Hospital admissions and deaths due to acute cardiovascular events during the COVID-19 pandemic in residents of long-term care facilities.

Hospital admissions due to acute cardiovascular events dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population; however, evidence for residents of long-term care facilities (LTCF) is sparse. We investigated rates of hospital admissions and deaths due to myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in LTCF residents during the pandemic. Our nationwide cohort study used claims data. The sample comprised 1,140,139 AOK-ensured LTCF residents over 60 years of age (68.6% women; age 85.3 ± 8.5 years) from the largest statutory health insurance in Germany (AOK), which is not representative for all LTCF residents. We included MI and stroke admission and compared numbers of in-hospital deaths from January 2020 to end of April 2021 (i.e., during the first three waves of the pandemic) with the number of incidences in 2015-2019. To estimate incidence risk ratios (IRR), adjusted Poisson regression analyses were applied. During the observation period (2015-2021), there were 19,196 MI and 73,953 stroke admissions. MI admissions declined in the pandemic phase by 22.5% (IRR = 0.68 [CI 0.65-0.72]) compared to previous years. This decline was slightly more pronounced for NSTEMI than for STEMI. MI fatality risks remained comparable across years (IRR = 0.97 [CI95% 0.92-1.02]). Stroke admissions dropped by 15.1% (IRR = 0.75 [CI95% 0.72-0.78]) in the pandemic. There was an elevated case fatality risk for haemorrhagic stroke (IRR = 1.09 [CI95% 1.03-1.15]) but not for other stroke subtypes compared to previous years. This study provides first evidence of declines in MI and stroke admissions and in-hospital deaths among LTCF residents during the pandemic. The figures are alarming given the acute nature of the conditions and the vulnerability of the residents.

[Social participation in nursing homes with Covid-19 protection measures in the second pandemic wave? Linkage of prescriptions and survey]. / Soziale Teilhabe in Pflegeheimen mit Covid-19-Schutzmaßnahmen in der zweiten Pandemiewelle?

Social participation in nursing homes with Covid-19 protection measures in the second pandemic wave? Linkage of prescriptions and survey Abstract. Background: The implementation of protective measures in nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic was accompanied with the loss of social participation opportunities in the first Covid-19 wave; this has been inadequately studied for the second Covid wave. Aim: To evaluate the association of protective measures and social participation restrictions for the second Covid-19 wave to develop recommendations for action. Methods: Mixed-methods online surve y of nursing home managers (n = 873) in the second wave. Binary logistic generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the likelihood of the elimination of social participation services in nursing homes as a function of legal protections. Open-ended responses about maintaining social participation were content analyzed (n = 1042). Results: More than one in two nursing home managers reported prohibited group events (66,6%), and more than one in three prohibited creative activities (42,3%). Visitation restrictions (85,2%) were common in the second wave. The loss of participation services and the protective measures were significantly associated. Qualitative data showed that, for example, the acquisition of mobile shopping stores were opportunities to counteract the social exclusion of the residents. Discussion: The association between the loss of social participation services with the implementation of protective measures was clearly pronounced. Nursing practitioners should focus on enabling social participation whilst guaranteeing protection against infection best possible.

[Covid-19 protections and social life limitations in nursing homes - Analysis of prescriptions and survey data]. / Covid-19-Schutzmaßnahmen und Einschränkungen des sozialen Lebens in Pflegeheimen.

Covid-19 protections and social life limitations in nursing homes - Analysis of prescriptions and survey data Abstract. Background: The tension between health protection and restrictions of social life in nursing homes during the pandemic has been little addressed. Aim: The aim of the study was to systematize state-specific regulations and actual prioritizations as well as implementations of the pandemic measures and to relate them to life changes for residents. Methods: In a mixed-methods design, 450 protective measures for nursing homes nationwide were categorized and fed into a survey of nursing home managers (n = 1,260) on the handling of these measures in a protective measures model. The association of protective measures and limitations of social services in nursing homes was analyzed with binary logistic generalized estimation equations. Results: The prescriptions were categorized into five themes. Primary data show that "visitation bans" (98.3 %) and "physical contact reduction" (90.5 %) represented the largest proportion of restrictions. The regulations were variously associated with the "restriction of social services". Thus, across all offers prohibitions and for most offers "contact reductions" were significantly associated, for example that giving up "group opportunities" was almost two times as high when the protective measure "reduction of physical contact" was implemented. "Visit restrictions" on the other hand showed little significant association. Conclusions: The results provide evidence of an association between protective measures and social restrictions in the care homes during the pandemic. However, as these lost exchanges are of high value for the residents, aversive long-term effects must be assumed.