ABSTRACT
Introduction: validated educational technologies favor access to reliable and adequate information, representing a critical risk communication tool for cancer patients during public health emergencies. Objective: to assess the validity and reliability of an electronic booklet on COVID-19 for adults with cancer. Methods: methodological validation by a panel of 22 experts linked to Brazil's national curriculum vitae database. Sampling was performed by convenience, snowball, and selection techniques according to Jasper's criteria. The validity of the booklet was evaluated by an electronic questionnaire using the content validity index (CvI), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the suitability assessment of materials (SAM) instrument, and the metalinguistic thematic analysis for educational technologies (MeTA-Edu) of dissertation proposals. Results: the expert panel consisted of 22 doctors with homogeneous sociodemographic characteristics, high specialization in education (86.4%), and teaching experience (mean = 17.8 years). In general, the educational technology was validated by experts for content (overall CVI = 0.953) with a high degree of agreement (ICC = 0.958) and suitability of the content, literacy demand, graphics, layout, and typography, learning stimulation and motivation, and cultural appropriateness (SAM = 90.6%). After thematic analysis, 94 dissertation proposals were identified, mainly of the visual language type (47.9%) and referential/informative function (68.1%). Most expert suggestions were accepted (83.0%), and only 17.0% were rejected. Conclusion: the validity and reliability of the booklet "Uncomplicating COVID-19 for people with cancer” were ratified by experts. These findings can contribute to the methodological optimization of the validation of educational technologies and innovation of health education strategies, subsidizing cancer care in times of crisis © 2023 The authors (2023), this article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Introdução: O uso de tecnologias educacionais validadas favorece o acesso às informações confiáveis e adequadas e representa uma importante ferramenta de comunicação de risco para portadores de câncer durante emergências em saúde pública. Objetivo: Avaliar a validade e confiabilidade de uma cartilha eletrônica sobre a COVID-19 para adultos portadores de câncer. Métodos: Estudo metodológico de validação por 22 juízes especialistas residentes vinculados à plataforma nacional de curriculum vitae do Brasil. A amostragem foi realizada por conveniência e bola-de-neve, e a seleção, conforme os critérios de Jasper. A validade da cartilha foi avaliada por questionário eletrônico através do índice de validade de conteúdo (CVI), coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (ICC), o instrumento de avaliação da adequabilidade de materiais (SAM) e a análise temática metalinguística para tecnologias educacionais (MeTA-Edu) de proposições dissertativas. Resultados: A banca avaliadora foi composta por 22 doutores com características sociodemográficas homogêneas e elevado especialização na área de educação (86,4%) e experiência docente (média = 17,8 anos). De modo geral, a tecnologia educacional foi validada pelos juízes especialistas quanto ao conteúdo (CVI global = 0,953) com alto grau de concordância (ICC= 0,958) e adequação de conteúdo, literacia necessária para a compreensão, desenho gráfico, layout e tipografia, estimulação e motivação de aprendizagem e adequação cultural (SAM= 90,6%). Após análise temática, foram identificadas 94 proposições dissertativas, principalmente no tipo de linguagem visual (47,9%), e função referencial/informativa (68,1%). Assim, 83,0% das sugestões foram acatadas e 17,0%, rejeitadas mediante justificativa. Conclusão: A validade e confiabilidade da cartilha "Descomplicando a COVID-19 para pessoas com câncer” foi ratificada pelos juízes especialistas. Estes achados podem contribuir para a otimização metodológica da validação de tecnologias educacionais e inovação de estratégias de educação em saúde, subsidiando a assistência oncológica em tempos de crise. © 2023 The authors (2023), this article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
ABSTRACT
Background: The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted health care systems worldwide since December 2019 causing atypical pneumonia and affecting multiple body organs. In Latin America, COVID19 had its first case in the megacity of São Paulo, Brazil, thus being the starting point and epicenter of this disease. In this context, prostate cancer (PC) is the most common nonskin cancer among men and its preventive healthcare is substantial to public health surveillance. Additionally, PC raises particular interest during COVID-19 outbreak as PC androgen-deprivation therapies have shown to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection, which suggests an association between SARS-CoV-2 and PC cells. Thus, the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak on male genital cancers care remain inconclusive and will probably be felt for decades. This study aimed to determine the impact of pandemic on the incidence of hospital admissions (HA) due to malignant neoplasms of male genital organs in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the HAs due to malignant neoplasms of male genital organs in the city of São Paulo comparing the outbreak period (January-June 2020) and a pre-pandemic corresponding period of the years 2017-2019. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Unified Health System - Hospital Information System database according to the chapter II of the International Classification of Diseases - 10th revision (ICD10). Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between the incidence of HAs and time (months). Results: A significant reduction in HAs due to malignant neoplasms of male genital organs was observed in PC, but not other malignant neoplasms of male genital organs during the outbreak period (JanuaryJune 2020). PC (-19, CI -36 to -1) showed to be remarkably affected while other male genital cancers (-1, CI -5 to 3) did not (Table). Conclusions: Our findings seem to be associated to delayed oncological care delivery to PC during the lockdown and health system disruption. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of the ongoing pandemic in malignant neoplasm of male genital organs, particularly PC, in order to strategically corroborate public health actions for implications of COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted health care systems worldwide. In Brazil, the disease had its first case in the city of São Paulo, thus being the starting point and epicenter of this disease in Latin America. Neurological features are currently well recognized in COVID-19 indicating the neurotropic nature of the virus and include anosmia, myalgia, myositis, encephalitis, meningitis, cerebrovascular disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and postinfectious myelitis. CNS tumors though relatively rare (> 2% of all cancers) are a relevant source of cancer-related morbimortality worldwide. Although studies have reported higher COVID-19 severity in cancer patients, the consequences of the pandemic on health care for CNS tumors remain inconclusive and will probably be felt for decades. This study aimed to determine the impact of pandemic on the hospital admissions (HA) due to CNS tumors in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the HAs due to CNS tumors in the city of São Paulo comparing the outbreak period (January-June 2020) and a prepandemic corresponding period of the years 2017-2019. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Unified Health System - Hospital Information System database according to the chapter II of the International Classification of Diseases - 10th revision (ICD-10). Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between the incidence of HAs and time (months). Results: A significant reduction in HAs due to CNS tumors was observed during the outbreak period (January-June 2020). Benign neoplasm of brain and other parts of CNS (-2, CI -2 to -1) and malignant neoplasm of brain (-5, CI -7 to -3) showed to be remarkably affected (see table). To our knowledge, this is the first scientific report of significant reduction of HAs due to CNS tumors during COVID-19 era. Conclusions: Our findings seem to be associated to delayed oncological diagnose and care to CNS tumor patients during the lockdown and health system collapse. A rebound helpseeking effect as well as more severe complications may present in the post- pandemic. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the ongoing pandemic in CNS neoplasms in order to strategically corroborate public health actions for short- and long-term implications of COVID-19 pandemic.