Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and risk factors in health care workers

Przeglad Epidemiologiczny ◽

10.32394/74.52 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 606-619

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Medical Doctors ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

The People ◽

Reliable Assessment ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Gender Knowledge ◽

Reporting Method

The COVID-19 pandemic verifies the preparation of medical care in individual countries in terms of the fluent of guaranteed medical services provided to the people in need. Due to the easy spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus when in direct contact with the patients, health care workers are at an increased risk of infection. Nurses and auxiliary staff, as well as medical doctors, were most frequently infected. The prevalence of infection depends on the adopted reporting method, including the diagnostic test used to recognize the infection, the nature of the work performed, but also on the gender, knowledge, and individual behavior of employees while performing their professional duties. It ranges from 5-30% depending on the country and the occupational group, and the highest rates were recorded in the initial phase of the pandemic. A review of the literature shows the lack of a uniform, transparent system of reporting infections in health care workers, which makes a reliable assessment of the epidemiological situation in this area difficult.

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Health care workers and HIV/AIDS: A critical review of the literature

Social Science & Medicine ◽

10.1016/0277-9536(95)00030-b ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 1535-1567 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Janet M. Horsman ◽

Paschal Sheeran

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Critical Review ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Care Workers ◽

Hiv Aids

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Vaccination willingness for COVID-19 among health care workers in Switzerland

10.1101/2021.07.04.21255203 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kathrin Zuercher ◽

Catrina Mugglin ◽

Matthias Egger ◽

Sandro Mueller ◽

Michael Fluri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Vaccination Campaign ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Willingness To Accept ◽

Medical Doctors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Care Workers ◽

Vaccination Hesitancy

Aims of the study: Vaccination is regarded as the most promising response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed opinions towards COVID-19 vaccination, willingness to be vaccinated, and reasons for vaccination hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey among 3,793 HCWs in December 2020 in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland, before the start of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Results: Median age was 43 years (interquartile range [IQR] 31-53), 2,841 were female (74.9%). 1,511 HCWs (39.8%) reported willingness to accept vaccination, while 1,114 (29.4%) were unsure, and 1,168 (30.8%) would decline vaccination. Among medical doctors, 76.1% were willing, while only 27.8% of nurses expressed willingness. Among 1,168 HCWs who would decline vaccination, 1,073 (91.9%) expressed concerns about vaccine safety and side effects. The willingness of HCWs to be vaccinated was associated with older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.97, 95%Cl 1.71-2.27) and having been vaccinated for influenza this year (aOR 2.70, 95%Cl 2.20-3.31). HCWs who reported a lack of confidence in government were less likely to be willing to be vaccinated (aOR 0.58, 95%Cl 0.40-0.84), and women were less willing to be vaccinated than men (OR 0.33 (0.28-0.38). Conclusion: Less than half of HCWs reported willingness to be vaccinated before the campaign start, but proportions varied greatly depending on the profession and workplace. Strategies with clear and objective messages that particularly address the concerns of HCWs are needed if their willingness to be vaccinated is to be increased.

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PREVALENCE OF LATENT TB INFECTION AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS, ALJAZEERA STATE TB CENTERS, SUDAN

International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH ◽

10.29121/granthaalayah.v5.i12.2017.532 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (12) ◽

pp. 465-470

Author(s):

Juhaina Abdulraiem AL Mosharaf ◽

Adam Abdalla Mater

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Skin Test ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Latent Tuberculosis ◽

Health Care Facilities ◽

Control Measures ◽

Treatment Center ◽

Infection Control Measures ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk

Health care workers (HCW) are at increased risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) from occupational exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objective was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for LTBI among primary HCW in Aljazeera state Sudan. We conducted an analytical study, among HCW in TB treatment center using a structured questionnaire and an evaluated for LTBI using the tuberculin skin test among 367 HCW, the LTBI prevalence was 35.7%. (64.5%), We found that the following factors associated with LTBI in HCW were in age group 30-40 years was 63% ,75.2% of the participants didn't do the skin test for TB, and the high risk among the lab technician represented 41.2%. Our study recommended implementation of sound TB infection control measures in all health care facilities with patients suspected of having infectious.

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Attitudes towards preventive tuberculosis treatment among hospital staff

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.1738 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. e1738 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Vidya Pathak ◽

