Encouraging practitioners in infection prevention and control to publish: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are crucial to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the levels and determinants of HCWs’ IPC behaviors based on the theoretical domains framework (TDF), which has been shown to be effective in guiding behavior change. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Wuhan, China in January 2020. Self-reported hand hygiene and droplet isolation behaviors (including the use of masks, gloves, goggles and gowns) were set as dependent variables. TDF domains and HCWs’ characteristics were independent variables. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed to explore their relationships. Results HCWs reported good IPC behaviors, while the compliance with goggle and gown use was relatively low (below 85%). Environmental context and resources domain was significantly related to hand hygiene (β = 0.018, p = 0.026), overall droplet isolation behaviors (β = 0.056, p = 0.001), goggle (β = 0.098, p = 0.001) and gown use (β = 0.101. p < 0.001). Knowledge domain was significantly related to goggle (β = 0.081, p = 0.005) and gown use (β = 0.053, p = 0.013). Emotion domain was a predictor of overall droplet isolation behaviors (β = 0.043, p = 0.016), goggle (β = 0.074, p = 0.026) and gown use (β = 0.106, p < 0.001). Social influences domain was a predictor of overall droplet isolation behaviors (β = 0.031, p = 0.029) and gown use (β = 0.039, p = 0.035). HCWs in high-risk departments had better behaviors of gown use (β = 0.158, p = 0.032). HCWs who had encountered confirmed or suspected patients reported worse behaviors of goggle (β = − 0.127, p = 0.050) and gown use (β = − 0.153, p = 0.003). Conclusions Adequate personal protective materials and human resources, education and training, as well as supervision and role model setting are necessary to improve IPC behaviors regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of COVID-19 guidelines among health care workers in Alex Ekwueme Federal University teaching hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20205828 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 39

Author(s):

Okechukwu B. Anozie ◽

Arinze C. Ikeotuonye ◽

Ephraim I. Nwokporo ◽

Chidi U. Esike ◽

Richard L. Ewah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

University Teaching ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attitude And Practice ◽

And Control

Background: COVID-19 is a major Public Health challenge that has affected the world’s economy. Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practices of Healthcare workers (HCWs) towards COVID-19 can improve or sustain the successes recorded by relevant agencies in the fight against COVID-19.Methods: a cross-sectional survey was done using semi-structured questionnaires and simple sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 22.Results: Out of the 368 respondents, 205 were doctors while 150 were nurses. Others were clerical workers, administrative officers and maintenance workers. Knowledge of COVID-19 was generally high amongst respondents recording a correct response to questions about knowledge of COVID-19 in more than 90% of the case. However, the attitude and practice of COVID-19 infection, prevention and control protocols were poor. Out of the respondents, 41.8% would not stay at home if they had minor COVID-19 like symptoms; only 39.4% would take responsibility to ensure people around them follow good respiratory hygiene. Respondents who would keep social distancing while talking with co-workers, ensure safe disposal of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and safe waste management of PPEs were 56%, 39.9% and 53.8% respectively.Conclusions: Knowledge of COVID-19 prevention protocols is high but attitude/practice of these laid out protocols still desires a lot of effort from HCWs. There is need for training/retraining of HCWs on COVID-19 infection, prevention and control strategies to ensure the success being recorded against the disease is sustained while preventing the possibility of a second wave of infection.

