Refining the process: Safety net dental professionals' experiences with teledentistry implementation during the first year of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Teledentistry helped dentistry adapt to pandemic-era challenges; little is known about dental professionals' teledentistry experiences during this time. This analysis sought to understand professionals' pandemic teledentistry experiences and expectations for the modality's future. METHODS: We conducted virtual individual interviews (n = 21) via Zoom to understand how federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) delivered oral care during the first year of the pandemic, including but not limited to the use of teledentistry. We independently coded each transcript, then identified themes and sub-themes. RESULTS: We identified three major themes: (1) Logistical and equity considerations shaped teledentistry's adoption; (2) Team-based factors influenced implementation; and (3) Teledentistry's future is as-yet undetermined. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences with teledentistry during the first year of COVID-19 varied substantially. Future directions should be more deliberate to counter the urgency of pandemic-style implementation and must address appropriate use, reimbursement guidance, patient and provider challenges, and customizability to each clinic's context.

Mixed-methods Exploration of Telehealth-supported Long-acting Reversible Contraceptive Services in School-based Health Centers: How Much Added Value?

INTRODUCTION: This study explored adolescent and young adult preferences and experiences with telehealth-supported long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) services in New York City school-based health centers (SBHCs) during COVID-19. METHOD: Sequential mixed methods included post-LARC insertion surveys and in-depth interviews. RESULTS: Survey respondents (n = 45) were aged 14-21 years and predominantly Hispanic (53.3%). Only four respondents completed a postinsertion visit via telehealth. Most (82.2%) preferred in-person for future LARC visits; none preferred telehealth. Four themes emerged in interviews (n = 15): LARC self-efficacy and autonomy; SBHC convenience and accessibility; comfort with SBHC providers; and preference for in-person visits despite telehealth benefits. DISCUSSION: Although telehealth theoretically adds value to LARC service delivery, uptake and preference for telehealth in the SBHC context were low. Despite the perceived acceptability of telehealth, adolescents and young adults prefer in-person SBHC visits, suggesting SBHC access may eliminate barriers to care that telehealth seeks to overcome.

Implementation of a novel program to support colorectal cancer screening in a community health center consortium before and after the onset of COVID-19: a qualitative study of stakeholders' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: In 2017, the San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SF CAN) established the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Program to provide technical assistance and financial support to improve CRC screening processes, and outcomes in a consortium of community health centers (CHCs) serving low-income communities in San Francisco. The purpose of this study was twofold: to evaluate the perceived influence of the support provided by the CRC Screening Program's Task Force on CRC screening processes and outcomes in these settings and to identify facilitators and barriers to SF CAN-supported CRC screening activities before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with consortium leaders, medical directors, quality improvement team members, and clinic screening champions. Interviews were audio-recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed for themes. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to develop the interview questions and organize the analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-two participants were interviewed. The most commonly cited facilitators of improved screening processes included the expertise, funding, screening resources, regular follow-up, and sustained engagement with clinic leaders provided by the task force. The most salient barriers identified were patient characteristics, such as housing instability; staffing challenges, such as being understaffed and experiencing high staff turnover; and clinic-level challenges, such as lack of ability to implement and sustain formalized patient navigation strategies, and changes in clinic priorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other competing health care priorities. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing CRC screening programs in a consortium of CHCs is inherently challenging. Technical assistance from the Task Force was viewed positively and helped to mitigate challenges both before and during the pandemic. Future research should explore opportunities to increase the robustness of technical assistance offered by groups such as SF CAN to support cancer screening activities in CHCs serving low-income communities.

The Paradoxical Politics of Community Health Centers from the Great Society to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

CONTEXT: Though community health centers (CHCs) arose in the 1960s as part of a Democratic policy push committed to social justice, subsequent support has been shaped by a paradoxical politics wherein Republican and Democratic support for CHCs continually morphed in response to changes in the health policy landscape. METHODS: Drawing on the CHC literature and empirical examples from first-hand accounts and reporting, we explain CHCs' curious historical development from 1965 to present. FINDINGS: Since their inception, CHCs have received differing levels of support due to a paradoxical politics that tell us much about CHC policy history. Though the CHC program began as a Democratic vision, both Republicans and Democrats have calibrated their support for CHCs in response to a broader set of political considerations, from anti-welfare policy commitments to aspirations of establishing a national health care plan. CONCLUSIONS: CHCs have proven to be a politically malleable policy tool within the broader context of American health care policy. While the COVID-19 pandemic raised new questions about CHCs' sustainability and future, CHCs will continue to play a critical role not only providing health care access to underserved populations, but as an attractive bipartisan policy option within the larger framework of U.S. health policy.

