There is an urgent need to understand explanatory factors of poor mental health before (pre-) and during (peri-) the COVID-19 pandemic in university students, especially those from underrepresented and minority groups.

To examine potential differences and explanatory factors for psychological distress, clinical risk and impact of problems on academic outcomes pre- and peri-pandemic in university students.

A repeated cross-sectional design was used with routine data between August 2018 and July 2022 at the registration stage from a student counselling and mental health service at a UK university. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine pre- and peri-pandemic differences in outcomes. Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models were conducted to assess potential explanatory factors for poor outcomes.

A total of 9517 university students had completed sociodemographic and outcome data and were included in analysis. Psychological distress and impact of problems on academic outcomes were not significantly different between pre- and peri-pandemic groups. Clinical risk was significantly higher in the pre-pandemic than peri-pandemic group. Potential explanatory factors for poorer outcomes included being younger, female or non-binary/genderqueer, sexual minority, from a minority ethnic group, having home fee status and having a disability registration.

Poor student mental health profiles and related explanatory factors may not have changed drastically between pre- and peri-pandemic. Longitudinal methods and intersectional approaches should be used in future research. Further understanding of how universities and student mental health services can most efficiently and effectively support the mental health of university students is crucially warranted.

To analyze the sociodemographic characteristics and trends in clinical and analytical parameters among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Aragon (Spain), who remain uninfected with COVID-19 during the first year of pandemic. The secondary objectives were to identify the associated comorbidities and their evolution throughout the pandemic, as well as to determine the cases that got worse and their possible relationship with the control of the main risk factors.

CKD is a major public health problem worldwide. Studies encompassing national, European, and global contexts, show a rise in the prevalence of CKD, with a significant decrease in life quality, high morbidity and mortality, and increased healthcare costs. In this scenario, primary care is a cornerstone for the early detection of CKD and for the management of progression factors. To date, there are few publications regarding the evolution of the CKD population throughout the pandemic that are not related to hospitalizations or complications due to COVID-19.

We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study with real-world data from the population over 16 years of age registered in Aragon (Spain), collecting data from electronic health records. The variables included were sociodemographic, analytical and clinical (glomerular filtration rate, cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin, and blood pressure) and comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes, and smoking). The data were archived and processed using the SPSS v22.0 software package.

During the first six months of COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical parameters of people with CKD were poorly controlled, although there was a later improvement which could be related to the progressive recovery of health services. The glycated haemoglobin value found was low, which makes us suspect possible overtreatment. There is a high prevalence of high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and smoking. Interventions targeting these factors could help reduce the burden of CKD.

Preparedness levels have been shown to improve the outcomes for people who find themselves in an emergency. However, uptake of preparedness behaviors by the public prior to a major disaster is limited. This 2-part study examined perceived preparedness in the UK during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic (Study 1), and 2 years later (Study 2).

Both studies investigated the effect of individual demographics (gender, age, perceived socioeconomic and health status) on perceived preparedness. Next, the studies examined the extent to which perceived preparedness was associated with mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms). Participants (Study 1, N = 409) completed an online survey in May to June 2020 during a national lockdown, with another sample (Study 2, N = 87) completing the same survey from March to July 2022.

Across both studies, participants completed 2 to 3 different preparedness activities. Greater subjective perceptions of socioeconomic status were associated with perceived preparedness. Preparedness levels were related with better mental health, and unrelated to age and gender.

Encouraging the public to engage with preparedness behaviors may not only have practical benefits but also help to protect mental well-being during a disaster.

The purpose of this study was to measure and examine the levels of IgG, IgM, and Spike antibody induced by inactivated vaccines, including CoronaVac and BBIBP-CorV.

Two groups of healthy adults over 18 years old (50 participants per group), who had previously received 1 dose of either BBIBP-CorV or CoronaVac and receiving either a homologous booster of BBIBP-CorV or a heterologous booster of CoronaVac. Serum IgG, IgM, and Spike antibody levels against SARS-COV-2 were measured using magnetic particle chemiluminescence immunoassay and the ELISA method.

The results showed that both spike antibody and IgG/IgM antibodies elicited by a CoronaVac booster following 1 dose of BBIBP-CorV were significantly higher than those elicited by either a homologous BBIBP-CorV booster or a heterologous BBIBP-CorV booster. The Spike antibody against SARS-COV-2 induced by the heterologous CoronaVac booster reached 200.3, which is substantially greater than that induced by the homologous BBIBP-CorV booster (127.5 pg/mL). Conversely, the Spike antibody against SARS-COV-2 induced by the heterologous BBIBP-CorV booster reached 53.93 pg/mL, which is substantially greater than that induced by the homologous CoronaVac booster (9.60 pg/mL).

In summary, CoronaVac is immunogenic as a booster dose following 1 dose of BBIBP-CorV and is immunogenically superior to both the homologous booster and the heterologous BBIBP-CorV booster.

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.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the health of millions of people worldwide, and many manifest new or persistent symptoms long after the initial onset of the infection. One of the leading symptoms of long-COVID is cognitive impairment, which includes memory loss, lack of concentration, and brain fog. Understanding the nature and underlying mechanisms of cognitive impairment in long-COVID is important for developing preventive and therapeutic interventions.

Our present study investigated functional connectivity (FC) changes in patients with long-COVID and their associations with cognitive impairment. Resting-state functional MRI data from 60 long-COVID patients and 52 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed using seed-based functional connectivity analysis.

We found increased FC between the right caudate nucleus and both the left and right precentral gyri in long-COVID patients compared with healthy controls. In addition, elevated FC was observed between the right anterior globus pallidus and posterior cingulate cortex as well as the right temporal pole in long-COVID patients. Importantly, the magnitude of FC between the caudate and the left precentral gyrus showed a significant negative correlation with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores and a negative correlation with Trail Making Test B performance in the patient group.

Patients with long-COVID present enhanced FC between the caudate and the left precentral gyrus. Furthermore, those FC alterations are related to the severity of cognitive impairment, particularly in the domain of executive functions.

Individuals’ COVID-19 protection and awareness could be related to their health literacy levels. This study aims to determine individuals’ COVID-19 awareness and health literacy levels in eastern Turkey and the relationship between them.

This study utilized a descriptive and correlational design. The target population was individuals aged 18-65 years who sought treatment in the emergency department of a state hospital in Turkey. The sample consisted of 762 individuals who visited the health institution where data were collected between July 15, 2021-December 15, 2021 and agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected through the Personal Information Form, the COVID-19 Awareness Scale, and the Health Literacy Scale. Ethics committee approval and institutional permissions were obtained to conduct the study. Data analysis used arithmetic means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis coefficients, t test, ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, Bonferroni tests, and correlation analysis.

The participants’ COVID-19 Awareness Scale total mean score was 50.71 ± 14.93, and the Health Literacy Scale total mean score was 45.03 ± 10.57. A moderate positive correlation was detected between the participants’ health literacy levels and the COVID-19 awareness scale sub-scales and total scores (r = 0.350).

The participants’ health literacy level increased with their COVID-19 awareness level. It is recommended that health literacy levels be increased to help individuals increase their awareness of COVID-19 and to protect and improve their health.