Perceptions about Telemedicine among Populations with Chronic Diseases amid COVID-19: Data from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Chronic diseases, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), have arisen as a severe threat to health and socio-economic growth. Telemedicine can provide both the highest level of patient satisfaction and the lowest risk of infection during a pandemic. The factors associated with its usage and patient adherence are not visible in Bangladesh's resource-constrained settings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify perceptions about telemedicine among populations with chronic diseases amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A closed-ended self-reported questionnaire was created, and the questionnaire was written, reviewed, and finalized by a public health investigator, a psychiatrist, and an epidemiologist. The data for this study were collected from individuals using simple random sampling and snowball sampling techniques. Ethics approval was granted, and written/verbal consent was taken before interviews. Most of the participants showed a positive attitude towards telemedicine. People aged 35-54 years old and a higher level of education were less frequently associated with willingness to receive telemedicine services for current chronic disease (WRTCCD) than their counterparts. People living in urban areas and lower-income participants were more strongly associated with WRTCCD. Additionally, people who did not lose their earnings due to the pandemic were less strongly associated with WRTCCD. However, the main strength of this research is that it is a broad exploration of patient interest in several general forms of telehealth. In Bangladesh, there are many opportunities for telemedicine to be integrated into the existing healthcare system, if appropriate training and education are provided for healthcare professionals

Clinical features and histological types of 35 cases of carcinoma esophagus: experience from two hospitals in Bangladesh

Background and objectives:Esophageal malignancy is a fatal disease. Squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma are two most common types. The present study aimed to describe demographic characteristics, clinical features, histological types and associated among the selected Bangladeshi patients with esophageal cancers. Methods:This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January to December 2016 at two hospitals in Bangladesh. Total 35 adult patients diagnosed as having esophageal cancer were consecutively and purposively included in this study. Age, gender, history of chewing betel nut and smoking, clinical presentation and laboratory parameters were recorded systematically in a predesigned data sheet. Results:Among the 35 patients with esophageal cancer, 80% were more than 50 yrs of age while 71.4% and 28.6% were male and female respectively. Out of these cases, 27 (77.1%) had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 8 (22.9%) had adenocarcinoma. Out of 27 SCC, 15 (55.6%) had lesion in mid-esophagus, 9 (33.3%) in lower and 3 (11.1%) in upper esophagus. All adenocarcinoma were present in lower esophagus. History of smoking and chewing betel nut were not significantly associated with esophageal cancers. Conclusions: Esophageal carcinoma was common in elderly male and SCC was more frequent compared to adenocarcinoma. Further study with larger number of samples is required to determine the role of smoking and betel nut chewing in esophageal cancers in Bangladeshi population. IMC J Med Sci 2017; 11(2): 36-3

Perceptions about Telemedicine among Populations with Chronic Diseases amid COVID-19: Data from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Chronic diseases, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), have arisen as a severe threat to health and socio-economic growth. Telemedicine can provide both the highest level of patient satisfaction and the lowest risk of infection during a pandemic. The factors associated with its usage and patient adherence are not visible in Bangladesh’s resource-constrained settings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify perceptions about telemedicine among populations with chronic diseases amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A closed-ended self-reported questionnaire was created, and the questionnaire was written, reviewed, and finalized by a public health investigator, a psychiatrist, and an epidemiologist. The data for this study were collected from individuals using simple random sampling and snowball sampling techniques. Ethics approval was granted, and written/verbal consent was taken before interviews. Most of the participants showed a positive attitude towards telemedicine. People aged 35–54 years old and a higher level of education were less frequently associated with willingness to receive telemedicine services for current chronic disease (WRTCCD) than their counterparts. People living in urban areas and lower-income participants were more strongly associated with WRTCCD. Additionally, people who did not lose their earnings due to the pandemic were less strongly associated with WRTCCD. However, the main strength of this research is that it is a broad exploration of patient interest in several general forms of telehealth. In Bangladesh, there are many opportunities for telemedicine to be integrated into the existing healthcare system, if appropriate training and education are provided for healthcare professionals