More than 40% of nurses and other health care professionals had risks associated with an increased likelihood of burnout early in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey published in the 

The study investigates risk factors for poor well-being and factors associated with greater resilience, which may reduce the risk of burnout for hands-on care providers, according to research from Lindsay Thompson Munn, RN, PhD, and her colleagues of a North Carolina health care system.

"The insights gained from this study can help health care leaders to target these risk factors and develop strategies that allow organizations to better support well-being and resilience among clinicians," the study authors said in a press release.

The online survey of nurses and other non-physician health care workers received 2459 responses from participants who provided direct patient care and focused on risk factors for decreased well-being, which was a key contributor to the burnout epidemic among health care professionals. Data were collected in June and July 2020.

During the time of the survey, 44% of health care workers surveyed had “at risk” well-being, which is closely associated with increased risk of burnout, fatigue, and patient care errors.

The analysis of the responses identified several factors linked to increased odds of poor well-being, such as:

Feeling supplies of personal protective equipment were insufficient

Believing the organization did not understand health care workers’ emotional support needs during COVID-19

Inadequate staffing for safe patient care

Having a lower degree of psychological safety

There were opposite levels of some of these factors associated with higher scores for resilience, including:

Feeling the organization does not understand emotional support needs

Believing staff were being redeployed to areas of critical need

Having a higher degree of psychological safety

Further, fewer than one-fourth of health care workers surveyed had used available resources to support their well-being and resilience, such as meditation apps and counseling. Munn and her co-authors believe that this study had practical implications for health care professionals to promote well-being and resilience among other workers during the pandemic and beyond.

"While it may seem obvious that nurses and other [health care workers] would sustain burnout and poor well-being after dealing with providing care under arduous circumstances, it's important to establish the contributing factors and to learn how some were able to mitigate the effects of the stressors," said Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN, in the press release. "We're in serious need of successful strategies to support frontline caregivers."

Munn noted some of the next steps that will help support resilience while addressing the factors that are negatively attached to burnout in the environment.

"[L]eaders can take crucial steps toward optimizing workers' well-being by paying careful attention to workload and staffing, creating a culture of psychological safety within teams and units, and recognizing and actively addressing the unique challenges posed by the pandemic," Munn said in the press release.

During COVID-19, nurses face significant burnout risks, reports 

. EurekAlert! July 22, 2021. Accessed July 26, 2021. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-07/wkh-dcn072221.php

Articles

Survey Shows Nurses Face Significant Burnout Risks in COVID-19 Pandemic

interviewed Carrie Cuttler, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University, on a recent study she co-authored that was published in the 

 on the use of cannabis in treating symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

 What are some, as you're discussing, future research avenues worth pursuing in light of this study on the use of cannabis and treating OCD?

 Yeah, well we really need good, well-powered, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of the acute effects of whole plant cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) on OCD systems.

So, the primary limitation of my research is that, since I'm analyzing data from a mathematical cannabis app, Strainprint, I was not able to obtain a placebo-control group. People using this app aren't using placebos.

As such, some of the reductions in the symptoms that people are reporting are likely also due to their expectations of the effects of cannabis on OCD symptoms and may not actually be drug effects per se.

Placebo effects can be pretty large, and so this is a very important limitation to consider. Now, there was one placebo-controlled trial that was published around the time that my paper was under review, and they also found that OCD symptoms were reduced from before to after cannabis use, but the reduction in symptoms was not significantly different than that that was observed after placebo administration, suggesting that reductions were due to a placebo effect and were no greater than that.

However, in that study, they used a very small sample, which would really reduce their power to find significant effects, and, like all clinical trials conducted in the United States, they had to use cannabis from the National Institutes of Drug Abuse drug supply, which is really very low potency, and it's not reflective of the types of high potency cannabis products that people are obtaining from dispensaries.

Videos

Contemporary Clinic® interviewed Carrie Cuttler, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University, on the outlook around research investigating cannabis in the treatment of OCD.

