scholarly journals Universal COVID-19 screening of 4040 health care workers in a resource-limited setting: an Egyptian pilot model in a university with 12 public hospitals and medical centers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aya Mostafa ◽  
Sahar Kandil ◽  
Manal H El-Sayed ◽  
Samia Girgis ◽  
Hala Hafez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Suspected Case ◽  
Pilot Model ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Care Workers

Abstract Background The scale of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among health care workers (HCWs), particularly in resource-limited settings, remains unclear. To address this concern, universal (non-symptom-based) screening of HCWs was piloted to determine the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the associated epidemiological and clinical risk factors at a large public health care facility in Egypt. Methods Baseline voluntary screening of 4040 HCWs took place between 22 April and 14 May 2020 at 12 hospitals and medical centres in Cairo. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected using an online survey. All participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid IgM and IgG serological tests. Results Of the 4040 HCWs screened, 170 [4.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.6-4.9] tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by either of the three tests (i.e. infected); 125/170 (73.5%) tested PCR-positive. Most infected HCWs were nurses (97/170, 57.5%). Median age of infected HCWs was 31.5 [interquartile range (IQR): 27.0–41.3] years. Of infected HCWs, 78 (45.9%) reported contact with a suspected case and 47 (27.6%) reported face-to-face contact within 2 m with a confirmed case. The proportion of infection among symptomatic HCWs (n = 54/616) was 8.8% (95% CI: 6.7-11.3); 6/54 (11.1%) had fever ≥38°C and 7/54 (13.0%) reported severe symptoms. Most infected HCWs were asymptomatic (116/170, 68.2%). The proportion of infection among asymptomatic HCWs (n = 116/3424) was 3.4% (95% CI: 2.8-4.0). Conclusions The high rate of asymptomatic infections among HCWs reinforces the need for expanding universal regular testing. The infection rate among symptomatic HCWs in this study is comparable with the national rate detected through symptom-based testing. This suggests that infections among HCWs may reflect community rather than nosocomial transmission during the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic in Egypt.

Knowledge, Practice, and Perception of Barriers Regarding COVID‑19 among Egyptian Health care Workers

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-171
Author(s):  
Mohamed A. Sakr ◽  
Asmaa Y. Sharfeldin, ◽  
Ayman A. Sakr ◽  
Zeinab A. Kasemy
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Attitude Score ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Care Workers

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was characterized as the etiology for a cluster of pneumonia cases that spread rapidly, causing considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. By April 2021, more than 2,996,791 deaths were reported globally. Proper updated infection control protocol for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) must be provided to every health care facility. Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, perception of barriers, and practices among Egyptian health care workers (HCWs) regarding COVID-19 disease. Methodology: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire through a link shared on social networking sites was conducted on 480 HCWs from different regions in Egypt. Results: This assessment included a sample of 480 HCWs. The total knowledge score was (19.95±2.4). Satisfactory knowledge was reported among 60%. Total attitude score was (18.1±3.7) with positive attitude being reported among 23.3%. Total practice score was (10.6±1.1) and good practice was reported among 89.2%. Conclusion: There were satisfactory knowledge and practice with a low positive attitude regarding COVID19 which requires more efforts to improve precautionary measures and training programs in hospitals.

Risking Lives to Save Others During COVID-19: A Focus on Public Health Care Workers in Bangladesh and Egypt

2021 ◽  
pp. 002073142110637
Author(s):  
Shahjahan Bhuiyan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Altruistic Behavior ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Care Workers

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been spreading around the world, causing a major public health crisis that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Street-level bureaucrats­—health workers, teachers, street cleaners, police officers­, and so forth—are at the forefront in fighting against the pandemic. Of these, public health care workers, due to the nature of their involvement, should know and understand why they are risking their lives to save others during this pandemic. Based on the preliminary data gleaned from interviews with public health care workers in Bangladesh and Egypt, this ongoing research suggests they are risking their lives for reasons such as altruistic behavior, service to profession, adherence to bureaucratic accountability, and a desire to help mankind. The findings contribute to the existing literature about street-level bureaucratic behavior in atypical times such as these of the pandemic. This study is unique in that it comprehends that public health care workers of two culturally and geographically distinct countries are risking their lives for the same public-spirited cause.

scholarly journals Breast Cancer Knowledge Assessment of Health Workers in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

2020 ◽  
pp. 387-394
Author(s):  
Liese C.C. Pruitt ◽  
Stella Odedina ◽  
Imaria Anetor ◽  
Tolulope Mumuni ◽  
Helen Oduntan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Cancer Knowledge ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Breast Cancer Knowledge

