A time-motion study on the operating room processes among pregnant COVID-19 patients undergoing cesarean section in a tertiary government hospital

@#Objective. This study aims to determine time and motion in the operating room in emergent, urgent and scheduled cesarean section surgeries among pregnant COVID-19 patients. Methodology. A time and motion performance evaluation study was done by computing the following parameters: pre-induction time, pre-incision time, opening time, closing time, for both decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) and overall operative time. Results. During the study period, emergent DDI average was 2 hours and 38 minutes, emergent overall operative time was 1 hour and 31 minutes, urgent DDI average was 3 hours and 51 minutes, and urgent overall operative time of 1 hour and 57 minutes. However, in both urgent and emergent cases, the recommended DDI of 30 minutes, and the average duration of 44.3 minutes for CS were not feasible. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the provision of surgical obstetric care and OR utilization. Due to the new safety protocol for healthcare workers and patients, there was a significant delay in DDI and overall operative time. The causes were preparation, anesthesia factors or obstetrician factors. Identifying modifiable obstacles may improve the DDI, overall operative time, and the quality of maternal and child birth care during this pandemic.

Age and gender differences regarding physical performance in the elderly from Barbados and Cuba / Diferencias por edad y sexo en el desempeño físico de ancianos de Barbados y Cuba

Objective Presenting physical performance tests' (PPTs) descriptive reference values and prevalence according to gender and age-group regarding a representative sample of non-institutionalised older adults (aged 60 and over) living in Bridgetown (Barbados) and Havana (Cuba). Methods This was a cross-sectional, population-based household survey. In Bridgetown and Havana, respectively, 1,508 and 1,905 subjects were examined who had been selected by probabilistic sampling. PPTs included handgrip strength, standing balance, timed repeated "chair stand" and "pick up a pen." Results The results from Bridgetown and Havana showed that values (mean ± standard deviations and percentiles) for men were greater than women in handgrip strength and "chair stand" tests (p≤0.01). Increasing age led to both genders having reduced (p≤0.001) prevalence of people having better results for each test (based on chi-square). Men had proportionately better scores than women in the four tests. Conclusion The data suggested that younger people and men had better physical performance. Men and women in both countries had differences regarding the prevalence of people unable to perform the tests and better test results, according to the test and age-group. The data provided information about the range of performance that can be expected from people in different ages and helped understand usual rates of change in age-groups.

Objetivo Presentar valores de referencia y la prevalencia del desempeño en pruebas físicas (PPTs), de acuerdo con el sexo y la edad de una muestra de ancianos no institucionalizados (60 años y más) residentes en Bridgetown (Barbados) y La Habana (Cuba). Métodos Estudio transversal de base poblacional y domicilio. Se examinaron 1 508 y 1 905 individuos en Bridgetown y La Habana, respectivamente, seleccionados por medio de una muestra probabilistica. Los PPTs incluían fuerza de la mano (FM), equilibrio, y las pruebas "sentar y levantar" (SL) y "coger el lápiz" (PL), repetidas en el tiempo. Resultados Los resultados de Bridgetown y La Habana mostraron: a. Los valores (media ± desviación estándar y percentiles) de los hombres fueron mayores que los de las mujeres en las pruebas de FM y SL (p=0,01); b. Con el avance de la edad, ambos sexos mostraron reducción (p=0,001) en la prevalencia de individuos con mejor resultado de cada prueba (ji-cuadrado); c. Los hombres presentaron mejores puntajes que las mujeres en las cuatro pruebas. Conclusión Los dados sugieren que los hombres y los individuos más jóvenes tienen mejor desempeño físico. Hombres y mujeres de los dos países, de acuerdo con la prueba y grupo de edad, presentan diferencia en la prevalencia de individuos incapaces y con mejores resultados en las pruebas. Los dados suministran información sobre la variabilidad que puede ser esperada, del desempeño de individuos de diferentes edades y auxilian en la comprensión de tasas de alteración entre los grupos de edad.

Objetivo Apresentar valores de referência e a prevalência do desempenho em testes físicos (PPTs), de acordo com sexo e grupo etário, de uma amostra de idosos não institucionalizados (60 anos e mais) residentes em Bridgetown (Barbados) e Havana (Cuba). Métodos Trata-se de estudo transversal de base populacional e domiciliar. Foram examinados 1 508 e 1 905 indivíduos em Bridgetown e Havana, respectivamente, selecionados por amostra probabilística. Os PPTs incluiram força de preensão manual (FPM), equilíbrio, e os testes "sentar e levantar" (SL) e "pegar o lápis" (PL), avaliados por tempo. Resultados Os resultados de Bridgetown e Havana mostraram: a) valores (media ± desvio padrão e percentis) dos homens foram maiores do que os das mulheres nos testes de FPM e SL (p≤0,01); b) com o avanço da idade, ambos os sexos mostraram redução (p≤ 0,001) na prevalência de indivíduos com melhor resultado em cada teste (teste qui-quadrado); c) os homens apresentaram melhores escores do que as mulheres nos quatro testes. Conclusão Os dados sugerem que os homens e os indivíduos mais jovens têm melhor desempenho físico. Homens e mulheres dos dois países, de acordo com o teste e grupo etário, apresentam diferença na prevalência de indivíduos incapazes e com melhores resultados nos testes. Os dados fornecem informação sobre a variabilidade que pode ser esperada, do desempenho de indivíduos de diferentes idades e auxiliam na compreensão de taxas de alteração entre os grupos etários.