The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on gastroenterologists in Southeast Asia: A mixed-methods study.

Funder: National University of Singapore; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001352Funder: University of Cambridge; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000735Funder: JGH FoundationBACKGROUND AND AIM: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has impacted gastroenterology practices worldwide; however, its protracted effects within Southeast Asia were unknown. The primary aim of the study was to determine the impact of the pandemic on clinical demands including burnout among gastroenterologists within the region. The secondary aim was to identify risk factors for burnout and determine regional stressors. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study. Gastroenterologists were surveyed electronically between September 1 and December 7, 2020, via gastroenterology and endoscopy societies of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) was used to detect burnout. Quantitative data were non-parametric; non-parametric methods were used for statistical comparisons. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for burnout. Content analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data. Ethical approval was obtained. RESULTS: A total of 73.0% reported that they were still significantly affected by the pandemic. Of these, 40.5% reported increased workload and 59.5% decreased workload. Statistically significant differences in weekly working hours, endoscopy, and inpatient volumes were present. No differences were observed in outpatient volumes, likely because of telemedicine. Burnout was common; however, 50.1% of gastroenterologists were unaware of or did not have access to mental health support. This, as well as depression, being a trainee, and public sector work, increased burnout risk significantly. CONCLUSION: The effects of the pandemic are multifaceted, and burnout is common among Southeast Asian gastroenterologists. Safeguards for mental health are suboptimal, and improvements are urgently needed

Redesigning the landscape for women and leadership: insights gained from the Covid-19 pandemic. on behalf of Women in Gastroenterology Network Asia Pacific (WIGNAP) and Women in Endoscopy (WIE)

Cellular mechanisms in basic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatolog

Burnout and work-related stressors in gastroenterology: A protocol for a multinational observational study in the ASEAN region

10.1136/bmjgast-2020-000534BMJ Open Gastroenterology71e00053

Impact of COVID-19 infection and vaccination in pancreatobiliary IgG4-related disease patients: an international multicenter study

Background and Aim: Dedicated studies evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on out-comes of pancreatobiliary IgG4 related disease (IgG4-RD) patients are scarce. WhetherCOVID-19 infection or vaccination would trigger IgG4-RD exacerbation remains unknown. Methods: Pancreatobiliary IgG4-RD patients≥18 years old with active follow-up since January 2020 from nine referral centers in Asia, Europe, and North America were included in this multicenter retrospective study. Outcome measures include incidence and severity ofCOVID-19 infection, IgG4-RD disease activity and treatment status, interruption of indicated IgG4-RD treatment. Prospective data on COVID-19 vaccination status and newCOVID-19 infection during the Omicron outbreak were also retrieved in the Hong Kong cohort. Results: Of the 124 pancreatobiliary IgG4-RD patients, 25.0% had active IgG4-RD, 71.0%were on immunosuppressive therapies and 80.6% had≥1 risk factor for severe COVID. In2020 (pre-vaccination period), two patients (1.6%) had COVID-19 infection (one requiring ICU admission), and 7.2% of patients had interruptions in indicated immunosuppressive treatment for IgG4-RD. Despite a high vaccination rate (85.0%), COVID-19 infection rate has increased to 20.0% during Omicron outbreak in the Hong Kong cohort. A trend to-wards higher COVID-19 infection rate was noted in the non-fully vaccinated/unvaccinated group (17.6%vs33.3%, P= 0.376). No IgG4-RD exacerbation followingCOVID-19 vaccination or infection was observed. Conclusion: While a low COVID-19 infection rate with no mortality was observed in pancreatobiliary IgG4-RD patients in the pre-vaccination period of COVID-19, infection rate has increased during the Omicron outbreak despite a high vaccination rate. NoIgG4-RD exacerbation after COVID-19 infection or vaccination was observed