PURPOSE Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and in low- to middle-income countries late-stage diagnosis contributes to significant mortality. Previous research at the University College Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, on social factors contributing to late diagnosis revealed that many patients received inappropriate initial treatment. METHODS The level of breast cancer knowledge among health practitioners at various levels of the health system was assessed. We developed a tool tailored to local needs to assess knowledge of symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and cultural beliefs. The recruitment included doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in public hospitals, physicians and pharmacists in private practice, nurses and health care workers from primary health care centers, community birth attendants, and students in a health care field from state schools. RESULTS A total of 1,061 questionnaires were distributed, and 725 providers responded (68%). Seventy-eight percent were female, and > 90% were Yoruba, the dominant local ethnic group. The majority were Christian, and 18% were Muslim. Median knowledge score was 31 out of 56, and the differences in scores between health care worker types were statistically significant ( P < .001). Nearly 60% of the participants believed breast cancer is always deadly. More than 40% of participants believed that keeping money in the bra causes breast cancer, and approximately 10% believed that breast cancer is caused by a spiritual attack. CONCLUSION Our questionnaire revealed that, even at the tertiary care level, significant gaps in knowledge exist, and knowledge of breast cancer is unacceptably low at the level of community providers. In addition to efforts aimed at strengthening health systems, greater knowledge among community health care workers has the potential to reduce delays in diagnosis for Nigerian patients with breast cancer.

scholarly journals Violence against Health-Care Workers in Governmental Health Facilities in Arar City, Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruqayyah B. Al Anazi ◽  
Saeed M. AlQahtani ◽  
Amal E. Mohamad ◽  
Sabry M. Hammad ◽  
Hossam Khleif
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Exposure To Violence ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Care Workers

Background. Violence against health-care workers (HCWs) showed increasing worldwide concern. No previous studies addressed violence against HCWs in the Northern region, Saudi Arabia. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of violence against HCWs in public hospitals and primary health-care centers in Arar city, KSA, and to identify its associated factors. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 352 HCWs in the Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities in Arar city from 1st October to 31st December 2018. Consented HCWs completed a structured self-administered questionnaire which was modified from the WHO questionnaire for violence. Results. Out of 352 health-care workers, 171 (48.6%) reported exposure to violence during work in the past year. The verbal violence was the most common form experienced (83%). Physicians were the main exposed group (59%). Being non-Saudi HCWs, older with longer duration of experience, working in hospitals, working in the emergency room, and working in evening or night shifts were significantly associated with more exposure to violence. The unmet demand for the patient and deficient staff number were the leading reasons for aggression. Only 16.4% of assaulted HCWs reported the violent acts to the higher health affairs authority with the most frequent reasons for nonreporting were their perception that it was useless and their fear of negative consequences. Conclusions. Violence against HCWs in Arar city, KSA, is a prevalent problem. Improving health security system and increasing staffing and their training on proper dealing with violence are highly recommended. Also, enforcing rules and regulations is an important demand to control and prevent violence against HCWs.

Influenza vaccine coverage among health care workers in Victorian public hospitals

2007 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann L Bull ◽  
Noleen Bennett ◽  
Helen C Pitcher ◽  
Philip L Russo ◽  
Michael J Richards
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Vaccine Coverage ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Care Workers

scholarly journals Hand hygiene practices among health care workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care facility in Pune

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Anargh ◽  
Harpreet Singh ◽  
Aniket Kulkarni ◽  
Atul Kotwal ◽  
Ajoy Mahen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Tertiary Care Facility ◽  
Care Workers

scholarly journals COVID-19: first long-term care facility outbreak in the Netherlands following cross-border introduction from Germany, March 2020

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitch van Hensbergen ◽  
Casper D.J. den Heijer ◽  
Petra Wolffs ◽  
Volker Hackert ◽  
Henriette L.G. ter Waarbeek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Regional Hospital ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Care Workers

Abstract Background: The Dutch province of Limburg borders the German district of Heinsberg, which had a large cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to local carnival activities in February, before any cases were reported in the Netherlands. However, Heinsberg was not included as an area reporting local or community transmission per the national case definition at the time. In early March, two residents from a long-term care facility (LTCF) in Sittard, a Dutch town located in close vicinity to the district of Heinsberg, started experiencing respiratory symptoms and were admitted to the regional hospital at which they were tested for COVID-19. Introduction of the virus could have occurred following the carnival activities in the surrounding area by LTCF visitors or health care workers.Methods: Surveys and semi-structured oral interviews were conducted with all present residents by health care workers during regular points of care for information on new or unusual signs and symptoms of disease. Both throat and nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from residents suspect of COVID-19 for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and whole genome sequencing was performed using a SARS-CoV-2 specific amplicon-based Nanopore sequencing approach. Additionally, twelve random residents were sampled for possible asymptomatic infections.Results: Since the start of the outbreak, nineteen (19%) residents tested positive for COVID-19. Eleven samples were sequenced, along with three random samples from COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the regional hospital at the time of the LTCF outbreak. Conclusions: All samples were linked to COVID-19 cases from the cross-border region of Heinsberg, Germany. Symptoms were reported only in about two third of the cases, and tended to be generally mild. We therefore recommend low-level screening of HCWs and residents following a confirmed COVID-19 case, even in the absence of symptoms. Since the LTCF residents who tested positive did not meet the criteria for suspect cases of COVID-19 at the time, this highlights the importance of cooperation among cross-border partners in order to establish a coordinated implementation of infection control measures in the region on top of national guidelines to limit the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

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