Public perceptions of urgency of severe cases of COVID-19 and inflammatory gastrointestinal disease.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that perceived urgency of medical complaints is associated with emergency care utilization. Patients' perception of urgency can differ from physicians' assessment. This study explored public perceptions of urgency of severe cases of COVID-19 and inflammatory gastrointestinal disease and analyzed variations in perceptions of urgency by characteristics of the afflicted person in the vignettes and sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. METHODS: Vignettes with severe symptoms of either inflammatory gastrointestinal disease or COVID-19 with comparable urgency of treatment were used in a telephone survey in Germany (N = 1,207). Besides disease, the vignettes varied in terms of sex, age (child, middle-aged person, old person) and daytime (Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening). Respondents were asked to rate the urgency of the reported symptoms with four items. A sum scale was computed. Variations in perceptions of urgency according to vignette characteristics and sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents (sex, age, educational level, migration background, children (yes/no) and personal affliction) were analyzed using a linear regression model. RESULTS: In terms of vignette characteristics, multivariate analysis showed a lower estimated urgency for males, as well as for the middle-aged and aged persons, compared to the child vignettes, and for COVID-19, compared to inflammatory gastrointestinal disease. Regarding the characteristics of the respondents, estimated urgency increased with age and was lower among respondents, who were previously affected by the symptoms themselves. CONCLUSION: Although urgency in the vignettes was comparable, variations in estimated urgency by age and sex of the afflicted person and the described disease as well as age and personal affliction of the respondents were identified. This could result in an inadequate health care service utilization. Therefore, variations in public perceptions of urgency should be considered in the planning of public campaigns on adequate health care services utilization.

Decline in Mental Health in the Beginning of the COVID-19 Outbreak Among European Older Adults-Associations With Social Factors, Infection Rates, and Government Response.

Objective: Governments across the world have deployed a wide range of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Certain NPIs, like limiting social contacts or lockdowns, had negative consequences for mental health in the population. Especially elder people are prone to mental illnesses during the current pandemic. This article investigates how social factors, infections rates, and stringency of NPIs are associated with a decline in mental health in different European countries. Methods: Data stem from the eighth wave of the SHARE survey. Additional data sources were used to build macro indicators for infection rates and NPIs. Two subsamples of persons with mental health problems were selected (people who reported being depressed, n = 9.240 or nervous/anxious, n = 10.551). Decline in mental health was assessed by asking whether depressive symptoms or nervousness/anxiety have become worse since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. For each outcome, logistic regression models with survey-design were used to estimate odds ratios (OR), using social factors (age, gender, education, living alone, and personal contacts) and macro indicators (stringency of NPIs and infection rates) as predictors. Results: Higher age was associated with a lower likelihood of becoming more depressed (OR 0.87) or nervous/anxious (OR 0.88), while female gender increased the odds of a decline in mental health (OR 1.53 for being more depressed; OR 1.57 for being more nervous/anxious). Higher education was only associated with becoming more nervous/anxious (OR 1.59), while living alone or rare personal contacts were not statistically significant. People from countries with higher infection rates were more likely to become more depressed (OR 3.31) or nervous/anxious (OR 4.12), while stringency of NPIs showed inconsistent associations. Conclusion: A majority of European older adults showed a decline in mental health since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. This is especially true in countries with high prevalence rates of COVID-19. Among older European adults, age seems to be a protective factor for a decline in mental health while female gender apparently is a risk factor. Moreover, although NPIs are an essential preventative mechanism to reduce the pandemic spread, they might influence the vulnerability for elderly people suffering from mental health problems.

Intended healthcare utilisation in cases of severe COVID-19 and inflammatory gastrointestinal disease: results of a population survey with vignettes.

OBJECTIVES: To examine variations in intended healthcare utilisation in severe cases of COVID-19 and inflammatory gastrointestinal disease (IGD). DESIGN: Representative cross-sectional telephone survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 1207 randomly drawn adults of the city of Hamburg, Germany, between November 2020 and January 2021. OUTCOME MEASURES: Different vignettes with severe symptoms were presented varying in sex, age (child, middle-aged person, older person), daytime (Tuesday morning or Tuesday evening) and disease (COVID-19 or IGD), while the degree of urgency was equivalent for all cases. The respondents were asked for the intended healthcare utilisation resulting in three different alternatives: general practitioner (GP)/paediatrician, medical on-call service ('116117') and emergency care (accident and emergency department, emergency practice, rescue service). In multivariate analyses, associations of characteristics of the vignettes and participants (sex, age, education, migration background) with intended healthcare utilisation were tested. In a further step, analyses were conducted separately for IGD and COVID-19. RESULTS: Regarding the vignettes' characteristics, intended utilisation of GP/paediatrician is associated with female sex, higher age, daytime (morning) and COVID-19 symptoms, the medical on-call service with male sex, daytime (evening) and COVID-19 symptoms and the emergency medicine with younger age, daytime (evening) and IGD. Women chose more often the GP/paediatrician, men preferred emergency medicine. Only in case of IGD, higher educated persons more often chose the medical on-call service while people with a migration background decided less often for medical on-call service and emergency medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Despite comparable urgency, the findings suggest variations of intended healthcare utilisation depending on various characteristics of the vignettes and respondents. Depending on the type of disease inequalities vary. Overall, information about healthcare alternatives in severe cases has to be improved and clear pathways to facilitate healthcare utilisation has to be further developed.