The reasons for the appeal letter from the directors of Community Mental Health Centers

The appeal signed in January 2023 by 91 directors of Community Mental Health Centers addressed to the highest political authorities of Italy is discussed. It begins with an analysis of the critical situation in which public psychiatric care finds itself, especially after the COVID19 pandemic and in the presence of a problematic social and economic situation. The validity of the biopsychosocial paradigm in community mental health is affirmed. The link between mental health and justice is addressed, and the need for a discussion table among all the actors involved is suggested. The paragraphs of this article are the following: "An appeal to raise awareness", "The objectives", "Mental health and justice", "The resources", "The mental health professionals", "Some conclusive perspectives".

Lessons from COVID-19 for future disasters: an opinion paper.

A "Pandemic/Disaster Law" is needed to condense and organize the current dispersed and multiple legislation. The State must exercise a single power and command appropriate to each situation, with national validity. The production of plans for the use of land and real estate as potential centers for health care, shelter or refuge is recommended. There should be specific disaster plans at least for Primary Health Care, Hospitals and Socio-sanitary Centers. The guarantee of the maintenance of communication and supply routes is essential, as well as the guarantee of the autochthonous production of basic goods. The pandemic has highlighted the need to redefine the training plans for physicians who, in their different specialties, have to undertake reforms that allow a more versatile and transversal training. National research must have plans to be able to respond quickly to questions posed by the various crises, using all the nation's resources and in particular, all the data and capabilities of the health sector. Contingency plans must consider ethical aspects, and meet the needs of patients and families with a humanized approach. In circumstances of catastrophe, conflicts increase and require a bioethical response that allows the best decisions to be made, with the utmost respect for people's values. Rapid, efficient and truthful communication systems must be contained in a special project for this sector in critic circumstances. Finally, we believe that the creation of National Coordination Centers for major disasters and Public Health can contribute to better face the crises of the future.

[Detection of alcohol consumption at the first level of care in Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemicDetecção do consumo de álcool no nível da atenção primária no México durante a pandemia de COVID-19]. / Detección del consumo de alcohol en el primer nivel de atención en México durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

Objective: To measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of a program for timely detection, brief intervention, and referral for treatment of alcohol consumption in health centers at the first level of care in Mexico City. Methods: The data were collected at 18 health centers in Mexico City between 2019 and 2021, as part of a larger study. A total of 287 participating health professionals measured their patients' alcohol consumption using the AUDIT-C test. The patients' demographic aspects and consumption patterns were analyzed, as well as care actions (detection, brief intervention, provision of leaflets, monitoring, and referral) at three points in time: before the COVID-19 pandemic, during confinement, and after confinement. Parametric and nonparametric tests were performed to identify the relationship and differences between the variables at the three points. Results: A total of 9090 people who consumed alcohol were identified; detection of consumption fluctuated in the three periods studied (26%, 53%, and 37%, respectively). Medium- and high-risk consumption was more frequent among young men with higher schooling during and after confinement. In the post-confinement period, monitoring and referral actions increased. Conclusions: Measuring the impact of the pandemic on the implementation of a program for timely detection of alcohol consumption, brief intervention, and referral for treatment in health centers helps to develop health policies by age, gender, schooling, and type of consumption at the first level of care.

Objetivo: Medir o efeito da pandemia de COVID-19 na implementação de um programa de detecção oportuna, intervenção breve e encaminhamento para tratamento pelo consumo de álcool em centros de saúde no nível da atenção primária na Cidade do México. Métodos: Foram coletados dados em 18 centros de saúde na Cidade do México entre 2019 e 2021, como parte de um estudo mais amplo. Participaram 287 profissionais de saúde, que mediram o consumo de álcool de seus pacientes com o teste AUDIT-C. Foram analisados aspectos demográficos e o padrão de consumo dos pacientes, bem como as medidas em termos de atendimento (triagem, intervenção breve, entrega de folhetos, monitoramento e encaminhamento) em três momentos: antes da pandemia de COVID-19, durante o confinamento e após o confinamento. Foram feitos testes paramétricos e não paramétricos para identificar a relação e as diferenças entre as variáveis nos três períodos. Resultados: Foram identificadas 9.090 pessoas com consumo de álcool, sendo que a porcentagem de consumo detectada flutuou nos três períodos estudados (26%, 53% e 37%, respectivamente). O consumo de médio e alto risco foi mais prevalente entre homens jovens e com nível maior de escolaridade durante e após o confinamento. No período posterior ao confinamento, as medidas de monitoramento e encaminhamento aumentaram. Conclusões: Medir o impacto da pandemia na implementação de um programa de detecção oportuna, intervenção breve e encaminhamento para tratamento do consumo de álcool em centros de saúde ajuda na formulação de políticas de saúde por idade, gênero, escolaridade e tipo de consumo para o primeiro nível de atenção.

