Long-term Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Weight Status, Eating Habits, and Lifestyle Changes Related to School-aged Children in Bandar Abbas, Iran (preprint)

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures caused destructive changes in student weight status, eating habits, screen exposure, sleep patterns, psychological responses, and activity behaviors. Despite the end of the lockdown and reopening of schools, the long-term effects of quarantine on the lifestyle and weight status of children and adolescents remain unknown. On the other hand, there is a chance that these negative changes become more prominent during extended school holidays such as summer breaks. This study aimed to determine the long-term effects of the lockdown on the weight status and lifestyle of children and adolescents after the eighth wave of the disease in Iran.Method This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2022. The target population comprises one hundred students aged between 10 and 16 years. Our study obtained students' weight and height data from records maintained by school principals or sports teachers before and after the quarantine period. The BMI z score (zBMI) was calculated for each time point. The researchers also provided a questionnaire to collect the students’ demographic and lifestyle status changes during school closures.Results We found that the zBMI increased significantly from − 0.02 ± 1.64 to 0.36 ± 1.12, and the statistics of the overweight and obese population increased by 3% during quarantine (P ≤ 0.05). These changes were more pronounced in males and students aged 14–16 years. We also found that eating habits, sleep time, sleep patterns, screen time, and physical activity had significant negative changes during quarantine, and a significant increase in zBMI was observed among students who experienced negative eating behaviors, altered sleep patterns, and decreased physical activity during school closures. Conclusion: As prolonged school closures due to the COVID-19 lockdown aggravated students’ health and lifestyle status, our findings can aid in proper planning to establish an appropriate framework for the diet, physical activity, and sleep quality of students during extended school closures.

Symptoms and Underlying Diseases Associated with the Hospitalization Period of 3480 Covid-19 Patients in Hormozgan, Iran (preprint)

Abstract Introduction: COVID-19 has a relationship with patients’ demographic characteristics as well as their underlying diseases. This research has been conducted to evaluate factors' effect on Covid-19 patient's hospitalization rate and period in Hormozgan, Iran. Materials and Methods: The inclusion criteria of this retrospective study included all patients diagnosed as COVID-19 Patients after PCR who were referred to Covid-19 hospitals from February 2020 to June 2020 in Hormozgan province, Iran. After the completion of the consent form and observing ethical principles, 3480 patients' information was collected through the interview by Medical care monitoring center unit experts. The checklist was designed according to COVID-19 guidelines and approved by the World Health Organization and Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The studied variables included gender, age, patients’ residence place, smoking history and medications use history, pregnancy, referral type to hospital, contact history with COVID-19 patients, early symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, intubation, Po2 level, history of cancer, chronic liver diseases, diabetes, chronic blood diseases, HIV/AIDS, acquired or congenital immunodeficiency, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, dialysis status, asthma and other chronic lung diseases, and chronic neurological disorders. These data were analyzed using descriptive (average-standard deviation-percentage) and analytical (including Chi-square, t-test, and regression tests) statistics with SPSS Ver.23 software. Results: In this study, 3480 COVID-19 patients including 1852 male patients (53.20%) with a median age of 43.11±21.72 and 1628 female patients (46/80%) with a median age of 44.86±22.40. The median age of men was significantly lower than the women's median age (P= 0.02). The duration of hospitalization of male and female patients was reported 2.64±4.14 and 2.76±4.297, respectively which was not statistically significant. The death rate of patients in our study was 6.6%. Conclusion: The results of this study also showed that the hospitalization period of HIV-positive patients and patients with cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases is much longer than other people, which imposes many human and financial costs on the country's health care system. Therefore, to maintain individual health and help improve the critical condition of the virus, it is better to develop and apply stricter protocols to prevent further outbreaks of the disease and check underlying diseases of people suspected to have Covid-19. These results can improve health care system planning and improving medical services presented to covid-19 patients.

Symptoms and underlying diseases associated with the hospitalization period of 3480 Covid-19 patients in Hormozgan, Iran (preprint)

Introduction: COVID-19 has a relationship with patients’ demographic characteristics as well as their underlying diseases. This research has been conducted to evaluate factors' effect on Covid-19 patient's hospitalization rate and period in Hormozgan, Iran. Materials and Methods: The inclusion criteria of this retrospective study included all patients diagnosed as COVID-19 Patients after PCR who were referred to Covid-19 hospitals from February 2020 to June 2020 in Hormozgan province, Iran. After the completion of the consent form and observing ethical principles, 3480 patients' information was collected through the interview by Medical care monitoring center unit experts. The checklist was designed according to COVID-19 guidelines and approved by the World Health Organization and Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. The studied variables included gender, age, patients’ residence place, smoking history and medications use history, pregnancy, referral type to hospital, contact history with COVID-19 patients, early symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, intubation, Po2 level, history of cancer, chronic liver diseases, diabetes, chronic blood diseases, HIV/AIDS, acquired or congenital immunodeficiency, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, dialysis status, asthma and other chronic lung diseases, and chronic neurological disorders. These data were analyzed using descriptive (average-standard deviation-percentage) and analytical (including Chi-square, t-test, and regression tests) statistics with SPSS Ver.23 software. Results: In this study, 3480 COVID-19 patients including 1852 male patients (53.20%) with a median age of 43.11±21.72 and 1628 female patients (46/80%) with a median age of 44.86±22.40. The median age of men was significantly lower than the women's median age (P= 0.02). The duration of hospitalization of male and female patients was reported 2.64±4.14 and 2.76±4.297, respectively which was not statistically significant. The death rate of patients in our study was 6.6%. Conclusion:  The results of this study also showed that the hospitalization period of HIV-positive patients and patients with cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases is much longer than other people, which imposes many human and financial costs on the country's health care system. Therefore, to maintain individual health and help improve the critical condition of the virus, it is better to develop and apply stricter protocols to prevent further outbreaks of the disease and check underlying diseases of people suspected to have Covid-19. These results can improve health care system planning and improving medical services presented to covid-19 patients.