Human ; Philippines ; Patients ; Vaccines ; Covid‐19

Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest ; Heart Arrest ; Policy ; Covid-19 ; Pandemics

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The COVID- 19 pandemic and the subsequent designation of the Philippine General Hospital lead to necessary adjustments in internal medicine residency training. This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on internal medicine (IM) residents in the Philippine General Hospital.

A questionnaire was developed and distributed among internal medicine residents employed in the years 2020 and 2021. Qualitative data was then gathered through on line and face-to-face interviews.

A total of 43 Internal Medicine residents responded. This study found that the pandemic significantly affected internal medicine residents and their overall training. The participants reported changes in the number and profile of patients seen, the limited outpatient clinical exposure, the difficulties of telemedicine, and the reduced interactions with consultants and subspecialty fellows. Infection control protocols and workforce limitations also affected the number of procedures done by the residents. Resident participants reported that they were able to allot more time to studying from the textbook because of the skeletal schedules and decreased number of patients. Other learning avenues were shifted to online conferences and lectures.

The COVID-19 pandemic a lso brought about changes in residents' day-to-day routines, schedules, and rotations. Communicating with patients and relatives was also reported to be more difficult. Lifestyle changes varied among resident s. Socialization also shifted to online avenues and social messaging platforms. Having colleagues who test positive tor COVID and subsequently requiring quarantine lead to constant changes in workforce dynamics. This lead to feelings of anxiety and isolation among its trainees.

However, a number of participants still believed that the pandemic allowed them to become better physicians. This was brought about by a sense of service and pride, camaraderie among colleagues, commitment to finishing the program, financial stability, and administrative support. Still, the participants stated areas for improvement, including more consistent protocol measures, additional financial compensation, added workforce, and more transparent administrative support. All in all, participants felt that they were still able to meet the learning outcomes and minimum competencies. Majority of the participants believed the experiences brought about by the pandemic helped them become a better internist.

Ultimately, the new challenges from the pandemic strengthened the sense of service, resilience and clinical acumen of the residents.

Introduction: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) construct is recommended by the World Health Organization to assess intention for vaccination; however, there is yet a validated instrument in the context of booster dose Covid-19 vaccination in Malaysia. The purpose of the present study is to translate and investigate the factorial validity and internal reliability of the TPB construct for booster dose Covid-19 vaccination (TPB-BDV) questionnaire in Malaysia. Materials and methods: In the pre-testing of the study, five experts and 40 Malaysian adults respectively rated the content and validity index of all 11 items of the translated questionnaire in Malay version. Next, 160 Malaysian adults completed the Malay version of Theory of Planned Behavior- Booster Dose Vaccination (TPB-BDV) questionnaire via online. Results: In the pre-testing phase, Content Validity and Face Validity Index for 10 items in Malay version of TPB-BDV achieved cutoff mean score >3.0 for relevancy, clarity, ambiguity, and simplicity. Meanwhile, Item 8 scored low on relevancy. In the main study, exploratory factor analysis suggested three factors consisting of a final 10 items (without Item 8) which accounted for 74.0% of the total variance. The three factors were Attitude (5 items), Subjective Norms (3 items), and Perceived Behavioral Control (2 items). The internal reliability ranged from a = 0.83 to a = 0.93, with an overall value of a = 0.90. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the 10-items Malay version of TPB-BDV is valid and reliable to measure the individual decision in taking the Covid-19 booster-dose vaccine among Malaysian adult population.

Introduction: Telepharmacy has emerged as a crucial strategy to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission while ensuring access to pharmaceutical care during the pandemic. The assessment of public knowledge and perception is paramount in gauging their readiness to telepharmacy services. Regrettably, there remains a dearth of study concerning the Malaysian public's knowledge, perception, and readiness (KPR) regarding telepharmacy. This study aims to evaluate the KPR of the public in the utilization of telepharmacy and to determine the association between the demographic profile with the KPR of Malaysian public. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the result by SPSS version 28. The associations between the demographic profile and KPR were analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis’s test. Results: A total of 391 respondents participated and 43.2% were familiar with telepharmacy. The public showed a positive perception and ready to utilize telepharmacy. A significant association was identified between sex and occupation with the knowledge regarding telepharmacy services, meanwhile there are no associations reported between the demographic profile with the perception and readiness. Conclusion: Public in Malaysia has high knowledge, positive perception and high readiness to utilize telepharmacy. Sex and occupation affected the knowledge of the Malaysian public towards telepharmacy. However, there is no significant association between publics’ demographic profiles to the perception and readiness towards the utilization of telepharmacy.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), prompting a need to assess its usage among healthcare workers following established guidelines and ensure its rational use. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of PPE use among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the predictors associated with good KAP.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2021. The study utilized an online, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire which was pretested and content-validated. The final questionnaire consisted of 28 items and was distributed among HCWs working directly with patients/specimens/close contacts in the MOH facilities. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences 26.0.ResultsA total of 3132 respondents were included in the analysis after the exclusion criteria. 87.7% of HCWs possessed a good knowledge of PPE, 71.1% had a positive attitude, and 10.2% showed good practice. Formal training and having a good attitude and knowledge were significant predictors for good knowledge and positive attitude, respectively, while age, gender, state region and HCWs’ designation were the significant predictors of good practice.ConclusionsMost HCWs possessed good knowledge and positive attitude on PPE use but low magnitude on practice in terms of following guidelines, suggesting a gap between the level of knowledge and attitude and the actual practice. This necessitates additional education and training approaches to promote compliance with guidelines and ensure the rational use of PPE.

