ABSTRACT
Purpose: Institutional residents experienced more restrictions in the lockdown of covid-19. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of loneliness and lonely literacy with mental health wellbeing during covid-19 for older institutional residents. Methods: The participants living in the 13 long-term care institutions who were aged 65 and more and able to communicate with were invited in the survey (n=143). Mental well-being was measured by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Loneliness was measured by the 6-item UCLA loneliness scale. In addition, demographics, health status, active and passive coping strategies, social support from family and friends, social interaction changes after covid-19, loneliness change after covid-19, and worries about covid-19 were investigated. Linear regression and logistic regression models were conducted. Results: The mean of the loneliness score (6~24) was 9.71 (SD=4.02). Factors related to loneliness increased during covid-19 for the institutionalized residents included having more physical function difficulties (OR=1.179), feeling more lonely (OR=1.146), and having more worries for covid-19 (OR=2.317). The residents having depressive symptoms was related to have more loneliness (OR=1.269), worse self-rate health (OR=0.320), and increased more loneliness during covid-19 (OR=3.233);while having high life satisfaction was related to less loneliness (OR=0.859), less physical difficulties (OR=0.834), higher satisfaction of family support (OR=2.835), and not increasing loneliness during covid-19 (OR=0.255). Conclusion: Loneliness during covid-19 is related to more depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction, especially during covid-19. Learning active coping strategy and providing proactive and helpful environment for the long-term care residents is suggested during the pandemics.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changes and characteristics of pediatric outpatient visits in a general hospital before and after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic. METHODS: Based on the registration data of pediatric outpatient visits in the information system (HIS)of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, from January 1 2018 to December 31 2020, aged 0 to 16 years, we analyzed the changes of outpatient visits before and after the epidemic, focusing on respiratory infection including influenza. The relationship between the outpatient visits and age and quarterly distribution were also studied. RESULTS: (1) Respiratory infection accounted for the majority of outpatient visits in 2018 and 2019 (60.6% and 60.5%, respectively). Non-respiratory infection accounted for the main proportion of outpatient visits in 2020, while respiratory infection accounted for only 47.4%. Annual respiratory infection visits, respiratory infectious diseases visits especially influenza visits all decreased significantly in 2020 compared with that in 2018 and 2019 (P < 0.05). (2)Respiratory infection visits were highest in the infant group, lowest in the school age group (P < 0.05) and highest in the fourth quarter each year. It decreased significantly in the second quarter of 2020 with statistical significance when compared with the other quarters of 2020(P < 0.05). (3)Influenza accounted for the highest proportion of respiratory infectious diseases visits in each year. It was highest in first quarter, which was significantly different from the other quarters of the year (P < 0.05). There were different distributions of influenza visits throughout 2018 and 2019, while it was only distributed in the first quarter and 99% in January in 2020. CONCLUSION: The respiratory infection and influenza visits have decreased significantly in our pediatric outpatient department after the COVID-19 epidemic, which is considered closely related to the lifestyle and personal protection after the epidemic. It is recommended that health education on respiratory infection and influenza prevention should be strengthened, especially in winter and spring, to promote the development of good respiratory and hand hygiene habits.
ABSTRACT
The World Health Organization's Decade of Healthy Aging began in 2020. This article focuses on nutrition's role in healthy aging with examples of older adult nutrition programs in Canada, the European Union, and the United States, including work of the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, the European Malnutrition in the Elderly Knowledge Hub, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. These programs have integrated screening for frailty and malnutrition into older adult care across the spectrum of settings, which has become increasingly important during the global COVID-19 pandemic. This article demonstrates the important role of nutrition in promoting healthy aging.