Indoor air quality and COVID-19: a scoping review

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major public health concern for the past 3 years. Scientific evidence on the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and indoor air quality still needs to be demonstrated. This scoping review aims to study the association between air quality indoors and COVID-19. Methods: A scoping review analyzing the association between indoor air quality and epidemiological outcomes was conducted. Papers published between 1 January 2020 and 31 October 2022 were included. Hospital settings were excluded from the study. Results: Eight relevant articles met the inclusion criteria. Indoor settings included workplaces, schools, restaurants, and public transport. Types of ventilation used to improve indoor air quality were dilution methods (opening windows) and mechanical systems with or without filtration or purifier. CO2 sensors were employed in one study. All the studies showed a positive association between indoor air quality and its improvement and epidemiological indicators. Conclusion: The findings of this scoping review indicate that indoor air quality, which can be improved with ventilation methods, may reduce the risk of developing COVID-19. Ventilation could thus be viewed as a possible effective mitigating method

Psychiatric consequences and issues of long COVID on patients with prior psychiatric comorbidities: a scoping review

SARS-CoV-2 is a growing field of research and mental health in long COVID is one of its interesting domains. This scoping review aims at studying the outcomes of mental health in patients already known for psychiatric illness. This was done by researching the literature in two databases (Embase and PubMed) for articles studying mental health consequences of long COVID in patients already known for psychiatric history. Eleven studies were included. 6/11 studies found an effect of long COVID, with varying severity of outcomes studied, with either a worsening in length or severity. 4/11 did not find any correlation between worsening symptoms and psychiatric history. The methods for assessing which psychiatric symptoms to include and how to determine prior history were heterogeneous, making direct comparison sometimes difficult. The data seem to show worse effects of long COVID on mental health of patients with prior mental illness, with limitations regarding the heterogeneity of the studies’ designs and focuses. It also highlights how neglected this population of patients is in the current state of research

Questions éthiques soulevées par la prise en charge médicale des adultes en situation de handicap

La prise en charge médicale des adultes en situation de handicap, notamment ceux souffrant de déficience mentale, peut se révéler difficile d’un point de vue éthique. Plusieurs questions se posent fréquemment. Peut-on proposer un traitement vital mais qui risque d’impacter la qualité de vie du patient sans pouvoir obtenir son consentement ? En période de Covid-19, l’utilisation de moyens de contention chimique ou physique peut-elle être considérée comme de la maltraitance alors qu’on cherche à protéger autrui ? Autant de situations où la question éthique prend une place centrale. Si chaque cas est évidemment différent, nous vous proposons, à travers quatre vignettes cliniques, de mettre en lumière les principes éthiques accompagnant le médecin dans son processus décisionnel.Medical care of adults with disabilities, especially those with intellectual disabilities, can be ethically difficult. Several questions arise frequently. Can we administer a life-saving treatment that could impact negatively the patient’s quality of life when the patient isn’t able to give consent? During this Covid-19 period, can the use of chemical or physical restraints be considered as mistreatment, whereas the aim is to protect others? These are situations where the ethical question holds a central role. Although each clinical situation is unique, this article highlights, through four clinical cases, the ethical principles that should guide physicians in their decision-making process

Obstetric care of women with female genital mutilation attending a specialized clinic in a tertiary center

To study the obstetric outcomes of women attending a specialized clinic for women with female genital mutilation (FGM)

Missed opportunities for diagnosis of female genital mutilation

To investigate missed opportunities for diagnosing female genital mutilation (FGM) at an obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) department in Switzerland