A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Parental Concerns in the Pediatric Surgery Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various aspects of healthcare, including pediatric surgery. This study aimed to assess parental concerns and stress levels in pediatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, identify factors associated with increased parental anxiety or concern, and provide recommendations for healthcare providers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Timisoara, Romania, involving 174 parents of pediatric patients requiring elective or emergency surgery, with a mean age of 37.6 (25-47) years, out of which 89.1% of respondents were women. Parental concerns were assessed using the Parental Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Parents of children undergoing emergency surgery (n = 108) reported higher levels on the practical impact domain of the PCQ scale (3.4 vs. 2.2, p < 0.001), emotional impact (2.7 vs. 2.2, p = 0.002), and total PCQ score (9.5 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001) compared to parents of children undergoing elective surgery (n = 66). Parents in the emergent surgery group also reported higher anxiety scores on the HADS questionnaire (7.9 vs. 6.5, p = 0.009) and higher perceived stress and total score on the PSS-10 survey (7.8 vs. 5.6, p = 0.046) (10.5 vs. 9.1, p = 0.047), respectively. A significantly higher proportion of parents in the emergent surgery group were concerned about restricted visitation policies (p = 0.013) and reported delaying or considering delaying their child's surgery due to the pandemic (p = 0.036). The results demonstrate heightened concerns, anxiety, and stress among parents of children undergoing emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare providers should address parental concerns, provide clear communication, and ensure adequate support for families. Recommendations include enhancing information about COVID-19 precautions, reassuring parents about personal protective equipment availability, and facilitating family support within visitation restrictions.

Pulse Wave Velocity, a Predictor of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events, and Its Correlation with the General Stress Level of Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and Objectives: In the COVID-19 epidemiological context, the health care workers who were treating patients with COVID-19 were exposed daily to additional stress. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a predictive parameter for possible major adverse cardiovascular events. The present study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the general stress levels and PWVs of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The study group was heterogeneous in terms of the medical profession. PWV was measured using a TendioMed arteriograph. Assessment of stress level was performed using a general stress questionnaire with questions grouped on the areas that contribute to stress: lifestyle, environment, symptoms, job, relationships and personality. PWV measurements and stress assessment were performed both during the period with many patients with COVID-19 and during the period with few patients with COVID-19. Results: The stress levels and PWVs of subjects were higher in the period when they cared for patients with COVID-19 than in the period when they did not have patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: The study shows a positive correlation between the PWV of each subject and his/her stress score (the higher the stress score, the higher the PWV).