Availability and Accessibility of Mental Health Services for Youth: A Descriptive Survey of Safety-Net Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are critical access points for families with adolescents needing mental health care, especially those enrolled in Medicaid. However, barriers exist which may reduce their accessibility. This study aims to describe the availability and accessibility of outpatient mental health services for children and adolescents at safety-net health centers in a large metropolitan county. Approximately one year after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., a comprehensive sample of 117 CMHCs and 117 FQHCs were called and administered a 5-minute survey. Approximately 10% of health centers were closed, and 20% (28.2% of FQHCs and 7.7% of CMHCs) reported not offering outpatient mental health services. Despite CMHCs having 5.4 more clinicians on staff on average, reported wait times were longer at CMHCs than FQHCs. These findings indicate that online directories intended to be a comprehensive and accessible resource, such as the SAMHSA Treatment Locator, are often inaccurate or out-of-date.

Comparison of Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes Among COVID-19 and Healthy Pregnant Women in the West of Iran: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: In the COVID-19 epidemic, pregnant women, fetuses, and newborns are a high-risk population that is more susceptible than the general population. These groups are more susceptible to serious respiratory illnesses and pneumonia because of their weakened immune systems. This study compared maternal and neonatal outcomes in postpartum women with COVID-19 with similar healthy women at the hospital. Method(s): In this retrospective cohort study, the characteristics of 100 pregnant women with COVID-19 (confirmed by a positive PCR test during pregnancy) were compared to 150 healthy pregnant women who were referred to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan from March, 2020 to February, 2021. The maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected from the medical record of patients and analyzed using SPSS software (Ver. 26). Result(s): No significant differences were observed in the average ages (+/- standard deviation) of the two groups of COVID-19 (30.25 +/- 6.24 years) and healthy (29.48 +/- 6.73 years) women. In this study, pregnant women were infected with COVID-19 from weeks 7 to 41 of gestation, with a median infection time of 35 weeks. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of pre-eclampsia and preterm birth was significantly higher in women with COVID-19 than in healthy women with the following values 2.79 (1.61, 7.34) and 22.26 (2.86, 173.33), respectively. Conclusion(s): Pregnant women suffering from COVID-19 had considerably greater rates of gestational issues, neonatal difficulties, pre-eclampsia, and premature delivery, according to the findings of this study. During epidemics, it is advised that pregnant women and their newborns receive more basic care.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

Roles and Impact of ASHA Workers in Combating COVID-19: Case Study Bhubaneswar

The present COVID attack has significantly accentuated vulnerability of infections at community level where their basic healthcare and immunization program are being implemented by the ICDS scheme launched in 1975 through a slew of AWCs scattered all over the country. The AWC acts as a primary health center that provides supplementary nutrition to children (between 0 and 6 years of age) and pregnant and lactating mothers besides providing preschool education to children in the age group of 4–6 years. The ASHA workers associated with AWC under then NRHM are the first hand health workers available to them at the community level who act as a bridge between the dispensaries and the community members. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the role of ASHA workers has assumed increased salience as the governments are relying on them for community level combating of this outbreak. This paper takes a close look at fund allocations to the public healthcare sector among the developing and developed countries and also the interstate allocations and allocations for major schemes and the resultant impact on HDI. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Challenges of The Metaverse Adoption for the Health of the Elderly: Case in Surakarta

