Psycho-Emotional Well-Being in Caregivers of People with Acquired Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study on the Human Immersion Model during the Omicron Wave

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a "human immersion model” (HIM) in improving psychological well-being in caregivers of patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) during the Omicron wave in Italy. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI, who attended our intensive neurorehabilitation unit from January to March 2022 and their caregivers were submitted to the HIM. This novel approach consisted of "real” long-lasting meetings between the patients and their careers in a hospital setting (1–72 h meeting per week for 8 weeks). Each ABI caregiver was assessed through the administration of a short psychometric battery before starting the first immersion session with their family member and at the end of the HIM. We found significant changes in the caregivers' scores analyzed for anxiety, as per SAS (p < 0.0007, d = 1.02), burden and stress (ZBI-22;p < 0.001, d = 0.65), and emotive intelligence (TEIQue-SF;p < 0.0007, d = 0.82). Our data suggest that the HIM may be useful to promote ABI caregivers' psycho-emotional well-being in the context of critical periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Epidemic Features of COVID-19 and Potential Impact of Hospital Strain During the Omicron Wave - Australia, 2022.

What is already known about this topic?: Hospitals have experienced a surge in admissions due to the increasing number of Omicron cases. Understanding the epidemiological features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the strain it places on hospitals will provide scientific evidence to help policymakers better prepare for and respond to future outbreaks. What is added by this report?: The case fatality rate of COVID-19 was 1.4 per 1,000 persons during the Omicron wave. Over 90% of COVID-19-related deaths occurred in individuals aged 60 years or older, with pre-existing chronic conditions such as cardiac conditions and dementia, particularly among males aged 80 years or older. What are the implications for public health practice?: Public health policy is essential for preparing and preserving medical resource capacity, as well as recruiting additional clinicians and front-line staff in hospitals to address the increased demand. High-risk individuals should be prioritized for healthcare, vaccines, and targeted interventions.

Disease Course, Management and Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection during the Omicron-Variant Wave: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Since December 2019, kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have experienced a great impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. Preliminary data in KTRs suggest that the Omicron variant, which has been dominant since December 2021, is more infectious than the previous ones but is associated with reduced risk of severity and low lethality rates. The purpose of our study was to assess the disease course and outcomes of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTRs during the Omicron-surge. METHODS: This retrospective study included 451 KTRs diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection between 1 December 2021 and 30 September 2022. Demographic and clinical characteristics at the time of infection, vaccination data, treatment, clinical course, and outcomes were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age was 51.8 ± 13.7 years with a male predominance (61.2%). The majority (76.1%) were vaccinated with at least three doses of the available mRNA vaccines, although serology revealed low anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers before infection (33 [3.3-1205] AU/mL). Only 6% of the patients experienced moderate-severe disease. Accordingly, there was low prevalence of adverse outcomes, such as SARS-CoV-2-related hospitalization (11.3%) and death (0.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that only age significantly increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2-related hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: During the Omicron wave, the clinical course of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTRs has substantially changed, with lower rates of moderate and severe disease and a low prevalence of adverse outcomes. Prospective clinical trials are warranted to further elucidate the evolving pathogenesis, management, and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 in such high-risk populations.

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy during the Omicron wave: the prospective cohort study of the Italian obstetric surveillance system.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant on vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women is sparse. This study aimed to compare maternal and perinatal outcomes of women infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the Omicron wave in Italy, according to their vaccine protection. METHODS: This national prospective cohort study enrolled pregnant women with a positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab within 7 days of hospital admission between 1 January and 31 May, 2022. Women who received at least one dose of vaccine during pregnancy and those who completed the vaccine cycle with the first booster were considered protected against moderate or severe COVID-19 (MSCD). A multivariable logistic regression model evaluated the association between vaccine protection and disease severity. Maternal age, educational level, citizenship, area of birth, previous comorbidities, and obesity were analysed as potential risk factors. RESULTS: MSCD was rare (41/2147, 1.9%; 95% CI, 1.4-2.6), and the odds of developing it were significantly higher among unprotected women (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.39-5.57). Compared with protected women (n = 1069), the unprotected (n = 1078) were more often younger, with lower educational degrees, and foreigners. A higher probability of MSCD was found among women with previous comorbidities (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.34-6.12) and those born in Asian countries (OR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.23-7.56). The percentage of preterm birth was higher among women with MSCD compared with milder cases (32.0% [8/25] versus 8.4% [161/1917], p < 0.001) as well as the percentage of caesarean section (52.0% [13/25] versus 31.6% [606/1919], p 0.029). DISCUSSION: Although severe maternal and perinatal outcomes were rare, their prevalence was significantly higher among women without vaccine protection. Vaccination during pregnancy has the potential to protect both the mother and the baby, and it is therefore strongly recommended.

Comparing the demographics and laboratory biomarkers of the COVID-19 Omicron wave and the Alpha wave in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean patient population in New York City.

