Epidemiological intelligence community network intervention: a community response for COVID-19 community transmission.

BACKGROUND: Expanding and providing access to early detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through testing community-based strategies among socially vulnerable communities (SVC) are critical to reducing health disparities. The Epidemiological Intelligence Community Network (EpI-Net) community-based intervention sought to increase coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) testing uptake and prevention practices among SVC in Puerto Rico (PR). We evaluated EpI-Net's community leaders' capacity-building component by assessing pre-post COVID-19 public health workshops' tests' score changes and satisfaction among trained community leaders. METHODS: A total of 24 community leaders from SVC in PR have completed four community workshops. Pre- and post-assessments were completed as part of the health promotors training program to evaluate participants' tests score changes and satisfaction outcomes. RESULTS: Preliminary results showed: (1) high intervention retention levels of community leaders (85.7% acceptance rate); (2) change in post-test scores for community engagement strategies (p = 0.012); (3) change in post-test educational scores in COVID-19 prevention practices (p = 0.014); and (4) a change in scores in public health emergency management strategies (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The overall workshop satisfaction was 99.6%. Community leaders have shown the importance of community capacity building as a key component for intervention feasibility and impact. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Our study was retrospectively registered under the ClinicalTrial.gov ID NCT04910542.

The Role of Community Cohesion in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Epidemic: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The community environment plays a vital role in the health of older adults. During the COVID-19 epidemic, older adults, who were considered the most impacted and most vulnerable social group, were confined to their homes during the implementation of management and control measures for the epidemic. In such situations, older adults may have to contend with a lack of resources and experience anxiety. Therefore, identifying the environmental factors that are beneficial for their physical and mental health is critical. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between community cohesion and the physical and mental health of older adults and to identify the related community services and environmental factors that may promote community cohesion. METHODS: This community-based cross-sectional study was designed during the COVID-19 epidemic. A multistage sampling method was applied to this study. A total of 2036 participants aged ≥60 years were sampled from 27 locations in China. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. The neighborhood cohesion instrument consisting of scales on 3 dimensions was used to assess community cohesion. Self-efficacy and life satisfaction, cognitive function and depression, and community services and environmental factors were also measured using standard instruments. Statistical analyses were restricted to 99.07% (2017/2036) of the participants. Separate logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association among community cohesion and physical and mental health factors, related community services, and environmental factors among older adults. RESULTS: The results showed that high levels of community cohesion were associated with good self-perceived health status and life satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] 1.27, 95% CI 1.01-1.59 and OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15-1.27, respectively) and high levels of self-efficacy and psychological resilience (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13 and OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.06, respectively). The length of stay in the community and the level of physical activity were positively associated with community cohesion scores, whereas the education level was negatively associated with community cohesion scores (P=.009). Community cohesion was also associated with low levels of depression and high levels of cognitive function. Community cohesion was significantly associated with community services and environmental factors on 4 dimensions. High levels of community cohesion were associated with transportation services and rehabilitation equipment rental services as well as high levels of satisfaction with community physicians' technical expertise and community waste disposal (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.87-5.28; OR 3.62, 95% CI 2.38-5.52; OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.08-1.73; and OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.50, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Community cohesion was found to be associated with the physical and mental health of older adults. Our research suggests that enhancing community services and environmental resources may be an effective strategy to increase community cohesion during major infectious disease epidemics.

Online collective care spaces: health promotion in times of isolation due to COVID-19 / Espaços on-line de cuidados coletivos: promoção da saúde em tempos de isolamento pela COVID-19 / Espacios en línea de cuidados colectivos: promoción de la salud en tiempos de aislamiento por COVID-19

Objetivo: Relatar a experiência das ações de cuidado on-line realizadas pelo Grupo de Trabalho Promoção e Prevenção à Saúde da Universidade de Brasília (UnB) no contexto da pandemia da COVID-19. Síntese dos Dados: Trata-se de um relato de experiência das ações de promoção e prevenção da saúde mental para a comunidade acadêmica da UnB, no período de março a julho de 2020. Adotou-se a metodologia da sistematização de experiência utilizando registros das observações em diários de campo das ações de cuidado on-line: terapia comunitária, técnica de relaxamento, bate-papo literário e cartas solidárias. Assim, com base na empatia, solidariedade, cuidado e interatividade, as ações desenvolvidas envolveram vários atores sociais com experiências diversas, visando à cooperação em busca de soluções possíveis para promoção da saúde da comunidade acadêmica, em tempos de pandemia. Conclusão: A descoberta de espaços virtuais como potencialidades terapêuticas revelou ser um caminho possível para o fortalecimento das redes de cuidado, conexões e laços afetivos entre a comunidade acadêmica num momento de restrição social devido à COVID-19, apesar das inúmeras limitações impostas pelo uso da tecnologia.

