Contribution of pulmonary diseases to COVID-19 mortality in a diverse urban community of New York.

We examined the relative contribution of pulmonary diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and sleep apnea) to mortality risks associated with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) independent of other medical conditions, health risks, and sociodemographic factors. Data were derived from a large US-based case series of patients with COVID-19, captured from a quaternary academic health network covering New York City and Long Island. From March 2 to May 24, 2020, 11,512 patients who were hospitalized were tested for COVID-19, with 4,446 (38.62%) receiving a positive diagnosis for COVID-19. Among those who tested positive, 959 (21.57%) died of COVID-19-related complications at the hospital. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards modeling showed mortality risks were strongly associated with greater age (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.04-1.05), ethnic minority (Asians, Non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics) (HR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10-1.44), low household income (HR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.49), and male sex (HR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.97). Higher mortality risks were also associated with a history of COPD (HR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02-1.58), obesity (HR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.04-1.37), and peripheral artery disease (HR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.05-1.69). Findings indicate patients with COPD had the highest odds of COVID-19 mortality compared with patients with pre-existing metabolic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Sociodemographic factors including increased age, male sex, low household income, ethnic minority status were also independently associated with greater mortality risks.

Addressing psychological resilience during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a rapid review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The mental health toll on populations exposed to COVID-19 is alarming, and there is a need to address this with urgency. This current review provides insights on how individuals, communities, and specific populations, such as healthcare workers and patients are leveraging pre-COVID-19 and peri-COVID-19 factors to reinforce their psychological resilience during the global public health crisis. RECENT FINDINGS: Examination of the extant literature indicated that populations around the world rely often on support from their loved-ones, closed significant others, outdoor and physical activities, and spirituality to cope with the COVID-19-related distress. Increased sense of meaning/purpose since the COVID-19 pandemic was also reported. SUMMARY: A portion of publications provided intervention models to reinforce resilience among specific populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, it is not convincing that some of these models can be applied universally. Additionally, it is important to note that in this category, translational data was scarce.