Digitalisation of Indian smart cities: post-Covid-19 approaches to data, recognition and health monitoring

There is a proliferation of digitalisation of urban and health services in India under the Smart City and Digital Health missions, respectively. This study brings digital and feminist geographies together to understand the role of technologies in urban areas, particularly in health service delivery and how healthcare workers mediate these health platforms. Using a case study of Varanasi city in Uttar Pradesh, India this study documents whether-and to what extent-digital technologies and services enable citizens and service providers to access and improve their lived experiences. The findings indicate a top-down, innovation-focussed model is adopted which excludes and alienates different user groups and citizens shaping their interaction and access to these services.

Exploring the self-preparedness of frontline healthcare workers in a low- and middle-income country from a humanitarian context during the COVID-19 pandemic: A constructivist grounded theory study.

Background: While research has been conducted on the availability, accessibility, and affordability of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, little information is available on the ways in which health workers, especially those in humanitarian settings see themselves, and engage in self-preparedness for social, physical, and mental health and practical care in the pandemic. We sought to address this gap. Methods: We followed a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide in-depth interviews with 30 frontline doctors, nurses, and community healthcare workers recruited from the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh using the purposive and snowball sampling methods. Analyses were carried out through the identification of codes in three phases: an initial line-by-line open coding, then focused axial coding, and finally selective coding. Findings: An emergent-grounded theory of "Navigating Self-Preparedness through Pandemics" was developed as we built a five-phased theoretical framework examining health worker responses with the following pillars: (a) pandemic shock; (b) pandemic awareness; (c) pandemic learning; (d) pandemic resilience, and (e) pandemic resurgence. Interpretation: The theory emerged as a realistic, socially, and culturally sensitive COVID-19 strategy to support healthcare workers. Self-preparedness was characterized by two interwoven processes: (1) the experiences of the daily life span of healthcare workers attempting to improve their own protection using all their potential while providing care for patients in a vulnerable setting and time and (2) the inseparable role of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors in each stage of learning during the pandemic to achieve better outcomes.

Robust Design Optimization of Powered Air Purifying Respirator System by Iterative Process

The personal protective equipment (PPE) has protected the frontline health workers from getting affected in COVID 19 spread situations to a certain level. Among the PPEs, PAPRs (Powered Air Purifying Respirators) are considered as one of the most efficient equipment for protection purposes. In pandemic spread situations, the PAPR becomes very much essential considering its protection. The PAPR is mainly imported to India. But the cost of PAPR being on the higher side (Rupees (Rs) 100000) becomes unaffordable to many frontline health workers. This paper focuses on the development of a cost-effective PAPR that is affordable to them. This paper projects a detailed step-by-step process of design and development of PAPR, and its evolution in each iteration. The study was conducted with the medical officers from AIMS Hospital and engineers from AMMACHI labs to bring out effective solutions for frontline health workers during a pandemic. © 2022 IEEE.

The relationship between transmission misinformation, COVID-19 stress and satisfaction with life among adults.

The perplexing evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the spiritual lives of Vietnamese people in general, and particularly adults. The objective of this study was to ascertain the link between adult satisfaction with life and COVID-19 stress in Vietnam and investigate if COVID-19 transmission disinformation modifies the effect of COVID-19 stress on adult satisfaction with life. A total of 435 Vietnamese adults were enrolled online to finish answering, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SL), the COVID-19 Stress Scale (CS), and the COVID-19 Transmission Misinformation Scale (CTMS), consisting of 350 females and 85 males. Correlation, regression, and basic mediation analyses were used to dissociate the data. According to the findings of our study, there is a difference in gender in satisfaction with life. Females have a greater degree of satisfaction with life than males. Significant differences exist between relatives of direct and indirect COVID-19 transmission misinformation workers. People who had relatives who were frontline medical staff had higher COVID-19 Transmission Misinformation than others. There is a positive correlation between satisfaction with life and COVID-19 spreading disinformation, but it can have adverse effects on persons' physical health. Additionally, COVID-19 transmission misinformation has a role in the relationship between COVID-19 stress and adult life satisfaction. Individuals are more likely to access misinformation about COVID-19 transmission, which results in enhanced life satisfaction. During the COVID-19 epidemic, adults in Vietnam should be aware of the damaging consequences of COVID-19 transmission misinformation on their stress levels. Stress may significantly influence not just one's mental health but also other aspects of one's life. Clinicians should be aware of COVID-19 transmission misinformation and stress, which affect psychological treatment.

