Novel respiratory viruses in the context of mass-gathering events: A systematic review to inform event planning from a health perspective

ABSTRACT 

Background: Mass-gathering events (MGEs) occur regularly throughout the world. As people congregate at MGEs, there is an increased risk of transmission of communicable diseases. Novel respiratory viruses, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1), Influenza A Virus Subtype H1N1 Strain 2009 (H1N1pdm09), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), or Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), may require specific infection prevention and control strategies to minimize the risk of transmission when planning MGEs. This literature review aimed to identify and analyze papers relating to novel respiratory viruses with pandemic potential and to inform MGE planning.

Method: This paper used a systematic literature review method. Various health care databases were searched using keywords relating to MGEs and novel respiratory viruses. Information was extracted from identified papers into various tables for analysis. The analysis identified infection prevention and control strategies used at MGEs to inform planning before, during, and following events.

Results: In total, 27 papers met the criteria for inclusion. No papers were identified regarding SARS-CoV-1, while the remainder reported on H1N1pdm09 (n = 9), MERS-CoV (n = 15), and SARS-CoV-2 (n = 3). Various before, during, and after event mitigation strategies were identified that can be implemented for future events.

Conclusions: This literature review provided an overview of the novel respiratory virus epidemiology at MGEs alongside related public health mitigation strategies that have been implemented at these events. This paper also discusses the health security of event participants and host communities in the context of cancelling, postponing, and modifying events due to a novel respiratory virus. In particular, ways to recommence events incorporating various mitigation strategies are outlined.

The full-text article is available here (PDF)

Ranse J, Beckwith D, Khan A, Yezli S, Hertelendy A, Hutton A, Zimmerman PA. (2021). Novel respiratory viruses in the context of mass gathering events: A systematic review to inform event planning from a health perspective. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. [in-press]

Read More

Planning and assessment approaches towards disaster resilient hospitals: A systematic literature review

Background: Hospitals play a critical role as a frontline agency in disasters, with staff often working within extraordinary circumstances in these facilities to deliver care. This study was inspired by the authors’ interdisciplinary experiences in health and resilience engineering. Observing increasing dialogue about how hospitals could improve their resilience to disasters we sought to understand the construct of ‘hospital resilience during disasters’ and how it could be improved. 

Method: The study involved a systematic literature review of publications related to hospital resilience during disasters, conducted at the end of January 2020. Of the 553 articles found initially, 49 remained after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality appraisal tools designed for different types of research were used. 

Results: The findings are described using language and constructs drawn from the Plan-Prepare-Respond-Recover (PPRR) discourse and Resilience Engineering Theory. The review found broad consensus that staff awareness, education, and training about disaster-related plans needs to be improved. The articles documented a wide variety of approaches to evaluating hospital resilience to disasters, wherein the importance of infrastructure and organisational resilience is clear. This included insightful guidance for developing, disseminating, communicating, and implementing disaster plans. 

Conclusion: Through distilling the literature review findings, we propose a ‘Decision-Support Model for Disaster Resilient Hospitals’ to foster proactive and systemic improvements, from anticipating to managing and monitoring organisational performance during disasters. We also propose a hybrid of two methods towards a more holistic evaluation of hospital disaster resilience. The findings have immediate implications for supporting hospital leadership strategically and operationally. 

Full-text article available here.

REFERENCE

Ali HM, Desha C, Ranse J, Roiko A. Planning and assessment approaches towards disaster resilient hospitals: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. [in-press]

Read More

Drug- and alcohol-related emergency department patient presentations during the 2018 Commonwealth Games: A multi-site retrospective analysis

Objective: To examine the impact of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on ED patient presentations related to drug(s) and/or alcohol. 

Methods: Retrospective observational study comparing ED patient presentations made pre, during and post the 2018 Commonwealth Games with either an International Classification of Diseases-10 diagnosis or presenting complaint related to drug and or alcohol misuse. 

Results: Drug- and alcohol related presentations accounted for 5% (n = 890) of all ED presentations across the 36-day study period with no significant difference between pre (n = 312), during (n = 301) and post (n = 277) periods (P = 0.2). Overall, drug- and alcohol-related patient presentations made to the EDs tended to be young (median age 35 years, interquartile range 24–48), Australian (n = 820, 92%) and male (n = 493, 55%). The majority arrived by ambulance (n = 650, 73%), were allocated an Australasian Triage Scale category of 3 (n = 505, 57%), and arrived between 15.00 and 22.59 hours (n = 365, 41%). No demographic characteristics, ED characteristics or outcomes differed significantly over time. 

