Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities最新文献

The COVID-19 pandemic is a highly infectious disease of paramount public health importance. COVID-19 is mainly transmitted via human-to-human contact. This could be through self-inoculation resulting from failure to observe proper hand hygiene and infection control practices. Our objective was to develop a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) model for determining the efficacy of wearing makeup as a mitigation in reducing COVID-19 transmission between genders. Utilizing the epidemiologic problem oriented approach methodology, after reviewing different published literature, and data collected from different sources including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), selected journals, and reports, a comprehensive knowledgebase was developed. A conceptual scenario tree drown based on the knowledgebase. Variables were grouped into five major parameters. Monte Carlo simulations of QRA parameters were run utilizing @Risk software. The probability of COVID-19 transmission due to the face-touching frequency times per hour ranged from 2.30 × 10-7 to 3.87 × 10-5 with the mean and standard deviation (SD) of 7.93 × 10-6 and 6.37 × 10-6 respectively. The probability of transmission due to T-zone touching frequency times per hour for all the participants and those females who usually wear makeup and both males and few females who do not, with values ranging from 9.66 × 10-8 to 7.20 × 10-6 with the mean and SD of 1.85 × 10-6 and 1.29 × 10-6 respectively. Females were the less likely to touch their faces (45%), compared to males (55%). Females were less likely to touch their faces and contact with the T-zone when wearing makeup (24%) than that of those who did not (62%). Wearing makeup is a way to create a barrier between your face, especially the T-zone and your contaminated hands. The use of makeup can be utilized as a mitigation, which reduces the likelihood of face touching and thus in the transmission of COVID-19.

Introduction: COVID-19 infects minority groups with comorbidities at higher rates than whites. In addition, children are at risk of vaccine hesitancy based on parents' acceptance and due to disparity. About twenty percent of workers would get vaccinated, especially if required by work.

Methods: A community survey was created and distributed in Qualtrics© to focus on vaccine hesitancy. We collected demographics, attitudes, knowledge, and acceptance of vaccines on a post-survey following COVID-19 training from July 2021 through January 2023. The number of participants in the survey was 159.

Results: Women comprised 81.8% of the survey participants. The sample included African Americans (73.6%), Latinos (25.8%), Non-Hispanic whites (16.4%), Native Americans (1.9%), and Asians (1.6%). In addition, 93.6% spoke English and 16.4% spoke Spanish. The medical plans documented were 63% private insurance, 15.3% Medicare, 10.2% Medicaid, and 11.5% no coverage. The vaccine training post-survey demonstrated correct knowledge scores ranged from 79.2% to 94.7%. The documented attitude was 6.3% for those who did not want the vaccine, 6.3% believed the vaccine was not safe, and 10% for those concerned with the side effects.

Conclusion: After the training, participants gained a strong knowledge of the concepts that the trainer presented to them. A small number of individuals had a reduced attitude toward vaccination.

This commentary explores how the Trump administration transformed the COVID-19 pandemic into a political tool, using it to advance divisive agendas and bolster partisan support. The article highlights President Trump's initial dismissal of the virus as a minor issue, the administration's mishandling of preparedness, and the reliance on disinformation. By politicizing mask-wearing and reopening strategies, Trump shifted public discourse, prioritizing economic interests over public health. This dangerous rhetoric led to a sharp rise in infections and deaths, disproportionately affecting Black and brown communities. The analysis calls for voters to consider the administration's failings as a vital factor in future elections, urging the public to understand the life-or-death stakes involved.

Introduction: There was an outbreak of COVID-19 during the first months of the pandemic in an underserved geriatric institution, which had no fatalities. This study aimed to describe the detection, isolation, and mitigation process of the residents infected by COVID-19. We also assessed factors associated with the infection among 252 institutionalized older adults.

Methods: The setting was a Geriatric Hospital and Nursing Home San Miguel, the larger 1stlevel geriatric hospital and nursing home, in Cali, Colombia. We made a cross-sectional analysis of residents' characteristics by infection status, no-infected vs. infected.

Results: This population had a median age of 80 years (range 55 to 103); 50% were women, and 84 (33.3%) were infected, but none died and did not go to the ICU or were referred to a higher-level hospital. In a multivariate logistic regression model, infection was associated with age, female gender, lower grip strength performance, and higher clinical frailty scale score. There was a significant interaction effect between age and the clinical frailty scale on infection, indicating that frailer was associated with infection among those at ancient ages (≥80). Conclusions: All institutionalized older adults with COVID-19 infection in this geriatric institution survived. It is likely related to appropriate general medical and nursing management, including well-controlled comorbidities, individualized interdisciplinary rehabilitation, attention, and support.