Use of provider-to-provider telemedicine in Kenya during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 90 percent of countries continue to report COVID-related disruptions to their health systems. The use of telemedicine has been especially common among high-income countries to safely deliver and access health services where enabling infrastructure like broadband connectivity is more widely available than low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Addis Clinic implements a provider-to-provider (P2P) asynchronous telemedicine model in Kenya. We sought to examine the use of the P2P telemedicine platform during the second year of COVID-19. Methods: To assess sustainability, we compared the data for two 12-month calendar periods (period A = year 2020, and period B = year 2021). To examine performance, we compared the data for two different 12-month periods (period C = pandemic period of February 2021 to January 2022, and period D = baseline period of February 2019 to January 2020). Results: Sustainability of the P2P telemedicine platform was maintained during the pandemic with increased activity levels from 2,604 cases in 2020 to 3,525 cases in 2021. There was an average of 82 specialists and 5.9 coordinators during 2020, and an average of 81 specialists and 6.0 coordinators during 2021. During 2020, there were 444 cases per coordinator, and 587 cases per coordinator in 2021(P = 0.078). During 2020, there were 32 cases per specialist, and 43 cases per specialist in 2021(P = 0.068). Performance decreased with 99 percent of cases flagged as "answered" during the baseline period (period D), and 75 percent of cases flagged as "answered" during the pandemic period (period C). Conclusion: Results suggest that despite a decline in certain sustainability and performance indicators, The Addis Clinic was able to sustain a very high level of activity during the second year of the pandemic, as shown by the continued use of the system. Furthermore, despite some of the infrastructure challenges present in LMICs, the P2P telemedicine platform was a viable option for receiving clinical recommendations from medical experts located remotely. As health systems in LMICs grapple with the effects of the pandemic, it is worthwhile to consider the use of telemedicine to deliver essential health services.

Imagining Caring Futures for Frontline Health Work

Care workers are increasingly using digital technology in their daily lives, for monitoring, financial compensation, training, coordination, and more. State and corporate actors have invested significant resources to enable this digital shift, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, care work has remained chronically underpaid, and continues to rely on women from minoritized and marginalized backgrounds. Our paper examines how care workers carefully navigate digitization, precarity, and complex social relationships, in an attempt to care for their communities and each other. We analyze the emerging digital ecosystem for frontline health workers in India during the COVID-19 pandemic where these dynamics have been highly visible. Our research draws attention to four interconnected ways in which workers practiced care, by directing their efforts towards survival, resilience, advocacy, and/or resistance. We suggest these also as care orientations that can be adopted by researchers and practitioners, to critically reflect on and direct technology design towards enabling more caring futures, for (and with) workers and communities. © 2022 Owner/Author.

"I Carry the Trauma and Can Vividly Remember": Mental Health Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Health Care Workers in South Africa.

We know from research that pandemics and disease outbreaks expose HCWs to an increased risk of short and long-term psychosocial and occupational impacts. We conducted qualitative research among 44 frontline health care workers (FHCWs) practicing in seven South African hospitals and clinics. FHCWs were interviewed on their experiences of working during the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and its perceived impact on their wellness. In this study, FHCWs included the non-medical and medical professionals in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, providing health care and treatment services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the FHCWs reported stressful and traumatic experiences relating to being exposed to a deadly virus and working in an emotionally taxing environment. They reported depression, anxiety, traumatic stress symptoms, demoralization, sleep difficulties, poor functioning, increased irritability and fear of being infected or dying from COVID-19. The mental health impacts of COVID-19 on HCWs were also associated with increased poor physical wellbeing, including fatigue, burnout, headache, and chest-pains. FHCWs reported professional commitment and their faith as critical intrinsic motivators that fostered adaptive coping while working on the frontline during the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many alluded to gaps in workplace psychosocial support which they perceived as crucial for coping mentally. The findings point to a need to prioritize interventions to promote mental wellness among FHCWs to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare to patients during pandemics or deadly disease outbreaks.

Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on lifestyle habits and self-care practices of diabetic and hypertensive patients in rural Shimla and Udaipur - Findings from the HealthRise India program.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of mortality among patients with noncommunicable diseases. Maintaining a good metabolic control, lifestyle modification along with improved self-care practices are not only associated with less severe COVID-19 infections but also with a high recovery rate. Objectives: This research article explores the changes in lifestyle habits, self-care practices, and metabolic control among patients enrolled in the HealthRise program. The study compares behavioral changes, before COVID-19 pandemic and during COVID-19 pandemic, between intervention and control arms in Shimla and Udaipur. Methods: A quasi-experimental study design was employed for program implementation in select villages of Shimla district, and Udaipur district. A total of 459 patients from Shimla and 309 patients from Udaipur with diabetes mellitus or hypertension or with both were enrolled and followed for 1 year. Results: Metabolic control in Shimla intervention arm was 2.6 times higher than in control arm (P = 0.001) before COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID-19 pandemic, Odds of metabolic control in Shimla intervention was 1.5 times higher when compared with control arm (P = 0.03). In Udaipur, metabolic control before COVID-19 pandemic was comparable between control and intervention arms. During the pandemic, metabolic control in intervention arm of Udaipur was 5 times higher when compared to the control arm ((P = 0.001). Conclusion: Participants exposed to support, appreciate, learn, and transfer-community life competence process (SALT-CLCP) intervention maintained metabolic control during the COVID-19 pandemic with improved behavioral and self-care practices. Community-based interventions such as SALT-CLCP method bring ownership and empower community in achieving the better health outcomes.

Vaccine hesitancy towards COVID vaccine among unvaccinated frontline health care workers working in a designated COVID care center: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Frontline health care workers (FLHCW) like doctors and nurses are bound to treat COVID patients being themselves not immune to disease are at a greater risk of COVID infection than the general population. The study was started with objectives to find out the vaccine hesitancy towards the COVID vaccine and to find out the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among FLHCW working in a designated COVID care center. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study carried out for a period of 6 months from Jan 2021 to June 2021 at a designated COVID care center. FLHCWs who were part of treating COVID patients were our study participants. Among them, FLHCWs who had not received even one dose of COVID vaccine (Covishield) were included in the study. FLHCWs who had been part of the COVID vaccine trial were excluded from the study. The sample size calculated based on a previous study found to be 240. The data collected were entered into a Microsoft office excel sheet, analyzed using SPSS v 22(IBM Corp). Descriptive statistics were applied, and parametric tests were used to compare among the groups with statistically significant P value lesser than 0.05. Results: A total of 121 (52.6%) of FLHCWs were aged more than 30 years, 118 (51.5%) were male participants, 100 (43.5%) were paramedics by occupation, 51 (22.1%) had contracted COVID infection, 202 (87.8%) had received information, education, and communication (IEC) regarding COVID vaccine. FLHCWs more than 30 years, male participants, currently not working in COVIDward, FLHCWs who had not received IEC about COVIDvaccination and paramedics had higher scores of Vaccine hesitancy, and the difference was statistically significant indicating vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy remains a persistent global threat. Awareness campaigns can be tailored to specific locales to address identified concerns regarding vaccines.

Voice, influence and belonging: HIV community health workers' lived experience on the interdisciplinary health team