Covid-19 pandemic limit human mobility and interaction among others. This limitation includes attending a health center to do health checking. The Indonesian government urges citizens to check their health through electronic health, also known as e-Health. The use of e-Health is to give basic information about general health and simple checking on Covid-19 symptoms. The elderly is those who are vulnerable to Covid-19 infection and accessing e-Health would be an answer for the elderly to access basic health facilities and information during the pandemic. Additionally, the emergence of the metaverse raises the possibility to integrate the application of the e-Health system into it, to simplify and integrate the data of users who have e-Health accounts. Unfortunately, the ability of the elderly to access information technology is still questioned. This research tries to capture the perception and the acceptance of elderly people in accessing e-Health and using metaverse in Indonesia. The study will be conducted using a quasi-experimental method in the City of Surakarta. Respondents will be asked to fill out questionnaires about their understanding of e-Health and metaverse before and after treatment conducted by researchers. The anticipated result indicated that the elderly in Surakarta finds difficulties in accessing e-Health and metaverse due to a lack of information on how to use it. This finding indicates that government policy on e-Health system use is not accompanied by acceptance strategies for the elderly, as a vulnerable group to Covid-19 infection. Moreover, when the e-Health system is combined with the utilization of metaverse. © 2022 IEEE.

Community diagnostic centres: what, where and why?

The British Journal of Healthcare Management's editor discusses the potential benefits of community diagnostic centres for patients and the wider NHS, along with key considerations to drive this model forward.

Public image of coronavirus infection prevention in 2020-2021.

Objective. To study the public attitudes towards responsibility for their health, the level of attendance at health centers and medical prevention departments/clinics, and the activity of healthcare professionals in engaging the population in a healthy lifestyle. Material and methods. We analyzed the current issues of the work of healthcare organizations, including medical prevention units/offices and health centers in Russia, from the point of view of the population. A mass survey of the population was conducted via personal semi-formalized interviews at the place of residence (apartment survey) using a specific questionnaire. The sample size was 1,630 subjects. The quality and accessibility of health care were assessed using case studies: respondents were asked to rate based on their most recent visits to a doctor/health care provider. Results. Based on an analysis of the 2020-2021 studies, the authors found that the high level of awareness in the vast majority of the population of their personal responsibility for their health does not result in high attendance at health prevention units/clinics and health centers. The attendance was not even influenced by the high level of patients' satisfaction with medical recommendations. According to the authors, this process is negatively influenced by the low involvement of healthcare providers in healthy lifestyle promotion, the usefulness of consultations at medical prevention departments/clinics and health centers, and the low awareness of the population on this issue. Conclusion. The study showed the need to increase the intensity of Russia-wide information campaigns on preventing non-communicable diseases and promoting healthy lifestyles, especially outside the capital regions, and the importance of improving the quality of information messages.Copyright © 2023, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

The response of local governments and public health centers to COVID-19: looking for infectious disease control due to the change of trend and mutations of the virus

Public Health Centers of Japan. of which there are 468 across the country as of April 2022. are at the core of health crisis management. responding to natural disasters and infectious diseases according to the Community Health Act (1994). Under the Infectious Diseases Control La these centers have made repeated efforts to respond to COV1D-19 from the first to the seventh waves while epidemic dynamics changed. variants emerged. and pathogenicity fluctuated. All centers essentially play a common role in infectious disease control (answering questions and consultations. testing, registering cases, coordinating healthcare. transporting confirmed patients, following up with patients and close contacts. carrying out epidemiological investigations. issuing notifications for recommendations on hospital stays and work restrictions. etc.). 'forever, due to the varying number of cases and healthcare resources depending on the region, the actual work was not identical, and local governments. which operate the centers. took different appreoclws. Looking back on the epidemic, the first, second, and third waves saw travel restrictions implemented across the country, and were characterized by a demand for testing that exceeded capacity. At that time. COVID-19 was a threat to the respiratory system, no effective treatment or vaccination was available. and the number of healthcare institutions diagnosing and treating cases was inadequate. The fourth wave saw the Alpha variant ripping through nursing homes putting a significant burden on healthcare. while the fifth wave saw the Delta variant spreading mainly from Tokyo after the Olympics. The sixth and seventh waves came with the highly. Contagious Omicron variant. leading to skyrocketing patient numbers and the public health capacity quickly being overwhelmed. Local governments considered ways to reduce the burden on Public Health Centers, including outsourcing. Over this 2.5 year period, numerous advisories were issued by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW), and the Japanese Association of Public Health Center Directors has advocated actively on behalf of the centers. Given that Japan is a disaster-prone country, Public Health Centers in Japan are expected to play a pivotal role in crisis preparedness, responses to, and recovery from natural disasters and infectious diseases. As a coordination hub to protect lives and maintain health, here we strongly suggest that public health centers implement the lessons learned from COVID-19 to collaborate with healthcare institutions and long-term care facilities, and evolve into a sustainable social framework to advance pandemic preparedness in their respective communities.