Zinta Harrington ◽

Claudia C. Dobler

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Test Results ◽

Tb Treatment ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Latent Tb

Background.Healthcare workers have an increased risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), but previous studies suggested that they might be reluctant to accept preventive tuberculosis (TB) treatment. We aimed to examine doctors’ and nurses’ experience of TB screening and to explore their attitudes towards preventive TB treatment.Methods.We conducted a survey among randomly selected healthcare workers at a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia, using a paper-based questionnaire.Results.A total of 1,304 questionnaires were distributed and 311 (24%) responses were received. The majority of hospital staff supported preventive TB treatment in health care workers with evidence of latent TB infection (LTBI) in general (74%, 164/223) and for them personally (81%, 198/244) while 80 and 53 healthcare workers respectively had no opinion on the topic. Staff working in respiratory medicine were significantly less likely to support preventive TB treatment in health care workers in general or for them personally if they would have evidence of LTBI compared to other specialties (p= 0.001). Only 13% (14/106) of respondents with evidence of LTBI indicated that they had been offered preventive TB treatment. Twenty-one percent (64/306) of respondents indicated that they did not know the difference between active and latent TB. Among staff who had undergone testing for LTBI, only 33% (75/230) felt adequately informed about the meaning of their test results.Discussion.Hospital staff in general had positive attitudes towards preventive TB treatment, but actual treatment rates were low and perceived knowledge about LTBI was insufficient among a significant proportion of staff. The gap between high support for preventive TB treatment among staff and low treatment rates needs to be addressed. Better education on the concept of LTBI and the meaning of screening test results is required.

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Development of an Objective Risk Stratification Tool to facilitate workplace assessments of healthcare workers when dealing with the CoViD-19 pandemic

10.1101/2020.05.05.20091967 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

W David Strain ◽

Janusz Jankowski ◽

Angharad Davies ◽

Peter MB English ◽

Ellis Friedman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Risk Stratification ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

List Type ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Objective Risk ◽

Risk Stratification Tool

SummaryHealthcare workers have a greater exposure to individuals with confirmed SARS-novel coronavirus 2, and thus a higher probability of contracting coronavirus disease (CoViD)-19, than the general population. Employers have a duty of care to minimise the risk for their employees. Several bodies including the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, NHS Employers, and Public Health England have published a requirement to perform risk assessments for all health care workers, however, with the absence of an objective risk stratification tool, comparing assessments between individuals is difficult if not impossible. Using published data, we explored the predictive role of basic demographics such as age, sex, ethnicity and comorbidities in order to establish an objective risk stratification tool that could help risk allocate duties to health care workers. We developed an objective risk stratification tool using a Caucasian female <50years of age with no comorbidities as a reference. Each point allocated to risk factors was associated with an approximate doubling in risk. This tool was then validated against the primary care-based analysis. This tool provides objective support for employers when determining which healthcare workers should be allocated to high-risk vs. lower risk patient facing clinical duties or to remote supportive roles.Strengths and limitations of this studyThere is an increased risk of mortality in the clinical workforce due to the effects of CoViD-19.This manuscript outlines a simple risk stratification tool that helps to quantify an individual’s biological riskThis will assist team leaders when allocating roles within clinical departments.This tool does not incorporate other external factors, such as high-risk household members or those at higher risk of mental health issues, that may require additional consideration when allocating clinical duties in an appropriate clinical domain.This population-based analysis did not explain for the very high risk observed in BAME healthcare workers suggesting there are other issues at play that require addressing. BAME healthcare workers suggesting there are other issues at play that require addressing.

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Resolving conflict at work: what a nurse should know and take / Rešavanje konflikta na poslu: šta medicinska sestra treba da zna i preduzme

SESTRINSKI ŽURNAL ◽

10.7251/sez0114050s ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 50

Author(s):

Ankica Stajić Vujić

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Human Life ◽

Health Centre ◽

Knowing That ◽

Conflict Situations ◽

The People ◽

Care Workers

Conflicts are part of our everyday life. They are inevitable companions in every sphere of human activity. Health care workers, as well as all the people who directly communicate with others, entering into conflict situations more often and several times a day. In contrast, health professionals do not have much knowledge about the sources of conflict and ways to solve them. The Health Centre Bijeljina in 2010 introduced ISO standards 9001, under which it was adopted and procedures: Managing appeals to us. Health care professionals are invited to efficiently resolve conflicts, knowing that they themselves created, and they are an essential part of human life. The results show that the application of the standards effective in resolving conflicts and conflict situations in the DZ-Bijeljina.

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COVID-19: A 2020 update

Indian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.25259/ijms_123_2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 ◽

pp. 88-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Nadir Bhuiyan ◽

Ravindra Ganesh ◽

Amit K. Ghosh

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Global Health ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Medical Literature ◽

Digital Health ◽

Shortness Of Breath ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Global Health Care ◽

Novel Coronavirus

The 2019 COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the global health-care system into a chaotic flux. Consolidating and reviewing all available knowledge will be crucial to combating the spread of this novel coronavirus. Prevention is paramount, but health care workers are at increased risk, and protective supplies are being limited and being rationed. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Hospitalizations are estimated to occur in about 20% of cases and are mostly due to pneumonia.[1] While multiple promising treatments are being reported in the medical literature; there is limited, reliable clinical data are available. To minimize exposure of medical staff to contagious patients and to provide rapid escalation of care to these patients, a telehealth strategy could be leveraged. Such a strategy would entail the use of both telemedicine visits for communication and digital health platforms for monitoring.

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