The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by rapidly emerging evidence, changing guidance, and misinformation, which present new challenges for health literacy (HL) and digital health literacy (DHL) skills. This study explored whether COVID-19-related information access, attitudes, and behaviors were associated with health literacy and digital health literacy among college students in the United States. Self-reported measures of health literacy, along with items on pandemic-related attitudes, behaviors, information sources, and social networks, were collected online using a managed research panel. In July 2020, 256 responses were collected, which mirrored the racial/ethnic and gender diversity of U.S. colleges. Only 49% reported adequate HL, and 57% found DHL tasks easy overall. DHL did not vary by HL level. In multivariable models, both HL and DHL were independently associated with overall compliance with basic preventive practices. Higher DHL, but not HL, was significantly associated with greater willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine and the belief that acquiring the disease would negatively impact their life. On average, respondents discussed health with 4–5 people, which did not vary by HL or DHL measures. The usage of online information sources varied by HL and DHL. The study findings can inform future student-focused interventions, including identifying the distinct roles of HL and DHL in pandemic information access, attitudes, and behaviors.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a post-infectious immune-mediated condition, seen 3–5 weeks after COVID-19. Maternal SARS-CoV-2 may potentially cause a similar hyperinflammatory syndrome in neonates due to transplacental transfer of antibodies. We reviewed the perinatal history, clinical features, and outcomes of 20 neonates with features consistent with MIS-C related to maternal SARS-CoV-2 in Kolhapur, India, from 1 September 2020 to 30 April 2021. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies were tested in all neonates. Fifteen singletons and five twins born to eighteen mothers with a history of COVID-19 disease or exposure during pregnancy presented with features consistent with MIS-C during the first 5 days after birth. Nineteen were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and all were negative for IgM antibodies. All mothers were asymptomatic and therefore not tested by RTPCR-SARS-CoV-2 at delivery. Eighteen neonates (90%) had cardiac involvement with prolonged QTc, 2:1 AV block, cardiogenic shock, or coronary dilatation. Other findings included respiratory failure (40%), fever (10%), feeding intolerance (30%), melena (10%), and renal failure (5%). All infants had elevated inflammatory biomarkers and received steroids and IVIG. Two infants died. We speculate that maternal SARS-CoV-2 and transplacental antibodies cause multisystem inflammatory syndrome in neonates (MIS-N). Immunomodulation may be beneficial in some cases, but further studies are needed.
NICU patients are among those potentially most vulnerable to the effects of natural or man-made disaster on a medical center. The published data on evacuations of NICU patients in the setting of disaster are sparse. In October of 2012, New York University Langone Medical Center was evacuated during Hurricane Sandy in the setting of a power outage secondary to a coastal surge. In this setting, 21 neonates were safely evacuated from the medical center' s NICU to receiving hospitals within New York City in a span of 4.5 hours. Using data recorded during the evacuation and from staff debriefings, we describe the challenges faced and lessons learned during both the power outage and vertical evacuation. From our experience, we identify several elements that are important to the functioning of an NICU in a disaster or to an evacuation that may be incorporated into future NICU-focused disaster planning. These include a clear command structure, backups (personnel, communication, medical information, and equipment), establishing situational awareness, regional coordination, and flexibility as well as special attention to families and to the availability of neonatal transport resources.
Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a rare congenital developmental anomaly, affecting 1 in 2500–3000 live births. The H-type TEF, consisting of a fistula between the trachea and a patent esophagus, is one of the rare anatomic subtypes, accounting for 4% of all TEFs. The presentation and perioperative management of neonates with H-type TEFs and all other TEFs are very similar to each other. Patients present with congenital heart disease and other defects and are prone to recurrent aspirations. A barium esophagogram or computed tomography of the chest is a common means to the diagnosis, and surgical repair is carried out through either a cervical approach or a right thoracotomy. During operation, anesthetic management is focused on preventing positive pressure ventilation through the fistula in an attempt to minimize gastric distension. For patients with H-type TEFs, because of the patent esophagus, symptoms are often less severe and nonspecific, resulting in subtle yet important differences in their diagnostic workup and management. This review will cover the finer details in the diagnosis and perioperative anesthetic management of TEF patients and clarify how H-type TEF distinguishes itself from the other anatomic subtypes.
