Impact of COVID-19 on health care system and public health in Latvia; ways in preparing health sector for future epidemics

Consortium 6.5. partners

• Rīga Stradiņš University
• University of Latvia
• BA School of Business and Finance

To promote the preparedness of Latvian health care and public health systems for future epidemics and states of emergency and to learn from experiences gained from the COVID-19 epidemic we’ll carry out epidemiological and public health studies on post-epidemic consequences. This will include psycho-social and behavioral aspects in the general population and certain social groups (children, people of reproductive age, elderly people) and the analysis of continuity and existing algorithms of health care services. The results of this project will contribute to the development of a sustainable approach for the delivery of essential health care and public health services during the present COVID-19 outbreak and in future epidemic events by supporting the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to plan appropriate actions for the management of services during a pandemic.

The project will be implemented through five synergetic and complementary work packages:

1. Healthcare continuity
2. Mental health and psychological resilience
3. Sexual and reproductive health
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4. Older adults' health
5. Children's health

Publications

• Kursite M., Stars I., Strele I., Gobina I., Kivite-Urtane A., Behmane D., Dudele A., Villerusa A. (2022). A mixed-method study on the provision of remote consultations for non-communicable disease patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia: Lessons for the future. BMC Health Services Research 22: 263. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07634-x  
• Maldupa I., Slepcova O., Vidulskane I., Brinkmane A., Senakola E., Uribe S. E. (2022). COVID-19 as an opportunity for minimally-invasive dentistry: a national cross-sectional survey. BMC Oral Health 22, 394. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02432-7
• Vrublevska J., Perepjolkina V., Martinsone K., Kolesnikova J., Krone I., Smirnova D., Fountoulakis K. N., & Rancans E. (2022). Determinants of Anxiety in the General Latvian Population During the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Frontiers in public health, 10, 854812. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.854812
• Webb E., Winkelmann J., Scarpetti G., Behmane D., Habicht T., Kahur K., Kasekamp K., Köhler K., Miščikienė L., Misins J., Reinap M., Slapšinskaitė-Dackevičienė A., Võrk A., Karanikolos M. (2022).
• Lessons learned from the Baltic countries’ response to the first wave of COVID-19. Health Policy, Volume 126, Issue 5, Pages 438-445, ISSN 0168-8510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.12.003
• Bundzena-Erevika A., Mārtinsone K., Perepjolkina V., Ruža A., Koļesņikova J., Rancāns E. Relationship between psychological resilience and self-care strategies of healthcare professionals during covid-19 pandemic in Latvia. SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings on the International Scientific Conference. Volume VII, May 28th-29th, 2021. 24-38. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia. http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6258/5310
• Pumpure E., Mihailova D., Gravina M. L., Briedīte I., Rezeberga D., Kantāne I., Lazdane G. Socioeconomic factors and changes of eating habits during COVID-19 restrictions in Latvia. 39. Abstract from 3rd International Conference "Nutrition and Health 2020", Riga, Latvia. https://www.nutritionandhealth2020.lu.lv/fileadmin/user_upl…
• Pumpure E., Tavares I., Rezeberga D., Nobre P., Lazdane G. 124 A cross-country comparison of the impact of covid-19 on socioeconomical, psychological, and relational well-being of pregnant and non-pregnant women in Latvia and Portugal (2022.). European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, VOLUME 270, E61-E62.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.11.213
• Pitkēviča I, Pumpure. E., Graviņa M.L., Mihailova D., Briedīte I., Rezeberga D., Kantāne I., Ķīvīte-Urtāne A., Lazdāne G. (2022).  Socioeconomic factors and changes in food choice and availability during COVID-19 restrictions in Latvia. Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Science. Section B, Vol. 76, No. 1 (736), pp. 36 – 41.
  DOI: 10.2478/prolas-2022-0006
• Upesleja, G. Perepjolkina, V. (2021). Latvijas iedzīvotāju sociālo un psiholoģisko rādītāju saistība ar grūtībām pielāgoties ārkārtas stāvoklim Covid-19 pandēmijas laikā (Relationship between social and psychological indicators and the difficulty to adapt to the state of emergency of the Latvian inhabitants during the COVID-19 pandemic). Society. Integration. Education. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference. Volume VII, Psychology, May 28 th-29th, 2021. 205-216.
  http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6178/5324
