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Introduction: Scientific production has experienced an unprecedented increase with the COVID-19 pandemic in a short period of time. Objective: To identify and characterize the Latin American scientific production on nanotechnology-based products with potential applications in the areas of diagnosis, vaccine, pharmacological treatment, theranostics and non-pharmacological intervention to fight COVID-19. Method: A scoping review was conducted based on the framework of Arksey and O'Malley and sought to incorporate recommendations from the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The bibliographic search took place in PubMed, Science Direct, LILACS and SciELO. Studies that reported nanotechnology-based products with potential applications in the areas of interest referenced previously were included. A simple quantitative analysis was conducted to provide numerical summaries of characteristics of interest from the studies added to the review. Results: 26 (3.4%) articles published in 14 international and regional journals were included. Authors from five countries (Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico) were responsible for the total number of articles that made up the review. The production of 6 (23.1%) articles included international collaboration, involving institutions from 10 countries. The median time from submission to publication of articles was 126 days (interquartile range: 58-200). Most of the Latin American scientific production consisted of narrative reviews (n = 19;73.1%). The five areas defined as of interest for this study were addressed by one of the scientific articles, especially the products intended for pharmacological treatment of COVID-19 (n = 14;53.8%). Conclusions: This is the first scoping review to provide a map of Latin American scientific production on nanotechnology-based products with potential applications in areas of interest to fight COVID-19. There are deficiencies related to the publication of basic research, representativeness of Latin American countries in the region, studies with greater strength of evidence and to international collaboration to produce scientific articles that merit to be reduced.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the experience of higher education with potentially negative consequences for students' wellbeing. Objective(s): To compare medicine/dentistry students' depression/ anxiety/stress levels before versus during the pandemic and to analyse the role of COVID-19-related stressors in their psychological distress. Method(s): Students from the Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra answered socio-demographic and personality questionnaires and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale/DASS before (academic years 2016-2017-2018-2019 - SAMPLE1;n=1000) and during (September-December 2020 and January-March 2021 - SAMPLE2;n=650) the COVID-19 pandemic. Mean age (21.12+/-3.75), personality traits scores, and gender proportions (75% girls) did not significantly differ between samples. SAMPLE2 also filled in the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and a new version of the Inventory of Sources of Stress During Medical Education/ISSDME, containing a COVID-19 -related dimension (restrictions on training and on socializing with friends/colleagues). Result(s): SAMPLE2 presented significantly higher mean scores of depression (3.89+/-3.55vs.3.33+/-3.34), anxiety (3.27+/-4.08vs.2.86+/-3.29), stress (7.07+/-5.72vs.6.18+/-4.59) and total DASS (12.28+/-10.55vs.13.65+/-11.13) than SAMPLE1 (all p<.05). Fear of COVID-19 was a significant predictor of DASS score (adjusted R2=2.9%, p<.001). COVID-19-related stressors continued explaining significant increments of DASS variance after controlling for each of the ISSDME dimensions: Course demands (R2 Change=1.8%), Human demands (2.5%), Lifestyle (2.3%), Academic competition (5.5%), and Academic adjustment (5.2%) (all p<.001). Conclusion(s): This study adds to the evidence of the negative impact of COVID-19 on students and emphasizes its pernicious role on medical students' psychological distress, which is already higher due to the individual and academic stressors to which they are more exposed.