Clinico-epidemiological correlates of COVID-19 cases - a cross-sectional study from Assam, India

BACKGROUND: Considering the heavy toll taken by COVID- 19 pandemic, the understanding of the epidemiological parameters as well as various risk factors is crucial for future preparedness and tackling the pandemic in a more effective manner. We wanted to study the socio-demographic correlates of COVID -19 cases in Assam, India. Also to find the relationship of clinical status of COVID -19 cases with co- morbidities and with substance use. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was undertaken from 1st April 2020 to 31st August 2020. Out of the total 12 COVID Care Centres / hospitals that had been established in Kamrup and Kamrup Metro districts of Assam, 6 were randomly selected. A total of 3000 patients were interviewed over telephone by using an android-based application;on or after discharge from the centres, while patient was put on mandatory quarantine. The patients were interviewed on various socio-demographic variables, co-morbidities and substance use behaviour. Categorical variables are expressed as percentages and the continuous variables are expressed as mean +or- standard deviation. t-test and chi-square test were used for continuous and categorical variables respectively. RESULTS: Mean age of moderate and severe cases were 55.10 and 55.9 years respectively. Smoking and use of alcohol were significantly associated with severity of symptoms. Diabetes, hypertension and co-existing lung diseases were found to be associated with status of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological risk factors like age has to be relooked. Primary prevention on risk factors of non-communicable diseases proved to be crucial in prevention of severity of communicable pandemic like COVID-19. Further studies are required to enhance the knowledge on this aspect.

A study on breakthrough infections of COVID-19 from an urban healthcare centre in Kerala

Background and Aim: While India's vaccination drive against COVID-19 continues to progress, the number of Breakthrough Infections are also revealing an uptick due to Community spread of COVID-19. There is a dearth of data quantifying the extent of breakthrough infections, defined as infections following two doses of vaccine. We aimed to understand the occurrence of Breakthrough Infections among the public in the City of Thrissur, Kerala, India, during the recent surge of COVID-19 in Kerala. Methods: Patients visiting the Internal Medicine Outpatient Department (OPD) in a private hospital in the City of Thrissur in Kerala, India were selected for the study. Subjects above the age of 18 years presenting to the OPD between August 01, 2021 and September 30, 2021 were surveyed through a short interview on the COVID-19 infection history, symptoms, severity and vaccination status. Results: Of the 56 participants who tested positive for COVID-19, 38 had received both doses of vaccine and all had received their first dose of vaccine. 4 patients had no symptoms, 37 patients reported mild symptoms and nine patients reported moderate to severe symptoms. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the occurrence and describes the epidemiology of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in a City from the Indian State of Kerala in a real-world setting. We conclude the occurrence of Symptomatic Breakthrough Infections of COVID-19 in patients who had received two doses of the vaccine were mild in the majority of the patients (87%). Further research is required to understand the mechanisms behind these Breakthrough infections.

The Use of Interpreters in Health Centers: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

Health centers serve millions of patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) through highly variable language services programs that reflect patient language preferences, the availability of bilingual staff, and very limited sources of third-party funding for interpreters. We conducted a mixed-methods study to understand interpreter services delivery in federally qualified health centers during 2009–2019. Using the Uniform Data System database, we conducted a quantitative analysis to determine characteristics of centers with and without interpreters, defined as staff whose time is devoted to translation and/or interpreter services. We also analyzed Medicaid-relevant policies' association with health centers' interpreter use. The qualitative component used a sample of 28 health centers to identify interpreter services models. We found that the use of interpreters, as measured by the ratio of interpreter full-time equivalents per patients with LEP, decreased between 2009 and 2019. We did not find statistically significant relationships between interpreter staffing and number of patients with LEP served, or in our examination of Medicaid-relevant policies. Our qualitative analysis uncovered homegrown models with varying program characteristics. Key themes included the critical role of bilingual staff, inconsistent interpreter training, and the reasonably smooth transition to virtual interpretation during COVID-19.

