pandemic affected the rate of CLABSIs and CAUTIs, and eight of them showed a significant increase in CLABSIs. The risk of CLABSIs and CDIs was 27% (pooled odds ratio [OR]: 0.73; confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-0.89; p < 0.001) and 20% (pooled OR: 1.20; CI: 1.10-1.31; p < 0.001) higher during the pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic period, respectively. However, the overall risk of HAIs was unaffected by the pandemic (pooled OR: 1.00; 95 CI: 0.80-1.24; p = 0.990). Furthermore, there were no significant changes in the risk of CAUTIs (pooled OR: 1.01; 95 CI: 0.88-1.16; p = 0.890), and SSIs (pooled OR: 1.27; CI: 0.91-1.76; p = 0.16) between the two periods. The COVID-19 pandemic had no effect on the overall risk of HAIs among hospitalized patients, but an increased risk of CLABSIs and CDI were observed during the pandemic. Therefore, more stringent infection control and prevention measures and prudent interventions to promote the rational use of antibiotics are warranted across all healthcare facilities to reduce the burden of HAIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Abubakar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Ahmed Awaisu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
| | - Amer Hayat Khan
- Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, Malaysia
| | - Khurshid Alam
- Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town 11800, Malaysia
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Yao Z, Wu Y, Xu H, Lei Y, Long W, Li M, Gu Y, Jiang Z, Cao C. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections among dermatology inpatients: A 7-year retrospective study at a tertiary care center in southwest China. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1124930. [PMID: 36998271 PMCID: PMC10043400 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1124930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIncreased rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) antibiotic resistance and the associated morbidity have increased dermatologists' attention to skin and soft tissue MRSA infections. However, the clinical characterization of MRSA skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in Southwest China is lacking, which precludes optimal prevention and treatment of these infections.ObjectivesThis study was conducted to characterize the prevalence, clinical comorbidities and antibiotic susceptibility of MRSA isolates from SSTIs, including community-associated (CA) and healthcare-associated (HA) isolates.MethodsIn the Dermatology Inpatient Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, a retrospective study was conducted on data, including patient demographics and clinical information, from culture-confirmed S. aureus isolated from skin and soft tissue between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021. Isolate susceptibility to 13 antibiotics was determined using the Vitek 2 system.ResultsFrom among 864 S. aureus strains, we identified 283 MRSA (32.75%) isolates comprising 203 CA-MRSA and 80 HA-MRSA isolates. The average rate of CA-MRSA isolation for MRSA SSTIs was 71.73%. The HA-MRSA isolation rate for MRSA SSTIs increased significantly. HA-MRSA-infected patients were older. The most common dermatological presentation of CA-MRSA infection was staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, while the comorbidity severe drug eruption was significantly associated with HA-MRSA infection. One CA-MRSA strain was resistant to linezolid, and one HA-MRSA strain had an intermediate phenotype for vancomycin; both strains had low sensitivity to clindamycin and erythromycin (3.70%~19.40%). However, HA-MRSA isolates were more susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.ConclusionsCA-MRSA is a predominant pathogen causing SSTIs, and HA-MRSA infection incidence is increasing gradually. Both strains showed increasing antibiotic resistance. Our data on MRSA susceptibility may guide dermatologist antibiotic treatment decisions. Dermatologists should consider these identified comorbidities of MRSA SSTIs when patients are admitted and initiate early prevention and treatment of MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijian Yao
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Prevention and Treatment, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yidan Wu
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Prevention and Treatment, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Hongming Xu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Ying Lei
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wanyu Long
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Meixian Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yue Gu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhiwen Jiang
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Prevention and Treatment, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Cunwei Cao
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Prevention and Treatment, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- *Correspondence: Cunwei Cao
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Witt LS, Howard-Anderson JR, Jacob JT, Gottlieb LB. The impact of COVID-19 on multidrug-resistant organisms causing healthcare-associated infections: a narrative review. JAC Antimicrob Resist 2022; 5:dlac130. [PMID: 36601548 PMCID: PMC9798082 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlac130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed healthcare across the world. With this change came an increase in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and a concerning concurrent proliferation of MDR organisms (MDROs). In this narrative review, we describe the impact of COVID-19 on HAIs and MDROs, describe potential causes of these changes, and discuss future directions to combat the observed rise in rates of HAIs and MDRO infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy S Witt
- Corresponding author. E-mail: ; @drwittID, @JessH_A, @jestjac
| | - Jessica R Howard-Anderson
- Division of Infection Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA,Emory Antibiotic Resistance Group, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jesse T Jacob
- Division of Infection Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA,Emory Antibiotic Resistance Group, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lindsey B Gottlieb