Objective: To report the experience of online care actions carried out by the Health Promotion and Prevention Working Group of the University of Brasília (Universidade de Brasília ­ UnB) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data Synthesis: This is an experience report on mental health promotion and disease prevention actions developed for the academic community of UnB from March to July 2020. The methodology of systematization of experience was adopted using records of observations of online care actions in field journals: community therapy, relaxation technique, literary chat and solidarity letters. Thus, based on empathy, solidarity, care and interactivity, the actions developed involved several social actors with different experiences aiming at cooperation in search for possible solutions to promote the health of the academic community in times of pandemic. Conclusion: The discovery of virtual spaces as therapeutic potentialities proved to be a possible way to strengthen care networks, connections and affective bonds among the academic community at a time of social restriction due to COVID-19, despite the numerous limitations imposed by the use of the technology

Objetivo: Informar la experiencia de las acciones de cuidado en línea realizadas por el Grupo de Trabajo, Promoción y prevención a la Salud de la Universidad de Brasilia (UnB) en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19. Síntesis de los Datos: Se trata de un informe de experiencia de las acciones de promoción de la salud mental para la comunidad académica de la UnB, en el período de marzo a julio de 2020. Se adoptó la metodología de sistematización de experiencia utilizando registros de las observaciones en diarios de campo de las acciones de cuidado en línea: terapia comunitaria, técnica de relajamiento, charla literaria y cartas solidarias. Así, con base en la empatía, solidaridad, cuidado e interactividad, las acciones desarrolladas envolvieron varios actores sociales con diversas experiencias, buscando la cooperación para encontrar posibles soluciones para promoción de la salud de la comunidad académica, en tiempos de pandemia. Conclusión: El descubrimiento de espacios virtuales como potencialidades terapéuticas reveló ser un camino posible para el fortalecimiento de las redes de cuidado, conexiones y lazos afectivos entre la comunidad académica en un momento de restricción social debido a COVID-19, a pesar de las innúmeras limitaciones impuestas por el uso de la tecnología.

Community Mitigation of COVID-19 and Portrayal of Testing on TikTok: Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 testing remains an essential element of a comprehensive strategy for community mitigation. Social media is a popular source of information about health, including COVID-19 and testing information. One of the most popular communication channels used by adolescents and young adults who search for health information is TikTok-an emerging social media platform. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe TikTok videos related to COVID-19 testing. METHODS: The hashtag #covidtesting was searched, and the first 100 videos were included in the study sample. At the time the sample was drawn, these 100 videos garnered more than 50% of the views for all videos cataloged under the hashtag #covidtesting. The content characteristics that were coded included mentions, displays, or suggestions of anxiety, COVID-19 symptoms, quarantine, types of tests, results of test, and disgust/unpleasantness. Additional data that were coded included the number and percentage of views, likes, and comments and the use of music, dance, and humor. RESULTS: The 100 videos garnered more than 103 million views; 111,000 comments; and over 12.8 million likes. Even though only 44 videos mentioned or suggested disgust/unpleasantness and 44 mentioned or suggested anxiety, those that portrayed tests as disgusting/unpleasant garnered over 70% of the total cumulative number of views (73,479,400/103,071,900, 71.29%) and likes (9,354,691/12,872,505, 72.67%), and those that mentioned or suggested anxiety attracted about 60% of the total cumulative number of views (61,423,500/103,071,900, 59.59%) and more than 8 million likes (8,339,598/12,872,505, 64.79%). Independent one-tailed t tests (α=.05) revealed that videos that mentioned or suggested that COVID-19 testing was disgusting/unpleasant were associated with receiving a higher number of views and likes. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding of an association between TikTok videos that mentioned or suggested that COVID-19 tests were disgusting/unpleasant and these videos' propensity to garner views and likes is of concern. There is a need for public health agencies to recognize and address connotations of COVID-19 testing on social media.

Implementation of the Texas Community-Engaged Statewide Consortium for the Prevention of COVID-19.

The Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities aims to conduct community-engaged research and outreach. This paper describes the Texas CEAL Consortium's activities in the first year and evaluates progress. The Texas CEAL Consortium comprised seven projects. To evaluate the Texas CEAL Consortium's progress, we used components of the RE-AIM Framework. Evaluation included estimating the number of people reached for data collection and education activities (reach), individual project goals and progress (effectiveness), partnerships established and partner engagement (adoption), and outreach and education activities (implementation). During the one-year period, focus groups were conducted with 172 people and surveys with 2107 people across Texas. Partners represented various types of organizations, including 11 non-profit organizations, 4 academic institutions, 3 civic groups, 3 government agencies, 2 grassroots organizations, 2 faith-based organizations, 1 clinic, and 4 that were of other types. The main facets of implementation consisted of education activities and the development of trainings. Key recommendations for future consortiums relate to funding and research logistics and the value of strong community partnerships. The lessons learned in this first year of rapid deployment inform ongoing work by the Texas CEAL Consortium and future community-engaged projects.

