Objectives To explore pharmacy colleges’ experiences and challenges worldwide with the transition to online teaching during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods From the six World Health Organization regions, 28 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were identified, and 111 pharmacy colleges were randomly selected from these countries. Two online surveys were sent to faculty members and senior administrators. They assessed changes in teaching and learning, experiential training, assessment, readiness for and challenges with distance e-learning and work-related stress. Key findings Data were collected from 46 colleges. The majority (80.4%) of colleges transitioned to distance e-learning. On-site experiential training was discontinued in 55.5% of colleges and 25.0% redesigned on-site training into remote learning experiences. Assessments were modified in 75.9% of colleges. Assuring the integrity of assessments and delivering practical classes were the most prominent faculty challenges. The majority of faculty (75.0%) and administrators (61.9%) reported moderate work-related stress. Nevertheless, most academics felt that they received adequate support from their institutions and had positive perceptions of the transition to distance e-learning during the pandemic. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic required drastic changes for most programs’ teaching methods. Our results showed that educational institutions were somewhat able to support faculty and the needs of educational programs were largely met. However, academic rigour and provision of experiential training can be improved. Faculty emotional support and training needs were not fully addressed in these difficult times. These results shed light on how the global pharmacy academy has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and help rethink crisis response models.

Admissions to jails and prisons in the United States number 10 million yearly; persons entering locked correctional facilities have high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These individuals come disproportionately from communities of color, with lower access to care and prevention, compared with the United States as a whole. Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors present results of a systematic review of literature published since 2012 on STIs in US jails, prisons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, and juvenile facilities. This updates an earlier review of STIs in short-term facilities. This current review contributed to new recommendations in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021 treatment guidelines for STIs, advising screening for Trichomonas in women entering correctional facilities. The current review also synthesizes recommendations on screening: in particular, opt-out testing is superior to opt-in protocols. Carceral interventions—managing diagnosed cases and preventing new infections from occurring (eg, by initiating human immunodeficiency virus preexposure prophylaxis before release)—can counteract structural racism in healthcare.

Objectives To identify changes in diet, physical activity and BMI after 3–6 months of relocation among international students in Georgia, USA. Methods Data were collected from 74 international students attending 2 urban universities in the Southeast. Students were interviewed within 10 days of arrival in the U.S and again 3–6 months later. Participants completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire that included a 26-item food frequency questionnaire, and questions on weekly physical activity, daily screen-time usage, sleep duration, and anthropometric measurements (body weight, height, and waist circumference), each measured twice and then averaged. Student t-test, Chi square and ANOVA analysis was done for participants who completed both waves (n = 74). Results Participants reported consistent food consumption within 3–6 months (mean difference < 0.5 times per week). Physical activity frequency remained consistent (mean difference < 0.5), but duration of almost all activities was increased. Participants reported increased hiking frequency and a significant increase in duration (frequency mean 0.05 to 0.09 times/week, 95% CI of (0.02–0.08) to (0.02–0.16), duration mean 21.1 to 117 minutes/week, 95% CI (14.1–28.0) to (94.7–138.5)). Screen time significantly increased (mean 4.2 to 7.0 hours/day, 95% CI (3.6–4.9) to (6.2–7.8)). Mean weight slightly increased (62.7 kg to 62.9 kg, 95% CI (60.5–65.0)), as did mean BMI (22.4 to 22.6, 95% CI (21.6–23.2)). However, around 37% of participants gained > 10% of their baseline weight, while 32% lost > 10% of their baseline weight. Almost half of participants (44.5%) reported that they had gained weight and 77% reported a decrease in their overall health. Conclusions Follow-up data suggests International students’ body weights changed drastically in a short time period which could potentially lead to negative health outcomes. Funding Sources None.