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Despite the widespread use of emergency remote learning (ERL) during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education, little is known about the determinants of Chinese normal student satisfaction with ERL. This study uses a questionnaire survey method to examine how Chinese normal students' satisfaction with ERL during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that Chinese normal students prefer face-to-face teaching to online teaching to some extent. According to the findings, it is important to emphasize students' pre-class preparation, adjust course assessment methods, change teachers' teaching strategies, create a positive teaching environment, boost students' learning confidence, and help them deal with their anxiety during ERL to improve the online course experience for Chinese students at normal universities. © 2023 ACM.
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Self-medication is a widespread public health concern. University students are likely to be more prone to it since self-medication rates increase with educational level. Studies have shown that self-medication rates vary among academics belonging to different faculties, and medical students have the highest self-medication rates. However, it is unknown whether this holds in a vulnerable situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also unknown whether differences in technical knowledge of drugs influence self-medication rates among students. Thus, this study analyzes and compares prophylactic self-medication among graduate students of different faculties in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a private university in southern Brazil. Students from the medicine, law, life sciences, and fine arts faculties were surveyed, and their responses were compared using a chi-square test. Among 396 respondents, 29.5% reported using preventive medication for COVID-19, and medical students were the least likely to do so. The self-medication rate was 13.6% among respondents, and self-medication did not differ significantly between students of different faculties. Of the students who self-medicated 63% reported having studied the medication before using them. Furthermore, the media did not induce drug use among 81.8% respondents. These results show that medical students used fewer preventive medications during the pandemic and refute the assertion that self-medication rates are higher among medical students. They also show that self-medication rates during the pandemic were significantly lower than those before the pandemic. These revelations show a new aspect of self-medication.Copyright © 2021 Muslim OT et al.
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Aim: SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic that has negative consequences for many parts of life. To our knowledge, no study has assessed the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on a possible delay in prosthodontic treatments because of a potential concern of contamination in individuals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess this potential impact of fear, as well as oral health-related quality of life, in partially edentulous patients using questionnaires during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): A total of 135 partially edentulous patients (74 females and 61 males aged 18-70 years) participated in this study. A complete questionnaire consisting of general knowledge questions on SARS-CoV-2 and the OIDP scale, which evaluates the effect of oral status on daily activities were used in participants. Result(s): Statistical analyzes showed that participants with a history of SARS-CoV-2 and/or who are aware of a member of their social circle with a history of the virus, and/or who is deceased, were unwilling to receive dental care during the pandemic. Most of the participants between the ages of 31 and 60 were more worried about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during dental treatment. Discussion(s): Concerns about SARS-CoV-2 contamination of patients over 30 years of age may have a negative impact on oral health due to delayed prosthodontic treatments.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, reconstruction projects are progressing in the affected areas and new towns are being formed. However, the recent spread of COVID-19 infection is thought to have affected interactions among residents. In this study, we conducted a multiple-choice questionnaire survey in the Taro district of Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, to investigate residents' social capital. Cross-tabulations, chi-square tests, and residual analysis revealed the following trends. First, most respondents indicated that the frequency of interaction with local residents and community activities decreased or remained the same after the earthquake. Second, Changes in residents' social capital compared to pre-disaster levels are significantly related to their social capital now, 10 years after the earthquake. Finally, respondents with no roommates and female respondents showed a higher rate of decline in social capital compared to pre-disaster levels. In the disaster-affected areas, the importance of social capital is becoming increasingly recognized for promoting future reconstruction community planning and inhibiting solitary death. It is necessary to respond to residents whose social capital is likely to decline more than before the disaster, such as women and those who live alone. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reseverd.
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A plethora of research has highlighted that trust in science, political trust, and conspiracy theories are all important contributors to vaccine uptake behavior. In the current investigation, relying on data from 17 countries (N = 30,096) from the European Social Survey we examined how those who received (and wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine) compared to those who did not differ in their trust in: science, politicians and political parties, international organizations and towards people in general. We also examined whether they differed in how much they believed in conspiracy theories. Those who received (or wanted to receive) the COVID vaccine scored significantly higher in all forms of trust, and lower in conspiracy theory beliefs. A logistic regression suggested that trust in science, politicians, international organizations, as well as belief in conspiracy theories were significant predictors, even after accounting for key demographic characteristics.