How did communities in North West England respond to the COVID-19 lockdown? Findings from a diary study.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government and public health leaders advocated for community level responses to support vulnerable people. This activity could be planned and co-ordinated, however much was informal and developed organically. The effects on the individuals who were involved in providing and receiving informal support and implications for their communities have not been widely explored. The aim of this study was therefore to document and explore the nature, potential effects and longevity of community responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. PARTICIPANTS: We asked 15 individuals in North West England to keep a diary during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown. Over 8 weeks, diaries were completed and supported with weekly calls with researchers. A community capacity building framework was used to explore reported community responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Diarists described community characteristics that enabled and hindered helpful responses in the lockdown context. Diarists frequently described informal approaches with residents acting alone or with near neighbours, although there were examples of community networks and residents recommencing formal volunteering activities. Diarists reported communities providing practical help and social support to vulnerable people. Participants perceived a greater sense of community, increased contact between residents and new networks during the period covered. CONCLUSION: The diaries provided valuable insights and the framework was a useful tool to explore the COVID-19 lockdown context. The findings indicate that organic capacity building took place, primarily via individual agency, highlighting the risk of communities being 'left behind' if there were not individuals or community networks available with resources to plug gaps in organisational support. Recommendations to sustain helpful responses to the pandemic include further consideration of ongoing community mobilisation, empowerment and community control within the capacity building framework.

Повышение жизнестойкости местных сообществ и реагирование на COVID-19 с помощью проведения мероприятий на уровне сообществ: оценка потребностей Европейской сети ВОЗ «Здоровые города»: отчет о совещании – внеочередное совещание Европейской сети ВОЗ «Здоровые города» и координаторов национальных сетей: 19 марта 2020 г.

В четверг, 19 марта 2020 года, с 11:00 до 12:15 было проведено внеочередное совещание Европейской сети ВОЗ «Здоровые города» и координаторов национальных сетей в целях оценки потребностей городов в связи с пандемией COVID-19. Совещание состоялось в рамках постоянной оценки потребностей, проводимой группой реагирования на COVID-19 в ходе организации мероприятий на уровне сообществ, чтобы помочь соответствующим партнерам и субъектам выявить и осознать особые потребности для повышения жизнестойкости сообществ и эффективности их ответных действий за счет принятия мер на местах. Оценка потребностей впоследствии позволит Европейскому региональному бюро ВОЗ скорректировать свою техническую помощь и руководства в поддержку этой деятельности.

Strengthened community resilience and COVID-19 response through community action interventions: needs assessment of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network: meeting report – extraordinary online meeting of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and national network coordinators: 19 March 2020

On Thursday 19 March 2020, an extraordinary meeting of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and national network coordinators was convened to assess the needs of cities in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was part of an ongoing needs assessment being undertaken by the Community Action Interventions (CAI) COVID-19 Response Team to identify and understand the specific needs of relevant partners and actors so that they can strengthen community reliance and response efforts through community action. The needs assessment will allow the WHO Regional Office for Europe to subsequently align its technical support and guidance to support these efforts.

Structural Inequities, HIV Community-Based Organizations, and the End of the HIV Epidemic.

Community-based organizations (CBOs) are integral to achieving the goal of Ending the HIV epidemic (EHE). Their familiarity with and proximity to communities position them to effectively implement strategies necessary to address determinants of health through their formal and informal medical and social services. However, structural inequities have contributed to the demise of many organizations that were instrumental in early responses to the HIV epidemic. We define structural inequities for HIV CBOs as systems in which policies, institutional practices, organizational (mis)representations, and other norms work to produce and maintain inequities that affect CBOs' ability to survive and thrive. In this discussion, we describe the organizational threats to grassroots HIV CBOs and the risks to livelihood and longevity, including examples. The invaluable role of HIV CBOs in EHE and their role in responding to existing and novel infectious diseases like COVID-19 should not be overlooked. Recommendations to promote structural equity are offered. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(3):417-425. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306688).

