Prevalence and risk factors for disability in leprosy patients in Indonesia during the post-elimination era

Leprosy has been nationally eliminated in Indonesia, but it continues to be a public health problem, with disability contributing to the disease burden. Disability caused by leprosy often results in stigmatization, leading to decreased quality of life. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study using secondary data from primary healthcare centers in one of the districts in the region with the highest number of leprosy patients in Indonesia. All leprosy patients between 2016-2022 were included. Among 189 leprosy patients (mean age 46 years old, 65,6% male), 19% had grade 1 disability and 29.6% had grade 2 disability. Duration of disease, nerve enlargements, leprosy reactions, and symmetric lesions were identified as risk factors for both grade 1 and 2 disability. Being male and having a positive smear test was associated with a higher risk of only grade 2 disability. Disability due to leprosy is still prevalent in the post-elimination era despite the decline in new leprosy cases. Improvement in early case detection and prevention of disability are still needed in the post-elimination era

Outcomes of the Indonesian Chronic Disease Management Program (PROLANIS) in Patients with Hypertension During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Areas:A Preliminary Evaluation Study

Background: The Indonesian Chronic Disease Management Program (PROLANIS) is a government program that aims to improve the health outcomes of patients with chronic diseases, including hypertension. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the health outcomes of hypertension patients in rural areas who were enrolled in PROLANIS. Material/Methods: This study used data from 4 PROLANIS groups in East Java province. The data were collected from participants' 6-month evaluations at 3 time points: before the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019 (T0), during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 (T1), and in December 2020 (T2). Evaluated parameters were body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipid (LDL), high-density lipid (HDL), triglyceride (TG), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Results: There were 91 patients included in the analyses. Compared to T0, BMI, blood pressure, eGFR, and TC had significantly deteriorated at T1, but LDL, HDL, and TG showed no marked changes. At T2, BMI, DBP, and TC were similar to T0. On the other hand, SBP and eGFR did not improve, while HDL significantly deteriorated. Stratified based on age, worsening of DBP, TC, and LDL at T1 and eGFR at T1 and T2 was only observed in those aged 60 years and older. Conclusions: This preliminary study showed that the health outcomes of hypertension patients in rural areas who were enrolled in PROLANIS were negatively impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the elderly being the most affected.</p

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the outcomes of Indonesian chronic disease management program

Background: The Indonesian Government launched chronic disease management program (PROLANIS) with the aim of improving clinical outcomes and preventing disease complications of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the overwhelmed healthcare system shifted resources away from non-communicable diseases in the attempt to mitigate it. Thus, the implementation of PROLANIS during the COVID-19 pandemic might not be as optimal as before the pandemic era, leading to worse clinical outcomes. This pilot study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PROLANIS in rural areas by analyzing the changes of metabolic control and renal function parameters.Methods: This study used data from three PROLANIS groups report in rural areas in East Java Province, Indonesia. Study population was PROLANIS participants who came for six-month-evaluation in December 2019 (T0), June 2020 (T1), and December 2020 (T2). Evaluated metabolic control parameters were body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipid, low-density lipid, and triglyceride (TG), whereas evaluated renal function parameters were blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and urinary albumin. Independent t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for statistical analyses. p-value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Among 52 PROLANIS participants included in the analyses, four metabolic control parameters (BMI, blood pressure, TC, and TG) and all renal function parameters significantly worsened right after the pandemic started but improved 6 months afterwards. Meanwhile, HbA1C continuously worsened throughout the study period, albeit statistically insignificant.Conclusions: The metabolic control and renal function parameters in our study population deteriorates especially in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic

Mental health and health-related quality of life among healthcare workers in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic:a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are more exposed to COVID-19 than other professions. Studies from other countries have shown that the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of HCWs were affected during this pandemic. However, studies on mental health in Indonesia remain scarce and no study has evaluated the HRQoL among HCWs. Thus, this study was designed to explore the mental health status and HRQoL among HCWs in Indonesia. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: This was an open online survey in Indonesia conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. PARTICIPANTS: This study involved HCWs who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 502 respondents who accessed the online questionnaire, 392 were included in the analysis. OUTCOMES: Mental health status was measured using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and HRQoL was measured using the second version of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12v2). RESULTS: The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among HCWs was 29.4%, 44.9% and 31.8%, respectively. Using the SF12v2 questionnaire, 354 (90.3%) HCWs were found to have impaired physical component and 156 (39.8%) HCWs have impaired mental component. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of mental health problems among HCWs was high in Indonesia. HRQoL, particularly the physical component, was affected in most HCWs. Thus, policymakers should give more attention to the mental health and HRQoL of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Health in 729 Medical Students in Indonesia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health worldwide. However, its impact on medical students in Indonesia has not been well documented. This study aimed to evaluate HRQoL and mental health in 729 Indonesian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material/Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from 31 August to 30 September 2021. The study instrument was an online questionnaire that was distributed via social media platforms. The 12-item short form version 2 (SF12v2) was used to measure HRQoL, and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure mental health. Results: From 729 Indonesian medical students included in the analyses, 37.3% had impaired physical component and 66.9% had impaired mental component of HRQoL. The determinants were medical students’ island of residence, history of hospitalization, and family member’s hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. Concerning mental health, the prevalence of reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were 45.4%, 65.2%, and 60.9%, respectively. Sex, study method, grade, previous COVID-19 disease severity, comorbidities, previous learning experience, and history of family isolation were identified as the determinants of mental health. Conclusions: This study highlights the adverse effects of COVID-19 on HRQoL and mental health in Indonesian medical students. The results identified key associations, including SARS-CoV-2 infection and comorbidities experienced by the students, the health of their families, including grief following bereavement, and the effects of social isolation during the pandemic.</p

The Impact of Facilitated Quarantine on Mental Health Status of Non-Severe COVID-19 Patients

It has been shown that quarantine is important to reduce the incidence and mortality during COVID-19 pandemic.1 However, quarantine has consequences towards mental health. From previous outbreaks, several negative psychological effects such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger were observed.2 In Indonesia, several successful suicide cases of COVID-19 patients in quarantine facilities have been reported, and being quarantined in quarantine facilities has been suggested to be the main cause. Nevertheless, no study has confirmed whether being quarantined in quarantine facilities in fact, worsens the mental health status of COVID-19 patients

Effectivity of Indonesia Chronic Disease Management Program (PROLANIS) to Control Hypertension and its Comorbidities at Primary Health Care: Effectivity of PROLANIS to Control Hypertension

BACKGROUND: National prevalence of hypertension in Indonesia is increasing in the past few years. One of the reasons is because of the weaknesses in health systems, particularly at the primary care level. To resolve this issue, Indonesian government launched a chronic disease care program (PROLANIS) designed to be done at primary health care with the aim to control hypertension. Wates primary health care routinely conducts the program from April 2018. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the effectivity of PROLANIS in controlling hypertension and its comorbidities at Wates primary health care. METHODS: This study was an observational retrospective cohort study using secondary data from PROLANIS report at Wates primary health care in Mojokerto city, Indonesia. The study population was hypertensive patients that voluntarily joined the program on April 2018 and routinely attend evaluation follow-up every 6 months. Follow-up evaluation including blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipid (HDL), low-density lipid (LDL), triglyceride, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). RESULTS: There were 44 participants included for the analysis. Median systolic and diastolic BP were always within normal range. Triglyceride serum level showed an improvement in every follow-up evaluation. BMI and LDL showed an improvement in the first follow-up but deteriorated afterward. TC only showed a remarkable improvement in the last follow-up evaluation, while HDL and eGFR result were fluctuate. CONCLUSION: PROLANIS was effective to control BP at Wates primary health care, but not effective to control all comorbidities. Future study needs to be done to elucidate the effectivity of this program countrywide

Clinical Presentation of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in East Java,Indonesia

Abstract Background: Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is a rare malignancy throughout most of the world, but the incidence in Southeast Asia is very high. In Indonesia, NPC is the fourth most common malignancy. Among all regions in Indonesia, East Java has the highest incidence. However, there is no detailed study in East Java regarding this malignancy. Aim: To document the clinical presentation of NPC in East Java. Methodology: This was a descriptive study using medical record at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital. Samples were newly diagnosed NPC patients who attended radiotherapy outpatient clinic between January – December 2016. Total sampling method was used in this study. Patients’ characteristic including presented symptoms, chief complaints, clinical staging, and histological subtypes were assessed and evaluated. Results: There were 270 NPC patients registered in radiotherapy outpatients clinic at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in 2016. Two-thirds of the patients were male. More than half of the patients came to the healthcare service with the chief complaint of lump in the neck. Based on the staging, almost all patients were already in the late stage. Histopathologic findings showed that WHO type 3 was the most common subtypes of NPC.\ Conclusion: Majority of the NPC patients in East Java were already in the advanced stage. Early diagnosis is important for favorable outcome of this disease. Thus, it is important to understand the chief complaint and symptoms in patients with NPCso that the diagnostic delay could be avoided