Media and scientific communication about the COVID-19 pandemic and the repercussions on the population's mental health: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Good communication strategies are essential in times of crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic. The dissemination of inaccurate information and the need for social isolation to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have shown a negative impact on the population, causing damage to mental health, with the appearance or worsening of symptoms of stress, fear, anxiety, and depression. Thus, the systematic review study is intended to gather evidence on the impact of information about COVID-19 on the mental health of the population. METHODS: This systematic review protocol is conducted using the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocols and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The review aims to include published studies that address the exposure of the general population to information about COVID-19, through observational and experimental studies, which consider the following outcomes: fear, stress, anxiety, and depression. Thus, a comprehensive research strategy will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed / Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two independent reviewers will perform all procedures, such as study selection, data collection, and methodological evaluation. Disagreements will be forwarded to a third reviewer. RevMan 5.3 software will be used for data analysis. RESULTS: This systematic review will provide evidence of the influence of access to and consumption of media and scientific information about COVID-19 on the mental health of the population. It will consider information about the characterization of the study and the population studied, clinical and epidemiological information on mental health, and data on access to and consumption of media and scientific information. DISCUSSION: The results should inform about the consequences of communication about the new coronavirus on the emergence or worsening of psychological and psychiatric symptoms, allowing to develop strategies to achieve effective communication of information to promote the mental health of the population. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020182918.

The Control and Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission in Children: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic following the rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has hit all continents and caused thousands of deaths worldwide. Evidence has been published on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of population groups considered at risk; however, information for the other population groups, especially for the child population, is needed. In this context, this protocol describes a systematic review that will aim to identify the evidence on control and prevention of COVID-19 transmission among children and adolescents, as well as to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical and immunological characteristics of COVID-19 in this population. METHODS: This protocol will be developed in accordance with PRISMA-P. The searches will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, and Scopus, seeking clinical trials. Observational studies and case reports with Children and adolescents (≤19 years) infected with SARS-CoV-2 will be included whether they report information on the control of prevention and COVID-19 transmission. Two independent researchers will perform the selection of articles, removal of duplication, and screening by Rayyan QCRI application. Cochrane's RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I, and CASP tools will be used to assess the risk of bias. Meta-analysis, subgroup analyses, and/or descriptive analyses will be carried out based on the data conditions included. RESULTS: A high-quality synthesis of the available evidences on the epidemiological profile, the clinical and immunological characteristics involved in children, and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as the participation of this population in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 will be provided. CONCLUSION: This systematic review has an important relevance in the current context because it has a great potential to help the development of new control and prevention strategies in the pediatric population. RECORD OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEW: CRD42020179263.