COVID–19 and Gaza: The Ideal Time to Establish a Medical Reserves of Public Health Preventive Medicine Specialists

Gaza is overpopulated, with 2.1 million people living within its 141–square mile landmass. It lacks an adequately staffed, sustainable, coordinated healthcare system to tend to its population’s needs. Ongoing conflict, lack of electricity and running water, and poor sanitation compound the issue. High rates of poverty and the ongoing land, air, and sea blockade also exacerbate the situation. This paper serves as a policy recommendation to create the Gaza Medical Reserves (Reserves), an organization of Public Health Preventive Medicine (PHPM) specialists (reservists) who would be trained in emergency and crisis care to provide aid during turmoil, war, epidemics, and pandemics, such as COVID–19. During non–crisis, peaceful times, reservists will provide primary care services currently unavailable in Gaza. They will target those who are most needy in underserved neighborhoods and refugee camps

COVID–19 and Gaza: The Ideal Time to Establish a Medical Reserves of Public Health Preventive Medicine Specialists

Gaza is overpopulated, with 2.1 million people living within its 141–square mile landmass. It lacks an adequately staffed, sustainable, coordinated healthcare system to tend to its population’s needs. Ongoing conflict, lack of electricity and running water, and poor sanitation compound the issue. High rates of poverty and the ongoing land, air, and sea blockade also exacerbate the situation. This paper serves as a policy recommendation to create the Gaza Medical Reserves (Reserves), an organization of Public Health Preventive Medicine (PHPM) specialists (reservists) who would be trained in emergency and crisis care to provide aid during turmoil, war, epidemics, and pandemics, such as COVID–19. During non–crisis, peaceful times, reservists will provide primary care services currently unavailable in Gaza. They will target those who are most needy in underserved neighborhoods and refugee camps.</p

Lifestyle Medicine for Treatment–Resistant Depression

The authors recommend that time, resources, and funding be allocated to support the cost–⁠effective lifestyle medicine interventions for mental illness (and, in fact, all chronic illnesses, pain management, etc.). These interventions have positive results and seem to support true health and healing. In November 2020, Navarro et al10 published a paper regarding their promising on–⁠going clinical trial. The main aim of their study is to “evaluate the effectiveness of an Internet–⁠based adjuvant lifestyle–⁠based intervention for patients with TRD.”10 Since TRD can be exacerbated by stressors that have become more common due to the COVID–⁠19 pandemic, such as poor physical health and economic struggles, their study is an important one. Information and communications technologies and video conferencing will be used. The authors hypothesize that by the time of their 1–⁠year follow–⁠up, the lifestyle program group will show greater adherence and therefore benefits of the intervention. They said, “If this Internet–⁠based multimodal lifestyle intervention program is useful as an adjunct to the pharmacological treatment of depression, this approach should be considered for the management of patients with TRD in similar emergency situations.”10 This study is not only promising because of its novel approach to treating TRD, but also because this intervention may be duplicated and used almost anywhere in the world and at any time, even times of emergency. The idea that TRD could be successfully treated by combining lifestyle medicine with modern–⁠day technology rather than by administering drugs is hopeful

Lifestyle Medicine for Treatment–Resistant Depression

The authors recommend that time, resources, and funding be allocated to support the cost–⁠effective lifestyle medicine interventions for mental illness (and, in fact, all chronic illnesses, pain management, etc.). These interventions have positive results and seem to support true health and healing. In November 2020, Navarro et al10 published a paper regarding their promising on–⁠going clinical trial. The main aim of their study is to “evaluate the effectiveness of an Internet–⁠based adjuvant lifestyle–⁠based intervention for patients with TRD.”10 Since TRD can be exacerbated by stressors that have become more common due to the COVID–⁠19 pandemic, such as poor physical health and economic struggles, their study is an important one. Information and communications technologies and video conferencing will be used. The authors hypothesize that by the time of their 1–⁠year follow–⁠up, the lifestyle program group will show greater adherence and therefore benefits of the intervention. They said, “If this Internet–⁠based multimodal lifestyle intervention program is useful as an adjunct to the pharmacological treatment of depression, this approach should be considered for the management of patients with TRD in similar emergency situations.”10 This study is not only promising because of its novel approach to treating TRD, but also because this intervention may be duplicated and used almost anywhere in the world and at any time, even times of emergency. The idea that TRD could be successfully treated by combining lifestyle medicine with modern–⁠day technology rather than by administering drugs is hopeful