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Infection prevention and control situation in public hospitals of Islamabad

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.12779 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (09) ◽

pp. 1040-1046

Author(s):

Saba Savul ◽

Farida Khurram Lalani ◽

Aamer Ikram ◽

Muhammad Amjad Khan ◽

Mumtaz Ali Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

World Health ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

And Control

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections represent a global public health challenge and are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a neglected area in healthcare facilities across Pakistan. The objective of our study was to elucidate the current state of infection prevention and control practices in public sector hospitals of Islamabad to underscore potential areas for improvement. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November and December 2019 at five public sector hospitals of Islamabad. The World Health Organization’s Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) was used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of hospitals regarding infection prevention and control. Adapted tools derived from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Infection Prevention Society were used for detailed assessment of various departments. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016. Results: In all five hospitals, the total IPCAF score was less than 200 denoting that infection prevention and control implementation is deficient and significant improvement is needed. The median IPCAF score was 117.5 with an interquartile range of 53.75. With the exception of central sterile services unit at one hospital, departments at all hospitals failed to meet even 50% of required IPC standards. Conclusions: Significant change is needed to improve the existent situation of infection prevention and control in public sector hospitals of Islamabad. This would involve establishment of functional programs, development and implementation of infection prevention and control guidelines and provision of adequate supplies.

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Preparedness for COVID-19 by Primary Healthcare Workers in Rivers State, Nigeria: Facility Cross-sectional Survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-51606/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Clement Kevin Edet ◽

Anthony Ike Wegbom ◽

Prof. Victor Alangibi Kiri

Keyword(s):

Primary Healthcare ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Preventive Practices ◽

Rivers State ◽

And Control

Abstract Introduction: The primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) face a higher risk of infection associated with their occupation, due to inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), inappropriate use of PPEs, and insufficient knowledge on infection prevention and control. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the preparedness for COVID-19 by PHCWs in Rivers State, Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving the healthcare workers at the public primary healthcare facilities across the 23 local government areas (LGAs) of Rivers State, Nigeria. The descriptive statistics of mean ± standard deviation and percentage were used to present quantitative and categorical variables respectively. The preparedness for COVID-19 was measured by knowledge, attitude and preventive practices (KAP) towards the disease. The association between the KAP and demographic characteristics was tested with the Chi-square test, while the associations existing among the KAP constituents were evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient. Statistical significance was evaluated at P<0.05. Results: Out of 460 questionnaires distributed, 412 respondents participated in the survey, indicating a response rate of 89.6%. The proportion of respondents with good scores in knowledge, attitude, and COVID-19 related practices was 86.4% (10.66 ± 2.40), 85.0% (8.28 ± 1.94), and 97.3% (8.34 ± 1.39) respectively. Gender, occupation, and years of experience were associated with knowledge, while years of experience and marital status were associated with attitude and preventive practices. Knowledge score also had significant positive linear associations with both attitudes and practices ( scores toward COVID-19. Conclusion: Our findings revealed the level of PHCWs preparedness to fight COVID-19 in Rivers State. We suggest that public health education programs on infection prevention and control should be sustained. Furthermore, training should be tailored to meet the peculiarities of the different categories of healthcare workers and years of practice.

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Infection prevention and control practices related to carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in acute-care hospitals in Ontario, Canada

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2019.173 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (9) ◽

pp. 1006-1012 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alainna J. Jamal ◽

Felipe Garcia-Jeldes ◽

Mahin Baqi ◽

Sergio Borgia ◽

Jennie Johnstone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Care ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Acute Care Hospitals ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Admission Screening ◽

And Control

AbstractObjective:To determine infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), an emerging threat, at acute-care hospitals in Ontario, Canada.Design:A descriptive cross-sectional survey.Methods:We surveyed IPAC directors and managers at all acute-care hospitals in Ontario, Canada, to gather information on IPAC practices related to CPE, including admission screening, other patient screening, environmental testing, use of precautions to prevent transmission, and outbreak management.Results:Of 116 acute-care hospitals, 105 (91%) responded. Admission screening included patients previously colonized or infected with CPE (n = 64, 61%), patients recently hospitalized outside of Canada (Indian subcontinent, n = 62, 59%; other countries, n = 56, 53%), and patients recently hospitalized in Canada (n = 22, 21%). Fifty-one hospitals (49%) screened patients for colonization during an outbreak. Almost all hospitals (n = 101, 96%) used precautions to prevent transmission from patients with CPE colonization or infection; most hospitals (n = 54, 53%) continued precautions indefinitely. Few hospitals (n = 19, 18%) performed environmental cultures. Eight hospitals (8%) reported at least 1 outbreak, and 6 hospitals (6%) reported transmission from sink or shower drains to patients.Conclusions:Variability in practices may result from lack of evidence and challenges in updating guidelines as evidence emerges. A coordinated approach to slow the emergence of CPE should be considered in our population.

