Impact of COVID-19 on quality of life in Peruvian older adults: construct validity, reliability and invariance of the COV19-Impact on Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) measurement.

The aim of the present study was to translate into Spanish and evaluate the psychometric evidence of the Impact on Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) applied to a sample of Peruvian older adults (N = 298; 58.1% women, 41.9% men, mean age 65.34 years [SD = 11.33]). The study used techniques from the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). The findings confirmed the single factor structure of the COV19-QoL, high internal consistency reliability, measurement invariance by gender, and all items demonstrated adequate discrimination and difficulty indices. In this sense, the items allow adequate discrimination between low, medium and high levels of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life. In addition, a greater perceived impact of the pandemic on quality of life is necessary to answer the higher response options of the COV19-QoL. In conclusion, the COV19-QoL is a valid measurement scale of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of Peruvian older adults.

Burnout syndrome in health care workers of the Hospital Arequipa (Peru) during the pandemic / Síndrome de Burnout en trabajadores de salud del Hospital de Arequipa (Perú) durante la pandemia

RESUMEN: Introducción: a finales del año 2019, la comunidad global era sorprendida con la aparición de un brote de coronavirus en China. Se plantea que la exposición crónica a factores de riesgo psicosocial durante varios meses y de manera constante, podrían desencadenar el síndrome de burnout en el personal de salud que atiende pacientes con COVID-19. Objetivo: determinar la frecuencia y severidad del síndrome de burnout en personal de salud que labora en el Hospital II Goyeneche del Ministerio de Salud en Arequipa en el contexto durante la pandemia. Material y Métodos: estudio descriptivo transeccional, en el que se registraron las características sociodemográficas de 147 trabajadores de salud del Hospital II Goyeneche un hospital del Ministerio de Salud y se aplicó el Inventario de Burnout de Maslach. Resultados: el 70,7% del personal de salud del Hospital II Goyeneche de Arequipa presenta síndrome de burnout, y de este porcentaje, la mayoría tiene preocupación por atender pacientes con COVID-19, no se siente capacitado para ello, le preocupa no contar con Equipos de Protección Personal y desconoce los protocolos de seguridad. Conclusión: existe una asociación significativa entre la presencia de síndrome de burnout y la atención de pacientes con COVID-19.

ABSTRACT Introduction: At the end of 2019, the global community was surprised by the new outbreak of coronavirus in China. We argued that the chronic exposure to psychosocial risk factors during four months, could precipitate the burnout syndrome among the healthcare workers who attend patients with COVID-19. Objective: To determine the frequency and severity of burnout syndrome in healthcare personnel who working Goyeneche Hospital from Ministry of Health Hospital from Arequipa City along the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: Descriptive transectional study, in which there were registered the sociodemographic characteristics of 147 healthcare workers in Goyeneche Hospital and there was applied the Burnout Maslach Inventory. Results: The 70.7% of the Goyeneche Hospital health care personnel presents burnout syndrome, and major part of the percentage have concerns about the attention of patients with COVID-19, also they don't feel trained enough for this, they also are concern because don´t have the Personal protective equipment and they don't know the safety attention protocols. Conclusion: There is a significant association among the burnout syndrome punctuation and the attention of patients with COVID-19.

Frequency of Correct Mask Use Among Pedestrians in High-Flow Indoor Public Spaces: A Multicenter Analysis in the First and Second Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to describe the variation in the frequency of correct mask use among pedestrians in the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in high-flow indoor public spaces from different geographic and social settings in Peru. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional exploratory study among pedestrians in Lima (the capital city) and other coastal and highland cities in Peru. Pedestrians were directly observed by trained medical students in 2 high-flow indoor areas at different times in November 2020 (first wave) and October 2021 (second wave). Primary outcomes included the frequencies of mask use and correct use. We applied multinomial logistic models and estimated crude and adjusted relative prevalence ratios for sex, age, obesity, and location. Additionally, we used binomial generalized linear models to estimate prevalence ratios in crude and adjusted models. RESULTS: We included 1996 participants. The frequency of mask use was similar in both years: 96.9% in 2020 and 95.5% in 2021. However, the frequency of correct mask use significantly decreased from 81.9% (95% CI, 79.4-84.3) in 2020 to 60.3% (95% CI, 57.2-67.3) in 2021. In 2020, we observed an increase in the probability of misuse in the cities of Lima (aRP: 1.42; P = .021) and Chiclayo (aPR: 1.62, P = .001), whereas, in 2021, we noted an increase in the probability of misuse in the cities of Lima (aRP: 1.72; P < .001) and Piura (aPR: 1.44; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The correct mask use decreased during the second wave, although no significant overall variations were observed in mask use in pedestrians between both periods. Also, we found regional differences in correct mask use in both periods.

Workplace Violence Against Physicians Treating COVID-19 Patients in Peru: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented challenge to health systems that has revealed shortcomings and increased unmet demands. Such situations might exacerbate workplace violence (WPV) against physicians, as has been reported in several parts of the world. METHODS: To identify the frequency and characteristics of WPV suffered by physicians attending COVID-19 patients in Peru, a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with an online survey of 200 physicians. RESULTS: Of the survey respondents, 84.5% had suffered some type of WPV; 97.6% of these suffered nonphysical violence. Suffering more than one incident of violence was reported by 75.7% of respondents. The primary aggressor was a patient's family member or caregiver. Violence occurred most frequently in critical areas inside the health service facility, such as COVID-19 triage, tents, and hospital units, although it also occurred during teleconsultations. Multiple shortcomings of the health services were perceived as the main trigger of violence. Being a female physician (odds ratio [OR] = 2.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-5.83) and working in a COVID-19 ICU (OR = 5.84, 95% CI = 1.60-21.28) were the main factors associated with WPV. CONCLUSION: Violence against physicians attending COVID-19 patients in Peru is common. The perceived factors that contribute most to violence are linked to deficiencies in health services.