ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence on palliative care implementation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This is a scoping review based on the methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Virtual Health Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EBSCO, Embase, PsycInfo (R) and Science Direct were analyzed using the descriptors "palliative care" and "coronavirus" and the keyword "COVID-19". Thirty studies were selected for analysis. Results: This review showed strategies for palliative care implementation using protocols and telemedicine, to facilitate communication, and showed how palliative therapy approach has been, revealing the need to promote comfort and welcoming patients and family members in times of pain and grief. Conclusion: The palliative care principles contribute to comprehensive care, but its implementation amidst the crisis is a challenge. It is important to provide conditions to apply it in the daily life of health services, even in pandemic scenarios.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with mortality and survival of COVID-19 cases in a state of the Brazilian Northeast. It is a historical cohort with a secondary database of 2070 people that presented flu-like symptoms, sought health assistance in the state and tested positive to COVID-19 until 14 April 2020, only moderate and severe cases were hospitalised. The main outcome was death as a binary variable (yes/no). It also investigated the main factors related to mortality and survival of the disease. Time since the beginning of symptoms until death/end of the survey (14 April 2020) was the time variable of this study. Mortality was analysed by robust Poisson regression, and survival by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. From the 2070 people that tested positive to COVID-19, 131 (6.3%) died and 1939 (93.7%) survived, the overall survival probability was 87.7% from the 24th day of infection. Mortality was enhanced by the variables: elderly (HR 3.6; 95% CI 2.3-5.8; P < 0.001), neurological diseases (HR 3.9; 95% CI 1.9-7.8; P < 0.001), pneumopathies (HR 2.6; 95% CI 1.4-4.7; P < 0.001) and cardiovascular diseases (HR 8.9; 95% CI 5.4-14.5; P < 0.001). In conclusion, mortality by COVID-19 in Ceará is similar to countries with a large number of cases of the disease, although deaths occur later. Elderly people and comorbidities presented a greater risk of death.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/mortality , Pneumonia, Viral/mortality , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Brazil/epidemiology , COVID-19 , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Cohort Studies , Comorbidity , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Diabetes Complications/complications , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Intensive Care Units , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Kidney Diseases/complications , Lung Diseases/complications , Male , Middle Aged , Nervous System Diseases/complications , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Poisson Distribution , Proportional Hazards Models , Risk Factors , Sex Factors , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to analyze the temporal trend of incidence, mortality, coverage of wards and intensive care beds, and rigid social isolation in the Ceara State and correlate them. Methods: Ecological study, which outcome variable was the mortality rate. Predictors were incidence, occupation rate of bed wards and intensive care beds, and social isolation rate. It was performed a multiple linear regression considering significant when p<0.05. Results: It was observed an increasing trend of incidence and mortality by COVID-19 in the Ceara State (p = 0.01). On the other hand, it was seen a decreasing trend in the occupation of wards and intensive care beds (p = 0.02). The social isolation rate significantly decreased during the period (p = 0.001). In the multiple linear regression, social isolation remained inversely related to mortality by COVID-19 (beta = 0.08;p = 0,02). Conclusion: It was seen the effect of rigid social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemics. The anticipated implementation of it, with other public health actions, showed relevance to guarantee the continuity of its benefits.
ABSTRACT
Vulnerability is a crucial factor in addressing COVID-19 as it can aggravate the disease. Thus, it should be considered in COVID-19 control and health prevention and promotion. This ecological study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of the incidence of COVID-19 cases in a Brazilian metropolis and its association with social vulnerability indicators. Spatial scan analysis was used to identify COVID-19 clusters. The variables for identifying the vulnerability were inserted in a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model to identify their spatial relationship with COVID-19 cases. The incidence of COVID-19 in Fortaleza was 74.52/10,000 inhabitants, with 3,554 reported cases and at least one case registered in each neighborhood. The spatial GWR showed a negative relationship between the incidence of COVID-19 and demographic density (beta=-0,0002) and a positive relationship between the incidence of COVID-19 and the percentage of self-employed >18 years (beta=1.40), and maximum per capita household income of the poorest fifth (beta=0.04). The influence of vulnerability indicators on incidence showed areas that can be the target of public policies to impact the incidence of COVID-19.