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Infection control practices and challenges in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentre cross-sectional study

Journal of Infection Prevention ◽

10.1177/17571774211012761 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 175717742110127

Author(s):

Salma Abbas ◽

Faisal Sultan

Keyword(s):

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

And Control

Background: Patient and staff safety at healthcare facilities during outbreaks hinges on a prompt infection prevention and control response. Physicians leading these programmes have encountered numerous obstacles during the pandemic. Aim/objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate infection prevention and control practices and explore the challenges in Pakistan during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and administered a survey to physicians leading infection prevention and control programmes at 18 hospitals in Pakistan. Results: All participants implemented universal masking, limited the intake of patients and designated separate triage areas, wards and intensive care units for coronavirus disease 2019 patients at their hospitals. Eleven (61%) physicians reported personal protective equipment shortages. Staff at three (17%) hospitals worked without the appropriate personal protective equipment due to limited supplies. All participants felt overworked and 17 (94%) reported stress. Physicians identified the lack of negative pressure rooms, fear and anxiety among hospital staff, rapidly evolving guidelines, personal protective equipment shortages and opposition from hospital staff regarding the choice of recommended personal protective equipment as major challenges during the pandemic. Discussion: The results of this study highlight the challenges faced by physicians leading infection prevention and control programmes in Pakistan. It is essential to support infection prevention and control personnel and bridge the identified gaps to ensure patient and staff safety at healthcare facilities.

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Infection Prevention and Control

Textbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-59403-9_9 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 99-116

Author(s):

Anna L. Costa ◽

Gaetano Pierpaolo Privitera ◽

Giorgio Tulli ◽

Giulio Toccafondi

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Management ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Clinical Risk Management ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthcare Associated ◽

And Control ◽

Avoidable Risk

AbstractHealthcare-associated infections (HAI) are adverse events exposing patients to a potentially avoidable risk of morbidity and mortality. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly contributing to the burden of HAIs and emerging as of the most alarming challenges for public health worldwide. Practically, harm mitigation and risk containment demand cross-sectional initiatives incorporate both approaches to infection prevention and control and methodologies from clinical risk management.

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Personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control: a national survey of UK medical students and interim foundation doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/pubmed/fdaa187 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Jane Norton ◽

Ioannis Georgiou ◽

Alex Fung ◽

Armin Nazari ◽

Soham Bandyopadhyay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Online Survey ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Multi Centre Study ◽

And Control

Abstract Background The adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) training in UK medical students and interim Foundation Year 1 (FiY1) doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown, as is its impact on COVID-19-related anxiety. Methods Cross-sectional, multi-centre study analysing self-reported adequacy of PPE and IPC training and correlation to a modified pandemic anxiety scale. Participants were current medical students and FiY1 doctors in the UK. Data were collected by an online survey. Results Participants reported that they received insufficient PPE information (43%) and IPC training (56%). Significantly, fewer participants identifying as women or BAME/mixed ethnicity reported receiving sufficient PPE information, compared with those identifying as men and White British/White Other, respectively. COVID-19-related anxiety was significantly higher in those without sufficient reported PPE or IPC training, in women compared with men, and in FiY1 doctors compared with medical students. Conclusions With medical students currently volunteering in and imminently returning to hospitals in an educational capacity, levels of self-reported PPE and IPC training are sub-optimal. Better training is paramount to avoid harm to patients and healthcare professionals and to reduce COVID-19-related anxiety among medical students and FiY1 doctors.

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