The DOI matches its Crossref record; 19 of the 19 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Uncertainty and COVID-19: how are we to respond?
Open accessAbstract
As if writing prophetically about the global Covid-19 pandemic, in 1984 Eddy suggested, “Uncertainty creeps into medical practice through every pore. Whether a physician is defining a disease, making a diagnosis, selecting a procedure, observing outcomes, assessing probabilities, assigning preferences, or putting it all together, he (or she) is walking on very slippery terrain” 1. Covid-19 has rapidly become a disease associated with unbridled uncertainty with its aetiology and management, for the healthcare systems and health professionals who provide care, and among its ultimate victims, patients and their families.
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“The protracted, inherently complex, and unpredictable nature of such adversities translates into numerous situational uncertainties about personal prospects and the possibility of achieving life goals [43,44].”
From Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective. (2025) · cites this paper as [43]
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Cites
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BackgroundVariations in Physician Practice: The Role of Uncertainty
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“Whether a physician is defining a disease, making a diagnosis, selecting a procedure, observing outcomes, assessing probabilities, assigning preferences, or putting it all together, he (or she) is walking on very slippery terrain’.(1) COVID-19 has rapidly become a disease associated with unbridled uncertainty with its…”
BackgroundTolerating Uncertainty — The Next Medical Revolution?
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Do we experience pandemic fatigue? current state, predictors, and prevention
Haktanır, A., Can, N., Seki, T., Kurnaz, M. F., & Dilmaç, B. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02397-w · Cited by 161
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“Fears intensified as the number of cases grew exponentially and scientific knowledge of the means of transmission was limited and contradictory [2].”
Chutiyami, M., Bello, U. M., Salihu, D., Ndwiga, D. W., Kolo, M. A., Maharaj, R., Naidoo, K., Devar, L., Pratitha, P., & Kannan, P. (2022) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104211 · Cited by 73
Global Excess Mortality during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Shang, W., Wang, Y., Yuan, J., Guo, Z., Liu, J., & Liu, M. (2022) · Vaccines · doi:10.3390/vaccines10101702 · Cited by 73
“Comorbidities may complicate the assignment of COVID-19 and other illnesses on the death certificate [8,17,18].”
Metadata
- Authors
- Koffman, J., Gross, J., Etkind, S. N., & Selman, L.
- Affiliations
- King's College London (GB)
- London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (GB)
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Koffman, Jonathan
- Venue
- Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2020-06
- Volume
- 113
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 211-216
- ISSN
- 0141-0768 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-1095
- PMC
- PMC7439590
- OpenAlex
- W3025624029
- Cited by
- 305
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 57 · 2023: 76 · 2022: 67 · 2021: 67 · 2020: 5
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (ACF-2012-17-020, CDF-2018-11-ST2-009)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty, clinical decision-making, clinical uncertainty, pandemic response, diagnosis, treatment management
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Decision-Making, Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Family, Health Personnel, Humans, Physician's Role, Pneumonia, Viral, Prognosis, Coronavirus Infections, Critical Pathways, Needs Assessment, Uncertainty, Emotional Intelligence, Pandemics
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