Awareness and preparedness of healthcare workers against the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey across 57 countries.

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been concerns related to the preparedness of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to describe the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital HCWs at the time of the first wave. METHODS: This multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital HCWs from February to May 2020. We used a hierarchical logistic regression multivariate analysis to adjust the influence of variables based on awareness and preparedness. We then used association rule mining to identify relationships between HCW confidence in handling suspected COVID-19 patients and prior COVID-19 case-management training. RESULTS: We surveyed 24,653 HCWs from 371 hospitals across 57 countries and received 17,302 responses from 70.2% HCWs overall. The median COVID-19 preparedness score was 11.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0-14.0) and the median awareness score was 29.6 (IQR = 26.6-32.6). HCWs at COVID-19 designated facilities with previous outbreak experience, or HCWs who were trained for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, had significantly higher levels of preparedness and awareness (p<0.001). Association rule mining suggests that nurses and doctors who had a 'great-extent-of-confidence' in handling suspected COVID-19 patients had participated in COVID-19 training courses. Male participants (mean difference = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.22, 0.46; p<0.001) and nurses (mean difference = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.81; p<0.001) had higher preparedness scores compared to women participants and doctors. INTERPRETATION: There was an unsurprising high level of awareness and preparedness among HCWs who participated in COVID-19 training courses. However, disparity existed along the lines of gender and type of HCW. It is unknown whether the difference in COVID-19 preparedness that we detected early in the pandemic may have translated into disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease by gender or HCW type

Evaluation of Age Based-Sleep Quality and Fitness in Adolescent Female Handball Players

The present study aimed to examine the differences in sleep hygiene, balance, strength, agility, and maximum aerobic speed (MAS) between two groups of female handball players aged under 14 (U14) and under 17 (U17) years. Seventy-two female handball players participated and were divided into two groups according to age: U14 (n = 36, age: 13.44 &plusmn; 0.5 years) and U17 (n = 36, age: 15.95 &plusmn; 0.76 years). Sleep hygiene was evaluated using three questionnaires: Sleep quality and sleepiness via the Pittsburgh (PSQI) and Epworth (ESS) questionnaires, and the insomnia questionnaire via the measurement of the insomnia severity index (ISI). Physical fitness was evaluated with the stork balance tests with eyes open (OEB) and closed (CEB), the vertical jump (SJ), horizontal jump (SBJ), and five jump (FJT) tests, the agility (t-test) and the maximum aerobic speed (MAS) tests. No significant differences were shown between U14 and U17 players in all PSQI, ISI, and ESS scores, and balance and strength performances. Meanwhile, the U17 players&rsquo; performances were significant better in agility quality (p = 0.003 &lt; 0.01) and MAS (p = 0.05) compared to the U14 players. Biological gender specificity during the maturation phase may inhibit the improvement of balance, and strength performances between the age of 13 and 17 years, while agility and MAS performances are more affected by age alterations

Evaluation of Age Based-Sleep Quality and Fitness in Adolescent Female Handball Players.

International audienceThe present study aimed to examine the differences in sleep hygiene, balance, strength, agility, and maximum aerobic speed (MAS) between two groups of female handball players aged under 14 (U14) and under 17 (U17) years. Seventy-two female handball players participated and were divided into two groups according to age: U14 (n = 36, age: 13.44 ± 0.5 years) and U17 (n = 36, age: 15.95 ± 0.76 years). Sleep hygiene was evaluated using three questionnaires: Sleep quality and sleepiness via the Pittsburgh (PSQI) and Epworth (ESS) questionnaires, and the insomnia questionnaire via the measurement of the insomnia severity index (ISI). Physical fitness was evaluated with the stork balance tests with eyes open (OEB) and closed (CEB), the vertical jump (SJ), horizontal jump (SBJ), and five jump (FJT) tests, the agility (t-test) and the maximum aerobic speed (MAS) tests. No significant differences were shown between U14 and U17 players in all PSQI, ISI, and ESS scores, and balance and strength performances. Meanwhile, the U17 players’ performances were significant better in agility quality (p = 0.003 < 0.01) and MAS (p = 0.05) compared to the U14 players. Biological gender specificity during the maturation phase may inhibit the improvement of balance, and strength performances between the age of 13 and 17 years, while agility and MAS performances are more affected by age alteratio

The Effects of Sporting and Physical Practice on Visual and Kinesthetic Motor Imagery Vividness: A Comparative Study Between Athletic, Physically Active, and Exempted Adolescents

International audienceThe interest of motor imagery practice on performance and motor learning is well-established. However, the impact of sporting and physical practice on motor imagery vividness is currently unclear, especially in youth. Two-hundred-and-forty adolescents were recruited to form different groups. For each age group (age-group 1, A-G1 with 13years≤age≤14years 6months vs. age-group 2, A-G2 with 14years 6months&lt;age≤16years), 40 athletes, 40 active adolescents, and 40 exempted were recruited (20 girls and 20 boys in each category). Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised Second version (MIQ-Rs) was used to assess the Visual Motor Imagery (VMI) and Kinesthetic Motor Imagery (KMI) vividness. Results show that VMI is more evoked and more vivid than KMI ( p &lt;0.001). Athletes had greater VMI and KMI than active and exempted groups ( p &lt;0.001), and the active group also performed higher VMI and KMI than the exempted group ( p &lt;0.001). Subjects from A-G2 had greater motor imagery than subjects from A-G1, and boys had better motor imagery than girls. Conclusion: the present results show that sport and physical education engagement is associated with enhanced motor imagery vividness, especially in VMI. Moreover, older adolescents evoke clearer images than younger adolescents, and boys have greater imagery ability than girls. Therefore, teachers and coaches should consider age and gender when developing this cognitive skill when learning, in physical education classes and sports clubs

Assessment of the association between sleep disturbance and physical performance in adolescent girls

International audienceThe relationship of sleep parameters and physical performances was assessed in young female handball players. Under 14 (13.44 ± 0.5 years), and under 17 (16.0 ± 0.8 years). Sleep patterns were evaluated using: Sleep quality (PSQI), insomnia (ISI) and sleepiness (ESS), questionnaires. Stork balance tests with open-eyes (OEB) and closed-eyes (CEB) were assessed. Squat-jump (SJ), standing broad jump (SBJ), five jump (FJT) and T-agility tests were determined. A positive correlation was found in U14 between the PSQI and ESS with agility time (r = 0.43 and 0.34, respectively), while a negative correlation was found between ISI and both: OEB (r = -0.48), and CEB (r = -0.38). For the U17, a negative correlation was found between ESS and CEB (r = -0.33). Results suggest that the quality of sleep related with age should be taken into consideration because it may affect balance and agility in young female handball players