ABSTRACT
Background: Previous viral outbreaks have highlighted implications for the management of complex health conditions. This study delves into the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke care, by examining evidence of shifts in healthcare utilization, the enduring effects on post-stroke recovery, and the overall quality of life experienced by stroke survivors. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute Methodology for Scoping Reviews. The search strategy encompassed electronic databases (APA PsycInfo, Embase, Medline, and CINAHL). English language articles published between December 2019 and January 2022 were included, focusing on individuals who experienced a stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data extraction involved identifying study characteristics and significant findings, facilitating a qualitative and narrative synthesis of the gathered evidence. Results: Seven domain summaries were identified. They all described the aspects of systemic transformations in stroke care during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) patient behavior and awareness; (2) telemedicine and remote care; (3) delays in treatment; (4) impact on healthcare resources; (5) quality of care; (6) changes in stroke severity; and (7) reduction in stroke admissions. Conclusions: This study underscored the critical need to encourage swift patient response to acute stroke symptoms, by finding new avenues for treatment, mitigating hospital-related infection fears, and advocating for the establishment of centralized stroke centers. These measures are integral to optimizing stroke care delivery and ensuring timely interventions, particularly in the challenging context of a pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , StrokeABSTRACT
In December 2019, the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which infects host cells primarily through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. In addition to ACE2, several studies have shown the importance of heparan sulfate (HS) on the host cell surface as a co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2-binding. This insight has driven research into antiviral therapies, aimed at inhibiting the HS co-receptor-binding, e.g., by glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a family of sulfated polysaccharides that includes HS. Several GAGs, such as heparin (a highly sulfated analog of HS), are used to treat various health indications, including COVID-19. This review is focused on current research on the involvement of HS in SARS-CoV-2 infection, implications of viral mutations, as well as the use of GAGs and other sulfated polysaccharides as antiviral agents. Graphical Unlabelled Image
ABSTRACT
Stigma is a critical issue that reduces the quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners. Despite this knowledge, little research examines stigma of dementia, especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation aims to: 1) identify the contributing factors of stigma against dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic;and 2) describe actions to challenge stigma of dementia. Using Twitter data, tweets were compiled with Python’s GetOldTweets application from February to September 2020. Search terms included keywords for dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s) and COVID-19 (e.g., coronavirus). From the 20,800 tweets, filters were used to exclude irrelevant tweets. The remaining 5,063 tweets were analyzed by a group of coders with 1,743 tweets identified for further stigma-related coding. The 1,743 tweets were exported to Excel for thematic analysis and divided among 13 coders. Each tweet was coded independently by two reviewers to ensure intercoder reliability (e.g., 86%). Contributing factors of stigma of dementia included: ageism and devaluing the lives of people with dementia (e.g., ‘old and dying anyways’);misinformation and false beliefs (e.g., ‘COVID-19 vaccine causes dementia’);political dementia-related slander and ridicule (e.g., ‘dementia Joe’);and stigma within healthcare and long-term care organizations (e.g., pushing DNR orders). Globally, there is an urgent need for more dementia education and awareness targeted towards the general public, healthcare workers, and policymakers to reduce stigma against people living with dementia. Further research is necessary to explore the contributing factors and interventions to reduce stigma of dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.