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The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively disrupted the way our economy and society functions. Nonetheless, there have also been some positive externalities of the pandemic on the environment. This paper aims to evaluate the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in Brazilian metropolitan regions after the policies adopted to confront Covid-19. In terms of methodological approach, the study employs cross-sectional quantitative analyses to compare the period of 36 days, i.e., 12 March to 16 April-before (in 2019) and after (in 2020) the pandemic declaration. The data were obtained from the Sentinel 5-P low-Earth polar satellite concerning Brazilian metropolitan regions (n = 24). Thorough spatial and statistical analyses were undertaken to identify the pre- and during pandemic nitrogen dioxide concentrations. Complementarily, Spearman's correlation test was performed with variables that impact air quality. The study results a fall in nitrogen dioxide concentration levels in 21 of the 24 metropolitan regions which was observed. The Spearman's correlation coefficient between the nitrogen dioxide variation and the vehicle density was 0.485, at a significance level of 0.05. With these findings in mind, the paper advocates that while the pandemic has a significant negative consequence on the health of population globally, a series of measures that result in a new social organization directly interfere in the reduction of air pollution that contributes to the quality of the air we breathe.
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Keywords: Digital learning;Research hospital;Digital research Purpose: Higher levels of research activity within healthcare contexts is associated with improved organizational efficiency;staff and patient satisfaction;reduced staff turnover and mortality rates (Harding et al., 2017). COVID-19 has increased demand for digital infrastructure to support clinical work and enable high quality data driven research. Electronic patient records require new digital skills, whilst established research skill packages need transformed delivery. This project aimed to build individual AHP's knowledge of basic research concepts and skills, to promote confidence in the early stages of research in a digital environment. Online packages enable participation that is flexibly managed within their own clinical schedules, addressing one of the barriers identifies to undertaking research. 1. To develop a practical guide using electronic training resources to support research amongst AHP clinicians 2. To provide a sustainable resource across a Research Hospital Methods: The RCC tool is a cross-sectional survey of research capacity and culture (RCC) was completed by 170 AHPs (OT, PT, SALT, Dietetics)2. This captured research experience and skill and identified knowledge gaps and barriers to undertaking research. The top 10 items identified were mapped to trust research strategy, and topics shared with the trust Learning Academy to match 10 topics to digital formats. Results: The first 5 short learning packages have been completed using a multi-dimensional approach to ensure engagement and widespread appeal. These include short animations, podcasts, mini-clips supported by the digital team at GOSH Learning Academy, piloting novel formats for future education packages, and helping build research capacity within Physiotherapy and allied disciplines. Conclusion(s): These ‘bite-sized’ digital learning resources will be widely accessible and both engaging and appealing to clinicians and easier to access within their own time. Although time and clinical commitment are reported to be barriers towards enhancing learning skills in research, these novel packages are designed to tackle this. Impact: – Online learning packages may promote research capacity building for individuals. –Content delivered in a variety of digital formats is accessible to a wider, more diverse audience in part addressing research inequalities across Physiotherapy and AHPs. –Online learning packages can be shared more widely to benefit a wider audience. Funding acknowledgements: Great Ormond Street Capacity Building scheme funded by GOSHCC and the BRC.
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Background/Purpose: Speech@Home (S@H), an evidenced-based, integrated online intervention package designed specifically for children with cleft palate type speech disorders, provides the speech and language therapist (SLT) with a therapy program builder and linked resources which can be used to deliver therapy at home via telehealth, ideally following parent training. COVID-19 has driven the need for SLTs to move rapidly from a face-to-face delivery model to telehealth service delivery. The aim of this presentation is to describe how S@H addressed this problem, evaluated using a quality improvement (QI) methodology framework of plan, do, study, act cycle. Methods/Description: Six speech pathologists from 4 cleft centers in the United Kingdom/Ireland volunteered to participate in the project and completed a S@H training webinar. Following assessment and consent to participate, 16 naive parents in the S@H approach and their child received 10 teletherapy sessions. Each session was followed up with an emailed link to the parent, with that week's program, and all the resources required to complete the activities. Data collection of therapists' and parents' views of the website's usability/functionality, content (therapy activities and resources), together with their emotional responses using the virtual platform, were collected at weeks 1, 5, and 10, on a 1 to 5 point Likert scale. The nature of the children's speech disorders and speech changes was documented. The S@H team provided feedback to the SLTs at week 5 to inform the second cycle of intervention. Results: In cycle 1, therapists and parents rated usability, activities, and resources with almost all high positive scores of 4 or 5 (mean 4.4, mode, 4, median 4). Minor functionality errors identified by the therapists were corrected, including the parent/therapist ongoing notation system. The speech sound videos and cleft speech-specific resources were especially highly praised. The need for downloading resources on an iPhone and iPad was identified, and this functionality added. Therapists also suggested improvements to the Program Builder, such as reducing the need to enter the same consonants across activities and the imbalance in activities at different levels. Conclusions: Following one training webinar, Speech@Home was found to be very suitable for use in teletherapy, with therapists and parents reporting positive experiences, especially encouraging given these were untrained parents. Furthermore, the QI methodology has provided excellent insights into the S@H platform by 6 novel therapists, building the evidence for its effectiveness. This project has already improved the virtual platform but also informed the S@H team as to other areas for improvement, suggestions for ways to address some of these, and identified further training items for therapists.
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Background/Purpose: The Parent Led Articulation Therapy study has shown that parent-led intervention for cleft palate articulation therapy could be an alternative model of service delivery. An integral aspect of this intervention was parent training and the development of speech therapy programs with their resources, all labor-intensive activities for busy therapists. Based on this, Speech@Home has been developed an online integrated, innovative speech intervention package for children with cleft palate and related conditions. This approach shifts the onus of speech therapy delivery to parents at home under the supervision of a speech and language therapist (SLT) using telehealth. Parents are an untapped resource where services are very stretched. With the Covid crisis, teletherapy has become a safe way to deliver speech and language therapy services. The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of the Speech@Home approach. Methods/Description: Speech@Home provides (1) in depth parent training courses and (2) a novel online Therapy Programme Builder and linked resources which can be used in conjunction with therapist led teletherapy. Parent training is available in 2 formats: (1) A 2-day course for parents undertaking regular therapy activities, working in partnership with a therapist. Everything an SLT requires to run a training course for a group of parents is available including videoed lectures, lecture handouts, sound videos, parent quizzes and answers, and course evaluation forms, (2) A stand-alone 1-day course to support parents who are able to access therapy, whose child is on the waiting list or is too young to receive direct therapy but therapy is highly likely to be required. The Speech@Home Therapy Programme Builder enables the SLT to produce a child-specific program in a short space of time. It provides the SLT with a drop-down menu software package containing over 150 therapy activities each linked to the appropriate picture and video resources. The parent is emailed the link to their child's therapy program with all the picture resources required for each activity. This presentation will provide an overview, with illustrations, of the parent training courses, a demonstration of the Therapy Programme Builder with resources and the professionally presented parent programme.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the social isolation index and the speed of new cases of Covid-19 in Brazil. METHODS: Quantitative ecological, documentary, descriptive study using secondary data, comparing the period from March 14 to May 1, 2020, carried out with the 27 Brazilian federative units, characterizing the study population. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences-SPSS R software, evaluating the correlation between the social isolation index and the number of new cases of Covid-19, using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The increase in Covid-19 cases is exponential. There was a significant, negative correlation regarding the social isolation index and the speed of the number of new cases by Pearson's coefficient, which means that as the first one increases, the second one decreases. CONCLUSION: Social isolation measures have significant effects on the rate of coronavirus infection in the population.