Understand perceptions of COVID-19 messages and information sources among rural wastewater treatment plant operators to inform context-specific communication strategies for implementing wastewater surveillance methodologies locally.

Eight employees from 7 Eastern Kentucky facilities involved in SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance participated in semi-structured interviews. Respondents shared perceptions of traditional and social media COVID-19 information channels in their communities, as well as factors influencing trustworthiness of sources. Using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework, 3 investigators conducted iterative, thematic coding of interview transcripts.

Respondents’ statements most frequently related to “Be Credible,” “Be Right,” and “Promote Action” CERC constructs, while mixed messages, high volumes of information, and numerous sources undermined trust in COVID-19 information.

Understanding the relative importance of CERC constructs and their distractors may improve future risk communication to advance infectious disease surveillance strategies in rural contexts.

To quantitatively assess key performance indicator changes between selected pre-pandemic and pandemic periods at the Sant’Anna Hospital emergency department (ED) in Como, Italy through the retrospective use of Hospital Surge Preparedness and Response index (HSPRI).

This study collected the average length of stay (LOS), time-to-physician initial assessment (TPIA), and left-without-being seen (LWBS) rates for 2 pre-pandemic (control group) and 3 pandemic periods (study group) in the COVID ED (C-ED) dedicated to treat COVID-19 patients and the non-COVID ED (NC-ED) dedicated to non-COVID cases. Quantitative analysis was based on hypothesis testing. A retrospective qualitative theme and subtheme analysis based on the HSPRI was conducted on baseline strategies before each pandemic period and on the actions implemented thereafter.

LOS increased across all pandemic periods. TPIA decreased in the first 2 pandemic periods in comparison to pre-pandemic. LWBS decreased between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Of the 22 action items listed in the HSPRI, 8 were implemented in the first pandemic period, 8 in the second and 1 in the third, for a total of 17 items.

The HSPRI demonstrated value as a tool for a hospital staff to actively utilize during a pandemic to identify KPI triggers to formulate actions to maintain pre-pandemic care or ameliorate the deterioration of care during the pandemic.

The objective of this scoping review is to identify the cultural factors that influence the acceptance of food aid by those affected by disasters.

A literature review was conducted on articles published in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases until March 30, 2023, using keywords determined within the scope of the subject. This study follows the PICOS (participation, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study desings) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Twelve articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the findings.

The study comprised 12 articles, of which 3 were cross-sectional, 5 were qualitative, 1 was descriptive, and 3 were mixed method studies. Thematic analysis identified 7 themes that emerged from the cultural factors/codes affecting nutrition activities in disasters: local and traditional food, socio-economic status, faith/religion, traditional practices and habits, cultural food beliefs and taboos, food sharing, and social organization.

A considerable body of research indicates that the selection of local and traditional foods is a key cultural factor influencing the efficacy of nutrition interventions and food assistance programs in the aftermath of disasters. It is therefore essential to take into account the identified cultural factors in order to ensure that the nutrition intervention is both accurate and efficient, and to enhance the acceptance of the population.

The purpose of this research is to determine the readiness of family physicians to prevent cyberchondria.

The Family Physicians’ Cyberchondria Levels Assessment Questionnaire was applied to 124 family physicians to determine readiness.

Family physicians mention that there can be accurate data on diagnosis and treatments on the internet (62%), but patients’ anxiety increases (88%); reach physicians and find answers on the websites of family physicians. Individuals with low health literacy research on the internet are concerned about family physicians (84.6%). Family physicians declare patients have medication with Internet information (84%), diagnose themselves with research on the internet (85.2%), and have high anxiety levels (83.2%). The family physicians use WhatsApp (90.3%) to answer patients’ questions and increase cyberchondria awareness. The family physicians have knowledge about cyberchondria, accept cyberchondria as a health problem, and have computer literacy.

The Internet provides individuals with a low-cost and easily accessible source of health information. The patients researching the internet have high anxiety and low health literacy. To prevent cyberchondria, direct communication with family physicians, development of health literacy, and facilitating access to communication and counseling services on the internet by central health authorities are essential.