Preparing healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa for future outbreaks: insights from a multi-country digital self-assessment of COVID-19 preparedness.

BACKGROUND: Despite previous experience with epidemics, African healthcare systems were inadequately prepared and substantially impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Limited information about the level of COVID-19 preparedness of healthcare facilities in Africa hampers policy decision-making to fight future outbreaks in the region, while maintaining essential healthcare services running. METHODS: Between May-November 2020, we performed a survey study with SafeCare4Covid - a free digital self-assessment application - to evaluate the COVID-19 preparedness of healthcare facilities in Africa following World Health Organization guidelines. The tool assessed (i) COVID-19-related capabilities with 31 questions; and (ii) availability of essential medical supplies with a 23-supplies checklist. Tailored quality improvement plans were provided after assessments. Information about facilities' location, type, and ownership was also collected. RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-one facilities in 11 African countries completed the capability assessment; 412 also completed the supplies checklist. The average capability score on a scale of 0-100 (n=471) was 58.0 (interquartile range 40.0-76.0), and the average supplies score (n=412) was 61.6 (39.0-83.0). Both scores were significantly lower in rural (capability score, mean 53.6 [95%CI:50.3-57.0]/supplies score, 59.1 [55.5-62.8]) versus urban facilities (capability score, 65.2 [61.7-68.7]/supplies score, 70.7 [67.2-74.1]) (P<0.0001 for both comparisons). Likewise, lower scores were found for public versus private clinics, and for primary healthcare centres versus hospitals. Guidelines for triage and isolation, clinical management of COVID-19, staff mental support, and contact tracing forms were largely missing. Handwashing stations were partially equipped in 33% of facilities. The most missing medical supply was COVID-19 specimen collection material (71%), while 43% of facilities did not have N95/FFP2 respirators and 19% lacked medical masks. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of public and private African facilities providing basic healthcare in rural areas, lacked fundamental COVID-19-related capabilities and life-saving personal protective equipment. Decentralization of epidemic preparedness efforts in these settings is warranted to protect healthcare workers and patients alike in future epidemics. Digital tools are of great value to timely measure and improve epidemic preparedness of healthcare facilities, inform decision-making, create a more stakeholder-broad approach and increase health-system resilience for future disease outbreaks.

Coping style and quality of life in Dutch intensive care unit survivors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore coping styles among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and investigate the association between coping style and quality of life (QOL). METHOD: In this cross-sectional multicenter study, 150 adult patients who were mechanically ventilated in an ICU for ≥2 days and discharged to their homes were invited to visit the post-ICU clinic 3 months after discharge. Before the post-ICU visit, the patients completed questionnaires regarding their QOL, coping style, and psychological distress. Coping style was assessed using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS-21; de Ridder & van Heck, 2004), which measures task-oriented coping, emotion-oriented coping, and avoidance coping styles. QOL was assessed using the Physical Component Score (PCS) and Mental Component Score (MCS) derived from the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36; Aaronson et al., 1998). Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed. RESULTS: One hundred four patients (mean age = 59 years; 71 men, 33 women) completed the questionnaires (response rate = 69%). The highest CISS-21 subscale mean was found in the Task-Oriented subscale (21.3), followed by the Avoidance Coping subscale (18.7) and the Emotion-Oriented subscale (15.2). Emotion-oriented coping style was independently associated with reduced mental health (i.e., SF-36 MCS), but not with physical functioning (i.e., SF-36 PCS). CONCLUSIONS: An emotion-oriented coping style is associated with worse mental health among Dutch ICU survivors. Additional research is needed in order to determine the precise role that coping style plays in the long-term recovery of ICU survivors. (PsycINFO Database Record