Looking to the Future of Research Assessing Efficacy of Cannabis in Treatment of OCD

interviewed Bethany Hall, MSN, the owner of Healing Connection, on the role nurse practitioners have in understanding and approaching care for children with complex developmental trauma (CDT).

In this discussion, Hall explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has impact the occurrence of CDT among children during quarantine, and the need for greater awareness of this issue in light of the potential increase in need for care in this area.

 Do you think the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the occurrence of CDT or the need for greater attention to this issue?

 So, I think we're all going through acute trauma, and something I talk a lot about with my colleagues and with my patients is this idea of the window of tolerance.

So, imagine on the table in front of you, you have 3 glasses of water. One glass of water is just barely full, another one is about halfway full, and the next one is full almost to the tippy top. So, if I shake that table in front of you, very different things are going to happen to each glass. The one with very little water probably will spill nothing, the one with the middle amount of water may spill a little bit, but likely would still contain most of that water. The cup that's full almost to the tippy top when you shake that table, water is going to go everywhere. So, the proverbial water is going everywhere right now.

These kids that have a small window of tolerance that already, because of the way their brains and their bodies have been affected by trauma, a new onset of acute trauma really just causes them to react in a much larger way on a much grander scale than a person that did not undergo significant childhood trauma.

So, 100%, yes. I think the acute impact on chronic trauma is a real issue. Then we've seen in cities—like where you're based in Philadelphia—some of these very large cities went to all virtual, so then you have all these children in already poverty-stricken areas who have parents with low resources, many of them who've also experienced trauma that are now stuck in a home 24/7 with very little resources.

So, if you think even just about the effect on the parents’ ability to parent, you have parents who already have a small window of tolerance who may have experienced abuse and neglect in their own lives that now are under an extreme amount of stress. So, I believe that we already have some data, but I believe we will see even more that childhood abuse and neglect go up significantly because of these parents’ inability to have the resources that they need, to have the break that they need, the mental health care and self-care that they need to parent well.

But also, we do see the compounded effect on children that already have a small window of tolerance. This acute trauma on them is also really wreaking havoc, and it's really imperative during this time that we understand how to increase their resiliency, increase their window of tolerance, increase the abilities that we're giving to these parents as far as tools to help promote mental flexibility, resilience, all of those things.

Again, I think, in the future, we're going to, as they say, reap the whirlwind in these coming years as these children grow into adulthood if we are not making a concerted effort to help them process traumatic events so that they do not become traumatic and cause a negative impact on that child.

Bethany Hall, MSN, the owner of Healing Connection, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the occurrence of complex developmental trauma among children.

Expert: The Experience of the Pandemic May Have a Compounding Effect on Children With Complex Development Trauma

Recent survey results from ValuePenguin found that the rate for sunburn is higher among the younger generations, specifically 61% of Gen Zers and 58% of millennials, according to a press release.

Sun protection etiquette is still low in practice, with many Americans not wearing sunscreen daily. In particular, 82% reported that they do not wear sunscreen every day in the summer whereas 64% typically wear sunscreen 5 to 6 days a week.

In terms of getting checked for skin cancer, half of the survey participants are not confident they can detect a cancerous mole themselves and most have not visited a doctor for a professional skin exam. Approximately 45% do not think they could detect a cancerous mole on their body, and around the same percentage (43%) have never been given a full skin exam.

Cost concerns play a major role in sun protection, with more than a third of respondents (35%) reporting they have not done so due to cost concerns. Additionally, 43% did not know funds from a health savings account (HSAs) or flexible spending account (FSAs) could be used towards sunscreen purchases.

"People may think of contributions as money leaving their pockets since it is taken from their salary before taxes," said ValuePenguin insurance analyst Sterling Price in a press release. "But they need to realize that the money in that account can actually be used for a ton of items that they might be buying anyway."

The online survey was conducted between June 18 to June 22, 2021 and analyzed 1048consumers in the United States using a nonprobability-based sample. Generations were defined as the following ages:

45% of Americans have already been sunburned this year. ValuePenguin. July 12, 2021. Accessed July 14, 2021. 

https://www.valuepenguin.com/skin-care-survey

Sun protection etiquette is still low in practice, with many Americans not wearing sunscreen daily.