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During the pandemic COVID-19, there has been an increase in the number of patients with non-anginal chest pain at cardiologist appointments. Objective. To assess the incidence of signs of pleurisy and pericarditis after COVID-19 in non-comorbid patients with atypical chest pain and describe their characteristics according to echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and methods. From February 2021 to January 2022, 200 outpatients were prospectively enrolled in the study, all of them suffered from a discomfort in the heart region for the first time after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Inclusion criteria: 18-50 years old, 5-12 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, non-anginal chest pain. Exclusion criteria: pneumonia or signs of pulmonary thromboembolism, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure or kidney disease, clinical or laboratory signs of myocarditis, oncopathology, radiation or chemotherapy of the chest in past medical history. A survey was conducted (yes/no) for the presence of general malaise, quality of life deterioration, hyperthermia, cough. Ultrasound examination of the pericardium and pleura to detect effusion or post-inflammatory changes was performed in accordance with the recommendations. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed if ultrasound imaging was poor or there was no evidence of pericardial or pleural involvement in patients with typical symptoms. Results. 82 women and 118 men were included. Median of age 39 [28-46] years old. Pericarditis was diagnosed in 152 (76%) patients, including effusive pericarditis in 119 (78%), myocarditis in 6 (3%) and myopericarditis in 49 (25%) patients, pleurisy was detected in 22 (11%) patients, exudative pleurisy - in 11 (5.5%) patients with a predominant unilateral lesion of the mediastinal-diaphragmatic region adjacent to the heart. Hyperthermia was recorded in 2.5% of cases, general malaise - in 60% and a decrease in the quality of life - in 84%. Conclusion. Serositis as a cause of atypical chest pain among young non-comorbid patients in early postCOVID was identified in 87% of patients. In the coming years, it is probably worthwhile to perform ultrasound of the pericardium and pleura in all patients with chest pain.Copyright © 2022 Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training.
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This chapter discusses the format of the International Program of Art Therapy in Thailand (IPATT) program before and during the COVID pandemic. A survey will contrast the strengths and weaknesses of online learning as experienced by IPATT students who participated in the program in-person as well as online. The IPATT studio is equipped with audio-visual aids for instructors to present art therapy theories and a studio working area with a wide assortment of art materials that allow students to work experientially. In addition to art therapy education, having students in the studio also gives them opportunities to learn relational literacy inside and outside class time, such as confronting or allying, deepening or skipping, and encouraging or letting go. The student survey that contrasted in-person and online classroom experiences revealed that face-to-face teaching gets a higher score in 3 out of 9 quality sub-categories;most aspects remain the same in both classroom settings. There are advantages and disadvantages to sharing art and personal experiences online, where group dynamics can be different, benefiting some group members but not others. While there is a preference for face-to-face education, the small student survey shows that most IPATT students accept online education as an alternative. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic presented new difficulties for integrated healthcare worldwide. Our study aims to highlight developing needs for cooperation while describing structures and practices of consultation liaison (CL) services established during pandemic across Europe. Method(s): The cross-sectional survey used an ONLINE self-developed 25-item questionnaire in four language versions (English, French, Italian, German). Dissemination was via national professional societies cooperating in EAPM, and heads of CL services from June to October 2021 Results: 259 hospital CL services took part in the study (28.0% response rate). 222 (85.7%) of these services reported providing COVID-19-related mental health care (COVIDpsyCare). Among them, 192 services (86.5%) reported the development of specialized COVID-psyCare co-operation arrangements. 135 services (50.8%) provided specific COVID-psyCare for patients, 85 (38.2%) for relatives, and 171 (77.0%) for staff, with 56.3%, 14.6%, and 23.7% of time resources invested for these groups, respectively. Interventions for hospital staff, commonly related to the liaison function of CL services, were rated as being the most helpful. Regarding newly emerging demands, 129 (58.1%) CL services stated a need for communication and support among themselves concerning COVID-psyCare, and 142 (64.0%) suggested certain adjustments or enhancements that they thought were crucial for the future. Conclusion(s): Specific structure to provide COVID mental health care for patients, their relatives, or staff were implemented in over 80% of the participating CL services. Resources were primarily allocated for patient care, and staff assistance was mostly achieved through the implementation of specialized interventions. COVID psyCare's development calls for further intra- and interinstitutional cooperation.Copyright © 2023
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The emergence, spread, and development of COVID-19 has become a serious challenge and a test of the professional, organizational, and technological capabilities of the global medical community. The specific nature of the profession puts health workers at the forefront of responding to a COVID-19 outbreak and exposes them to a particularly high risk of infection. Hazards include contact with the pathogen, long work hours, psychological distress, fatigue, occupational burnout, and several others. Simultaneously, as members of society, health workers are also exposed to the general risks and influences of a difficult epidemiological situation (e.g., anxiety from uncertainty, lack of information, and general social and economic problems and constraints). As professionals, health workers must demonstrate the unity of opinion, attitude, and action and act as experts for patients on various issues, implementing the state's health care policy. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