The integration of Community Health Workers (CHWs) on HIV healthcare teams has been endorsed as a way to mitigate social determinants associated with poor health outcomes and, through the power of shared identity, engage persons living with HIV into care who have been harmed by stigma and racism. This phenomenological study was conducted to explore factors that constrain or facilitate meaningful integration of HIV CHWs within healthcare organizations. In individual interviews, ten CHWs employed by New York City HIV healthcare providers discussed their lived experience on the team. Several major themes in their lived experience emerged. First, a sense of mutual reliance on the team inspired CHWs, but created vulnerability to disillusionment and anxiety when the health system failed to live up to its promise. Second, failed communication between CHWs and other team members interfered with client care. Third, strong supervision grounded CHWs as they worked in the field. Fourth, duplicative documentation distracted from CHW focus on client care. Fifth, CHWs enhanced their voice and credibility on the team through developing deep understanding of their clients' concerns. Sixth, CHWs felt inadequate to address deep-rooted social problems such as lack of safe permanent housing and chronic addiction. Finally, CHWs reported that they used creativity and perseverance to overcome fear generated by the risks and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in this study vividly expressed their desire for improved communication across professional hierarchies. Practice and research implications include the importance of developing initiatives to examine the best methods to provide team training, role clarity, team communication and evaluation where CHWs are employed on outpatient HIV care teams. CHWs' ability to address social determinants of health depend on their ability to participate in the development of health promotion policy efforts. In the field of HIV services, this should include funding CHWs to work in close partnership with non-medical organizations that provide legal or harm reduction advocacy, while at the same time remaining integrated with outpatient primary care practices. Future research should identify CHW programs where staff are charged with community organizing and HIV policy advocacy, and identify key outcomes such as permanent housing status. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Toward Designs of Workplace Stress Management Mobile Apps for Frontline Health Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Mixed Methods Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, mobile apps have been developed to prevent burnout, promote anxiety management, and provide health education to workers in various workplace settings. However, there remains a paucity of such apps for frontline health workers (FHWs), even though FHWs are the most susceptible to stress due to the nature of their jobs. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to provide suggestions for designing stress management apps to address workplace stressors of FHWs based on the understanding of their needs from FHWs' own perspectives and theories of stress. METHODS: A mixed methods qualitative study was conducted. Using a variety of search strings, we first collected 41 relevant web-based news articles published between December 2019 and May 2020 through the Google search engine. We then conducted a cross-sectional survey with 20 FHWs. Two researchers independently conducted qualitative analysis of all the collected data using a deductive followed by an inductive approach. RESULTS: Prevailing uncertainty and fear of contracting the infection was causing stress among FHWs. Moral injury associated with seeing patients die from lack of care and lack of experience in handling various circumstances were other sources of stress. FHWs mentioned 4 coping strategies. Quick coping strategies such as walking away from stressful situations, entertainment, and exercise were the most common ways to mitigate the impact of stress at work. Peer support and counseling services were other popular methods. Building resilience and driving oneself forward using internal motivation were also meaningful ways of overcoming stressful situations. Time constraints and limited management support prevented FHWs from engaging in stress management activities. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified stressors, coping strategies, and challenges with applying coping strategies that can guide the design of stress management apps for FHWs. Given that the pandemic is ongoing and health care crises continue, FHWs remain a vulnerable population in need of attention.

Understanding the effects of COVID-19 stigmatisation on job performance: a survey of frontline healthcare workers.

The level of stigmatisation among health care providers has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and understanding the effect of COVID-19 stigmatisation on job performance has become increasingly important. The study explores the influence of COVID-19 stigmatisation on job performance among frontline health workers via the mediating role of anxiety. Furthermore, the moderating effect of resilience in the association between COVID-19 stigmatisation and anxiety is further examined. Participants were made up of 820 frontline health workers working in the epicentres of the Bono Ahafo, Western, Greater Accra, and Northern regions of Ghana. The hierarchical regression technique was employed in estimating the relationship between the variables. COVID-19 stigmatisation among frontline health workers directly affected anxiety and performance. In addition, the results showed that resilience moderated the relationship between COVID-19 stigmatisation and anxiety. The findings again demonstrated that anxiety partially mediated the association between concern for disclosure and public attitude and negative experience and job performance, whereas personalised stigma was insignificant. The study provides implications for establishing anti-stigma interventions and programs to enhance job performance among health workers.Key messagesMany healthcare workers are subject to stigmatisation during the COVID-19 pandemic.The study employs hierarchical regression methods to examine the impacts of COVID-19 stigmatisation on job performance among frontline health workers.The health management team should strengthen interventions to control the stigma experienced by health workers during COVID-19 treatments.

"Working in the Dark": Experiences of Frontline Health Workers in Bangladesh During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Frontline health workers (FHW) are working relentlessly to combat the COVID-19 pandemic globally. This is particularly challenging for low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh because of resource scarcity. Therefore, it is critical to understand the challenges of healthcare providers to help shaping a contextual pandemic response plan address current and future similar crises. Aim: This study aimed to describe the challenges faced by FHWs in Bangladesh in terms of information on COVID-19, managing patients with COVID-19, and what motivated them to continue providing service during the pandemic. Methods: This qualitative study explored the experiences of 18 FHWs who were purposely recruited from different health interventions of a development organization in Bangladesh. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted during July-August 2020 using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analysis was used to analyze the data which led to four categories. Results: Four main categories and ten sub-categories emerged from the analysis. Categories derived from the analysis were as follows: i) experiences of the FHWs regarding information on COVID-19: "Working in the dark", ii) experience of providing care: "Patients are grateful", iii) impact on personal/family life: "Life is still in lockdown" and iv) motivation to carry on providing care. Conclusion: FHWs desire a stable information source to prepare themselves for future health care crises. Organizational support is essential for them to overcome physical and mental struggles and keep themselves motivated to continue service provision during pandemics.