Survey Finds 45% of Americans Already Sunburnt This Year

Being an expert on immunization and cognizant on social determinants of health for communities and patients as a whole are some of the important keys to being a successful nurse practitioner, according to Rachel C. Vandemark, MHA, BSN in an interview with 

Vandemark is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Track at the University of Washington School of Nursing (Class of 2022) with experience in pre-hospital care as well as hospital safety and quality. A mother of 3 children, Vandemark was prepared to take on whatever the School of Nursing’s courses threw at her, even a worldwide pandemic.

Based in Seattle and close to the city of Kirkland, Washington, where the first major COVID-19 outbreak took place, gave her a true firsthand experience of where the pandemic was headed.

“There was a really rapid shift from 100% in-person to 100% online classes, and I saw my DNP classmates provide care to COVID-19 patients while trying to take care of young children at home, and even sharing Wi-Fi with others just to get things done,” Vandemark said.

This experience reminded her about how people’s home lives and lived experiences are not always visible to health care providers, but they are extremely essential to the health care system.

“We need experts on immunizations and such, but we also need to be advocates for systems and policies that optimize health for everyone,” Vandemark said.

As for other nurse practitioners who are about to enter the field, Vandemark highly emphasized being flexible as things begin to unfold, whether it is a pandemic or a change in direction in health care. Additionally, continuing to promote good public health always helps, such as helping with the immunization movement and practicing safe health care policies.

In an interview with Contemporary Clinic, Rachel C. Vandemark, MHA, BSN, spoke about her experience in nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexibility, Grit, Gratitude Are Key to Being Great Nurse Practitioner

Contemporary Clinic spoke with John Lee, a recent graduate from the Acute Care cohort at the University of Washington's School of Nursing, about his experience and what he hopes other PNPs can learn in their experiences.

Lee also spoke about being one of the first students in the school's acute care program and gave advice on how to be flexible in the profession.

Being an Acute Care PNP Student During the COVID-19 Pandemic

New research from the American Heart Association found that older adults taking blood pressure-lowering medications known to cross the blood-brain barrier had better memory recollection over time versus those taking other types of medicines to treat high blood pressure, as published in the journal 

Blood pressure-lowering medicines include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers, and diuretics, and each class of these medicines acts differently to reduce blood pressure while crossing the blood-brain barrier and impacting cognitive function.

“Research has been mixed on which medicines have the most benefit to cognition,” said study author Daniel A. Nation, PhD, ​in the press release. ”Studies of angiotensin II receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have suggested these medicines may confer the greatest benefit to long-term cognition, while other studies have shown the benefits of calcium channel blockers and diuretics on reducing dementia risk.”

According to the press release, this is the first meta-analysis to compare the potential impact over time of blood pressure lowering medicines that do compared to those that do not cross the blood-brain barrier. The medicines were then evaluated for their effects on several cognitive domains, including attention, language, verbal memory, learning, and recall.

“Hypertension occurs decades prior to the onset of dementia symptoms, affecting blood flow not only in the body but also to the brain,” Nation said in the press release. “Treating hypertension is likely to have long-term beneficial effects on brain health and cognitive function later.”

The research team gathered information from 14 studies consisting of approximately 12,900 adults from 50 years of age and older, including studies done in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and Japan.

A highlight of the study was that older adults who took blood pressure-lowering medicines that cross the blood-brain barrier had better memory recall for up to 3 years of follow-up compared to those taking medicines that do not cross the blood-brain barrier, even with a higher level of vascular risk. Further, adults who were taking hypertension medications that did not cross the blood-brain barrier had improved their attention span for up to 3 years of follow-up, according to the press release.

“These findings represent the most powerful evidence to-date linking brain-penetrant ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers to better memory,” said study co-author Jean K. Ho, PhD, in the press release. “It suggests that people who are being treated for hypertension may be protected from cognitive decline if they medications that cross the blood-brain barrier.”