BACKGROUND: There is a knowledge gap of specific characteristics linked to disease severity of the different COVID-19 waves, especially in underserved populations. We compared the demographic and clinical factors associated with SARS-CoV-2-infected patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the Omicron and Alpha waves. METHODS: An observational study comparing two COVID-19 waves was conducted in Brooklyn, NY. Twenty-seven ICU admitted patients with a positive COVID-19 test result during the period of November 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022, ("Omicron wave") were compared to 271 COVID-19 patients who received ICU consults during the Alpha wave, the period from March 28, 2020, to April 30, 2020. RESULTS: The Omicron wave had a 55.6% mortality rate compared to a 67.2% mortality rate in the Alpha wave. For the non-survivors, there were more females (66.7%) in the Omicron wave, while the trend was reversed in the Alpha wave (38.5%). Most of the patients seen were Black (> 85%) in both waves. A bivariate comparison of the two waves found that patients in the Omicron wave had overall significantly lower ALT levels (p = 0.03) and higher monocyte % (p = 0.005) compared to the patients in the Alpha wave. In the multivariate analysis, adjusting for age and sex, increasing levels of HCO3- were significantly associated with reduced mortality in the Omicron wave (OR: 0.698; 95% CI: 0.516 - 0.945; p = 0.02). Also, multivariable analyses using both waves combined found that neutrophil % was significantly associated with increased mortality (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.09; p = 0.006) while lymphocyte % was significantly associated with reduced mortality (OR: 0.946; 95% CI: 0.904 - 0.990; p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19-positive ICU patients in the Omicron wave experienced less severe outcomes than those of the Alpha wave. In contrast to the Alpha variant, the Omicron variant exhibited enhanced infectivity and disease severity in females.

Gynaecological Laparoscopic Surgeries in the Omicron Era: Improvising the Management Skills After Lessons Learnt From the Delta Wave.

Background During the peak of the Omicron wave, elective laparoscopic surgeries were restricted; however, semi-emergency and emergency cases were managed despite the limited resources and manpower. We conducted this study to assess the types of gynaecological laparoscopic surgeries performed, the difficulties faced during the Omicron wave, and how we could implement the lessons learnt from the previous Delta wave for better management of gynaecological cases in the Omicron wave. Methodology We conducted a prospective cohort study over a period of three months involving 105 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgeries. Based on the decision regarding surgical incision time, the surgeries were sub-classified into immediate, urgent, and expedited. The surgical outcome and satisfaction rates among the patients were assessed through various parameters. Results Most of the women (81.9%) were pre-menopausal. Diabetes and chronic hypertension were the predominant medical co-morbidities. Three patients had a history of cardiac valve replacement which required switching warfarin to unfractionated heparin in the pre-operative period. Nearly three-fourthsof the study patients were doubly vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (77; 73.4%). A total of 14 (13.3%) patients had a history of COVID-19 infection in the past two weeks prior to the current admission. Immediate, urgent, and expedited surgeries comprised 11.4%, 22.8%, and 65.8% of total surgeries, respectively. On assessing the ease of pre-operative preparation according to the five-point Likert scale, immediate, urgent, and expedited surgeries were rated with a mean score of two, four, and five, respectively. The mean duration of surgery in the immediate and urgent groups was 37.6 and 44.2 minutes, respectively. The expedited group comprising mostly laparoscopic myomectomies and hysterectomies required an average duration of 92.6 minutes. The mean rating of patient satisfaction measured by the Likert scale was four, five, and five, respectively, in the three subgroups. Pre-operative patient preparation during the Omicron wave was faster, thereby decreasing the decision to incision interval compared to the Delta wave. Conclusions The lessons learnt from the previous Delta wave were used to modify the existing hospital policies in the Omicron wave. More number of vaccinated ground staff, less stringent intubation and extubation protocols during surgery, and lesser duration of post-operative stay helped modify our existing hospital policies for better patient care and satisfaction.

How ophthalmology practice changed over 2 years of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: an Egyptian perspective

Objectives To investigate the changes in ophthalmological practice between the first and current waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as well as to evaluate the pattern of ophthalmology practice following COVID-19 vaccination. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional observational analytical study of ophthalmologists working in different hospitals in Cairo, Egypt. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire that included separate sections about (a) demographic data, (b) experience with COVID-19 infection, (c) current ophthalmologists' and patients' concerns, (d) experience with COVID-19 vaccination, (e) current changes of practice, (f) current safety measures, and (g) current flow of cases. Results The questionnaire was sent to 200 ophthalmologists, with a 77% response rate. Since the onset of the pandemic in Egypt, similar to 60% of the participants (83% were below 45 years of age) have been infected with COVID-19. When compared with the first wave, more than two-thirds of respondents expressed less psychic concern but the same economic concern about the pandemic. Although 90% of the participants have been vaccinated against COVID-19, more than 50% still feel unsafe regarding new infection. In comparison with the first wave, 45% of participants have reduced clinical safety measures. Participants also found that their patients' psychological concern was significantly lower compared with the first wave and patients' flow increased to approach prepandemic levels. Conclusion Concerns among ophthalmologists and patients have decreased significantly since the first COVID-19 wave, but economic concerns remain high.

