COVID-19 Rehab Fright Management

Keywords: COVID-19, Otolaryngologists, SARS-CoV-2, Speech Language Pathologists, Telehealth, Tele-rehabilitation

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.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.1.3187

How to cite this:
Mumtaz N, Saqulain G, Mumtaz N. COVID-19 Rehab Fright Management. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(1):277-282.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.1.3187

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Author Biographies

Nazia Mumtaz, Dr., Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan

Dr. Nazia Mumtaz, PhD (Rehabilitation Sciences)
Head of Department of Speech Language Pathology,
Faculty of Rehab & Allied Health Sciences,
Riphah International University, Islamabad.

Ghulam Saqulain, Dr., Capital Hospital PGMI, CDA Islamabad

Dr. Ghulam Saqulain, F.C.P.S (Otorhinolaryngology)
Head of Department of Otolaryngology
Department of ENT
Capital Hospital, Islamabad

Nadir Mumtaz, Mr., Federal Board of Revenue, Islamabad

Mr. Nadir Mumtaz, LLB
Former DG Research
FBR Islamabad

Published
2020-12-09
How to Cite
Mumtaz, N., Saqulain, G., & Mumtaz, N. (2020). COVID-19 Rehab Fright Management. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.1.3187

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