Mental Health Outcomes among Frontline Health-Care Workers at Eka Kotebe National COVID-19 Treatment Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many frontline health-care workers vulnerable to developing various mental health conditions. This study aimed to determine prevalence and associated factors of such conditions among frontline workers at Eka Kotebe National COVID-19 Treatment Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2020 on 280 frontline workers. Mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder) were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 questionnaire, PTSD Checklist - civilian version, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Responses were coded, entered into EpiData 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS 20. Associations between outcomes and independent variables were identified using bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions, statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: A total of 238 subjects participated in the study, with a response rate of 85%. Estimated prevalence was 31.1% (95% CI 24.8%-37%) for anxiety, 27.3% (95% CI 21.8%-32.4%) for depression, 16% (95% CI 11.3%-21%) for PTSD, and 40.8% (95% CI 33.6%-47.5%) for insomnia. Female sex (AOR 2.99, 95% CI 1.49-5.97), being married, (AOR 13.2, 95% CI 3.42-50.7), being single (AOR 11.5, 95% CI 3.38-39.8), duration of exposure 1-2 hours (AOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14-0.64), and assigned place of work (critical ward -AOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.03-4.97; ICU - AOR 4.44, 95% CI 1.51-13.05) were found to be significant predictors of depression. Conclusion: We found a high estimated prevalence of mental health outcomes. Sex, marital status, duration of exposure, and assigned place of work were found to be associated with depression.

Exploring female frontline health workers' role and capacities in COVID-19 response in India.

Background: Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction emphasises building local capacities for disaster risk management. This article asks: What role did female frontline health workers (FFHWs) play in preparing, responding and managing health emergencies in India and how did information and communications technology (ICT) platforms hinder or facilitate their capacities? Methods: FFHWs' experiences in providing subnational and local health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in six states in India - Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala and Maharashtra - was collected using semi-structured interviews. Data were thematically analysed, and studied within the government policies and guidelines to tackle the emerging concerns in COVID-19. Results: FFHWs were involved in planning, responding and managing COVID-19 cases, providing awareness and undertaking surveillance within their regions. Moreover they were also responsible to continue with essential health and nutrition service delivery to pregnant women and young infants. They relied on various information and communications technology (ICT) platforms in managing their tasks despite facing several challenges. Besides receiving training from hospitals and health officials, FFHWs received information on COVID-19 and prevention through different channels and modes: majority of them reported TV channels, news coverage, and videos sent on Whatsapp groups. Conclusions: There are underlying gender inequalities within the health system whereby limited resources and opportunities are available for the FFHWs, which extends to their use of ICT platforms in health emergencies. Using ICT in an equitable and just manner provides an opportunity to support local action for health resilience swiftly and promptly by building capacities and increasing representation of the frontline workers. This understanding can be further grounded around issues of equity, participation, representation in a gender-responsive health system.

COVID-19: Vaccination Side Effects and Sick Leave in Frontline Healthcare-Workers-A Web-Based Survey in Germany.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 vaccination has caused uncertainty among employees and employers regarding vaccination reactions and incapacitation. At the time of our study, three vaccines are licensed in Germany to combat the COVID-19 pandemic (BioNTech/Pfizer (Comirnaty), AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), and Moderna (Spikevax). We aim to assess how often and to what extent frontline healthcare workers had vaccination reactions after the first and second vaccination. The main focus is on the amount of sick leave after the vaccinations. (2) Methods: We create a web-based online questionnaire and deliver it to 270 medical directors in emergency medical services all over Germany. They are asked to make the questionnaire public to employees in their area of responsibility. To assess the association between independent variables and adverse effects of vaccination, we use log-binomial regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for dichotomous outcomes (sick leave). (3) Results: A total of 3909 individuals participate in the survey for the first vaccination, of whom 3657 (94%) also provide data on the second vaccination. Compared to the first vaccination, mRNA-related vaccine reactions are more intense after the second vaccination, while vaccination reactions are less intense for vector vaccines. (4) Conclusion: Most vaccination reactions are physiological (local or systemic). Our results can help to anticipate the extent to which personnel will be unable to work after vaccination. Even among vaccinated HCWs, there seems to be some skepticism about future vaccinations. Therefore, continuous education and training should be provided to all professionals, especially regarding vaccination boosters. Our results contribute to a better understanding and can therefore support the control of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Infection and Symptoms Among Emergency Medicine Residents and Fellows in an Urban Academic Hospital Setting: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study.

