Introduction
Tele‐medicine services have been developed in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, which disrupts mental health services. The present study investigates the effectiveness of ...telephone‐delivered services for psychological disorders in the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Methods
We searched PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials for relevant clinical studies up to February 1, 2022. Following terms were used: “severe acute respiratory syndrome”, “Coronavirus”, “Coronavirus infection”, “SARS‐CoV‐2”, “COVID‐19”, “mental disorder”, “mental health”, “mental health program”, “mental health service”, “psychiatric service”, “telemedicine”, “Telehealth”, “Tele‐health”, “Telecare”, “Mobile health”.
Results
Twelve relevant clinical articles were included in our study. Eight articles were parallel randomized controlled trials (RCTs), two were Quasi‐experimental, and one was a multicenter retrospective cohort study. A total of 1900 adults (18 years old or above that) were included. Online telecommunication methods like online apps and videoconference were the most common interventions. The most prevalent measured outcome was levels of anxiety and depression among participants. Eleven out of 12 articles showed a significant association between telemedicine and mental health improvement.
Conclusions
The included studies in the current systematic review reported the probable efficacy of telemedicine in improving mental health disorders during the COVID‐19 pandemic. But it is not possible to determine the best telecommunication method for each mental disorder in different populations and the preference of patients is still face to face therapy. So RCTs in different populations with previous mental disorders or chronic diseases are required to investigate the further telemedicine's efficacy on managing mental problems.
Electronic skins equip robots and biomedical devices with intuitive skin‐like sensitivity. Performance‐driven design of electronic skins is a critical need for electronic or biomedical applications. ...Prior research primarily focuses on investigating effects of microstructures on sensor performance at low pressure ranges. However, having predictive and tunable electro–mechanical responses across an extensive pressure range (>100 kPa) is paramount. Here, the authors propose a system that virtually customizes micropyramids for e‐skin sensors. The associations between geometry parameters, material properties, and single‐pyramid performance are systematically explored via numerical simulations, empirical characterizations, and analytical solutions. These experimentally validated models allow for the determination of the sensor parameters for the desired performance. An augmented reality interface system for surgery skills training by optimizing sensitivities that match varying tissue stiffnesses is further demonstrated. The platform enables greater effectiveness in rapidly iterating and designing micropyramidal e‐skin for applications in augmented reality interfaces, robotics, and telehealthcare.
An augmented reality surgical interface system can aid in surgical training of hand stability. Piezo‐capacitive sensors made using pyramidal microstructures transduce tactile feedbacks and the data are used for conducting virtual excisions. Sensor performance is tuned with the new predictive mechanical models developed through single‐pyramid level microstructure indentation measurements.
•Tele-medicine is an effective and satisfactory option for follow-up of people with epilepsy.•Developing and resource-poor nations should utilize it for better care of people with ...epilepsy.•Aggressive awareness drives and community healthcare system should be engaged actively for wider use of tele-medicine.
Effectiveness of different tele-medicine strategies varies in different medical conditions. Use of basic tele-medicine strategy like mobile health (m-health) can be an effective option in different medical conditions in a resource-poor setting.
To study effectiveness and satisfaction of tele-medicine among persons with epilepsy (PWE) in a developing nation during COVID-19 pandemic.
Persons with epilepsy aged 18 years or more who have attended epilepsy clinic at least once physically and were asked for regular follow-up were included. A cross-sectional telephonic survey was conducted to assess effectiveness of tele-medicine over past 1 year. Satisfaction was assessed by tele-medicine satisfaction questionnaire.
31.9% of PWE have used tele-medicine facility in last 1 year and 58.2% were unaware of the availability of such a facility. Among those who utilized tele-medicine, 95.3% were able to explain their concerns satisfactorily during tele-consultation and change in prescription was done in 42.8%. None experienced any new adverse event. Overall, more than 95% were satisfied with tele-consultation and more than 80% wanted to use it again.
Even basic tele-medicine strategies can be a very effective and satisfactory mode of follow-up for PWE in resource-poor settings. Steps should be undertaken to make people aware of the availability of such a facility.
COVID-19 patients with DM have increased mortality and severity of the disease. Although telemedicine helps to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the DM standard of care, it is increasingly evident ...that COVID-19 has a significant impact on DM standards of care, especially in areas where telemedicine is not available.