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Objective: Healthcare professionals were the workers most affected by Covid-19, espe-cially during the first waves of the pandemic. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the perceived risk of exposure to Covid-19, the information received and the work participation between nurses, physicians and nursing assistants. Method(s): A cross-sectional study was conducted using an epidemiological survey among nurses, physicians and nursing assistants in a university hospital. Aspect and content validation, cognitive pretest, and piloting of the epidemiological survey was carried out with thirty subjects. A descriptive analysis was per-formed using mean and standard deviation (SD) for quantitative variables and absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies for qualitative variables. The chi-square test and the ANOVA test were applied to assess the association of the responses with the variables: sex, type of worker, area of work and activity in Covid-19 Units. Result(s): Nurses, physicians and nursing assistants worked mainly in assistance areas and high risk of exposure units. Nursing assistants and nurses had a higher perception of risk. Nurses were less involved in the organiza-tion, but felt more supported by their colleagues. However, physicians felt more supported by their superiors and better care when they had a health problem. Conclusion(s): Nursing assistants and nurses presented higher risk perception, nurses were less involved in the organization of health care, while physicians felt more supported by their superiors.Copyright © 2023, Fundacion Index. All rights reserved.
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In the COVID-19 reality, educational organizations worldwide faced the urgent need to transform the educational process to prevent the uncontrolled spread of infection while ensuring that students' competencies were built at the desired level. The primary way to solve this problem was an accelerated transition to distance education. In order to switch to this type of learning, educational institutions are devoting significant resources to training their staff in new teaching methods and improving technology for interacting with students. However, fast is not always good. Moreover, radical changes that do not correspond with the perceptions of the participants in the educational process may not bring the expected results, even if they are implemented in the spirit of the latest trends. In this regard, it is advisable to conduct research to update the ideas about the advantages and disadvantages of distance education, the timely identification of which can help improve the quality and effectiveness of the educational process. The paper presents the results of research conducted among the students of one of the flagship universities of Russia. The conducted study shows that students negatively perceive some advantages of distance education. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the conceptual foundations of distance education. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
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The school system was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need to assess the implementation of flexible learning in academic institutions. The study intends to describe the flexible learning as practiced in the highly urbanized University and the countryside University during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey research aims to explore students' and faculty members' perceptions of the flexible learning modality implemented in the two institutions of higher learning. It also aims to discover the challenges, preferences, and support students and faculty need. Based on the results, learning becomes not workable given reasonable factors: strength of internet connectivity, quality of modules provided, the validity of the assessment, availability of learning devices such as smartphones, availability of budget for net data subscription, conduciveness of respective households for learning, et cetera. There should be standardized, normativized, and effective modules that are produced out of the intervention of various stakeholders. Requirements must be simple, reasonable, and workable given the students' time, resources, and capacity. Assessments should not be traditional and objective but should be authentic assessments. The digital divide should never be promoted directly or indirectly. The default system for all degree programs has to be the modules. The synchronous and/or asynchronous sessions should be made available to students but not mandatory;the University and teachers have to monitor every student's learning progress effectively. © 2022 IEEE.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to people's lives, causing high levels of anxiety, distress, and fear. In response, the "Fear of COVID-19” scale (FCV-19S) was developed in 2020 to measure the severity of fears related to COVID-19. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Czech version of the FCV-19S, which was administered to a representative sample of 1372 participants, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. The sample reflects the structure of a theoretical population aged 15–74 years and is composed of 50% males and 50% females. Moreover, univariate statistics were calculated, internal consistency was tested, and uni-dimensionality based on principal component analysis was performed. In addition, univariate statistical analyses were performed, internal consistency was tested, and univariate consistency was also assessed using principal component analysis. CFA indicated that the scale demonstrated very good standard indices;FCV-19S showed a high level of internal consistency, and it adequately differentiated the levels of fear among diverse subpopulations. The findings suggest that the Czech version of the FCV-19S is a valid and reliable instrument that has robust psychometric properties and can, therefore, be recommended for use in research. The availability of the Czech version of the FCV-19S will contribute to assessments of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Czech population, providing valuable information in guiding interventions aimed at reducing the negative psychological impacts of the pandemic.
