Resources Repository
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ReviewPublication 2021Considerations for Diagnostic COVID-19 Tests
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic …
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rush by numerous diagnostic test manufacturers to create, validate, and implement testing methods. This review discusses the pivotal role of diagnostic tests during the pandemic's first global wave, highlighting the challenges in technology and implementation experienced early on. The study also offers insights for enhancing the use of diagnostics, especially syndromic ones, should there be future spikes or regional outbreaks of COVID-19. The overarching…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Rapid, Point-of-Care Antigen Tests for Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, …
This study reviewed the diagnostic accuracy of rapid, point-of-care antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection, differentiating results between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Using data from 155 study cohorts, the study found that the sensitivity of antigen tests was generally higher for symptomatic individuals, especially during the first week after symptom onset, due to higher viral loads. For example, average sensitivity was higher in symptomatic (73.0%) compared to asymptomatic participants (54.7). Average sensitivity was higher in…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | North America -
ToolWeb Portal 2023CDC Resource Portal: Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a broad range of resources about …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a broad range of resources about diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 aimed at the general public, health professionals and laboratory personnel. The overviews and guidelines for health professionals provide comprehensive information about the current available diagnostics, their strengths and limitations, their performance characteristics and guidelines for their use and interpretation. Selected topics included are provided below. Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2, the Virus That Causes COVID-19. Interim…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Significance of Advanced COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing in Pandemic Control Measures
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant …
Over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has mounted significant efforts to combat the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 virus. Despite substantial progress in vaccines and treatments, leading to lower hospitalization and death rates, the virus has continued to evolve, primarily through mutations. From the onset, diagnostic tests have been crucial in identifying and controlling the virus spread. The scientific world has pioneered various diagnostic techniques, including nucleic acid, antigen, and antibody-based…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | North America -
ReviewPublication 2022Diagnostics for COVID-19: Moving from Pandemic Response to Control
Diagnostics are essential in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, with three primary methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 …
Diagnostics are essential in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, with three primary methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infections. Each test type remains vital as we shift from responding to controlling the pandemic. Molecular tests, like PCR, are highly precise in identifying viral RNA and are endorsed by the WHO for confirming cases and guiding public health actions. Antigen rapid tests spot viral proteins and, while less accurate than molecular tests, are quicker, more affordable, simpler, and can…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Health Systems | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
NewsPublication 2020Online Anti-Vaccine Movement in the Age of COVID-19
This article discusses a recent report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) that …
This article discusses a recent report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) that lambasted social media companies for allowing the anti-vaccine movement to remain on their platforms. The CCDH report noted that social media accounts held by so-called anti-vaxxers have increased their following by at least 7-8 million people since 2019. “The decision to continue hosting known misinformation content and actors left online anti-vaxxers ready to pounce on the opportunity presented by coronavirus,”…
Preferences/Values | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Social Determinants | Culture/Society | Health/Medicine | North America -
ToolWeb Portal 2023General Audience Toolkit
This toolkit contains resources for anyone who wants to help increase public confidence in and …
This toolkit contains resources for anyone who wants to help increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. This toolkit includes information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and culturally tailored materials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) COVID-19 public education campaign and its team of multicultural experts. This description was extracted from the toolkit website.
Preferences/Values | Science/Technology | Infectious Diseases | Social Determinants | Culture/Society | Health/Medicine | North America -
DataWeb Portal 2024Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is the most comprehensive source of hospital data in …
The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is the most comprehensive source of hospital data in the United States, including information on in-patient care, ambulatory care, and emergency department visits. HCUP enables researchers, insurers, policymakers and others to study health care delivery and patient outcomes over time, and at the national, regional, State, and community levels. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides a range of data resources in the form of online, searchable…
Test Performance | Science/Technology | Costing Methods | Health Outcomes | Evidence Synthesis | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Technology Assessment | Infectious Diseases | Maternal/Reproductive Health | Child/Nutrition | Chronic Disease/Risk | Mental Health | Injuries/Accidents | Social Determinants | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | North America -
ReviewPublication 2013Valuing the Economic Benefits of Complex Interventions
This is a review of economic evaluations of complex health interventions. Complex interventions, involving interlinked …
This is a review of economic evaluations of complex health interventions. Complex interventions, involving interlinked packages of care, challenge the application of current methods of economic evaluation that focus on measuring only health gain. The authors find that complex interventions may be problematic on two levels. First, the complexity means the intervention may not fit into one of the current appraisal systems, and/or second, maximizing health is not the only objective. This paper discusses the…
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