Background: The B.1.167.2 (Delta) variant quickly became the predominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain in the USA during summer 2021. Missouri identified a high number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) across the state with low vaccination rates among LTCF staff members and poor adherence to mitigation measures within local communities.
Aim: To describe COVID-19 outbreaks that occurred in Missouri LTCFs impacting staff and residents during the surge of the Delta variant.
Methods: Outbreaks of COVID-19 in 178 LTCFs were identified by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Case data from LTCFs with the highest burden of disease were analysed to assess disease transmission, vaccination status, and outcomes among residents and staff. Additional investigational measures included onsite visits to facilities with recent COVID-19 outbreaks in communities with substantial transmission to assess mitigation measures.
Findings: During April 22 to July 29, 2021, 159 COVID-19 cases among 72 staff members and 87 residents were identified in 10 LTCFs. More than 74.7% of resident cases were vaccinated compared to 23.6% of staff cases. Vaccinated residents had a lower proportion of hospitalizations and deaths reported compared to unvaccinated residents. Data analysis and contact-tracing efforts from a sample of the facilities suggest that staff members were likely a major factor in introducing SARS-CoV-2 virus into the facilities. Adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures varied at the visited facilities.
Conclusion: Data showed that vaccination rates varied between staff cases and resident cases in facilities with high-burden outbreaks. Differences were identified in mitigation practices in at least two facilities.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9867838 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2022.12.022 | DOI Listing |
Front Public Health
January 2025
Department of Psychology, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Introduction: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, and the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 (a country bordering Poland on the east) have significantly impacted the mental health of young people in Poland, leading to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. The rising number of individuals struggling to cope with daily stressors, as well as non-normative stressors, may indicate a decrease in the individual's potential, specifically in skills, attitudes, and competencies required to overcome difficulties that they encounter. It can be assumed that for young people, maintaining mental health under the influence of social stressors, such as the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, depends on the ability to adapt positively, which is the ability of young individuals to adjust to situational demands in a way that allows them to effectively manage those situations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
January 2025
Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Fear of childbirth (FOC) or tokophobia adversely affects women during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. Childbirth fear may differ across regions and cultures. We aimed to identify factors influencing the fear of childbirth among the Asian population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlob Adv Integr Med Health
January 2025
Alameda County Health, San Leandro, CA, USA.
Background: Food as Medicine is a rapidly developing area of health care in the United States, aimed at concurrently addressing nutrition-sensitive chronic conditions and food and nutrition insecurity. Recipe4Health (R4H) is a Food as Medicine program with an integrative health equity focus. It provides prescriptions for locally grown produce ('Food Farmacy') with or without integrative group medical visits, alongside training for clinic staff.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalawi Med J
January 2025
Department of Infectious Disease, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
Objectives: The present study aimed to examine mood disorders in patients discharged from the hospital due to Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19).
Methods: The study included patients who were admitted to Akdeniz University with the diagnosis of COVID-19. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-5), and Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were administered to the patients at least 30 days after discharge.
Niger Med J
January 2025
Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Cholera remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with recurrent outbreaks exacerbated by inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, as well as conflict and displacement. This review examines cholera outbreaks in Nigeria from 2010 to 2024, analyzing epidemiological trends, contributing factors, and public health responses. Seasonal peaks during periods of heavy rainfall and flooding have consistently facilitated transmission, with Northern regions disproportionately affected due to poor infrastructure and ongoing conflicts.
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