COVID-19 Rehab Fright Management

Nazia Mumtaz, Dr. and Ghulam Saqulain, Dr. and Nadir Mumtaz, Mr. (2021) COVID-19 Rehab Fright Management. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 37 (1). pp. 277-282. ISSN 1682-024X

Text covid article.pdf Download (292kB)

Abstract

Being diagnosed as positive for SARS-2 CoV RNA on PCR generates anxiety and stress as well as depression
due to the prospects of being isolated. With genetically varied forms of virus on the rise the widely adopted
manner to protect oneself is social distancing. This is frightening for rehabilitation professionals who at
times are exposed at close quarters to the patients as rehabilitation is essential. Data in this backdrop is
lacking, as this is a recent and ongoing pandemic. As such the current study was conducted with an attempt
to review and highlight the causes of fright among rehabilitation professionals and possible management
options in the wake of current pandemic of COVID-19 in the perspective of Pakistan. For this purpose
literature was searched from major electronic databases including PubMed, Google, Google Scholar and
Web-of-science, with keywords “Covid-19, mental health, telehealth, telemedicine, tele-rehabilitation
and combination of words”. Eighty English, full text articles were studied out of which 36 were used for the
literature review. With this literature review we conclude that COVID-19 has resulted in fear of contracting
and transmitting this disease among health professionals and can be reduced and managed by provision
of tele-rehabilitation and telehealth facilities. Patients emerging from prolonged mechanical ventilations
require extensive rehabilitation to restore routine body functions. The role of the otolaryngologist
and speech language pathologist (SLP) is formal and direct to ensure appropriate and timely long term
intervention and rehabilitation to ensure that these individuals re-enter mainstream activities.
KEYWORDS: COVID-19, Otolaryngologists, SARS-CoV-2, Speech Language Pathologists, Telehealth, Telerehabilitation.

Actions (login required)

View Item