Fifty Muslim-majority countries have fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths than the 50 richest non-Muslim countries

Objective To determine the difference in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths between Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries, and investigate reasons for the disparities. All Muslim-majority countries are considered partly or completely not free (in war), and 80% are LMICs (low- and middle-income countries). Methods The 50 Muslim-majority countries have more than 50.0% Muslims with an average of 87.5% Muslims. The non-Muslim country sample consisted of 50 countries with highest GDP while omitting any Muslim-majority countries listed. Their average percentage of Muslims was 4.7%. All data was pulled on September 18, 2020. To measure incidence of COVID-19, three different Average Treatment Methods (ATE) were used to validate the results. Results Non-Muslim countries had significantly more COVID-19 cases, 3-times that of Muslim-majority countries. Non-Muslim countries had 1.86-times more COVID-19 deaths than Muslim-majority countries. These percentages were obtained by applying the simulation method to ATE’s results. Conclusion Despite most Muslim-majority countries being poor and all considered partly or completely unfree, 34/50 (68%) countries had shown a decline in active COVID-19 cases. This study shows that Muslims’ practice of tahara (purity or cleanliness) is similar to many COVID-19 containment measures and tawakkul (trust in Allah) helps them remain resilient and hopeful during difficult unpredictable times, such as living through a pandemic. Developed countries can benefit from the knowledge learned in this study. Research should be conducted with Muslims in Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries to further study the health benefits of adhering to Islamic practices, principles, and beliefs

Lifestyle Medicine for Treatment–Resistant Depression

The authors recommend that time, resources, and funding be allocated to support the cost–effective lifestyle medicine interventions for mental illness (and, in fact, all chronic illnesses, pain management, etc.). These interventions have positive results and seem to support true health and healing. In November 2020, Navarro et al10 published a paper regarding their promising on–going clinical trial. The main aim of their study is to “evaluate the effectiveness of an Internet–based adjuvant lifestyle–based intervention for patients with TRD.”10 Since TRD can be exacerbated by stressors that have become more common due to the COVID–19 pandemic, such as poor physical health and economic struggles, their study is an important one. Information and communications technologies and video conferencing will be used. The authors hypothesize that by the time of their 1–year follow–up, the lifestyle program group will show greater adherence and therefore benefits of the intervention. They said, “If this Internet–based multimodal lifestyle intervention program is useful as an adjunct to the pharmacological treatment of depression, this approach should be considered for the management of patients with TRD in similar emergency situations.”10 This study is not only promising because of its novel approach to treating TRD, but also because this intervention may be duplicated and used almost anywhere in the world and at any time, even times of emergency. The idea that TRD could be successfully treated by combining lifestyle medicine with modern–day technology rather than by administering drugs is hopeful.</p

Fifty Muslim-majority countries have fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths than the 50 richest non-Muslim countries

ObjectiveTo determine the difference in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths between Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries, and investigate reasons for the disparities. All Muslim-majority countries are considered partly or completely not free (in war), and 80% are LMICs (low- and middle-income countries). MethodsThe 50 Muslim-majority countries have more than 50.0% Muslims with an average of 87.5% Muslims. The non-Muslim country sample consisted of 50 countries with highest GDP while omitting any Muslim-majority countries listed. Their average percentage of Muslims was 4.7%. All data was pulled on September 18, 2020. To measure incidence of COVID-19, three different Average Treatment Methods (ATE) were used to validate the results. ResultsNon-Muslim countries had significantly more COVID-19 cases, 3-times that of Muslim-majority countries. Non-Muslim countries had 1.86-times more COVID-19 deaths than Muslim-majority countries. These percentages were obtained by applying the simulation method to ATE’s results.ConclusionDespite most Muslim-majority countries being poor and all considered partly or completely unfree, 34/50 (68%) countries had shown a decline in active COVID-19 cases. This study shows that Muslims’ practice of tahara (purity or cleanliness) is similar to many COVID-19 containment measures and tawakkul (trust in Allah) helps them remain resilient and hopeful during difficult unpredictable times, such as living through a pandemic. Developed countries can benefit from the knowledge learned in this study. Research should be conducted with Muslims in Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries to further study the health benefits of adhering to Islamic practices, principles, and beliefs.</p