scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dentists

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsin-Chung Cheng ◽  
Yan-Ju Chang ◽  
Shin-Ru Liao ◽  
Pallop Siewchaisakul ◽  
Sam Li-Sheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Environmental Disinfection

Abstract Background This study seeks to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dentists. Methods Changes in knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors reported in 2020 (COVID-19 period) were compared to the historical control of the non-COVID-19 period in 2018. A proportional random sampling method was used to select the study samples from 400 dental institutions. The response rate was 69% in 2018 and 62.8% in 2020. A total of 276 dentists in 2018 and 251 dentists in 2020 responded to this questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the associations between factors and recommended infection control practices. Results High rates of correct COVID-19 knowledge (94.76%), fears of being infected with the virus (94%) and use of personal protective equipment (mask, glove and protection gown; 95%) were reported. We found that knowledge regarding environmental infection control, HIV transmission, and the window of HIV transmission were significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 period compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. High compliance rates of wearing mask, gloves and protection were reported. The number of dentists wearing a hair cap and a protective eye mask/face shield during the pandemic significantly increased compared with that noted before the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with the use of a hair cap and an eye mask/face shield differed between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. The factors associated with compliance regarding environment infection control also differed between the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The significant impact of COVID-19 on the knowledge, attitude, and infection control behaviors among dental care workers was observed in the current study. In particular, the use of hair caps and protective eye mask or face shields as well as environmental disinfection protocols has significantly improved. Trial registration TMU-JIRB: N201804006.

scholarly journals Occupational burnout following the first wave of coronavirus disease at a Welsh district general hospital

2021 ◽  
pp. 175114372110100
Author(s):  
Gayathri Chinnappa Srinivas ◽  
Anwen Whitham ◽  
Rachel Rouse ◽  
Vincent Hamlyn ◽  
Matthew Williams
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
District General Hospital ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Direct Patient Care ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Occupational Burnout ◽  
Staff Burnout ◽  
The Impact

A survey was conducted to identify the prevalence of occupational burnout amongst health care professionals caring for COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Welsh hospital. The response rate was 79%. Nurses and other staff reassigned to work in the ICU had higher levels of burnout. Working in Personal Protective Equipment was most distressing, followed by direct patient care. There were positive outcomes including learning opportunities, professional development and job satisfaction. The impact of the pandemic on staff burnout may have been mitigated by acknowledging the contribution of staff, improving communication and encouraging them to access support.

scholarly journals Retrospective Study on Personal Protective Equipment During Pandemic Link to Outbreak of Carbpenem-Resistant Enterobacteriace

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s9-s10
Author(s):  
Kenisha Evans ◽  
Jennifer LeRose ◽  
Angela Beatriz Cruz ◽  
Lavina Jabbo ◽  
Teena Chopra
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
The Impact

Background: In 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), had cost the lives of >35,000 patients, particularly the most virulent plasmid-mediated New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM). Although healthcare systems normally have strict surveillance and infection control measures for CRE, the rapid emergence of novel SAR-CoV-2 and COVID-19 led to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. As a result, routine infection practices, such as contact precautions, were violated. Studies have shown this depletion and shift in resources compromised the control of infections such CRE leading to rising horizontal transmission. Method: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare system in Detroit, Michigan, to determine the impact of PPE shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic on NDM infection rates. The following periods were established during 2020 based on PPE availability: (1) pre-PPE shortage (January–June), (2) PPE shortage (July–October), and (3) post-PPE shortage (November–December). Rates of NDM per 10,000 patient days were compared between periods using the Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. Isolates were confirmed resistant by NDM by molecular typing performed by the Michigan State Health Department. Patient characteristics were gathered by medical chart review and patient interviews by telephone. Results: Overall, the average rate of NDM infections was 1.82 ±1.5 per 10,000 patient days. Rates during the PPE shortage were significantly higher, averaging 3.6 ±1.1 cases per 10,000 patient days (P = .02). During this time, several infections occurred within patients on the same unit and/or patients with same treating team, suggesting possible horizontal transmission. Once PPE stock was replenished and isolation practices were reinstated, NDM infection rates decreased to 0.77 ±1.1 per 10,000 patient days. Conclusion: Control of CRE requires strategic planning with active surveillance, antimicrobial constructs, and infection control measures. The study illustrates that in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden of effective infection control requires much more multidisciplinary efforts to prevent unintentional lapses in patient safety. A swift response by the state and local health departments at a tertiary-care healthcare center conveyed a positive mitigation of the highest clinical threats and decreased horizontal transmission of disease.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Teaching Adequate Prehospital Use of Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Development of a Gamified e-Learning Module