The study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on patients with diabetes standard of care in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia.
A cross-sectional study using an online pretested questionnaire targeted adult diabetic patients living in the Jazan region between December 2021 to March 2022. The participants were selected through a random sampling method. They completed self-administered questionnaires that included demographic variables.
A total of 258 study subjects participated in this study. In comparison to DM standards of care before and during COVID-19, there was no clinically significant difference in medication compliance, blood glucose checking, or experiencing blood glucose extrusion. However, with the spread of the corona pandemic and the closure of clinics, the percentage of those who have difficulty controlling blood sugar levels has increased to 22%, despite the availability of telemedicine.
DM standards of care have not been affected and were not statistically significant, which could be explained by the rapid adoption of telemedicine during the lockdown. However, as corona spread participants had difficulty controlling blood sugar levels. This indicates that governmental multidisciplinary work limits the COVID-19 impact; however, further work is still needed to ensure that DM care is not compromised.
Quality and easy access to healthcare is considered a Fundamental Right in most countries. While access to care has progressed, the ethical challenges related with medical error, confidentiality of ...patient information and risk of technology over-riding human judgement have become important to address. In the case of seafarers, the challenges are compounded by the fact that they spend a significant amount of time on the high seas with no direct access to medical care. With the introduction of Tele-medicine, quality and access to care has improved. However due to the fact that there is no direct patient – doctor contact, ethical issues related to consent and care are important to review to safegaurds the interest both the doctor and patient. The gradual introduction of advanced technologies present improved medical assistance to seafarers onboard.
•Assessment of ethical aspects in delivering medical assistance to seafarers.•Analysis of the rights to health care for seafarers.•The most important laws on the protection of the health of seafarers.•Ethical foundations applicable to the protection of the health of sailors.
Introduction/aim
To evaluate whether patients with haemophilia (PwH) can be enabled to perform ultrasonography (US) of their knees without supervision according to the Haemophilia Early Arthropathy ...Detection with Ultrasound (HEAD‐US) protocol and whether they would be able to recognize pathologies.
Methods
Five PwH (mean age 29.6 years, range 20–48 years) were taught the use of a portable US device and the HEAD‐US protocol. Subsequently, the patients performed US unsupervised at home three times a week for a total of 6 weeks with a reteaching after 2 weeks. All images were checked for mapping of the landmarks defined in the HEAD‐US protocol by a radiologist. In a final test after the completion of the self‐sonography period, participants were asked to identify scanning plane and potential pathology from US images of other PwH.
Results
On the images of the self‐performed scans, 82.7% of the possible anatomic landmarks could be identified and 67.5% of the requested images were unobjectionable, depicting 100% of the required landmarks. There was a highly significant improvement in image quality following reteaching after 2 weeks (74.80 ± 36.88% vs. 88.31 ± 19.87%, p < .001). In the final test, the participants identified the right scanning plane in 85.0% and they correctly identified pathology in 90.0% of images.
Conclusion
Appropriately trained PwH can perform the HEAD‐US protocol of their knee with high quality and are capable to identify pathologic findings on these standardized images. Asynchronous tele‐sonography could enable early therapy adjustment and thereby possibly reduce costs.
Objective: Access to health centers was restricted during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, which hit our country in March 2020. Ensuring the medical control of patients who were followed up in ...the neurology outpatient clinic with the tele-medicine method was an important step to decrease the viral load of patients and physicians. This study aimed to share our tele-medicine experience with patients with movement disorders. Materials and Methods: The data of 71 patients with movement disorder who communicated with our unit between March 11, 2020 and June 20, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 117 verbal and written interviews with 71 patients were mostly conducted via WhatsApp®. The evaluation of reasons for physician consultation revealed that patients most frequently communicated for worsening rigidity and prescription-drug requests. Of these interviews, 25 (21.4%) resulted in setting patient appointments for a physical examination. The tele-medicine service in 92 (78.6%) interviews solved the problem without physical contact with patients. Conclusion: Movement disorder evaluations are suitable through teleconference. Therefore, our teleneurology application, which we actively use, is effective in reducing the risk of viral transmission to both patients and healthcare workers during the pandemic. Developing telemedical applications is necessary in terms of their legal aspects and implementation in the world, especially in our country.
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