Background: COVID-19, an illness caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, affected many aspects of health care worldwide in 2020. From March to May 2020, New York City experienced a large surge of cases. Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize the prevalence of illness and symptoms experienced by residents and fellows in 2 New York City hospitals during the period of March to May 2020. Methods: An institutional review board-exempt survey was distributed to emergency medicine housestaff in May 2020, and submissions were accepted through August 2020. Results: Out of 104 residents and fellows, 64 responded to our survey (a 61.5% response rate). Out of 64 responders, 27 (42%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Most residents experienced symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19; however, few received polymerase chain reaction testing. Out of 27 housestaff with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, 18 (67%) experienced fever and chills, compared with 8 out of 34 housestaff (24%) without SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Of the 27 housestaff with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, 19 (70%) experienced loss of taste and smell, compared with 2 out of 34 housestaff (6%) without SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Both fever and chills and loss of taste and smell were significantly more commonly experienced by antibody-positive compared to antibody-negative housestaff (P=.002 and <.001, respectively). All 13 housestaff who reported no symptoms during the study period tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that in our hospitals, the rate of COVID-19 illness among emergency department housestaff was much higher than previously reported. Further studies are needed to characterize illness among medical staff in emergency departments across the nation. The high infection rate among emergency medicine trainees stresses the importance of supplying adequate personal protective equipment for health care professionals.

Effects of corruption and unaccountability on responses of frontline health workers to COVID-19 in Nigeria: Lessons and considerations for the social work profession.

COVID-19 stretched health systems, exacerbated by concerns about those that are corrupt and lack equity. Twelve (12) health workers and 12 hospital social workers across Nigeria were purposively sampled and virtually interviewed to explore unaccountability and corruption effects on COVID-19 responses. Findings show that corruption and unaccountability negatively affected responses of frontline health workers to the pandemic. Lack of social care and justice services for patients and health workers across health facilities in Nigeria worsened the negative effects. Effectively mainstreaming social care and justice services into Nigeria's healthcare led by well-trained social workers will improve the health sector via anticorruption.

Reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index among frontline COVID-19 health care workers using classical test theory and item response theory.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The applicability of sleep-related scales to frontline medical staff for the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully proved, so sleep survey results lack credibility and accuracy, creating difficulties for the guidance and treatment of frontline medical staff with sleep disorders, which is not conducive to the prevention and control of COVID-19. This study sought to analyze the reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among frontline medical staff fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A network questionnaire survey was used to investigate the PSQI among frontline medical staff who fought COVID-19 in Wuhan, China from March 19 to April 15, 2020. Combined with classical test theory and item response theory, the content validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and other aspects of the PSQI were evaluated. RESULTS: According to classical test theory, content validity, criterion validity, and construct validity of the PSQI were good. But the internal consistency was better after the deletion of the "daytime dysfunction" subscale. With regard to item response theory, difficulty, the differential item function, and the Wright map performed well. CONCLUSIONS: The original PSQI showed acceptable applicability in frontline COVID-19 medical staff, and its characteristics moderately improved after the "daytime dysfunction" subscale was removed. CITATION: Wang L, Wu Y-X, Lin Y-Q, et al. Reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index among frontline COVID-19 health care workers using classical test theory and item response theory. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(2):541-551.

Acceptability of covid-19 vaccine among frontline health care workers in north central and south western, nigeria

OBJECTIVE: To explore the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among frontline health workers in Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross-sectional multi-centre survey was conducted among 115 randomly selected frontline health workers in two tertiary health facilities;Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta (South-Western, Nigeria) and University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (North Central, Nigeria). The inclusion criteria were Frontline Healthcare Workers over the age of 18 years who gave consent for the study, while other hospital workers were absent from work and those unwilling to participate in the study. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23. RESULTS: Accordingly, 59.1% of respondents accepted to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. The level of acceptance increased with the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. More respondents were also willing to wait 6 months to receive the vaccine than those willing to accept the vaccine at the moment. The age of respondents was statistically significant in the willingness to accept the vaccine. CONCLUSION: The acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among health workers increased with the effectiveness of the potential vaccines as well as the duration of vaccine usage. Trusted policymakers can be used for advocacy in combatting the misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines. © 2021, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences. All rights reserved.