Szűrőbuszok statikus pontként való alkalmazása a Covid-19-járvány idején

Purpose: The aim of our study is to present the results of the mobile sampling of the National Public Health Center during the Covid-19 pandemic, the implementation process of the screening buses of the program "We bring the screening tests in place” as static points, as well as the spatial and temporal frequency of use. Methods: Our retrospective analysis was performed in Pest County between 12th of November, 2020 and 18th of April 2022 by evaluating the Covid-19 sampling results from screening buses (N=164,576). Descriptive statistical methods were used to process the data. Results: In most cases, the screening was carried out in the patient's car, which reduced the risk of infection and ensured the safety and smoothness of the work by moving quickly through the screening point. Sampling was performed using AbottTM, Clintest® and VivaDiagTM rapid tests, and in case of a negative result, another nasopharyngeal sampling was performed for RT-PCR. An average of 504 samples were taken per day, of which on average almost 1⁄3(31.41%) were positive. Conclusion: The advantage of the screening buses was the ability to perform a significant number of tests, their mobility, the fact that they can be placed in easily accessible locations and the reduced risk of infection. Mass testing at static points has proven to be an efficient process that can be used in the future if the need arises. Célkitűzés: Tanulmányunk célja a Covid-19-járvány során a Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ mobil mintavételezésének, a „Helybe visszük a szűrővizsgálatokat” program szűrőbuszainak statikus pontként történő megvalósítási folyamatának, illetve területi és időbeni igénybevételi gyakoriságának, eredményeinek bemutatása. Vizsgálat módszere: Retrospektív elemzésünk Budapesten és Pest megyében 2020. november 12. és 2022. április 18. között a szűrőbuszokon végzett Covid-19-mintavételi leleteinek értékelésével valósult meg (N=164 576). A kapott adatok feldolgozásához leíró statisztikai módszereket alkalmaztunk. Eredmények: A teszteléseket legtöbb esetben a páciens személygépjárműjében végeztük el, ami csökkentette az infektálódás kockázatát, illetve a szűrőponton való gyors áthaladás szavatolta a munka biztonságát és gördülékenységét is. A mintavételezések során az AbottTM, a Clintest®, valamint a VivaDiagTM rapid tesztjeit használtuk, negatív eredmény esetén újabb nasopharingealis mintavétel történt RT-PCR elvégzése céljából. Naponta átlagosan 504 mintavétel valósult meg, amelynek átlagosan közel egyharmada (31,41%) mutatott pozitivitást. Következtetések: A szűrőbuszok előnye a nagyszámú tesztek elvégzésének lehetőségében, a mozgathatóságban, a mindenki számára könnyen megközelíthető pontokra való kihelyezésben, valamint a fertőződés kockázatának csökkentésében mutatkozott meg. A tömeges tesztelések statikus pontokon való lebonyolítása hatékonynak bizonyult, amely folyamatot a jövőben is alkalmazhatunk, ha arra szükség lesz.

The Power of Relationships During the Pandemic: A Community Health Center's Response to COVID-19

This report describes one community health center's response to COVID-19 by integrating Pacific Island (PI) values—which prioritize dignity, agency, and ancestral philosophies—within the context of deep relationship building. We share impacts and insights with the hope this work will resonate with other PI and Indigenous communities.

EXPLORING PHARMACISTS' ROLES AND BARRIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH CENTERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a tremendous effect on essential healthcare services, including public health centers (PHCs). Pharmacists had the responsibility of maintaining high-quality pharmacy services during this pandemic. The objective of this study was to explore pharmacists' roles and barriers in PHCs while providing pharmacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach. Ten pharmacists from PHCs in Indonesia were recruited using a non-probability sampling method and interviewed individually using an online platform (Zoom and Google Meet) or via telephone. Informants were purposefully recruited through recommendations by registered pharmacists in Indonesia. Two interviews were conducted for each informant with an interval of 1 month. Each interview was recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive thematic method. Member-checking and peer-debriefing were conducted to increase the credibility of the study. This study revealed changes in the managerial and clinical pharmacy aspects of pharmacists' roles. Additional roles related to COVID-19 were also described. In performing these services, pharmacists faced some barriers, including the limited provision of direct services to patients, a decrease in the number of patients, dishonesty among patients, a lack of human resources in PHCs, difficulty in procuring medical products related to COVID-19, and a lack of information regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 pandemic forced pharmacists in PHCs to adapt to various changes in pharmacy services, and support from stakeholders, including the government, patients, the pharmacists' professional organization, and other health workers, is required to overcome the associated barriers. © 2022, Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine. All Rights Reserved.