BackgroundAcute abdominal pain (AAP) is a common symptom in the emergency department (ED). Because abdominal pain can be caused by a wide spectrum of underlying pathology, evaluation of abdominal pain in the ED requires a comprehensive approach, based on patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests and imaging studies. The aim of this study was to investigate predictive factors for admission to the hospital in patients who presented to the ED with AAP as the main symptom.MethodsThis prospective observational study enrolled 125 patients who presented with AAP in the ED of the Patras University Hospital in western Greece. The sample of patients who enrolled in the study was representative of patients who receive care in this academic institution. All patients underwent clinical examination, laboratory testing and radiological assessment. Clinical and laboratory data were analyzed in an attempt to identify clinical or laboratory factors predicting hospital admission.ResultsBased on clinical, laboratory and radiologic evaluation, 37.6% of patients enrolled in the study were admitted to the hospital, whereas 62.4% were not admitted. Compared to patients who were not admitted, patients admitted to the hospital had higher age and significantly higher inflammatory markers, white blood count and C-reactive protein (CRP). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal imaging findings (odds ratio (OR) = 6.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.11 - 19.77, P < 0.001) and elevated serum CRP levels (OR = 6.24, 95% CI: 2.16 - 18.03, P < 0.001) were significant predictive factors for hospital admission.ConclusionsAssessment of AAP remains a challenging problem in the ED. Comprehensive history combined with detailed clinical examination, appropriate laboratory testing and radiologic imaging facilitates effective assessment of patients who present in the ED with AAP and guides the decision to admit patients to the hospital for further care.

Background COVID‐19 vaccination started in Greece in the last days of December 2020. Health care workers (HCWs) of the public national health system (NHS) were on the frontline and they would be role models for all the citizens. Aim Investigation of the intention and hesitation of HCWs (doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants) of the NHS of Greece, regarding the vaccine against SARS COV‐2 virus and the factors that affect them, during the first trimester of the availability of vaccines, in the country. Methods A multicenter cross‐sectional study was conducted in Greece among health professionals ( n = 2484) of the NHS. Data were collected with the use of an online questionnaire through snowballing sampling. Results Acceptance of a safe and effective COVID‐ 19 vaccines was higher among doctors (85.6%), followed by nurses (66.3%), and nursing assistants (64.1%). This study confirms pre‐existing research on the interaction of gender, age, quality of personal information, educational level, training by the employer, and cognitive background regarding viruses and vaccines. Conclusion In conclusion, our study showed that once a vaccine was available, most HCWs were willing to be vaccinated. These findings could be used in the future to tailor communication and promotion campaigns, using anthropocentric strategies.