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To combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, many new ways have been proposed on how to automate the process of finding infected people, also called contact tracing. A special focus was put on preserving the privacy of users. Bluetooth Low Energy as base technology has the most promising properties, so this survey focuses on automated contact tracing techniques using Bluetooth Low Energy. We define multiple classes of methods and identify two major groups: systems that rely on a server for finding new infections and systems that distribute this process. Existing approaches are systematically classified regarding security and privacy criteria.Copyright © 2021 ACM.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed major changes in how youth mental health (MH) services are delivered. Understanding youth's MH, awareness and use of services since the pandemic, and differences between youth with and without a MH diagnosis, can help us optimize MH services during the pandemic and beyond. Objective(s): We investigated youth's MH and service use one year into the pandemic and explored differences between those with and without a self-reported MH diagnosis. Method(s): In February 2021, we administered a web-based survey to youth, 12-25 years, in Ontario. Data from 1373 out of 1497 (91.72%) participants were analyzed. We assessed differences in MH and service use between those with (N=623, 45.38%) and without (N=750, 54.62%) a self-reported MH diagnosis. Logistic regressions were used to explore MH diagnosis as a predictor of service use while controlling for confounders. Result(s): 86.73% of participants reported worse MH since COVID-19, with no between-group differences. Participants with a MH diagnosis had higher rates of MH problems, service awareness and use, compared to those without a diagnosis. MH diagnosis was the strongest predictor of service use. Gender and affordability of basic needs also independently predicted use of distinct services. Conclusion(s): Various services are required to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on youth MH and meet their service needs. Whether youth have a MH diagnosis may be important to understanding what services they are aware of and use. Sustaining pandemic-related service changes require increasing youth's awareness of digital interventions and overcoming other barriers to care.Copyright © 2023, Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. All rights reserved.
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Objective: To evaluate whether the COVID19 pandemic continues to affect working practices/patterns in staff working in a global medical communications agency, and establish what impact these have on various factors relevant to their work. Research design and methods: Staff were asked to detail changes in working practices (pre- vs post-pandemic), via an online survey conducted in September 2022. Those with changes in working patterns were asked to assess the resulting impact on key work-related aspects. Categories were: communication, creativity, effectiveness, resolving queries, briefing, career progression/development opportunities, professional relationships and work/life balance;ratings were: very positive, positive, neutral and negative. Result(s): Of 36 respondents, most (n=32, 89%) reported changes in working patterns post-pandemic: 31 (86%) from predominantly office-based to predominantly remote, and 1 (3%) from predominantly remote to predominantly office-based. Four (11%) reported no change. Seventeen (53%) considered the overall impact on their daily work as neutral, 14 (44%) as positive and one (3%) as negative. Most staff reported a very positive/positive impact on effectiveness (69%) and work/life balance (63%). Categories with majority neutral responses were communication with delivery team (63%), creativity (47%), query resolution (50%), providing/receiving briefs (78%), and career progression/- development opportunities (63%). Overall, 56% of staff felt that their new working pattern negatively impacted their ability to form working relationships with peers. Conclusion(s): Most staff work in a hybrid manner post-pandemic. Although hybrid working has minimal impact on key workrelated aspects, it is important to have balance between office and remote working where possible, to develop and maintain working relationships (and thus foster a sense of community), whilst enabling individual flexibility.
