ABSTRACT
During the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfection became an integral part of everybody's life in order to avoid spreading the coronavirus. In 2021, an original anonymous online survey was carried out. The questions concerned the usage of disinfectants. The study population included 56 subjects diagnosed by a physician with hand eczema (HE-derm group) and 114 subjects with no hand skin disease diagnosed by a specialist (non-derm). The HE and non-HE groups were distinguished. Nearly 80% of the HE group, and 10% of the non-HE group, experienced worsening of hand skin lesions caused by increased skin disinfection. HE-group respondents more often declared the occurrence of new hand skin symptoms, over 80% of the subjects of this group had more than 1 new symptom (compared to nearly 40% of the non-HE group). Exacerbations of the skin disease were more frequently observed by the HE group during the pandemic. There was a statistically significant decrease of the quality of life in the HE group compared to the non-HE group during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in the prevalence of hand skin symptoms and deterioration of the skin condition. Education on appropriate disinfection techniques and skincare, as well as early dermatological intervention, might allow us to limit the development of hand skin diseases.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) became the new social norm for preventing COVID-19, but with an impact on the skin barrier. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing PPE wearing, following hygiene rules, and effect on facial skin, including onset or exacerbation of dermatoses among healthcare workers (HCW) and non-healthcare workers (N-HCW). METHODS: In 2020, an original survey was carried out among 300 N-HCW and 60 HCW with 60 questions about using PPE and skin lesions experienced before and during the pandemic. Cross-sectional statistical analysis was completed to assess the interplay between environmental factors and maskne occurrence. RESULTS: The N-HCW group included 74% females and 26% males with an average age 24.67 ± 0.74. Among HCW respondents 91.7% were women and 8.3% were men, with an average age of 30.07 ± 0.36. All participants used PPE. Volunteers for N-HCW mainly chose a disposable (53.3%) and reusable masks (37.3%), while HCW preferred surgical (66.7%) and FFP2/FFP3/N95 masks (30%) and almost never used reusable masks (3.3%). HCW mainly spent 5-8 h with PPE, and N-HCW spent 1-4 h with PPE/day. Respondents with dermatological problems before the pandemic were more aware of the maskne and paid more attention to hygiene with PPE. Significantly, HCW experienced more severe facial skin lesions than N-HCW (p < 0.0001). There was statistical significance in following the basic hygienic rules of wearing PPE between both groups, where HCW practiced them more. CONCLUSIONS: Maskne is a current and urgent problem to be cured. HCW should receive help if they develop maskne, such as limited time spent in PPE and treatment of the results of wearing it, as it is the main trigger of developing maskne. In addition, education about the correct use and choice of PPE should be improved.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic health care systems worldwide rapidly implemented telemedicine solutions in order to avoid spreading the coronavirus among doctors and patients. Aim: To analyse the knowledge, usage, and attitude towards telemedicine among patients, dermatologists, and other doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: An original anonymous online survey was carried between 22 September 2020 and 29 December 2020 in Poland among 121 patients, 63 dermatologists, and 50 doctors of other specialties. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ2 test, and a statistically significant difference was considered at p < 0.05. Results: In the analysed period in the patient group 58.7% suffered from a skin disease and 79.3% used telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, 54.5% of all respondents viewed teleconsultations unfavourably, and 96.6% of dermatologists and 88% of other doctors had to schedule in office visit or ask for additional pictures because of an unclear clinical picture during teleconsultation. There was a statistical significance between dermatologists and other specialty doctors regarding telemedicine's ability to replace office visits, its usefulness in the elderly, and the duration of the teleconsultation compared to a traditional in-person visit (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results showed that in many cases issues raised during teleconsultations could not have been solved using telemedicine. The results obtained highlight the unfavourable perception of telehealth. Overall, telemedicine is a safe and useful tool for communicating with patients, increasing access to medical care, but it needs to be evaluated in the context of potential limitations and optimizing the patients' experience.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on the health services organisation, including that of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). AIM: To analyse and evaluate the influence of COVID-19 epidemic on the detection of STIs and healthcare services in a group of these patients on the base of the experience of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology and University Outpatient Clinic in Bialystok, Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of the number of consultations for suspicion of STIs, number of newly diagnosed cases of syphilis, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis infections and genital herpes in two periods: January 2019 - February 2020 (before the epidemic state was introduced) and March 2020 - April 2021 (during pandemic). STIs cases hospitalised in the same periods were also analysed. RESULTS: The number of hospitalisations and outpatient consultations decreased during pandemic as compared to the period before it (by 83.3% and 41.9%, respectively). Patients with syphilis constituted the majority in both periods, remaining STIs were few. During pandemic, the proportion of detected cases of syphilis was higher as compared to the time before it, despite the diminished number of consultations (39.4% and 28%, respectively). Majority of patients with syphilis were men (92.3% and 93.3%), among them men-who-have-sex-with-men constituted at least 50%. Early syphilis was diagnosed more frequently during pandemic than before it (92.3% and 78.6%, respectively), early symptomatic syphilis in particular (46.2% and 35.7%, respectively). HIV coinfection in syphilis patients was more frequent during pandemic (15.8% and 7.1%, respectively). More than half of these patients (53.8%) did not come for follow-up visits after treatment during pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic caused the decrease in number of outpatient STIs consultations and hospitalisations. The proportion of newly diagnosed cases of syphilis per number of consultations increased. The percentage of early syphilis cases, especially early symptomatic syphilis increased. Adherence to after treatment follow up was suboptimal.