- Division of Infection Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA,Emory Antibiotic Resistance Group, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Brink AJ, Richards G, Tootla H, Prentice E. Epidemiology of Gram-negative bacteria during coronavirus disease 2019. What is the real pandemic? Curr Opin Infect Dis 2022; 35:595-604. [PMID: 36345854 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0000000000000864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Bacterial infections play a key role in hospital outcomes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nonetheless, the global impact on the epidemiology of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and antibiotic resistance has not been clearly established. RECENT FINDINGS Multiple limitations exist in the current literature, in that substantial variability was observed with regard to methodology. Notwithstanding the heterogeneity, the evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial negative impact on global epidemiology with an increase in hospital-onset infections, associated with GNB. Similarly, an alarming increase in resistant GNB compared to prepandemic rates, was apparent. This was most evident for carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (bloodstream infections), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ventilator-associated pneumonia), and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (all infections). Significant variations were most apparent in the large, system-wide regional or national comparative assessments, vs. single-centre studies. Categorizing concurrent bacteria as co- or secondary-infections may be paramount to optimize standard of care. SUMMARY The data from most studies signal the probability that COVID-19 accelerated resistance. However, multiple limitations intrinsic to interpretation of current COVID-19 data, prevents accurately quantifying collateral damage on the global epidemiology and antibiotic resistance amongst GNB. It is likely to be substantial and renewed efforts to limit further increases is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian J Brink
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.,National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town
| | - Guy Richards
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
| | - Hafsah Tootla
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.,National Health Laboratory Service, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth Prentice
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town.,National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town
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Zhao T. Impact of COVID-19 Awareness on Protective Behaviors during the Off-Peak Period: Sex Differences among Chinese Undergraduates. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph192013483. [PMID: 36294065 PMCID: PMC9603291 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 remains an extreme threat in higher education settings, even during the off-peak period. Appropriate protective measures have been suggested to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in a large population context. Undergraduate students represent a highly vulnerable fraction of the population, so their COVID-19 protective behaviors play critical roles in enabling successful pandemic prevention. Hence, this study aims to understand what and how individual factors contribute to undergraduate students' protective behaviors. After building multigroup structural equation models using data acquired from the survey taken by 991 undergraduates at a large research university in eastern China, I found that students' COVID-19 awareness was positively associated with their protective behaviors, such as wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer, and maintaining proper social distance, but not with getting vaccinated. In addition, I found students with higher COVID-19 awareness were more likely to have more COVID-19 knowledge than those with less awareness. Furthermore, sex differences were observed in the mediation effects of COVID-19 awareness on wearing a mask and getting vaccinated, via COVID-19 knowledge, respectively. The results of this study have implications in helping higher education stakeholders enact effective measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Zhao
- Zhejiang Academy of Higher Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Chai X. How Has the Nationwide Public Health Emergency of the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Older Chinese Adults' Health Literacy, Health Behaviors and Practices, and Social Connectedness? Qualitative Evidence From Urban China. Front Public Health 2022; 9:774675. [PMID: 35356089 PMCID: PMC8960051 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.774675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Older Chinese adults' daily lives have been affected significantly during the outbreak phase of the COVID-19 pandemic since January 2020. They were confronted with activity restrictions due to strict pandemic prevention. The older population also had to get accustomed to widely-used modern technologies in community management, such as health codes and WeChat groups. By late 2021, mainland China had reduced the prevalence of COVID-19, and people's daily lives had primarily returned to pre-pandemic normality. Under China's systematic health management during the pandemic, older Chinese adults' responses to this nationwide public health emergency may have influenced their health in the long run. However, it remains unclear what specific health changes or improvements have occurred. Such a void in the literature is worrying, given that older adults are at high health risks due to the pandemic which, might still be with humankind for a while. Thus, it is of necessity to explore and report their health changes after this official, large-scale health intervention. In this study, 17 adults aged 55 and above were recruited as interviewees. All interviewees reside in a community located in Q district, N city of the People's Republic of China. According to the findings, many interviewees now have better literacy in health risk prevention. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play a significant role in getting access to health information. Specifically, television, WeChat chatting groups, and TikTok could be valuable information sources for older adults. As for the understanding and evaluation of health information, although older participants can distinguish COVID-19 rumors, they may sometimes feel confused about the underlying scientific logic. Regarding changes in health behaviors and practices, many older adults can integrate health information and knowledge into their daily lives. Additionally, although interviewees can keep important social connections, not all of them are familiar with using new ICTs, such as online chatting group, for social participation and engagement. The empirical evidence suggests that both the communities and the local governments can offer specific training programs to older residents for the sake of enhancing their health literacy, health behaviors and practices, and social connectedness during and after the pandemic.
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