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New threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic have brought forth not only threats to human health but also changes to many other sectors of the global economy. Despite strict lockdowns, the highest annual number of global renewable energy installations were completed in 2020, including onshore wind power stations and PV power stations. The development of these two types of renewables is increasing rapidly. Transformations in terms of renewable energy require both governmental and public support;thus, it is important to note that the pandemic did not weaken the public commitment to fight climate change. This article aims to evaluate the actual level of support for renewable energy sources in different countries of the world and how the pandemic has affected public opinion regarding this issue. Our analysis suggests that, regardless of the pandemic, public support for renewable energy remains strong in different regions of the world. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Energies (19961073) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Partisanship, polarization, and platforms are foundational to how people perceive contentious issues. Using a probability sample (n = 825), we examine these factors in tandem across four political claims concerning US presidential elections and the COVID-19 pandemic. We find Democrats and Republicans differ in their belief in true and false claims, with each party believing more in pro-attitudinal claims than in counter-attitudinal claims. These results are especially pronounced for affectively polarized partisans. We also find interactions between partisanship and platform use where Republicans who use Google or Twitter are more likely to believe in false claims about COVID-19 than Republicans who do not use these platforms. Our findings highlight that Americans' beliefs in political claims are associated with their political identity through both partisanship and polarization, and the use of search and social platforms appears critical to these relationships. These findings have implications for understanding why realities are malleable to voter preferences in liberal democracies. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of New Media & Society is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Background: Patients with cancer are at a higher risk of severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and mortality. Therefore, widespread COVID-19 vaccination is required to attain herd immunity. Objective(s): We aimed to evaluate the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indian patients with cancer and to collect information regarding vaccine hesitancy and factors that contributed to vaccine hesitancy. Material(s) and Method(s): This was a questionnaire-based survey conducted between May 7, 2021 and June 10, 2021 in patients aged 45 years and over, with solid tumors. The primary end points of the study were the proportion of Indian patients with cancer aged 45 years and older who had not received the COVID-19 vaccine, and the reasons why these patients had not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Our secondary end points were the proportion of patients with a history of COVID-19 infection, and the proportion of the patients who had vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, we attempted to assess the factors that could impact vaccine hesitancy. Result(s): A total of 435 patients were included in the study. Of these, 348 (80%) patients had not received even a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine;66 (15.2%) patients had received the first dose, and 21 (4.8%) had received both the doses. Approximately half (47.1%) of the patients reported that they took the COVID-19 vaccine based on the advice from a doctor. The reasons for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine could be considered as vaccine hesitancy in 259 (77%) patients. The two most common reasons were fear in 124 (38%) patients (fear of side-effects and of the impact of the vaccine on the cancer/therapy) and lack of information in 87 (26.7%) patients. On the multivariate analysis, the two factors found to be significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy were a lower educational level (OR, 1.78;95% CI, 1-3.17;P = 0.048) and a lack of prior advice regarding the COVID-19 vaccine (OR, 2.80;95% CI, 1.73-4.53;P < 0.001). Conclusion(s): Vaccine hesitancy is present in over half of our patients, and the most common reasons are a fear of the vaccine impacting the cancer therapy, fear of side-effects, and lack of information. Widespread vaccination can only be attained if systematic programs for education and dissemination of information regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine are given as much importance as fortification of the vaccination supply and distribution system.Copyright © 2021 Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.
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Background: Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic medical practices have implemented diverse protective measures to contain the pandemic, practice organization and structures were adapted. In order to get information about patients' perception of their doctors' visit during the pandemic, we conducted a patient survey in medical practices. Method(s): Cross-sectional study of 58 patients, who were interviewed in four medical practices (family physicians and specialists) in the South West of Munich from 02.04.-17.04.2020 on the following topics: "personal risk assessment", "sense of security and perception of protection measures in the practice setting", "importance of the doctor's visit" and "change of medication, nicotine consumption". By means of a questionnaire with 24 items, data were collected anonymously. Results are presented descriptively and via ANOVA as well as via linear regression. Result(s): The personal risk assessments for COVID-19-disease and for a severe course of COVID-19 were rated low moderate, independent of sex or age. Around 8% of the surveyed patients discussed their personal risk with their doctors. The sense of security in the practice setting was rated high. The rating of the protection equipment was good as well, and closely met expectations. The personal importance of the visit varied. Only 6% had considered cancelling their visit beforehand. A change of medication due to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was not observed. Conclusion(s): The patient survey provides a snapshot of the outpatient setting from the patient's perspective in a hyperdynamic pandemic situation. Yet, due to the small study population, the results have to be interpreted with caution.Copyright © 2021, Deutscher Arzteverlag.