• Reine, I., Ivanovs, A., Sniķere, S., Mieriņa, I., Gehtmane-Hofmane, I., Koroļeva, I. Overcoming social isolation with digital technologies among ageing populations during Covid-19. SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the 15th International Scientific Conference. Volume IV, May 28th-29th, 2021. 171-178. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia.
  http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6356/5124
• Mieriņa, I. Reine, I. COVID-19 crisis strains relationships with returning and visiting compatriots. SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the 15th International Scientific Conference. Volume VI, May 28th-29th, 2021. 160-171. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia. 
  http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6266/5238
• Miķelsone, M., Baltmane, D., Reine, I. Sniķere, S., Ivanovs, A., Tomsone, S. Exploration of healthy ageing determinants in the Baltic States. SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the 15th International Scientific Conference. Volume IV, May 28th-29th, 2021. 414-427. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia.
  http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6431/5146
• Koroļeva, I., Sniķere, S., Aleksandrovs, A., Reine, I., Trapencieris, M., Ivanovs, A. Effects of social isolation on mental health during Covid-19 in the context of ageing.  SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the 15th International Scientific Conference. Volume VI, May 28th-29th, 2021. 104-117. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia. http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6421/5235
• Gehtmane-Hofmane, I., Tēraudkalna, M., Rajevska, O., Koroļeva, I., Reine, I. Knowledge, attitudes and Covid-19 related behavior among individuals aged 50 and older in Latvia. SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the 15th International Scientific Conference. Volume IV, May 28th-29th, 2021. 102-112. Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia. http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/article/view/6462/5118
• Racko I, Smane L, Klavina L, Pucuka Z, Roge I, Pavare J. "Case Series of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) in Children during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Latvia." Clinics and Practice. 2021; 11(2):363-373.
  https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract11020051
• Smane L, Roge I, Pucuka Z, Pavare J. "Clinical features of pediatric post-acute COVID-19: a descriptive retrospective follow-up study. Italian journal of pediatrics", 47(1), 177 (August 2021). 
  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-021-01127-z
• Pumpure E, Rezeberga D, Lazdane G, Briedite I, Mihailova D, Pitkevica I, Gravina M.L, Olsena S, Kantane I, Ķīvīte-Urtāne A. "Relationship between pregnant women and their partners during COVID-19 and the role of accompanying persons during childbirth." Sciedu Press; Vol 10, No 4 (2021).
  DOI: 10.5430/jha.v10n4p1
• Surina S, Perepjolkina V, Martinsone K, Vainik U, Ruza A, Vrublevska J, Smirnova D, Rancans E, Kolesnikova J, Fountoulakis K. N. "Factors related to COVID-19 preventive behaviors: A Structural Equation Model". Frontiers in Psychology. (April 2021).
  DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.676521
• Briedite I, Kivite-Urtane A, Lazdane G, Rezeberga D, Kantane I, et al. "The impact of COVID–19 pandemic and restriction measures on sexual behaviour, couple relationship and psychological well-being in Latvia." Clin Obstet Gynecol Reprod Med 7: 2021. DOI: 10.15761/COGRM.1000327
• Jelena Vrublevska, Anna Sibalova, Ilana Aleskere, Baiba Rezgale, Daria Smirnova, Konstantinos N. Fountoulakis and Elmars Rancans. "Factors related to depression, distress, and self-reported changes in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Latvia." Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, (May 2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2021.1919200
• Inese Stars, Liene Smane, Zanda Pucuka, Ieva Roge, and Jana Pavare. "Impact of Pediatric COVID-19 on Family Health-Related Quality of Life: A Qualitative Study from Latvia." Global Pediatric Health, (January 2021).
  https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X211012394
• Kristien Michielsen, Elin C Larrson, Anna Kågesten, Jennifer Toller Erausquin, Sally Griffin, Sarah Van de Velde, Joseph D Tucker, on behalf of the I-SHARE Team (including prof. Gunta Lazdāne). "International Sexual Health And REproductive health (I-SHARE) survey during COVID-19: study protocol for online national surveys and global comparative analyses." Sexually Transmitted Infections Published Online First: 20 October 2020.
  http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2020-054664
• Liene Smane, Inese Stars, Zanda Pucuka, Ieva Roge, Jana Pavare. "Persistent clinical features in paediatric patients after SARS-CoV-2 virological recovery: a retrospective population-based cohort study from a single centre in Latvia." BMJ Paediatrics Open 2020;4:e000905. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000905

Project news

RSU Takes Part in an International Study on the Effects of COVID-19 Restrictions on Sexual and Reproductive Health