There were a few limitations to the study, including that the study authors could not account for differences in racial and ethnic background based on the available studies and the difference in proportion between men and women in the group who took medications crossing the blood-brain barrier. Future research should focus on this area, since previous studies have shown that those with various racial/ethnic backgrounds may respond differently to different blood pressure medications, according to the study authors.

Some blood pressure-lowering meds linked to less memory decline in older adults. American Heart Association. Published June 21, 2021. Accessed June 21, 2021. 

https://newsroom.heart.org/news/some-blood-pressure-lowering-meds-linked-to-less-memory-decline-in-older-adults

ACE inhibitors, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics, and each reduce blood pressure while crossing the blood-brain barrier and impacting cognitive function. 

Study Finds Certain Blood Pressure-Lowering Meds Linked to Less Memory Decline in Older Adults

Incidence and acuity of type 2 diabetes in children increased significantly during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a poster presented during the virtual 81st Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The data collected from a retrospective chart review show that more pediatric patients were hospitalized from March to December 2020 at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, LA, compared to the same time period in 2019.

“While our study examined hospital admissions for type 2 diabetes in children at 1 center, the results may be a microcosm of what is happening at other children’s hospitals across the country,” said lead study author Daniel S. Hsia MD, associate professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in a press release.

According to the ADA, there are a lack of data on the incidence or severity of new-onset type 2 diabetes in the pediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic.1However, stay-at-home orders linked to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including limited physical activity, increased screen time and sedentary behaviors, disrupted sleep, and increased intake of processed foods, which can all lead to weight gain.

According to the ADA, a national survey showed that more than 1 in 4 Americans with diabetes reported disruption to their ability to obtain healthy food during the pandemic. Modest weight gain over a short period of time can increase the risk for long-term health consequences, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The data analysis from Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital found the following:

In 2019, the hospitalization rate for new onset type 2 diabetes was 0.27% for 2964 hospitalization cases compared to 0.62% of 2729 in 2020.

Children admitted to the hospital in 2020 had more severe diabetes with higher blood glucose, higher A1C, and higher indicators of dehydration compared to children admitted in 2019.

More children in 2020 also presented with serious conditions that typically require admission to the intensive care unit compared to 2019, such as diabetic ketoacidosis (8 vs. 3) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome (2 vs. 0).

Twenty-three of 25 children were Black and 19 children were male.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 disrupted our lives in more ways than we realize. Our study reinforces the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for children even under such difficult circumstances,” Hsia said in the release.

New study shows hospitalization rates for new onset pediatric type 2 diabetes doubled during COVID-19 pandemic [news release]. June 25, 2021; ADA. Accessed June 25, 2021. [email]

New data alert: COVID-19 brings crisis of access for millions living with diabetes. ADA. Published December 23, 2020. Accessed June 25, 2021. 

https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/COVID-19-brings-crisis-of-access-for-millions-living-with-diabetes

Initial data show that children presented with higher acuity in 2020 compared to the previous year. 

Study Links COVID-19 Pandemic to Increased Hospitalization Rates for Children With New Onset Type 2 Diabetes 

Contemporary Clinic spoke with NAPNAP President Jessica Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN and NAPNAP Secretary Jennifer Sonney, PhD, APRN, PPCNP-BC, FAANP, about their latest study regarding the pandemic's impact on pediatric-focused nurse practitioner workforce.

Peck and Sonney share their inspiration for conducting the study, highlights of the findings, and what they hope this study will teach other NPs about the workforce. 

https://www.jpedhc.org/article/S0891-5245(21)00094-8/fulltext

The Impact of COVID-19 On Pediatric Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Workforces

interviewedLea Davis, PhD, an associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and an investigator in the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, on a recent study she co-authored that was published in 

 on the epidemiology of functional seizures among adults treated at a university hospital.

Could you explain further the novel association in your findings between functional seizures and cerebrovascular disease?

 Yeah. So, in our data, what we saw was basically that that the presence of functional seizures and the presence of cerebrovascular disease, or more specifically stroke, tended to co-occur at a rate higher than what we would expect by chance, just based on how common those 2 conditions are independently.

