Aim Strict public health measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic led to less support for infants and their parents. We aimed to characterise the frequency and nature of infant admissions to the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), Melbourne in 2020, compared to the previous year. Methods A retrospective review of medical records identified infants ≤3 months admitted to the general medicine unit, RCH from March to September in 2019 and 2020. Diagnoses potentially related to the impact of public health measures and reduced family and community supports were identified and compared to all infant diagnoses across both years. Clinical characteristics and need for referral for additional supports or mental health services were also ascertained. Results There were fewer admissions for infants ≤3 months in 2020 (n = 411) compared to 2019 (n = 678), with a threefold increase in admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of feeding difficulties, growth disturbance, infant irritability or maternal mental health concerns (191/411; 46% vs. 97/678; 14%). There were more infants of first‐time parents (112/191; 59% vs. 44/97; 45%) and a reduction in the number of admissions due to infection (145/411; 35%; vs. 467/678; 69%). Conclusion During the COVID‐19 pandemic, there was a threefold increase in admissions for infants ≤3 months due to poor growth, feeding difficulties, irritability and maternal mental health concerns in 2020 compared to 2019. These findings may inform future pandemic planning and policy development to ensure maintenance of community supports such as maternal child health nurse (MCHN) service delivery for young infants.
PurposeWithin the context of a review of a Doctor of Medicine graduate curriculum, medical students partnered with faculty staff to co-develop a novel curriculum resource exemplifying the integration of planetary determinants of health into existing medical curricula.MethodWe undertook qualitative methodologies involving a planetary health literature review and curriculum mapping exercise in three parts between April 2018 - May 2021. In part one, a student focus group sought students’ perceptions on opportunities for climate-change related teaching. Part two involved two 5-hour workshops that mapped planetary health principles to classical organ systems-based teaching areas. Part three consisted of curriculum mapping expert review.ResultsParticipatory workshops involved 26 students and positioned students as leaders and partners in curriculum development alongside academics and clinicians. Final synthesis produced a comprehensive infographic rich document covering seven organ systems plus healthcare’s ecological footprint, the role of medical students and opportunities for applied skills and behaviours.ConclusionsThe student-staff co-production method adopted here promotes higher order relational and extended abstract reasoning by students, the ultimate task of any higher education. This approach, and the open access resource generated, provides an integrated and novel planetary health framework, supporting students to be leaders for a sustainable future.Practice Points[1]This project provides a methodology to overcome barriers to curriculum-wide integration of planetary determinants of health and a template to move beyond stand-alone planetary health workshops or population health case studies.[2]Student and educator co-development of planetary health teaching and learning resources promotes higher order relational and extended abstract reasoning by students, the ultimate task of any higher education.[3]Integrating planetary health supports emerging clinicians in all areas of medicine to be leaders for a sustainable future.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.