ObjectiveTo understand the seropositivity of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) and low-level NAb against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community residents, and to explore the impact of COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection on the levels of NAb in human serum. MethodsOn the ground of surveillance cohort for acute infectious diseases in community populations in Shanghai, a proportional stratified sampling method was used to enroll the subjects at a 20% proportion for each age group (0‒14, 15‒24, 25‒59, and ≥60 years old). Blood samples collection and serum SARS-CoV-2 NAb concentration testing were conducted from March to April 2023. Low-level NAb were defined as below the 25^th percentile of NAb. ResultsA total of 2 230 participants were included, the positive rate of NAb was 97.58%, and the proportion of low-level NAb was 25.02% (558/2 230). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age, infection history and vaccination status were correlated with low-level NAb (all P<0.05). Individuals aged 60 years and above had the highest risk of low-level NAb. There was a statistically significant interaction between booster vaccination and one single infection (aOR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.19‒0.77). Compared to individuals without vaccination, among individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 once, both primary immunization (aOR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.16‒0.35) and booster immunization (aOR=0.12, 95%CI: 0.08‒0.17) significantly reduced the risk of low-level NAb; among individuals without infections, only booster immunization (aOR=0.28, 95%CI: 0.14‒0.52) showed a negative correlation with the risk of low-level NAb. ConclusionsThe population aged 60 and above had the highest risk of low-level NAb. Regardless of infection history, a booster immunization could reduce the risk of low-level NAb. It is recommended that eligible individuals , especially the elderly, should get vaccinated in a timely manner to exert the protective role of NAb.

ObjectiveTo study the effect and efficacy of Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet in the treatment of patients with COVID‑19 infection aged ≥90 years, to inform pharmacological treatment of patients aged ≥90 years with COVID‑19 infection. MethodsMild to moderate COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Geriatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University from March 2022 to June 2024, aged ≥90 years, and who had not been vaccinated against novel coronavirus were selected as the research subjects. A total of 112 patients who received Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet antiviral treatment within 5 days after the diagnosis of COVID‑19 infection were referred to the drug group, and 80 patients who were not treated with antiviral drugs were referred to as the control group. A retrospective research method was employed to gather and compare patitents’ clinical laboratory data before and after antiviral treatment, such as blood routine tests, inflammatory markers, coagulation function tests, liver and renal function tests, electrolyte levels, and blood gas analysis, between the drug group and the control group. Additionally, the time duration to negative conversion and 28-day all-cause mortality rates were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was conducted on factors associated with mortality, such as the oxyhemoglobin saturation after treatment, time duration to negative conversion, and the use of Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet or not, while correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy of Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet based on the level of oxyhemoglobin saturation, time duration to negative conversion, and all-cause mortality rates within 28 days. ResultsAfter treatment, oxyhemoglobin saturation increased in the drug group (t=-2.726, P=0.011), and the differences between the indicators in the control group compared to the pre-treatment period were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). The time to negative conversion and 28-day all-cause mortality of control group were higher than those in the drug group (all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the lower the post-treatment oxyhemoglobin saturation, the lower the use of Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet, the longer the time to conversion, and the higher the mortality rate of the patients (all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that treatment with Nirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet resulted in higher oxyhemoglobin saturation (r=0.425, P=0.008), shorter time to negative conversion (r=-0.398, P=0.013), and lower all-cause mortality rates within 28 days (r=-0.370, P=0.022). ConclusionNirmatrelvir tablet/Ritonavir tablet is effective in mild and moderate infection patients aged ≥90 years who have not been vaccinated against COVID‑19 infection, and can increase patients’ oxyhemoglobin saturation, shorten the time to negative conversion, and reduce 28-day all-cause mortality rate.

ObjectiveTo analyze the changes in the degree of coordination of China's major epidemic prevention and control efforts before and after the outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), so as to explore the impact of epidemic prevention and control measures on coordination dynamics. MethodsA total of 3 864 policy documents related to epidemic prevention and control from January 2000 to December 2020 across 31 provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities) in China were systematically collected. Contents specific to collaborative and cooperative efforts were extracted, and the extent of interdepartmental coordination were quantified to assess the effectiveness of epidemic prevention and control efforts. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was adopted to statistically analyze the differences between the indicators before and after the epidemic. ResultsThe average overall coordination level for major epidemic prevention and control in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities) increased from 43.06% to 97.62%, and the average coordination levels in the eastern, central, and western China soared from 42.29%, 37.50%, and 47.46%, to 98.81%, 96.20%, and 97.46%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). In terms of department categorization, coordination levels in the professional departments and the key support departments peaked at 100.00%, while other support departments rose to 95.43%, with an increase of 77.15%, 181.85%, and 139.89%, respectively, exhibiting noteworthy statistically significant differences (all P<0.001). ConclusionThe scope of coordination departments of China’s major epidemic prevention and control exists a remarkable surge following the COVID-19 outbreak, notable heightened coordination is particularly observed among the key support departments. Future endeavors should prioritize the roles played by diverse departments in epidemic prevention and control, enhancing both the clarity of departmental responsibilities and the effectiveness of interdepartmental coordination.