So, we saw them actually occurring together more often than we would expect. We did do some work to try to figure out which might be coming first, the functional seizure condition or the stroke event.

The challenge with that though is that patients with functional seizures often experience like a 7 to 8 year diagnostic odyssey, so by the time they actually get diagnosed with functional seizures they may have been having functional seizures for a very long time and that can be really hard to tease apart in the medical record.

So, that's part of our challenge in trying to understand the relationship between these 2. I will also say that it's not uncommon for stroke patients to experience or to develop epilepsy after a stroke, and so one of the recommendations that we make in the paper is that, for anybody who's experiencing seizures post-stroke who is not pretty quickly responding to anti-epileptic medications, they should be referred to a video EEG to determine if this is a functional seizure condition or epileptic seizures.

Lea Davis, PhD, of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, discussed the results of her research showing a novel association between functional seizures and cerebrovascular disease.

Novel Association Observed Between Functional Seizures, Cerebrovascular Disease

Patients with chronic refractory cough (CRC) may benefit from behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST). In a session of the 2021 American Cough Conference, Laurie Slovarp, PhD, CCC-SLP, associate professor at the University of Montana in Missoula, said increased awareness of BCST is needed for clinicians and patients to know it as a noninvasive, efficacious, and inexpensive form of cough treatment, as well as to understand how this therapy works and how to identify eligible candidates.

According to Slovarp, BCST is known by various names, including speech pathology treatment for chronic cough, respiratory retraining, and cough-suppression physiotherapy.

“Just about every single paper refers to it by a different name,” she said. “If you see ‘speech pathology’ and ‘cough’ together, you can bet that we’re probably talking about the same therapy.”

Prior to using BCST, patients will often see multiple care providers, undergo multiple tests, and try multiple medications, she said.

However, up to 88% of patients with CRC using BCST have shown a reduction in cough severity through published studies. These reductions occurred in cough frequency and sensitivity, while also increasing quality of life for patients.

“These are all patients that have already failed just about every other medical treatment available to them,” Slovarp said.

A survey study published by Slovarp in 2021 investigated the post-BCST satisfaction of 164 patients in the United States and Australia. It found that 58% of patients reported being “quite satisfied” or “completely satisfied” following therapy. The mean change of 6.6 from the Leicester Cough Questionnaire was significant, according to Slovarp.

“There’s pretty reasonable efficacy data on BCST,” she said. “These patients are not just getting better a little bit, many of them have a pretty dramatic improvement.”

According to Slovarp, onset of CRC often occurs with a cough-inducing event, such as a respiratory virus. CRC may present itself in various ways, from a once-a-week coughing fit to a cough that induces gagging or vomiting.

“In my clinic, I see a wide variety of severity,” she said.

BCST is often determined with extensive case history, oral mechanism exam that may find muscle tension or tenderness in the neck, shoulders and suprahyoid, voice evaluation, urge-to-cough testing, and validated patient-report questionnaire.

“The biggest thing for me is the case history,” she said. “Most of the patients we see have been coughing for years.”

Treatment options may be educating patients about coughing including the safety of cough suppression, training patients to suppress coughing; increasing awareness of cough triggers and a pending cough; management of laryngopharyngeal reflux and postnasal drip, voice therapy, and, if needed, a challenge.

Cough-control breathing, relaxation, and swallowing techniques, as well as distractions, and resonant voicing are some of the methods employed in BCST.

“Over time, with suppression, you will feel a reduction in urge to cough,” she said.

Slovarp L. Issues in clinical cough management: Behavioral management of chronic refractory cough. Presented at: American Cough Conference; virtual. June 11, 2021. 

https://app.socio.events/NzMwMw/Agenda/85150/Session/385292

Noninvasive, efficacious treatment options are available to help patient outcomes and improve quality of life.  

