IntroductionCoronavirus disease (COVID-19), affects 213 countries or territories globally. We received a request from National Health Systems Resource Centre, a public agency in India, to conduct rapid evidence synthesis (RES) on community health workers (CHWs) for COVID-19 prevention and control in 3 days.MethodsWe searched PubMed, websites of ministries (n=3), public agencies (n=6), multilateral institutions (n=3), COVID-19 resource aggregators (n=5) and preprints (n=1) (without language restrictions) for articles on CHWs in pandemics. Two reviewers screened the records independently with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. One reviewer extracted data with another reviewer cross-checking it. A framework on CHW performance in primary healthcare not specific to pandemic was used to guide data extraction and narrative analysis.ResultsWe retrieved 211 records and finally included 36 articles. Most of the evidence was from low-and middle-income countries with well-established CHW programmes. Evidence from CHW programmes initiated during pandemics and for CHW involvement in pandemic response in high-income countries was scant. CHW roles and tasks change substantially during pandemics. Clear guidance, training for changed roles and definition of what constitutes essential activities (ie, those that must to be sustained) is required. Most common additional activities during pandemics were community awareness, engagement and sensitisation (including for countering stigma) and contact tracing. CHWs were reported to be involved in all aspects of contact tracing - this was reported to affect routine service delivery. CHWs have often been stigmatised or been socially ostracised during pandemics. Providing PPE, housing allowance, equal training opportunities, transportation allowance, improving salaries (paid on time and for a broad range of services) and awards in high-profile public events contributed to better recruitment and retention. We also created inventories of resources with guiding notes on guidelines for health workers (n=24), self-isolation in the community (n=10) and information, education and counselling materials on COVID-19 (n=16).ConclusionsCHWs play a critical role in pandemics. It is important to ensure role clarity, training, supportive supervision, as well as their work satisfaction, health and well-being. More implementation research on CHWs in pandemics is required.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a respiratory illness, first discovered in China in December 2019 has now spread to 213 countries or territories affecting millions across the globe. We received a request from National Health Systems Resource Centre, a public agency in India, for a Rapid Evidence Synthesis (RES) on community health workers (CHWs) for COVID-19 prevention and control. Methods: We searched PubMed, websites of ministries, public agencies, multilateral institutions, COVID-19 resource aggregators and pre-prints (without language restrictions) for articles on the role, challenges and enablers for CHWs in pandemics. Two reviewers screened the records independently with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. One reviewer extracted data in a consensus data extraction form with another reviewer cross-checking it. A framework on CHW performance in primary healthcare not specific to pandemic was used to guide data extraction and narrative analysis. Results: We retrieved 211 records and finally included 36 articles on the role, challenges and enablers for CHWs in pandemics. We found that CHWs play an important role in building awareness, countering stigma and maintaining essential primary healthcare service delivery. It is essential that CHWs are provided adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and appropriately trained in its usage in the early stages of the pandemic. Wide range of policies and guidance is required to ensure health systems functioning. A clear guidance for prioritizing essential activities, postponing non-essential ones and additional pandemic related activities is crucial. CHWs experience stigmatization, isolation and social exclusion. Psychosocial support, non-performance-based incentives, additional transport allowance, accommodation, child-support, awards and recognition programs have been used in previous pandemics. We also created inventories of resources with guiding notes for quick utility by decision makers on guidelines for health workers (n=24), self-isolation in the community (n=10) and information, education and counselling materials on COVID-19 (n=16). Conclusions: CHWs play a critical role in pandemics like COVID-19. It is important to ensure role clarity, training, supportive supervision, as well as their work satisfaction, health and well-being. There is a need for more implementation research on CHWs in pandemics like COVID-19.

Flavonoids, a group of natural compounds with phenolic structure, are becoming popular as alternative medicines obtained from plants. These compounds are reported to have various pharmacological properties, including attenuation of inflammatory responses in multiple health issues. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system implicated with the activation of the inflammatory cascade in the brain. The aim of the present study was to summarize the role of various neuroinflammatory mediators in the onset and progression of epilepsy, and, thereafter, to discuss the flavonoids and their classes, including their biological properties. Further, we highlighted the modulation of anti-inflammatory responses achieved by these substances in different forms of epilepsy, as evident from preclinical studies executed on multiple epilepsy models. Overall, the review summarizes the available evidence of the anti-inflammatory potential of various flavonoids in epilepsy.

Standards of services provided by the EPAUs across the UK vary from one unit to another. The aim of this purposive sampling self-administered survey was to assess these standards against a benchmark set by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). These standards were set out in a report by a RCOG working party (2008). Out of 181 units contacted in this survey, 140 units responded. We looked at the setup of the EPAU, services offered, accessibility and protocols for management of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. The survey shows that there is a considerable variation in the management protocols and the quality of services offered by the EPAUs in the UK. Many units do not meet the standards set by the RCOG.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contributed significantly to burden of diseases in India, with missed, incorrect, and delayed diagnosis in primary care. We conducted a rapid evidence synthesis, to summarize the evidence on accuracy of the screening tests for COPD in primary health care on request form State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh. Methods: Considering the rapid nature of decision making, our approach was to first search for existing systematic reviews. We identified one existing systematic review on the topic with the search conducted until 2014. We updated the review by searching in two major databases screened, title/abstracts, and full texts of studies as per eligibility criteria and extracted relevant data. A narrative synthesis was conducted. Results: We retrieved 7,007 and included five new studies, to add to 10 studies of the existing systematic review. Overall, 13 studies assessed diagnostic accuracy of screening questionnaires [e.g., COPD Diagnostic Questionnaire (CDQ)], five assessed handheld flow meters (COPD6 and PICO-6), and four assessed the combination of both the tests. The CDQ questionnaire using a score threshold ≥16.5 or >17 demonstrated comparatively a higher sensitivity both in pooled result for ever-smokers [87.5% (95% CI 83.1--90.9%)] and among the adults >35 years [73.8--93% (95% CI 69--98%)] when compared to a different score threshold of CDQ and other questionnaires. Handheld flow meters reported a pooled high sensitivity of 79.9% (95% CI 74.2--84.7%) in ever-smokers and 87.9% in adults with age >35 years. Conclusions: The need for better diagnosis of COPD in primary healthcare can be addressed by using of COPD Diagnostic Questionnaire alone or in combination with hand-held flow meters. There is scope for more implementation research on the domain.

Fuzzy C-Means Clustering algorithm (FCM) is a method that is frequently used in pattern recognition. It has the advantage of giving good modeling results in many cases, This paper presents the optimization of cluster center of Fuzzy C-Means algorithm by evolutionary methods, this in order to automatically select the best of cluster center with maximum probability. Optimization methods used to realization of this paper were genetic algorithms and for selection method roulette wheel method is used.

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