Conclusions: During the 2018 Commonwealth Games, minimal impact on the ED was noted pertaining to drug and alcohol misuse. Further research is required to understand whether this held true for other types of ED presentations and during other types and locations of mass gathering events.

Full-text article available here (PDF)

Delany C, Crilly J, Ranse J. (2021). Drug- and alcohol-related emergency department patient presentations during the 2018 Commonwealth Games: A multi-site retrospective analysis. Emergency Medicine Australasia.

Read More

Measuring the masses: A series of papers

I was part of an international team that published a number of papers relating to mass gatherings. These papers focused on the need for consistency in the reporting of mass gathering events from a health perspective. These papers were published in a series in the journal Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. The various papers in this series are listed below.

REFERENCES

Lund A, Turris S, Rabb H, Munn MB, Chasmar E, Ranse J, Hutton A. (2021). Measuring the masses: mass gathering medical case reporting, conceptual modelling – The DREAM model (Paper 5). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Full-text article available here (PDF)

Turris S, Rabb H, Chasmar E, Munn MB, Callaghan CW, Hutton A, Ranse J, Lund A. (2021). Measuring the masses series: A proposed template for post-event medical reporting (Paper 4). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Full-text article available here (PDF) 

Turris S, Lund A, Munn MB, Chasmar E, Rabb H, Callaghan CW, Ranse J, Hutton A. (2021). Measuring the masses series: Domains driving data collection and analysis for the health outcomes of mass gatherings (Paper 3). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Full-text article available here (PDF) 

Turris S, Rabb H, Chasmar E, Callaghan CW, Ranse J, Lund A. (2021). Measuring the masses: Understanding health outcomes arising from mass gatherings, reporting gaps and recommendations (Paper 2). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Full-text article available here (PDF) 

Turris S, Rabb H, Munn MB, Chasmar E, Callaghan CW, Ranse J, Lund A. (2021). Measuring the masses: The current state of mass gathering medical case reporting (Paper 1). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Full-text article available here (PDF)

Read More

The impact of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive events on Emergency Departments: An integrative review

 

I was invited to speak at the Qatar Health 2021 conference on the topic of disaster health. This presentation focused on the findings of an integrative literature review relating to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear [CBRN] events and their impact on Emergency Departments [EDs]. The literature review aimed to identify papers relating to the impact of CBRN events on ED and to analyze these papers for lessons learnt to strengthen ED preparedness. The presentation explored the global epidemiology of disasters, the nature of CBRN events, ED preparedness, clinician education, willingness and resources. The Qatar Health 2021 conference theme related to mass gathering events. As such, this presentation discussed the intersect between ED preparedness for CBRN events in the context of mass gathering events. 

REFERENCE 

Ranse J. (2021). The impact of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive events on Emergency Departments: An integrative review; invited speaker for Qatar Health 2021, Doha, Qatar, 22nd January. [online]

Read More

Recommencing mass gathering events in the context of COVID-19: Lessons from Australia

I was invited to speak at the Qatar Health 2021 conference on the topic of mass gathering events. This presentation focused on the recommencement of mass gatherings in the Australian context. In particular, this presentation focused on the Australian COVID-19 epidemiology, an overview of mass gathering events and COVID-19 in Australia, case studies from national and grass-root sports, and strategies for recommending mass gathering events during COVID-19. 

REFERENCE 

Ranse J. (2021). Recommencing mass gathering events in the context of COVID-19: Lessons from Australia; invited speaker for Qatar Health 2021, Doha, Qatar, 22nd January. [online]

Read More

Novel respiratory viruses in the context of mass gathering events: A systematic review to inform event planning from a health perspective

I was invited to speak at the Qatar Health 2021 conference on the topic of mass gathering events. This presentation focused on a review of the literature regarding novel respiratory viruses in the context of mass gathering events. This presentation synthesised the literature relating to SARS-CoV-1, H1N1pdm09, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the context of mass gathering events.  Previously published infection prevention and control strategies were presented against a framework of pre, during, and after mass gathering event considerations. These infection preventions and control strategies o have implications for both event organisers and health officials when recommencing events in the context of COVID-19.

Ranse J. (2021). Novel respiratory viruses in the context of mass gathering events: A systematic review to inform event planning from a health perspective; invited speaker for Qatar Health 2021, Doha, Qatar, 21st January. [online]

Read More