Using Behavioral Management to Control Chronic Refractory Cough

Officials with the FDA have approved azelastine hydrochloride 0.15% (Astepro Allergy; Bayer) as an OTC product for the temporary relief of nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy nose associated with upper respiratory allergies such as hay fever. According to Bayer, the approval is the FDA’s first for a steroid-free, antihistamine nasal spray for allergies available OTC in the United States.

More than 50 million Americans are affected by allergies each year, according to Bayer. Azelastine hydrochloride 0.15% is indicated for adults and children 6 years of age and older. 

According to Catherine Vennat, vice president and general manager, GM Bayer Consumer Health US, azelastine HCI 0.15% addresses an unmet need for patients with allergic rhinitis. The approved OTC formulation is full prescription strength and can provide relief from allergy nasal symptoms that will last up to 24 hours.

Azelastine is currently only available with a prescription in the United States. According to Bayer, azelastine hydrochloride 0.15% is expected to become available in retail locations in early 2022.

Currently, OTC allergy medications includes 3 major classes: antihistamines, intranasal steroids, and mast cell stabilizers. Azelastine hydrochloride 0.15% will be the only OTC antihistamine nasal spray for indoor and outdoor allergy relief.

FDA Approves Astepro Allergy Nasal Spray for Over-the-Counter Use in the United States [news release]. June 17, 2021; Bayer. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210617005872/en/FDA-Approves-Astepro%C2%AE-Allergy-Nasal-Spray-for-Over-the-Counter-Use-in-the-United-States

Astepro Allergy is the first steroid-free antihistamine of its kind to be available without a prescription.

New OTC Nasal Spray for Allergy Relief Granted FDA Approval

Mary Koslap-Petraco, DNP, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, FAANP, is a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook University School of Nursing in New York.

The pandemic has changed life as we knew it, but COVID-19 vaccines are changing lives again, this time for the better.

Grandparents are once again able to hug their grandchildren, but those same grandchildren are still at risk for COVID-19 until we can get all of them who are medically able vaccinated. At press time, children accounted for the largest number of new cases of COVID-19, because most are still not vaccinated (AAP, 2021, April).1 Hospitalization rates for children with COVID-19 have also risen, and serious cases are being seen (AAP, 2021, June).2 From March 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021, approximately 1.5 million COVID-19 cases in individuals aged 11 to 17 years had been reported to the CDC (USFDA, 2021, May 10).3

Most children will return to classrooms for school in the fall, if they have not done so already (Parents, 2021, March).4 Although handwashing, masks, and social distancing are essential public health measures and have slowed the pandemic, the best and most long-lasting way to protect children is to vaccinate them. The number of COVID-19 cases among individuals aged 50 years and older has dropped dramatically. A large segment of this population is fully vaccinated (CDC, 2021, June 13).5 There is also a serious public health threat from other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and pertussis, as the rates of routine immunizations took a precipitous drop during the pandemic (Santoli, et al. 2020).6 The CDC is recommending that children receive all regularly scheduled vaccines, along with the COVID-19 vaccine (CDC, 2021 April 6).7

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which is an mRNA vaccine, recently received FDA approval for adolescents aged 12 through 15 years (USFDA, 2021, May 10).3 This vaccine is administered intramuscularly as a series of 2 doses (0.3 mL each) 3 weeks apart. The most common adverse effects are chills, fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, pain and redness at the injection site, and tiredness. Aside from pain at the injection site, more adolescents reported these adverse effects after the second dose than after the first dose, so it is important to advise adolescents and parents to expect that there may be some adverse effects after either dose but even more so after the second. The adverse effects in adolescents were consistent with those reported in clinical trial participants aged 16 years and older (USFDA, 2021, May 10).3

Pfizer also said that it plans to request authorization for BioNTech COVID vaccine use in children aged 2 through 11 years in September 2021 and for children younger than aged 2 years later in 2021 (Jenco, 2021, May 6).8

