Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly in China and other overseas areas, which has aroused widespread concern. The sharp increase in the number of patients has led to great psychological pressure on health care workers. The purpose of this study was to understand their mental health status and needs, so as to provide a scientific basis for alleviating the psychological pressure of health care workers. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, 540 health care workers were randomly selected from two designated tuberculosis medical institutions in Anhui Province. The basic situation, perceived social support, depression level, loneliness and COVID-19 related knowledge were collected and analyzed by questionnaire. Results A total of 511 valid questionnaires were finally retrieved. There were 139 people in epidemic prevention and control positions (27.20%). Depression level: People in isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were at the level of mild to moderate depression. Female was higher than male; nurse was higher than doctor; middle and junior job titles were higher than senior titles; junior college degree or below were higher than bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and above; isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were significantly higher than those of non-prevention and control positions (p < 0.05). Loneliness scores: Doctors were higher than that of medical technicians, and isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were higher than those of other medical departments (p < 0.05). Social support: Doctors were lower than that of medical technicians, and isolation ward, fever clinic and pre-check triage were significantly lower than those of other departments (p < 0.05). The score of social support was negatively correlated with depression and loneliness (p < 0.001), while depression was positively correlated with loneliness (p < 0.001). Health care workers most want to receive one-to-one psychological counseling (29.75%), and provide crisis management (24.07%). The awareness rate of health care workers on COVID-19’s knowledge was relatively high. Conclusions The psychological problems of health care workers, especially women, nurses with low educational background, low professional title, and staff in the epidemic prevention and control positions are relatively serious.

BackgroundTo explore the significance of short message service (SMS) on the management of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients in reinforcing the treatment adherence and health awareness, and provide scientific evidences for popularizing this model and formulating related polices and measures.Material/MethodsSix counties (districts) were selected by stratified cluster sampling method, and randomly divided into control group and intervention group. Pulmonary TB patients eligible to the study criteria were included in the study. SMS management and regular education of core knowledge about pulmonary TB were carried out in SMS group patients. The conventional directly observed therapy (DOT) was carried out in control group. Data was collected by questionnaire method.ResultsA total of 350 patients were included in the study, including 160 cases in the SMS group and 190 cases in the control group. There were 270 males (77.1%) and 80 females (22.9%). The treatment completion rate in SMS group (96.25%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (86.84%) (χ2=9.52, P=0.002). Both the interrupted treatment rate and the missed dose rate in the SMS group were significantly lower than those in the control group (χ2=10.41, P=0.001; χ2=28.54, P<0.001). After a period of treatment, the reexamination rate of SMS group patients was significantly higher than that in control group (except the reexamination rate after 5 months treatment).ConclusionsThe management of pulmonary TB patients by SMS can effectively reinforce the completed treatment rate of pulmonary TB patients and reduce their missed dose rate and interrupted treatment rate, and further enhance their reexamination awareness. Therefore, SMS on the management of patients may be a new promising therapeutic strategy for pulmonary TB.

BackgroundTo assess the non-adherence rate among pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients in Anhui Province, eastern China and to explore the influential factors, so as to identify targets for intervention.Matreial/MethodsA total of 339 TB patients were recruited from TB dispensaries in 8 counties of Anhui Province, eastern China using a stratified sampling method. All study subjects were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Differences between groups involving categorical data were analyzed using the chi-square test.ResultsOverall, of the 339 patients, 33.63% missed medication. Divorced and widowed patients were more likely to miss medication compared with those who were married or unmarried (P<0.01). Regarding the knowledge related to topics such as transmission route, preventive measures, and suspicious symptoms, the awareness rate in the group with good medication compliance was higher than in the group with poor compliance (P<0.05). We found that compliance was not significantly associated with seeking medical treatment in professional institutions, the national free TB treatment policy, or discrimination (P>0.05). The rate of non-compliance under supervision (26.10%) was lower than that without supervision (64.18%) (P<0.001).ConclusionsThe anti-TB treatment non-adherence rate in TB patients is relatively high in Anhui Province, eastern China, and is associated with marital status, annual income, TB knowledge, and medical staff visits.

This study aims to investigate the role of Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Sixty SLE patients, 28 of whom had lupus nephritis (LN), and 60 normal controls were enrolled; Serum ANCA was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients were also recorded. Results show that twenty SLE patients were seropositive for ANCA, which was significantly higher than in normal controls. LN patients had significantly higher positive rate of ANCA than patients without nephritis. Compared with ANCA-negative patients, the ANCA-positive patients had significantly higher incidence of nerves system disorder, myocarditis, renal involvement and serositis. The positive rate of gamma-globulin, anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies were significantly higher in ANCA-positive patients. Elevated IgG and ESR, decreased serum C3/C4 appeared more often in ANCA-positive patients. In addition, serum ANCA level correlated positively with disease activity. Taken together, ANCA might be used as a potential complementary parameter to differentiate LN from SLE without nephritis. In addition, ANCA may serve as a useful marker of the disease activity of SLE.