Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34606508›Full record

ArticlePloS one2021

When Covid-19 first struck: Analysis of the influence of structural characteristics of countries - technocracy is strengthened by open democracy.

Michael J Rigby, Kinga Zdunek, Fabrizio Pecoraro, Marco Cellini, Daniela Luzi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 33% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Michael J RigbySchool of Social, Political and Global Studies and School of Primary, Community and Social Care, Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-1342-6177
Kinga ZdunekPublic Health Department, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.ORCID 0000-0001-9830-8115
Fabrizio PecoraroInstitute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council (IRPPS-CNR), Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5718-4240
Marco CelliniInstitute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council (IRPPS-CNR), Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7580-2804
Daniela LuziInstitute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council (IRPPS-CNR), Rome, Italy.
Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies · ITKeele University · GBMedical University of Lublin · PL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextThe Covid-19 pandemic hit the developed world differentially due to accidental factors, and countries had to respond rapidly within existing resources, structures, and processes to manage totally new health challenges. This study aimed to identify which pre-existing structural factors facilitated better outcomes despite different starting points, as understanding of the relative impact of structural aspects should facilitate achieving optimal forward progress.

methodsDesk study, based on selecting and collecting a range of measures for 48 representative characteristics of 42 countries' demography, society, health system, and policy-making profiles, matched to three pandemic time points. Different analytic approaches were employed including correlation, multiple regression, and cluster analysis in order to seek triangulation.

findingsPopulation structure (except country size), and volume and nature of health resources, had only minor links to Covid impact. Depth of social inequality, poverty, population age structure, and strength of preventive health measures unexpectedly had no moderating effect. Strongest measured influences were population current enrolment in tertiary education, and country leaders' strength of seeking scientific evidence. The representativeness, and by interpretation the empathy, of government leadership also had positive effects.

conclusionStrength of therapeutic health system, and indeed of preventive health services, surprisingly had little correlation with impact of the pandemic in the first nine months measured in death- or case-rates. However, specific political system features, including proportional representation electoral systems, and absence of a strong single party majority, were consistent features of the most successful national responses, as was being of a small or moderate population size, and with tertiary education facilitated. It can be interpreted that the way a country was lead, and whether leadership sought evidence and shared the reasoning behind resultant policies, had notable effects. This has significant implications within health system development and in promoting the population's health.

Indexed as

DemocracyCOVID-19Emergency Medical ServicesHealth PolicyHumansPandemicsPublic HealthResilience, PsychologicalSARS-CoV-2Socioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID34606508
PMCPMC8489721
OpenAlexW3202458808

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.