COVID-19 and beyond: how lessons and evidence from implementation research can benefit health systems' response and preparedness for COVID-19 and future epidemics.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic-and based on limited data on the novel coronavirus-it was projected that African countries will be ravaged and the health systems overwhelmed. Fortunately, Africa has so far defied these dire predictions. Many factors account for the less dramatic outcome, in particular the local know-how gained through dealing with previous epidemics, such as Ebola, and the early and coordinated political and public health response, applying a combination of containment and mitigation measures. However, these same measures, exacerbated by existing inequalities, have had negative impacts on vulnerable populations, notably women and children. Furthermore, the observed deterioration of access to and provision of essential health services will likely continue and worsen in countries experiencing future waves of COVID-19 and lacking access to vaccines. The impact of the pandemic on health systems may be one of Africa's main COVID-19 challenges and women and children its greatest victims. In this article, we argue that just as learning from previous epidemics and coordinated preparation informed Africa's response to COVID-19, knowledge, innovations and resources from recent implementation research can be leveraged to mitigate the pandemic's effects and inform recovery efforts. As an example, we present the proven model and multifaceted approach of the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa Initiative and describe how such a model could be readily applied to building the robust and equitable systems needed to tackle future stresses and shocks, such as epidemics, on health systems while maintaining essential routine services.

Dual Priorities: Maintaining Scientific Rigor and Staff Wellbeing in the Midst of a Pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our team adjusted study procedures to support research staff wellbeing. ATN CARES is a community-based, adolescent-focused HIV research program. Our participants and frontline staff alike are predominantly Black or Latinx sexual and gender minorities. Senior researchers and staff collaborated to refine our procedures, anticipating stay-at-home orders in March 2020. Transition to virtual space appeared seamless; however, we did not foresee that staff would have the additional role of providing COVID-19-related informational and emotional support to participants. This and the added strain of working remotely were increasing staff stress and in general negatively affecting staff wellbeing. Leveraging staff interests and skills, staff and senior researchers developed purposeful ways to stay connected and alleviate these strains, including exercise sessions; professional development workshops; motivational messages; and games. These proved beneficial and serve as a reminder that wellbeing of staff-our frontline heroes-is vital to a successful research project.

Rapid Creation of a Multiagency Alternate Care Site for COVID-19- Positive Individuals Experiencing Homelessness.

Cook County Health partnered with the Chicago Departments of Public Health and Family & Support Services and several dozen community-based organizations to rapidly establish a temporary medical respite shelter during the spring 2020 COVID-19 peak for individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois. This program provided low-barrier isolation housing to medically complex adults until their safe return to congregate settings. We describe strategies used by the health care agency, which is not a Health Resource and Services Administration Health Care for the Homeless grantee, to provide medical services and care coordination.

Impact of early corticosteroids on 60-day mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A multicenter cohort study of the OUTCOMEREA network.

OBJECTIVES: In severe COVID-19 pneumonia, the appropriate timing and dosing of corticosteroids (CS) is not known. Patient subgroups for which CS could be more beneficial also need appraisal. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of early CS in COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU on the occurrence of 60-day mortality, ICU-acquired-bloodstream infections(ICU-BSI), and hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia(HAP-VAP). METHODS: We included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to 11 ICUs belonging to the French OutcomeReaTM network from January to May 2020. We used survival models with ponderation with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). RESULTS: The study population comprised 303 patients having a median age of 61.6 (53-70) years of whom 78.8% were male and 58.6% had at least one comorbidity. The median SAPS II was 33 (25-44). Invasive mechanical ventilation was required in 34.8% of the patients. Sixty-six (21.8%) patients were in the Early-C subgroup. Overall, 60-day mortality was 29.4%. The risks of 60-day mortality (IPTWHR = 0.86;95% CI 0.54 to 1.35, p = 0.51), ICU-BSI and HAP-VAP were similar in the two groups. Importantly, early CS treatment was associated with a lower mortality rate in patients aged 60 years or more (IPTWHR, 0.53;95% CI, 0.3-0.93; p = 0.03). In contrast, CS was associated with an increased risk of death in patients younger than 60 years without inflammation on admission (IPTWHR = 5.01;95% CI, 1.05, 23.88; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: For patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, early CS treatment was not associated with patient survival. Interestingly, inflammation and age can significantly influence the effect of CS.

Transformation of Cancer Care during and after the COVID Pandemic, a point of no return. The Experience of Italy.

Policymakers everywhere struggle to introduce therapeutic innovation while controlling costs, a particular challenge for the universal Italian National Healthcare System (SSN), which spends only 8.8% of GDP to care for one of the world's oldest populations. Oncology provides a telling example, where innovation has dramatically improved care and survival, transforming cancer into a chronic condition. However, innovation has also increased therapy duration, adverse event management, and service demand. The SSN risks collapse unless centralized cancer planning changes gear, particularly with Covid-19 causing treatment delays, worsening patient prognosis and straining capacity. In view of the 750 billion Euro "Next Generation EU", released by the European Union to relieve Member States hit by the pandemic, the SSN tapped a multidisciplinary research team to identify key strategies for equitable uptake of innovations in treatment and delivery, with emphasis on data-driven technological and managerial advancements - and lessons from Covid-19.