Recently, there have been reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA vaccines. These events occurred mostly in male adolescents and young adults aged 16 years and older. Myocarditis and pericarditis are seen more often after getting the second dose of either Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines than after the first dose. The symptoms typically occur within 4 days after COVID-19 vaccination. As of press time, there have been 275 cases of either myocarditis or pericarditis of more than 600,000 doses administered to adolescents and children in the United States since Pfizer received its emergency use authorization on May 10, 2021 (CDC, 2021, May 18).9 Most patients who received care responded well to rest and treatment and quickly recovered. Patients can usually return to normal daily activities after their symptoms improve, and they should speak with health care providers about returning to exercise or sports. The CDC continues to monitor the situation and recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone aged 12 years and older, given the greater risk of COVID-19 illness and related, possibly severe complications (CDC, 2021, May 27).10 Getting vaccinated is the best way to help protect individuals aged 12 years and older from COVID-19 illness and potential complications.

Another COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents is also moving toward approval. Moderna reported that its COVID-19 vaccine is 96% effective for adolescents aged 12 through 17 years after at least 1 dose and has no serious safety concerns (Jenco, 2021, May 6).8 The report did not provide additional details on a projected timeline for requesting FDA approval. Moderna is also continuing to study its vaccine in children aged 6 months to 11 years (Jenco, 2021, May 6).8

COVID-19 vaccines are becoming a reality for children. With the vaccines comes the return to birthday parties, in-classroom school, play dates, and sleepovers. But the COVID vaccine is not the only one children need. Routine vaccination is an essential preventive care service for adolescents, children, and adults, including pregnant women, that should not be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents have not been bringing their children into the offices of health care providers for well-child visits and vaccines. It is essential to assess the vaccination status of all adolescents and children at each patient visit to avoid missed opportunities for vaccination and ensure timely vaccine catch-up. All vaccines due or overdue should be administered according to the recommended CDC immunization schedules during each visit unless there is a specific contraindication. This will provide protection as soon as possible and minimize the number of health care visits needed to complete vaccination. Health care providers should identify children who have missed recommended vaccinations and/or well-child visits. Contact parents to schedule in-person appointments, starting with newborns, infants, and children up to aged 2 years, young children, and extending through adolescence. COVID-19 is still circulating, and cases among children can often be asymptomatic. Consequently, the importance of evidence-based infection prevention practices cannot be overemphasized for all patient encounters. These measures include hand and respiratory hygiene, physical distancing, source control, and surface decontamination (CDC, 2021, April 6).7

Because vaccine administration has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, under vaccinated or unvaccinated children are susceptible to preventable illness, such as measles, and communities are at risk for outbreaks. Strategies should be implemented to promote vaccination schedule adherence and ensure catch-up vaccination. Reminder and recall systems should be implemented to identify children who are due for or who have missed vaccine doses. Electronic health records and immunization information systems can be essential to tracking delinquent vaccine doses. In addition, the vaccination status of all children should be assessed at every health care visit to reduce missed opportunities for vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination, and standing orders should be implemented (CDC, 2021, April 6).7

Health care providers who care for children must ensure that children receive not just COVID-19 vaccines but all age-appropriate vaccines that are due and catch up on any missed doses. It would be a travesty if children headed back to school without the vaccine-induced protection they need to stay healthy. Without all Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)-indicated vaccines, children could be headed back to school and out of the COVID-19 pandemic into a measles or pertussis epidemic.

1. Children and COVID-19: state data report. American Academy of Pediatrics. April 29, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/AAP%20and%20CHA%20-%20Children%20and%20COVID-19%20State%20Data%20Report%204.29.21%20FINAL.pdf

2. Children and COVID-19: state data report. American Academy of Pediatrics. June 3, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/AAP%20and%20CHA%20-%20Children%20and%20COVID-19%20State%20Data%20Report%206.3.21%20FINAL.pdf

3. United Stated Food and Drug Administration. (2021, May 10). Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Emergency Use in Adolescents in Another Important Action in Fight Against Pandemic. Retrieved from 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use

4. Harris N. Will kids go back to school in the fall? Here’s what experts think and what it may look like. 

https://www.parents.com/kids/education/back-to-school/will-kids-go-back-to-school-in-the-fall-heres-what-experts-think-and-what-it-may-look-like/

5. Demographic characteristics of people receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States. CDC. June 16, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographic

6. Santoli JM, Lindley MC, DeSilva MB, et al. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccine ordering and administration — United States, 2020. 

