COVID

Background: Elderly individuals represent one of the populations most affected by COVID-19, exhibiting high vulnerability to malnutrition, sarcopenia, and poor clinical outcomes. The association between nutritional status and disease progression highlights the need for standardized assessment and targeted nutritional interventions. Methods: A systematic review was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, covering studies published between January 2020 and October 2025. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and included studies evaluating nutritional status, screening tools, and nutritional support strategies for the elderly population (≥65 years old) with COVID-19 across inpatient, outpatient, and institutional care settings. Results: A total of seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Reported malnutrition prevalence ranged from 25% to 65%, increasing with both age and COVID-19 severity. The most frequently applied tools were the Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form (MNA-SF), the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). New evidence supports early nutritional screening, high-protein supplementation, and individualized dietary strategies to reduce complications and improve recovery trajectories. Conclusions: Nutritional risk screening and timely intervention are essential in the management of elderly patients with COVID-19. Standardized assessment tools and multidisciplinary nutrition approaches enhance clinical outcomes, minimize disease burden, and should remain integral components of geriatric care in infectious and post-pandemic contexts.

This study examined the relationship between trust in COVID-19 information sources and self-rated health (SRH) among Latino Day Laborers (LDLs) and whether mental health mediated this association. Participants (N = 300) recruited at 18 job-seeking locations were interviewed in Spanish during November and December 2021. Validated scales were used to measure trust in formal (e.g., broadcast news, newspapers, and radio) and informal sources (e.g., friends, family, and social media) and mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), with SRH measured with a single item. Mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ SPSS PROCESS macro. Higher trust in formal sources of information was related to lower SRH, but this relationship was not mediated by mental health. However, depression and anxiety were associated with a decrease in SRH. There were no significant direct or indirect effects between trust in informal sources and SRH. Depression and anxiety remained significant predictors of lower SRH. Further research is warranted on the mechanisms underlying these associations and the differential impact of information sources on vulnerable populations, such as LDLs, during health crises.

Objectives: Neurodivergent (ND) individuals (e.g., autistic people) are more likely to experience health problems that are characterised by ‘Central Sensitisation’ (CS). Recent research suggests that a so-called ‘Long-COVID’ syndrome might also be explained by a heightened response to internal physiological stimuli, much like in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The primary objective of this study was to establish whether individuals who scored highly on a measure of CS would be more likely to experience long-term symptoms of COVID-19. A secondary aim considered if having a Type D personality was also linked to ongoing COVID-19 symptoms. Method: Using a standardised assessment tool, we examined whether traits associated with autism would predict long-term COVID-19 symptoms in 267 Healthcare Workers (HCWs). We also used a measure of Type D personality to establish if negative affect and social inhibition were related to Long-COVID. Results: A higher number of autistic traits predicted COVID-19 symptoms that lasted more than 12 weeks regardless of formal autism diagnosis. A personality measure also showed that negative affect was associated with experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for 4–12 weeks, though the direction of causality in this case is uncertain. Conclusions: Our main findings were (i) more HCWs scored above threshold for neurodivergence than those who were self-declared as having been diagnosed as neurodivergent; (ii) while there was no association between long-term COVID-19 and self-declared neurodivergent status, scores for the ‘sensory reactivity’ item of a standardised autism scale was predictive of COVID-19 symptoms lasting beyond 12 weeks post-infection; and (iii) HCWs with Type D Personality were not more likely to experience long-term COVID-19.