Web Platform for the Analysis of Physical and Mental Health Data of Students

The development of systems that help automate and manage people’s lives at different levels is what has driven the enormous growth that humanity has had. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant an unprecedented event that has marked a before and after for the entire world. As a result of this, companies and institutions implemented various technological tools to have a greater capacity to respond to the challenges generated by this and other similar potential diseases, however, the development of these technological tools is not always clear and accessible, particularly to small companies and to academic institutions. This paper describes the development of a web tool for the analysis of physical and mental health data of students using a COVID-19 screening tool, commonly used psychological questionnaires and inventories which help diagnose symptoms of mental illnesses, and a microblogging tool for further natural language processing. The results and conclusions reached at the end of this work are also presented. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Anxiety and sleep quality in a sample of Lebanese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

A cross-sectional, survey based study was conducted in order to assess mental health outcomes among healthcare workers in a private university hospital involved in the COVID-19 response in Lebanon. The main objective was to quantify symptoms of anxiety and sleep quality using self-rating scales (the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) respectively), while identifying factors that might affect those symptoms. A total of 628 healthcare workers completed the survey; 409 (66.2%) were younger than 40 years, and 441 (71.4%) were women. Of all participants, 503 (81.4%) were nurses, 52 (8.4%) were physicians and 63 (10.2%) were residents. Registered nurses, residents, women, and younger participants presented higher scores on both scales than other categories of participants. Among factors related with COVID-19, those associated with higher scores were having relatives affected by the virus (22.2%), being excessively exposed to media (12.9%), and increasing the consumption of substances/alcohol (31.2%) during this period. Factors associated with higher risk of anxiety symptoms after multivariable logistic regression analysis were: female sex, young age, poor sleep quality, and living with elderly. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological wellbeing of health care workers involved in the acute COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon.

Primary school meals in scotland 2020: A snapshot and a future vision

Introduction: Diets of children in Scotland are poor;this has not changed in recent years. In 2019, only 14% of children in Scotland aged 2-15 met the 5-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption, with children on average consuming 2.8 portions per day1, falling well short of the recommendation. Obesity rates amongst Scottish children remain unchanged, despite Scottish Government's pledge to halve childhood obesity by 20302: 30% of children aged 2-15 are at risk of overweight or obesity, with 16% specifically at risk of obesity1. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in school closures, changes to provision and content of school meals, and delayed implementation of Scottish Governments updated school meal standards. With school meal quality so important for children's health, development and relationship with food, it is important we return to and improve on pre-lockdown standards. Methods: In 2017 and 2019 Obesity Action Scotland searched websites of the 32 local authorities in Scotland for primary school lunch menus. We randomly selected one week per menu, and collected data on the food and drink offering. In 2020, we repeated this study, comparing results to those from our previous reports. Data were collected prior to coronavirus measures;however, we considered the later impact of COVID-19 on school meals. Additionally, we analysed school meal uptake, using data from the most recent School Healthy Living Survey3. Results: Menus were available for all but three Scottish councils. In 2020, the provision of red and processed meat continued to reduce from 2019 levels. All local authorities offered soup, with ten offering it every day. Fruit and yoghurt continued to be offered as pudding options, with two local authorities offering no unhealthy puddings during the week studied. The offering of chips and pizza on menus has remained consistent since 2017, as has average sugar content of puddings (11g). In 2019, 60% of primary school pupils took school meals, falling from a high of 66% in 2016. School closures resulted in change of meal type and provision, with many local authorities serving only cold meals or 'grab and go' bags upon reopening in August. Conclusion: Analysis of 2020 data highlighted local authorities continual adaptation to upcoming changes to school nutrition standards;however, slowing of progress was also noted in some areas. Primary school meals provide a unique opportunity to drive dietary change and act as an exemplar for healthy eating. As schools reopen, local authorities should aim to get return to pre-COVID standards, continuing to build on their commendable progress.

Out-of-home policy changes in Scotland and UK during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, rapid yet complex policy changes have been implemented by the UK government. Whilst some changes were implemented across the four nations, countries took a varied approach in managing the pandemic. Policy implications are rarely limited to direct and intended outcomes, therefore, documenting such changes can help assess the wider implications of responses to COVID-19. In particular, the out-of-home sector witnessed a large shift in policies. With 65% and 29% of Scottish adult population living with overweight and obesity respectively, it is crucial to evaluate the impact of any policies on the health of the nation1. Methodology: This study conducted a policy review creating a timeline of national policy responses since the COVID-19 pandemic with a particular focus on out-of-home policy developments in Scotland. Information gathered included description of the policy, when the changes began, by whom, the rationale behind the changes, how these changes were communicated, and impact/evaluation where available. Due to the small scale of this review, policies were limited to those with direct and indirect impact on food, nutrition and health. Results: COVID-19 related health and social care policy responses in Scotland and UK were vast and at many levels. Whilst lockdown measures were deemed successful in limiting spread of COVID-19, there were other implications noted for food, nutrition and health. Substantial negative impacts were concluded from COVID-19 and measures taken against it on the population's mental and physical health2. Food affordability concerns varied during the pandemic. Takeaway consumption in Scotland decreased and the population was noted to cook more however, overall consumption of unhealthy foods such as discretionary foods, increased3,4. Initial policy responses also led to implementation of further policy measures;'Eat Out to Help Out' initiative was designed to support businesses upon reopening following the first lockdown5. Conclusion: Expectedly, policy changes were largely focused on limiting the spread of COVID-19 and preserving the nation's economy. Direct health implications remain inconclusive. Further research is recommended to monitor the health of the population including the impact on obesity and overweight. The effects of policy changes over the COVID-19 pandemic primarily resulted in worsening of Scottish diets. In line with Scotland's obesity strategy, future policies that directly or indirectly affect nation's health and nutrition should address the unhealthy food environment with a particular focus on the out-of-home sector1.

[Antibiotics alone as an alternative to appendectomy for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adults: Changes in treatment modalities related to the COVID-19 health crisis]. / Crise sanitaire liée au COVID-19 : modalités du traitement de l'appendicite aiguë non compliquée de l'adulte par antibiothérapie seule comme alternative à l'appendicectomie.

The massive inflow of patients with COVID-19 requiring urgent care has overloaded hospitals in France and impacts the management of other patients. Deferring hospitalization and non-urgent surgeries has become a priority for surgeons today in order to relieve the health care system. It is obviously not simple to reduce emergency surgery without altering the quality of care or leading to a loss of chance for the patient. Acute appendicitis is a very specific situation and the prevalence of this disease leads us to reconsider this particular disease in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, while the currently recommended treatment for uncomplicated acute appendicitis is surgical appendectomy, the non-surgical alternative of medical management by antibiotic therapy alone has been widely evaluated by high-quality studies in the literature. Insofar as the main limitation of exclusively medical treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis is the risk of recurrent appendicitis, this treatment option represents an alternative of choice to reduce the intra-hospital overload in this context of health crisis. The aim of this work is therefore to provide physicians and surgeons with a practical guide based on a review of the literature on the medical treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adults, to offer this alternative treatment to the right patients and under good conditions, especially when access to the operating room is limited or impossible.