 2020;69(19):591-593. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6919e2

7. Interim guidance for routine and influenza immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC. April 6, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pandemic-guidance/index.html

8. Jenco M. Moderna reports COVID-19 vaccine for teens safe, effective. 

https://www.aappublications.org/news/2021/05/06/moderna-covid-vaccine-teens-050621

9. Mendez R. CDC says 600,000 kids ages 12 to 15 have received Covid vaccine shots in last week. CDC. May 18, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/18/cdc-says-600000-kids-aged-12-to-15-have-received-covid-shots-in-last-week-.html

10. Myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. CDC. May 27, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2021. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html

Practitioners can help ensure that kids get these and all age-appropriate vaccinations before school starts in the fall.

COVID Vaccines for Children Are Becoming a Reality

The launch of the Center for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Research (CSGMHR) has been announced by Columbia University School of Nursing.

The program plans to use innovative methods to study “health among sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations across the lifespan with an emphasis on resilience.” Further, the program will support nursing and interdisciplinary scholarly work focused on social justice and health equity with the objective to eliminate SGM-related health disparities, according to a press release from Columbia.

“While recognition of LGBTQ people’s unique needs is growing, we lack solid evidence on how marginalization, stigma, and discrimination impact health,” said CSGMHR executive director Tonda Hughes, PhD, in the press release. “The center will support rigorous interdisciplinary research on the social, political, and economic determinants of health for SGM populations, which will in turn inform practice and form a knowledge base for interventions to address health disparities.”

Previous research shows that SGM individuals experience worse physical and mental health than their heterosexual peers and face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, substance abuse disorders, depression, and suicidal behavior. Prior surveys, such as the 2015 US Transgender Survey, have found that many LGBTQ individuals feel discriminated by clinicians, with this survey finding 1 in 4 people reporting not seeking necessary medical care due to this fear.

“Dr. Hughes and her colleagues are conducting ground-breaking research that will further Columbia Nursing’s commitment to health equity and social justice,” said Lorraine Frazier, PhD, the dean of Columbia University School of Nursing and the senior vice president of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, in the press release. “Under her leadership, the center will train the next generation of researchers in this vital field and educate experienced investigators on the importance of SGM status for health.”

Columbia Nursing launches center for sexual and gender minority health research. Columbia School of Nursing. Published June 15, 2021. Accessed June 16, 2021. 

https://www.nursing.columbia.edu/news/columbia-nursing-launches-center-sexual-and-gender-minority-health-research

The program plans to use innovative methods to study “health among sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations across the lifespan with an emphasis on resilience.” 

New Center for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Research Focused on LGBTQ Community Needs

interviewed Carrie Cuttler, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University, on a recent study she co-authored that was published in the 

 You mentioned that there may be value in investigating the treatment of compulsions, intrusions, and anxiety with pure CBD. Specifically, why might pure CBD be beneficial, and how would you define pure?

For example, there are isolate, broad spectrum, and full spectrum as common terms used for CBD products sold on the market today. Would any of these terms apply or perhaps not?

 The finding that higher levels of CBD were associated with larger symptom reduction led me to suggest that future investigations should really examine whether pure CBD effectively reduces compulsions, and by that I just meant CBD, either with no THC or with very low THC.

Really, I think all 3 products would be very interesting to investigate. The idea is really just that the intoxicating effects of cannabis, the most detrimental effects of cannabis, and the negative side effects of cannabis are really more associated to THC, so reducing or eliminating THC may be more desirable.

The other thing I wanted to mention in response to your last question was just that we really didn't have enough data on CBG, CBN, or any of the minor phytocannabinoids or terpenes to explore their potential effects, but future research should definitely do so.

Carrie Cuttler, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University, discusses recent findings that pure CBD may help to reduce the symptoms of OCD for patients.

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