Background: Effective information giving and goal setting prior to cochlear implantation and individualised rehabilitation following implantation are crucial for shaping adult patients' expectations and optimising their outcomes. Usually provided face-to-face in a clinic setting, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the cessation of clinic appointments for an indeterminate time. This is a description of one rehabilitation team's response to the limitations imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic.Aims: Our first objective was to assess commercially available video call and dedicated health tools for suitability to provide online rehabilitation services. Our second objective was to describe how the chosen tool was used in the implementation of our online rehabilitation service, including pilot sessions and written support materials, and present three case studies of telehealth rehabilitation.Method: Video conferencing and telehealth tools were assessed in terms of their security, accessibility and functionality. Appointment types that could be carried out via telehealth were identified. Appointment content was amended where needed for telehealth delivery. Three case studies have been selected to show users' experiences in different appointment types. Feedback was collected from patients and staff. Outcomes & results:A video call platform was identified that was supported by the host National Health Service Trust's Information Technology (IT) Department and met the needs of the rehabilitation service. A rehabilitation telehealth service for patients pre-and post-cochlear implantation was successfully implemented, ensuring that patients continued to receive appropriate care in the context of lockdown measures. We share the framework we used to select the platform, practical lessons learned, and materials developed to support patients with the implementation of the service. Conclusion:Telehealth rehabilitation appointments are a method of maintaining a high quality, effective service for adult patients pre-and post-cochlear implantation. It is predicted that the benefits of telehealth will last beyond the lockdown restrictions posed by Covid-19 for this regional service and its patients.

The present study is concerned with the stigma of mental illness. It examines the subjective element of the experience of stigma among a sample of in-patients with different mental disorders. The sample was taken from consecutive admissions of in-patients meeting International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) criteria for mental disorders who had capacity to decide on participation in the study and were willing to respond to the structured interview. The study was undertaken in an Egyptian private psychiatric hospital. The structured clinical interview included aspects of the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive effects of having a psychiatric diagnosis on in-patients with various diagnostic labels in an Egyptian psychiatric hospital. It also studied whether this effect changes with specific disorders, total duration of illness, or sociodemographic variables as gender, age, or educational level. The study illustrated the core items of stigmatization attached to the diagnosis of mental illness ( 1 ), which more than half of the participants responded affirmatively. The study aimed to explore the most prevailing aspects of stigma or social disadvantage; hoping that this may offer a preliminary guide for clinicians to address these issues in their practice.

Climate change affects Michigan’s public health in several primary ways, including increased incidences of vector-borne, waterborne, heat-related, and respiratory illness. Because local health departments (LHDs) play a central role in surveillance and preventative health services, they are among the first institutions to contend with the local impacts of climate change. To assess current perceptions among Michigan public health officials, an online survey was conducted in partnership with the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH). Most of the Michigan respondents (62%, n = 34) agreed that their jurisdictions have experienced climate change in the last 20 years, and 77% agreed that climate change will impact their jurisdictions in the coming 20 years. However, only 35% (n = 34) of Michigan officials agreed that climate change is a priority in their departments. About one quarter (25%, n = 34) of Michigan LHD respondents did not know about the level of expertise of either the state and federal agencies, responsible for assisting them with information and programs related to climate change and health. Uncertainty regarding the resources available to them may hinder LHDs from developing necessary preparedness, so meeting this need could bolster the public health response to climate change.

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