How Daily Obstacles Affect Frontline Healthcare Professionals' Mental Health during Omicron: A Daily Diary Study of Handwashing Behavior.

Based on coping theory, the current research examines how and why COVID-19 phobia affects frontline healthcare professionals' mental health, as well as their burnout and work-related stress. We focused on the mediating role of burnout and work-related stress in this study. In the current study, we also examined the moderating influence of healthcare professionals' handwashing behavior using the Hayes Process model. We employed a daily diary approach to collect data from respondents in Pakistan's frontline healthcare professionals (n = 79, 79 × 10 = 790) who were directly treating COVID-19 patients during the omicron wave. According to the findings of the study, COVID-19 phobia significantly disturbs healthcare professionals' mental health, as well as significantly strengthens burnout and work-related stress. The findings also demonstrated that burnout significantly negatively influences mental health. The mediation influence of burnout and work-related stress in the association between COVID-19 phobia and mental health has shown to be significant. The moderation analysis revealed that high handwashing behavior significantly buffers the negative impact of COVID-19 phobia, as well as the adverse effect of burnout on healthcare professionals' mental health. Moreover, our findings have theoretical and managerial implications, as well as new research directions for scholars to understand the adverse impact of daily obstacles on professionals' (nurses and doctors, etc.) mental health and work performance, as well as issues based on resource conversation philosophy.

Use of Health Care Chatbots Among Young People in China During the Omicron Wave of COVID-19: Evaluation of the User Experience of and Satisfaction With the Technology.

BACKGROUND: Long before the outbreak of COVID-19, chatbots had been playing an increasingly crucial role and gaining growing popularity in health care. In the current omicron waves of this pandemic when the most resilient health care systems at the time are increasingly being overburdened, these conversational agents (CA) are being resorted to as preferred alternatives for health care information. For many people, especially adolescents and the middle-aged, mobile phones are the most favored source of information. As a result of this, it is more important than ever to investigate the user experience of and satisfaction with chatbots on mobile phones. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was twofold: (1) Informed by Deneche and Warren's evaluation framework, Zhu et al's measures of variables, and the theory of consumption values (TCV), we designed a new assessment model for evaluating the user experience of and satisfaction with chatbots on mobile phones, and (2) we aimed to validate the newly developed model and use it to gain an understanding of the user experience of and satisfaction with popular health care chatbots that are available for use by young people aged 17-35 years in southeast China in self-diagnosis and for acquiring information about COVID-19 and virus variants that are currently spreading. METHODS: First, to assess user experience and satisfaction, we established an assessment model based on relevant literature and TCV. Second, the chatbots were prescreened and selected for investigation. Subsequently, 413 informants were recruited from Nantong University, China. This was followed by a questionnaire survey soliciting the participants' experience of and satisfaction with the selected health care chatbots via wenjuanxing, an online questionnaire survey platform. Finally, quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to find the informants' perception. RESULTS: The data collected were highly reliable (Cronbach α=.986) and valid: communalities=0.632-0.823, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO)=0.980, and percentage of cumulative variance (rotated)=75.257% (P<.001). The findings of this study suggest a considerable positive impact of functional, epistemic, emotional, social, and conditional values on the participants' overall user experience and satisfaction and a positive correlation between these values and user experience and satisfaction (Pearson correlation P<.001). The functional values (mean 1.762, SD 0.630) and epistemic values (mean 1.834, SD 0.654) of the selected chatbots were relatively more important contributors to the students' positive experience and overall satisfaction than the emotional values (mean 1.993, SD 0.683), conditional values (mean 1.995, SD 0.718), and social values (mean 1.998, SD 0.696). All the participants (n=413, 100%) had a positive experience and were thus satisfied with the selected health care chatbots. The 5 grade categories of participants showed different degrees of user experience and satisfaction: Seniors (mean 1.853, SD 0.108) were the most receptive to health care chatbots for COVID-19 self-diagnosis and information, and second-year graduate candidates (mean 2.069, SD 0.133) were the least receptive; freshmen (mean 1.883, SD 0.114) and juniors (mean 1.925, SD 0.087) felt slightly more positive than sophomores (mean 1.989, SD 0.092) and first-year graduate candidates (mean 1.992, SD 0.116) when engaged in conversations with the chatbots. In addition, female informants (mean 1.931, SD 0.098) showed a relatively more receptive attitude toward the selected chatbots than male respondents (mean 1.999, SD 0.051). CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the use of health care chatbots among young people (aged 17-35 years) in China, focusing on their user experience and satisfaction examined through an assessment framework. The findings show that the 5 domains in the new assessment model all have a positive impact on the participants' user experience and satisfaction. In this paper, we examined the usability of health care chatbots as well as actual chatbots used for other purposes, enriching the literature on the subject. This study also provides practical implication for designers and developers as well as for governments of all countries, especially in the critical period of the omicron waves of COVID-19 and other future public health crises.