Stigmatization from Work-Related COVID-19 Exposure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Stigmatization from work-related COVID-19 exposure has not been investigated in detail yet. Therefore, we systematically searched three databases: Medline, Embase, and PsychInfo (until October 2020), and performed a grey literature search (until February 2021). We identified 46 suitable articles from 24 quantitative and 11 qualitative studies, 6 systematic reviews, 3 study protocols and 1 intervention. The assessment of stigmatization varied widely, ranging from a single-item question to a 22-item questionnaire. Studies mostly considered perceived self-stigma (27 of 35 original studies) in healthcare workers (HCWs) or hospital-related jobs (29 of 35). All articles reported on stigmatization as a result of work-related COVID-19 exposure. However, most quantitative studies were characterized by convenience sampling (17 of 24), and all studies-also those with an adequate sampling design-were considered of low methodological quality. Therefore, it is not possible to determine prevalence of stigmatization in defined occupational groups. Nevertheless, the work-related stigmatization of occupational groups with or without suspected contact to COVID-19 is a relevant problem and increases the risk for depression (odds ratio (OR) = 1.74; 95% confidence interval CI 1.29-2.36) and anxiety (OR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.29-2.37). For promoting workers' health, anti-stigma strategies and support should be implemented in the workplace.

Protective Behavior in Course of the COVID-19 Outbreak-Survey Results From Germany.

Objective: The COVID-19 outbreak means far-reaching changes in the organization of daily lives. Disease-related literacy and factors such as age, gender, or education play a major role in shaping individual practices of protective behavior. This paper investigates different types and frequency of practicing protective behaviors, as well as socio-demographic factors that are associated with such behavioral change. Methods: Data stem from a cross-sectional survey in Germany. Three thousand seven hundred and sixty-five people were contacted, 3,186 participated in the survey. Information on behavior to lower the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 was assessed by nine items (answer options yes/no). For each item, logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR), using education, sex, and age as main predictors and adjusting for partnership status and household composition. Results: People with lower educational level were less likely to avoid gatherings (OR = 0.63; 95%CI = 0.48-0.83), adapt their work situation (OR = 0.66; 95%CI = 0.52-0.82), reduce personal contacts and meetings (OR = 0.71; 95%CI = 0.55-0.93), or increase hand hygiene (OR = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.38-0.73). Being female was associated with higher odds of protective behavior for most outcomes. Exceptions were wearing face masks and adapting the own work situation. Associations between respondents' age and individual behavior change were inconsistent and mostly weak. Conclusion: Disease specific knowledge is essential in order to enable people to judge information on COVID-19. Health education programs aiming at improving COVID-19 knowledge are helpful to build up appropriate practices and reduce the spread of the disease. Strategies are needed to guarantee easy access and better dissemination of high-quality news and fact-checks. Socioeconomic characteristics should be taken into account in the development of infection control measures.

[Impact of COVID-19-pandemic on Clinical Care, Work Flows and Staff at a University Hospital: Results of an Interview-study at the UKE]. / Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die klinische Versorgung, Arbeitsprozesse und Mitarbeitenden in der Universitätsmedizin: Ergebnisse einer Interviewstudie am UKE.

OBJECTIVES: The study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health services with and without specific health care of COVID-19 patients through the eyes of leading physicians at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). METHODS: From April 30 to May 12, 2020, four interviewers conducted 38 expert interviews via telephone, video or face-to-face by using a semi-standardized questionnaire. The standardized answers were analysed descriptively. The free text-answers were subject to a qualitative content analysis. The categories were analysed via quantitative frequency distributions. RESULTS: All chief physicians with responsibility for inpatient and outpatient health care at the UKE took part in this study (N=38). The leading physicians reported numerous changes regarding occupancy in the hospital, patient composition, work flows and diagnostic as well as therapeutic measures. Additionally, various arrangements were necessary to cover the needs of prevention, treatment and follow-up care as well as protection of staff. Measures showed, on the one hand, a strong reduction in occupancy and workload in most inpatient and outpatient clinics. On the other hand, the amount of work also increased by fundamental transitions of work flows, communication, staff structure and hygiene measures. Many respondents commented positively on the rapid and efficient setup of a digital communication structure. Partially, staff was strained by the pandemic itself and by the associated measures. CONCLUSION: The results of the study help to understand and assess the effects of the pandemic on health care, work flows and staff. The findings may support the specification and adaptation of prospective measures and processes for pandemic crisis situations. Future studies should investigate how staff beneath the highest executive level experienced and evaluated this crisis and consequences.