Background Universal screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection on Labor and Delivery (L&D) units is a critical strategy to manage patient and health worker safety, especially in a vulnerable high-prevalence community. We describe the results of a SARS-CoV-2 universal screening program at the L&D Unit at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, NY, a 545-bed public hospital serving a diverse, largely immigrant and low-income patient population and an epicenter of the global pandemic. Methods and findings We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study. All pregnant women admitted to the L&D Unit of Elmhurst Hospital from March 29, 2020 to April 22, 2020 were included for analysis. The primary outcomes of the study were: (1) SARS-CoV-2 positivity among universally screened pregnant women, stratified by demographic characteristics, maternal comorbidities, and delivery outcomes; and (2) Symptomatic or asymptomatic presentation at the time of testing among SARS-CoV-2 positive women. A total of 126 obstetric patients were screened for SARS-CoV-2 between March 29 and April 22. Of these, 37% were positive. Of the women who tested positive, 72% were asymptomatic at the time of testing. Patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity (unadjusted difference 24.4 percentage points, CI 7.9, 41.0) and report their primary language as Spanish (unadjusted difference 32.9 percentage points, CI 15.8, 49.9) than patients who tested negative. Conclusions In this retrospective cross-sectional study of data from a universal SARS-Cov-2 screening program implemented in the L&D unit of a safety-net hospital in Queens, New York, we found over one-third of pregnant women testing positive, the majority of those asymptomatic. The rationale for universal screening at the L&D Unit at Elmhurst Hospital was to ensure safety of patients and staff during an acute surge in SARS-Cov-2 infections through appropriate identification and isolation of pregnant women with positive test results. Women were roomed by their SARS-CoV-2 status given increasing space limitations. In addition, postpartum counseling was tailored to infection status. We quickly established discharge counseling and follow-up protocols tailored to their specific social needs. The experience at Elmhurst Hospital is instructive for other L&D units serving vulnerable populations and for pandemic preparedness.
Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is transforming the health care sector. As health care organizations move from crisis mobilization to a new landscape of health and social needs, organizational health literacy offers practical building blocks to provide high-quality, efficient, and meaningful care to patients and their families. Organizational health literacy is defined by the Institute of Medicine as “the degree to which an organization implements policies, practices, and systems that make it easier for people to navigate, understand, and use information and services to take care of their health.” Methods: This article synthesizes insights from organizational health literacy in the context of current major health care challenges and toward the goal of innovation in patient-centered care. We first provide a brief overview of the origins and outlines of organizational health literacy research and practice. Second, using an established patient-centered innovation framework, we show how the existing work on organizational health literacy can offer a menu of effective, patient-centered innovative options for care delivery systems to improve systems and outcomes. Finally, we consider the high value of management focusing on organizational health literacy efforts, specifically for patients in health care transitions and in the rapid transformation of care into myriad distance modalities. Results: This article provides practical guidance for systems and informs decisions around resource allocation and organizational priorities to best meet the needs of patient populations even in the face of financial and workforce disruption. Conclusions: Organizational health literacy principles and guidelines provide a road map for promoting patient-centered care even in this time of crisis, change, and transformation. Health system leaders seeking innovative approaches can have access to well-established tool kits, guiding models, and materials toward many organizational health literacy goals across treatment, diagnosis, prevention, education, research, and outreach.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently in worldwide pandemic state with very limited data about the mode of transmission to the growing fetus. There are a few published cases of COVID-19 infection in the infants born to COVID-19 positive mothers where most of the reported cases were either mildly symptomatic with positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or had negative COVID-19 PCR raising the question of vertical transmission. We present a case of likely intrauterine transmission of COVID-19 infection in a critically ill premature infant born to a COVID-19 infected mother and describing her clinical course thus far. The clinical presentation in the infant is consistent with COVID-19 infection described so far in literature along with positive PCR, and positive COVID-19 serology: immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, and immunoglobulin A.
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