Deadly Synergy: between Postcovid & Posttrauma Stress Syndrome in Areas of Armed Conflicts in COVID-I9 Era (Note)

Postcovid syndrome affects 5-20% of all patients with symp-tomatic Covid-I9 infection, resulting in temporary or perma-nent disability for next weeks or months. The commonest syn-dromes after long Covid-I9, (or chronic fatigue syndrome after Covid, or as synonymum postcovid syndrome) are psychic or psychosomatic disorders known under the name Depression and Anxiety Syndrome. After the unrest and armed conflicts during the Covid era, clients or patients, mainly migrants of war, are also exposed to chronic post trauma syndrome related to previous or recent de-struction of infrastructure, temporary homelesness and escape from affected regions/country. Cumulation of those 2 syndro-mes may have devastating consequences to both, individual health and economic losses due to permanent working and eco-nomy disabilities and consumption of health and social funds. After the unrest and armed conflicts during Covid era,clients or patients, mainly migrants of war, are also exposed to chronic post trauma syndrome related to previous or recent destruction of infrastructure, temporary homelesness and escape from af-fected regions/country.

Alcoholism - Epidemic of the Current Time after COVID-19 Pandemic (Letter to the Editor)

Introduction: Harmful consumption of alcohol has a serious impact on public health and is considered as one of the main risk factors for health damage and disease on a global level. Increased consumption of alcohol is dangerous at any age;however, a greater risk has been shown at younger age. For this reason, our research has been focused on the consumption of alcoholic beverages among adolescents. Objective: We investigated the attitudes of students in relation to alcohol consumption. Material and methodology: To obtain necessary information, we used existing available professional literature and a non -standardized questionnaire. For the defined research goal, we included in the research group older elementary school students and high school students. 272 respondents took overall part in the research. To test the hypotheses, we used Pearson's chi-square test of independence, Student's t-test and one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA test -non-parametric version). Results: The results showed significant differences in alcohol consumption between smokers and non-smokers of elementary school students and high school students. In the observed group, today's generation of young people and teenagers have almost equal experiences with alcohol, whereas boys have a slightly higher drinking frequency. We also confirmed the con-nection between the frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages and smoking. Regarding prevention, girls perceive a higher prevention than boys, but the subjective rate of alco-holism prevention importance is not age related. Conclusion: Of all the negative phenomena of modern human society, alcoholism is the most dangerous, due to its massive distribution. Therefore, prevention at primary level is to be taken seriously, which emphasizes a controlled consumption of alcohol. Considering the unfavorable statistical indicators of the increased alcohol consumption, especially in case of women, it is necessary to create long-term selective preventive programs.

Northern Perspectives: Commissioning and Clinical Operation of the Northernmost Linear Accelerators in Canada

Purpose: Offering radiation therapy services closer to northern communities is an exciting step forward in improving patient quality of care in Canada. Thanks to close collaboration between Alberta cancer centers, expert and high quality treatment is now possible closer to home for more Canadians. Methods: The development of an excellent program in a short time frame was possible thanks to strong collaborations within Alberta as well as with the wider Medical Physics community. Virtualization of training and day-to-day communication allows a center, 500 km away from the next nearest radiation therapy program, to still draw on expertise of dozens of medical physicists, radiation therapists, and radiation oncologists. Results: A collaborative and competent local team has come together around a patient centric program that treats patients close to home. The team is treating 14 patients daily. With staffing to fully utilizing one unit at a time, the team has treated over 60 patients since opening. The response from the community is overwhelmingly positive and there is high demand for treatments. Conclusion: A new radiation therapy treatment center was opened in a northern community during a global pandemic. Lessons learned have application to the opening of radiation therapy centers across Canada especially as Covid continues to be an ebbing and flowing global threat. The response from the community and the benefits to patient quality of life is also motivation for other jurisdictions to bring radiation therapy closer to all Canadians.