10.2196/20173 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e20173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mélanie Suppan ◽  
Birgit Gartner ◽  
Eric Golay ◽  
Loric Stuby ◽  
Marion White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Learning Module ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Impact

Background The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Adequate use of this equipment is more critical than ever because the risk of shortages must be balanced against the need to effectively protect health care workers, including prehospital personnel. Specific training is therefore necessary; however, the need for social distancing has markedly disrupted the delivery of continuing education courses. Electronic learning (e-learning) may provide significant advantages because it requires neither the physical presence of learners nor the repetitive use of equipment for demonstration. Objective Inclusion of game mechanics, or “gamification,” has been shown to increase knowledge and skill acquisition. The objective of this research was to develop a gamified e-learning module to interactively deliver concepts and information regarding the correct choice and handling of PPE. Methods The SERES framework was used to define and describe the development process, including scientific and design foundations. After we defined the target audience and learning objectives by interviewing the stakeholders, we searched the scientific literature to establish relevant theoretical bases. The learning contents were validated by infection control and prehospital experts. Learning mechanics were then determined according to the learning objectives, and the content that could benefit from the inclusion of game mechanics was identified. Results The literature search resulted in the selection and inclusion of 12 articles. In addition to gamification, pretesting, feedback, avoiding content skipping, and demonstrations using embedded videos were used as learning mechanics. Gamification was used to enhance the interactivity of the PPE donning and doffing sequences, which presented the greatest learning challenges. The module was developed with Articulate Storyline 3 to ensure that it would be compatible with a wide array of devices, as this software generates HTML5-compatible output that can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, and regular computers as long as a recent browser is available. Conclusions A gamified e-learning module designed to promote better knowledge and understanding of PPE use among prehospital health care workers was created by following the SERES framework. The impact of this module should now be assessed by means of a randomized controlled trial.

scholarly journals A Cross-Sectional Study on Oyo State Health Care Workers Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olubunmi Ayinde ◽  
Aishat Bukola Usman ◽  
Posi Aduroja ◽  
Abass Gbolahan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Good Knowledge ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
State Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

Abstract Background Health workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response and as such are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection. Poor knowledge among HCWs and inadequate infection control practices may lead to the increased risk of COVID-19 nosocomial transmission. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of Oyo state health care workers on COVID-19 as part of emergency preparedness. Methods A hospital based cross-sectional survey was conducted in selected health facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 350 HCWs were assessed for the knowledge, attitudes and practices on COVID-19 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify predictors of good knowledge at 95% confidence interval. with Epi-info software. Results The level of good knowledge on COVID-19 was 78.6% and positive attitude was 64% among the respondents. Majority of respondents practice safe measures in the prevention of COVID-19 including washing of hands (95.3%), routine cleaning (82.7%) and high-level disinfection (83.9%). However, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was low (56.8%). Predictors of good knowledge on COVID-19 were being a female HCW [Adjusted Odd’s Ratio(AOR) = 6.5 95% CI 1.0-17.2], ≥ 10 years length in service[AOR = 5.2 95%CI 2.7–18.9] and being a secondary or tertiary facility[ AOR = 3.6 95%CI 1.7–32.2]. Conclusions Overall knowledge and attitude were satisfactory however the practices of HCWs on the use of personal protective equipment was not satisfactory. Effective infection control measures including regular skill-based training and/or orientation for all categories of HCWs can improve infection control practices in health facilities.

scholarly journals Identifying and Implementing Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Self-Contamination of Health Care Workers Caused by Doffing of Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Sai Saran ◽  
Mohan Gurjar ◽  
Atul Garg
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
The Self ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Recent Information ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Implementing Strategies

ABSTRACT During the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it is estimated that tens of thousands of health care workers have been infected. The doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been identified an important place and procedure that might influence the self-contamination of health care workers. More recent evidence suggests that, in addition to existing infection control standards, there is an urgent need for the incorporation of various recent information and advancements pertaining to structure and process to reduce the self-contamination of health care workers during the doffing of PPE.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF A SINGLE TUTORIAL SESSION ON THE TECHNIQUE OF USING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT BY HEALTH CARE WORKERS

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1765-70
Author(s):  
Jamal Azfar Khan ◽  
Asif Ali ◽  
Farzana Muneer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tutorial Session ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Surgical Masks ◽  
The Impact

