Nursing Home Social Workers Perceptions of Preparedness and Coping for COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Social work has a long history of responding to the needs of vulnerable populations during times of crisis and disaster. Social workers are working at the front lines responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of health care practice settings, including nursing homes; however, it is unclear how social workers perceive their preparedness during this time. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional survey to nursing home social workers via social media on feelings of preparedness for COVID-19, what has been most professionally helpful for social workers during these times in their role in COVID-19, as well as demographic questions. Demographic data were analyzed using SPSS and qualitative data were analyzed using the rigorous and accelerated data reduction technique. RESULTS: Data are based on a sample of 63 (N = 63) nursing home social workers. Findings revealed that while some social workers felt prepared for the coronavirus, many respondents stated that they were unprepared to meet the demands and challenges they were facing. Moreover, participants shared that professional support was critically important to get through COVID-19. DISCUSSION: These findings are important, as social workers are tasked with ensuring each resident attains their highest level of psychosocial well-being, which can be achieved only when nursing home staff are supported. Findings from the present study suggest that additional support for nursing home staff ought to include peer mentoring and mutual support. Additionally, improved leadership across health care settings is worth assessing.

Better newborn vitamin D status lowers RSV-associated bronchiolitis in infants.

Each year 1.5 million children under the age of 5 years die from pneumonia. In the United States, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the number one cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under 1 year of age. Low serum 25(OH)D is associated with an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). Two recent studies have provided important information concerning the association between cord blood 25(OH)D and subsequent risk of developing respiratory infection in very young children. These findings support the need in future studies to determine the extent to which an intervention to change the vitamin D status of mothers during pregnancy can reduce the risk of RSV-associated LRTI in their offspring. An answer to this question would have significant worldwide public health importance given the high prevalence of low vitamin D status worldwide and the high mortality burden accompanying infectious lung diseases in young children.

Update on vitamin D and type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to climb in many parts of the globe in association with the rise in obesity. Although the latter is clearly a predominant factor in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, other modifiable lifestyle factors such as exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, and certain nutritional factors, such as vitamin D deficiency, are also believed to play a role. In contrast to the findings of observational studies, information pooled from vitamin D intervention trials lack conclusive evidence in support of vitamin D supplementation and changes in diabetes risk or measures of glucose intolerance, although an effect on insulin resistance may exist. Well-designed trials that focus on intermediate biomarkers of diabetes risk in response to increased vitamin D intake are still needed. It will be important to include in the design of these studies selection of insulin-resistant study subjects who have a low (< 50 nmol/L) initial serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) status and administration of sufficient vitamin D to adequately increase their vitamin D status to > 75 nmol/L serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

Effect of zinc supplementation on thyroid hormone function. A case study of two college females.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Zinc is crucial for proper thyroid hormone metabolism; zinc deficiency may result in decreased thyroid hormone levels and resting metabolic rate (RMR). The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of zinc supplementation on plasma zinc, serum ferritin, plasma total triiodothyronine (T(3)) and thyroxine (T(4)), serum free T(3) and T(4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations, and RMR in zinc-deficient, physically active women. METHODS: Two zinc-deficient female college students (ZD1 and ZD2) were supplemented with 26.4 mg/day of zinc (as zinc gluconate), and the above parameters were analyzed at 0, 2 and 4 months. RESULTS: Zinc deficiency was clinically corrected in both subjects, while serum ferritin concentration declined to classify both subjects as borderline iron deficient (ZD1 = 15.3 and ZD2 = 15.3 ng/ml at 4 months). At 4 months, total T(3) concentrations increased in ZD1, while all thyroid hormone concentrations increased in ZD2. RMR increased in both subjects by 4 months. CONCLUSION: Zinc supplementation appeared to be directly responsible for the increase in plasma zinc and decline in serum ferritin concentrations in both subjects. Zinc supplementation appeared to have a favorable effect on thyroid hormone levels, particularly total T(3), and RMR.