Greater In-Hospital Care and Early Rehabilitation Needs in People with COVID-19 Compared with Those without COVID-19.

↔This study aims to compare the characteristics, in-hospital data and rehabilitation needs between those who tested positive versus negative for COVID-19 during hospitalisation with suspected COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of adults admitted to Western Australian tertiary hospitals with suspected COVID-19 was recruited. Participants were grouped according to their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result into COVID-19 positive (COVID+) and COVID-19 negative (COVID-) groups. Between-group comparisons of characteristics of the participants and hospital admission data were performed. Sixty-five participants were included (38 COVID+ and 27 COVID-; 36 females [55%]). Participants in the COVID+ group had greater acute hospital length of stay (LOS) (median [25-75th percentile] 10 [5-21] vs. 3 [2-5] days; p < 0.05] and only those with COVID+ required mechanical ventilation (8 [21%] participants). Twenty-one percent of the COVID+ participants were discharged to inpatient rehabilitation (7% of the COVID- participants). Of note, pre-existing pulmonary disease was more prevalent in the COVID- group (59% vs. 13%; p < 0.05). Within the COVID+ group, when compared to participants discharged home, those who required inpatient rehabilitation had worse peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) on admission (86 ± 5.7% vs. 93 ± 3.8%; p < 0.05) and longer median LOS (30 [23-37] vs. 7 [4-13] days; p < 0.05). Despite having less people with pre-existing pulmonary disease, the COVID+ group required more care and rehabilitation than the COVID- group. In the COVID+ group, SpO2 on hospital presentation was associated with LOS, critical care needs, mechanical ventilation duration and the need for inpatient rehabilitation.

Sleep quality and associated factors amongst Brazilian physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of sleep problems and associated factors among Brazilian physiotherapists during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Cross-sectional online survey of physiotherapists in Brazil. Sociodemographic data, sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI) and symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress (21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - DASS-21) were assessed. RESULTS: 342 physiotherapists responded the survey (18% male, median age 31 [27-38] years, 78% frontline workers). The three biggest fears reported by frontline physiotherapists were fear of being infected (48%), shortage of personal protective equipment (24%) and the severity of the disease (16%). The overall prevalence of poor sleep quality was 86%. Frontline physiotherapists showed worse scores on all PSQI components but sleep latency, disturbances and daytime dysfunction (p ≤ 0.037). Symptoms of anxiety and stress were highest in frontline workers (p ≤ 0.032). Being a frontline worker was independently associated with a poor sleep quality (odds ratio [95% CI] 1.99 [1.01 to 3.93]). CONCLUSION: Poor sleep quality was highly prevalent among Brazilian physiotherapists during the COVID-19 outbreak. Frontline physiotherapists showed worse sleep quality and more symptoms of anxiety and stress than non-frontline physiotherapists. Being at the frontline was associated with a higher chance of poor sleep quality.