Managing perceived distress to COVID-19 infection on post-COVID-19 condition

Aims: COVID-19 leaves diverse sequalae beyond the acute illness, referred to as 'long COVID'. However, the aetiology, characteristics and risk factors of Long-COVID is still lacking. COVID-19 patients experience various stressful events and suffer emotional distress which causes post-traumatic stress disorders. This study aimed to investigate association between of perceived distress to COVID-19 infection and long COVID. Method(s): Data from 56 patients who visited the psychiatric department of our post-COVID clinic between March and June 2022 were analysed. All patients completed a subjective symptom checklist [32 symptoms in eight categories], selected cognitive function tests [digit span test, trail making test (TMT), and Stroop word colour interference test], and validated neuropsychological scales [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAS and HDS), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Impact of event scale-revised (IES-R)]. We classified patients into two groups, 'High distress group'(N = 37) and 'Low distress group (N = 19) through IES-R score (cut-off = 25). The frequency and severity of long COVID-symptoms between the two groups were compared with Mann-whitney and chi-square test. Result(s): The average age of the patients was 53.34 years, and 70.53 days had passed from the SARS-CoV-2 confirmation using RTPCR. 'High distress group' showed higher HAS (284 vs. 455, p = .01), HDS (197 vs. 387, p = .032), and PSQI (238 vs. 428, p = .05) scores and suffered shortness of breath, palpitation, tingling, subjective memory deficit more frequently. Regarding neurocognitive functioning, there was no difference between two groups. Conclusion(s): Managing perceived distress due to COVID-19 could alleviate the long-covid sequalae especially in neuropsychiatric area.

Cognitive symptoms after COVID-19

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection frequently causes neurological symptoms. Cognitive alterations are among the most frequent symptoms, and may persist beyond the acute phase of infection. Method(s): We conducted a narrative review of the literature. Result(s): Hospitalised patients, and especially critically ill patients, are at greater risk of developing cognitive symptoms. Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms, unlike those associated with other viral illnesses, have been observed in patients with mild infection, and present some atypical features. Cognitive symptoms may last longer in COVID-19 than in other infectious processes, and more frequently affect young people. Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms share common features with those described in chronic fatigue syndrome, including a similar profile with affective symptoms. Brief screening tests for cognitive impairment present suboptimal diagnostic performance, and standardised criteria are needed to ensure correct diagnosis. Post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment can have a significant impact on the patient's quality of life and functional independence, regardless of other post-COVID-19 symptoms. Currently, no specific treatments have been approved for post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment, although cognitive stimulation may be useful in some patients. Conclusion(s): Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms are common and are often associated with other systemic symptoms. Neuropsychological evaluation may be useful for diagnosis and to quantify their severity and long-term prognosis. Detailed, and individualised assessment of cognitive impairment may enable the design of treatment plans.Copyright © 2021 Sociedad Espanola de Neurologia

Construction and standardization of toolkit of numeracy skills

India is facing learning crisis as close to 5 crore children in elementary school, lacks numeracy and literacy skills mentioned in draft NEP, 2019.ASER (2021) reported that COVID 2019 has worsen the situation, as only 10 per cent of the kids studying grade III to V in government schools can solve a subtraction problem. National Curriculum Frameworks, time to time has expressed the need to bring changes in the areas of teaching, learning and assessment for qualitative improvement in the school education system in India.If we want to bridge the learning gap, we need to provide the suitable interventions. For that purpose, we need to know where students are on the skill continuum and specifically the learning areas which need attention. Traditional pen paper test or examination is designed to test their knowledge on the bases of content, not on competence. This paper endeavors to construct standardized a simple, cost effective and easy to administer screening assessment toolkit to check the competence based numeracy skills for grade three. Final draft of the toolkit is comprised of 9 items. Reliability of the toolkit was found by test re-test method and it was .89. Content validity and construct validity of the toolkit was also established.