Objective: To determine the impact of a single tutorial session on the technique of donning and doffing the personal protective equipment by health care workers. Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: CMH Landi Kotal Cantt, from 1st March 2020 to 10th June 2020. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 62 health workers, working in CMH Landi Kotal Cantt. They were asked to demonstrate donning and doffing surgical masks, gowns and gloves and the steps were evaluated as per a standardized checklist. Then, the participants were given a single tutorial of the donning and doffing technique of personal protective equipment. They were asked to demonstrate their technique of personal protective equipment use one week, one month and three months after the tutorial. Any improvement was recorded in the checklist used earlier. Results: The correct donning and doffing technique of personal protective equipment were demonstrated by 22 and 14 participants respectively before the tutorial. When evaluated one week after the tutorial, this number increased to 48 and 38 respectively, showing significant improvement (p<0.05). The technique of personal protective equipment use deteriorated significantly one month of the tutorial and deteriorated further after three months (p<0.05). The most common fault while donning and doffing the equipment was the incorrect donning sequence, and self-contamination while taking off the gloves, respectively. Conclusion: A single tutorial session results in significant improvement in the technique of using personal protective equipment by health care workers but the effect is lost over time.

Factors Promoting Consistent Adherence to Safe Needle Precautions Among Hospital Workers

2004 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 548-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Vaughn ◽  
Kimberly D. McCoy ◽  
Susan E. Beekmann ◽  
Robert F. Woolson ◽  
James C. Torner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Body Fluid ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Full Time ◽  
American Hospital ◽  
American Hospital Association

AbstractObjective:To examine organizational factors and occupational characteristics associated with adherence to occupational safety guidelines recommending never recapping needles.Design:Mail surveys were conducted with healthcare workers (HCWs) and infection control professionals (ICPs).Setting:The surveys were conducted at all non-federal general hospitals in Iowa, except one tertiary-care hospital. Survey data were linked to annual survey data of the American Hospital Association (AHA).Participants:HCWs were sampled from statewide rosters of physicians, nurses, and laboratory workers in Iowa. Eligible HCWs worked in a setting and position in which they were likely to routinely handle needles. ICPs at all hospitals in the state were surveyed.Results:Ninety-nine ICPs responded (79% response rate). AHA data were available for all variables from 84 (85%) of the hospitals. Analyses were based on 1,454 HCWs who identified one of these hospitals as their primary hospital (70% response rate). Analyses were conducted using multiple logistic regression. Positive predictors of consistent adherence included infection control personnel hours per full-time–equivalent employee (odds ratio [OR], 1.03), frequency of standard precautions education (OR, 1.11), facilities providing personal protective equipment (OR, 1.82), facilities using needleless intravenous systems (OR, 1.42), and management support for safety (OR, 1.05). Negative predictors were use of “blood and body fluid precautions” isolation category (OR, 0.74) and increased job demands (OR, 0.90).Conclusion:Healthcare organizations can improve staff safety by investing wisely in educational programs regarding approaches to minimize these risks, providing protective equipment, and eliminating the use of blood and body fluid precautions as an isolation policy.

scholarly journals Racial Disparity in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Are Blunted in the Era Novel Therapies

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 2525-2525
Author(s):  
Leon Bernal-Mizrachi ◽  
Ajay K Nooka ◽  
Chandra Pooja ◽  
Monica S Chatwal ◽  
Sungjin Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Novel Agents ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Indolent Disease ◽  
The Impact ◽  
White Patients