The emergence of the Novel COVID-19 Pandemic has undoubtedly impacted the lives of individuals across the globe. It has drawn the attention of major public health agencies as they work intensely towards understanding the behavior of the virus causing the disease, while simultaneously establishing ways to curb the spread of the virus among populations. As of the time of writing, 7,949,973 confirmed cases have been reported globally; with the United States (US) contributing to 26.4% (2,096,902 of 7,949,973) of case infections. Additionally, 434,181 deaths have been reported with the US contributing to 26.7% (115,755 of 434,181) of case fatalities. At least 21.0% of these cases in the US belong to the Black Non-Hispanic ethnic group, resulting in an added burden to the many existing health disparities facing this Black population. Tuskegee University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Deep South, has a majority Black Non-Hispanic population that is disproportionally susceptible to contracting COVID-19. By conducting an overall evaluation of those initial and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response actions implemented by the HBCU, our study investigations support the basis for understanding and assessing the impact of implementing effective public health measures at a minority serving institution. The evaluation exercise has captured a unique framework model that can be used for analyzing direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic to the HBCUs. The framework has allowed for the identification of integrative and modular interactions among stakeholders, mechanisms and actions implemented by the university's leadership through appointed committees such as the Community Health Task Force (CHTF). The designed systematic framework was used to understand how the mitigating response actions taken by the HBCU contributed to keeping the institution's 'community family' as safe as possible through the existing pandemic. The framework model is a potentially effective tool that can be used to enhance the Institutional Infectious Disease Response Plan, and to develop policies necessary to manage outbreaks of a similar nature. Investigations also suggest that through the implementation of public health best practices and recommendations in accordance with those released by public health agencies, the burden of the pandemic can be reduced and community spread of COVID-19 prevented, when HBCUs strategically manage the interactions among its resources on campus.

The study investigates the potential impact of COVID-19 vaccines on menstrual cycles, with a particular focus on Black women and those with underlying reproductive health conditions. Despite numerous reports of menstrual irregularities post-vaccination, research on this subject remains limited. The study aims to explore whether these irregular cycles could indicate broader reproductive health concerns, such as reduced ovarian reserve, and whether certain vaccines are more likely to cause these changes. It also examines the concept of «contraceptive masking,» where hormonal contraceptives may mask the true extent of underlying reproductive health issues. A survey was conducted among women of diverse racial and geographical backgrounds to assess changes in menstruation following COVID-19 vaccination. The findings revealed that Pfizer's vaccine was most associated with menstrual changes, including heavier and longer periods, particularly after the second dose. In some cases, women who rarely menstruated before vaccination began to experience cycles post-vaccination. The study also suggests that vaccination timing relative to the menstrual cycle may influence these changes. Women of color, especially Black women, may be at higher risk for vaccine-related menstrual disturbances due to a higher prevalence of conditions like fibroids. The research emphasizes the need for further studies on the effects of COVID-19 vaccines on menstruation, particularly among women of color and those with reproductive health conditions. It also calls for individualized treatment plans to address these potential side effects and prevent serious conditions, such as premature ovarian failure, from being overlooked.

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has brought to the forefront racial disparities in health outcomes across the US, but there is limited formal analysis into factors associated with these disparities. In-depth examination of COVID-19 disparities has been challenging due to inconsistent case definition, isolation procedures, and incomplete racial and medical information. As of June 2020, over 14,000 (25%) confirmed COVID-19 cases in Georgia did not have racial information. However, nearly all COVID-19 deaths had racial and ethnic information for analysis. Using county-level information from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the national County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, we found that Black Americans represented 31.5% of all Georgia residents but 46% of COVID-19 deaths. In the metropolitan Atlanta area, this over-representation was most pronounced in Fulton County which houses the City of Atlanta. The opposite pattern - worse disparity in counties surrounding the central city-bearing county - was instead observed in Albany, Columbus, and Macon, with no significant disparity difference in counties surrounding Savannah. Principal component analysis of health-related outcomes and social determinants of health from these 46 counties identified 17 themes, with greater racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths associated with worse air pollution, more rural communities, and paradoxically greater adherence to guidelines for screening mammography. We conclude that factors associated with the virus responsible for COVID-19 and healthcare disproportionately impact Black Americans.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the perceptions held by undergraduate students enrolled in four sociology courses regarding their online learning experiences as many institutions looked to online learning in the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-nine students completed 30-minute semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that that lack of access to the internet was detrimental in regard to their role in acquiring knowledge in an online environment. The quantity and quality of interactions through the online courses were not meaningful. Online learning was detrimental. Assignments were easily overlooked/forgotten. Overall, students did not perceive their online educational experiences as beneficial in comparison to their classroom experiences.

We sought to determine the association between HIV-related medical mistrust (or belief in HIV conspiracy theories) and educational attainment among Blacks that are living with HIV. We analyzed data from the regional Survey on HIV in the Black Community in Alabama. HIV-related medical mistrust w or HIV Genocidal Conspiracy Theories were reported by majority of the patients. In multivariable analysis, controlling for income, education, and marital status, belief in conspiracy theories or HIV Genocidal Conspiracy Theories were significantly associated with higher education. The HIV-Related Medical Mistrust Scale item was independently associated with higher education. This finding speaks to the need for an improved understanding of the role of HIV related medical mistrust among African Americans to improve uptake of biomedical HIV prevention.