ABSTRACT
Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) prognosis is determined by a wide range of factors, such as the severity of the disease manifestations, the psychosocial aspects of patients, the proper management of comorbidities, adoption of a healthy lifestyle and adherence to treatment. Studies on chronic diseases highlight the value of patient education to foster treatment adherence and improve prognosis. Objectives: To promote health education to SLE patients and their families providing accessible and comprehensive Scientific information, in order to improve adherence to treatment and the patient's prognosis. Methods: The Waiting Room Project is linked to the Extension Health Care Program for SLE patients and their families of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, since 2011. A total of 700 patients under SLE treatment at the Rheumatology Unit of the University Hospital are involved. Medical students and rheumatology fellows, altogether, developed high-quality informative texts, with clear content and layman language appropriate for the patient, under the supervision of the rheumatology professors. The texts are illustrated by the team of the Communication Department of the Medical School and medical students, and are printed in a leafet format. The material is handed out to the patients, while they wait for their medical appointment, by the students and the care team. The content of the leafets is discussed, making sure that all the concerns and doubts are properly addressed Results: The Waiting Room Project has produced 17 leafets, addressing different aspects of SLE, comorbidities, and treatment. The texts approach the traditional cardiovascular risk factors (Smoking, Arterial Hypertension, Diabetes, Obesity, Physical Activity), and some medical conditions related to general health and SLE treatment (Sun Protection, Healthy Food, Oral Care, Vaccination, Pregnancy, Osteoporosis). In 2020 and 2021, two leafets about Covid-19 were produced in order to clarify important aspects of this disease, its impact on lupus patients and to solve questions about SLE medications: one regarding the association between Lupus and Covid-19 and another about the treatment of lupus and Covid-19. Other four leafets were produced concerning SLE treatment, including Adherence to Treatment, the use of Antimalarials, Corticos-teroids, and Immunosuppressants. Information about the drugs, general importance on lupus treatment, recommendations and possible adverse events were described. Futhermore, additional content is currently in production with themes such as Intravenous Corticosteroid and Cyclophosphamide, Human Papilloma-virus Infection, Malignant Neoplasm, and specifc cancers frequently affecting women, such as Colorectal Cancer, Cervical Cancer, and Breast Cancer. The leafets are also available online on the Medical School website in Portuguese and in English (medicina.ufmg.br/alo/material-didatico/), on the Minas Gerais Rheumatology Society website (reumatologia.org.br/orientacoes-ao-paciente/), and on the Instagram page @lupusufmg Conclusion: The leafets have been an important source of information and health education for SLE patients and their families, improving student/physician-patient communication. Despite the adversities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Waiting Room Project has kept its purpose to make each patient with SLE an agent of their healthcare. Improving the patients' access to evidence-based information must be a goal of healthcare professionals that treat patients with SLE.
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This study aims to demonstrate the potential use of problem identification and analysis, one of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) stages, as an alternative to drive critical, rational, and logic thinking while formulating regulatory policies and actions to face COVID-19. The theoretical foundation included an outlook on regulation, RIA and problem identification and analysis. The authors performed a descriptive study with a qualitative approach to report on the results of the didactic-pedagogical workshop, related to problem identification and analysis on a COVID-19 situation. Seven federal workers and one trainee from the regulatory quality improvement area in Anvisa participated in the workshop. "SARS-COV-2 coronavirus dissemination, as a little- known, untreated and highly contagious virus" was the main problem identified. Ten problem- related consequences were pinpointed, including the worsening of mental health. As an illustration, the study highlighted only five of the 20 causes listed by the workshop participants. One of the investigated problem causes was the low population adherence to prevention and control measures. According to the workshop participants, 30 affected stakeholders were identified in the workshop, such as the high-risk population (elderly and people with comorbidities). Thus, this study aims to contribute to the COVID-19 coping in Brazil, as well as to other future public health emergencies.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) among university students and analyze the relation between disorders and internet use and the use of coping strategies in the face of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a quantitative cross-sectional study using a non-probability sample of 275 students. Data was collected online using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire, Problematic Internet Use Scale and a coping strategies inventory. We conducted a descriptive and inferential analysis of the data and multiple linear regression was performed to determine the variables that best explained the variation in the problematic internet use. Prevalence of CMD was 58.5% and the presence of CMD was positively correlated with frequency of internet use and the use of avoidant coping strategies, based on confrontation, the search for social support and acceptance of responsibility (p<0.05). The presence of CMD and the use of confrontation coping strategies were the variables that best explained problematic internet use (R2=0.33%;p<0.00). High levels of digital socialization should be taken into account in mental health care actions aimed at university students in the context of COVID-19.