Abstract Background: Multiple myeloma is the most common hematological malignancy among african americans (AA). Prior studies have shown conflicting results for outcomes based upon ethnicity following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, much of this data is older, and predates the use of novel agents such as bortezomib (V), lenalidomide (R) and thalidomide (T). Methodology: We performed a retrospective analysis of 292 patients (147 AA and 145 Caucasian) treated with novel agents (proteasome inhibitors or immune modulators) and ASCT from 2006 to 2012 at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University to evaluate the impact of ethnicity on outcomes. Results: Baseline characteristics such as stage (International Staging System, ISS), presence of lytic lesions or plasmacytomas, immunoglobulin subtype, and cytogenetic risk category at presentation, were comparable between AA and white patients. Among AA, 112 (76.19%) patients received bortezomib containing regimens (VRD: 34.8%, VTD: 22.3%, VDTPACE:11%, VDD:10%, VD:19% and others bortezomib regimens 8%), 54 (36.7%) patients received lenalidomide (VRD: 34.8% or RD: 11.6%) and 72 (49%) patients received thalidomide (VTD: 22.3% or TD: 11.6%). In white patients 113 (77.93%) received bortezomib containing regimens (VRD: 33.1%, VTD: 17.2%, VDTPACE:9.6%, VDD: 1.4% and VD:11.7% and other bortezomib regimens 1.3%), 69 (47.6%) patients received lenalidomide containing regimens (VRD:33.1% and RD:11%) and 62 (42.8%) patients received thalidomide containing regimens (VTD: 17.2% or TD: 15%). A higher percentage of patients in the white cohort carried the antecedent diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy in white patients (AA:0 vs white: 4.8%, p=0.007), and as expected, AA patients presented at a younger age when compared with whites (mean age of 55 vs 59 years, respectively, p<0.001). The overall response rate (ORR) of induction in the entire population was 86%, with an >VGPR of 58.8%. No difference was identified in pre-transplant ORR and >VGPR between AA (87.9% and 25.9%, respectively) and white patients (81.54% and 22.4%, respectively, p>0.1). Similarly, the ORR and >VGPR 100 days after transplantation was comparable between both ethnic groups (AA: OR:90.74% and >VGPR:74.07% vs white OR:90.65% and >VGPR: 77.57%, p>0.1). The depth of response after ASCT improved similarly in both groups (AA: 57.3% vs white: 67.7%, p=0.1). When the overall survival and progression free survival where evaluated, we found no significant differences between both cohorts. Factors associated with longer PFS in the population studied include AA race and the introduction of lenalidomide in the induction regimen. In AA patients univariate analysis identified early stage at presentation, indolent disease (prolong time from diagnosis to transplant), optimal pre-transplant response, and pre-transplant use of lenalidomide (HR:0.38 (0.18-0.8), p=0.01) as factors that potentially prolong PFS. Multivariate analysis identified the use of lenalidomide, as part of the pretransplant regimen, to reduce the risk of relapse (HR:0.38 (0.18-0.8), p=0.01) compared to bortezomib use (HR: 5.3 (2.11-11.98), p<0.001). In white patients, univariate and multivariate analysis identified that IgG and kappa light chain MM and indolent disease were factors associated with longer PFS, while history of plasma cell leukemia was related to shorter PFS. In conclusion, our results showed that novel agents have improved the response rate of both ethnic populations. From our preliminary analysis, it appears the PFS is longer among AA patients, suggesting a potential difference in MM biology of this patient population. Disclosures Lonial: Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Onyx Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding.

scholarly journals Teaching Adequate Prehospital Use of Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Development of a Gamified e-Learning Module (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mélanie Suppan ◽  
Birgit Gartner ◽  
Eric Golay ◽  
Loric Stuby ◽  
Marion White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Learning Module ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Adequate use of this equipment is more critical than ever because the risk of shortages must be balanced against the need to effectively protect health care workers, including prehospital personnel. Specific training is therefore necessary; however, the need for social distancing has markedly disrupted the delivery of continuing education courses. Electronic learning (e-learning) may provide significant advantages because it requires neither the physical presence of learners nor the repetitive use of equipment for demonstration. OBJECTIVE Inclusion of game mechanics, or “gamification,” has been shown to increase knowledge and skill acquisition. The objective of this research was to develop a gamified e-learning module to interactively deliver concepts and information regarding the correct choice and handling of PPE. METHODS The SERES framework was used to define and describe the development process, including scientific and design foundations. After we defined the target audience and learning objectives by interviewing the stakeholders, we searched the scientific literature to establish relevant theoretical bases. The learning contents were validated by infection control and prehospital experts. Learning mechanics were then determined according to the learning objectives, and the content that could benefit from the inclusion of game mechanics was identified. RESULTS The literature search resulted in the selection and inclusion of 12 articles. In addition to gamification, pretesting, feedback, avoiding content skipping, and demonstrations using embedded videos were used as learning mechanics. Gamification was used to enhance the interactivity of the PPE donning and doffing sequences, which presented the greatest learning challenges. The module was developed with Articulate Storyline 3 to ensure that it would be compatible with a wide array of devices, as this software generates HTML5-compatible output that can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, and regular computers as long as a recent browser is available. CONCLUSIONS A gamified e-learning module designed to promote better knowledge and understanding of PPE use among prehospital health care workers was created by following the SERES framework. The impact of this module should now be assessed by means of a randomized controlled trial.

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