Severe acute respiratory disease in health-care workers during the influenza H1N1 pandemic in Argentina

Introduction: During the 2009 influenza H1N1virus pandemic, health-care workers were exposed to elevated risk of infection. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk for severe acute respiratory disease (SARD) in this population during the pandemic period in Argentina. Methodology: we conducted a retrospective survey in which all members of the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases were invited to answer an online survey providing information on health-care staff working at their hospital or health center, who were hospitalized for SARD, between May and August 2009. Results were compared to population-based SARD surveillance data obtained from the Ministry of Public Health. Results: Fifty hospitals completed the survey. Out of a total population of 58,902 health-care workers, 41 were reported to have been hospitalized for SARD (hospitalization rate 69.6/100000), 19 of whom tested positive for H1N1 using real time polymerase chain reaction. Hospitalization rate in the general population during the same time period was 20.3/100000 (p < 0.01), thus indicating increased SARD hospitalization risk in health-care workers (OR 3.1 95% CI: 2.3 - 4.1; p < 0.01). Conclusions: During the 2009 pandemic, health-care workers in Argentina suffered increased risk of hospitalization due to SARD compared to the general population. We recommend immunization of all personnel, as well as enforcing stricter infection control measures in hospitals to prevent future transmission of influenza H1N1virus.

Download Full-text

Vaccination of Health Care Workers to Protect Patients at Increased Risk for Acute Respiratory Disease

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid1808.111355 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 1225-1234 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Gayle P. Dolan ◽

Rebecca C. Harris ◽

Mandy Clarkson ◽

Rachel Sokal ◽

Gemma Morgan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Respiratory Disease ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Acute Respiratory Disease ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk

Download Full-text

Letter to the Editor: Burnout Management among Health Care Workers in the Age of Coronavirus Disease-19

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3889/oamjms.2021.6080 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (E) ◽

pp. 382-385

Author(s):

Mohsen Khosravi ◽

Alireza Ganjali

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Warning Signs ◽

Burnout Syndrome ◽

Care Staff ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Care Providers ◽

Care Workers

AIM: We aimed to understand the early warning signs and symptoms of occupational burnout as red flags among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Based on the suggestions of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies [8], health-care providers need to be trained to increase three components of resilience across the three levels of individual, team, and organization so that they can optimally manage their psychological responses to catastrophes. RESULTS: It seems that both targeted individual and organizational strategies are critical for the overall wellness of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Health care workers experience high levels of burnout during the COVID-19, which warrants attention and support from health policy-makers and practitioners. Current evidence demonstrated that health-care staff could gain significant benefits from interventions to modify burnout syndrome, especially from organization-directed interventions.

Download Full-text

Mental illness among NHS health care workers: a survey

British Journal of Mental Health Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjmh.2019.8.3.129 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 129-135

Author(s):

Simon Sherring

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Causal Explanations ◽

Staff Members ◽

Care Workers ◽

Evil Spirits

The literature suggests that mental illness among UK health care staff is common. This study reports health care workers' knowledge and experience of mental illness. Medical staff, administration staff and other staff members employed in four NHS Trusts (n=2073) responded to a questionnaire survey. A proportion of health care workers in the NHS reported having personal (colleagues, family and self) experience of mental illness. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that are not evidence based. This study found that almost half of health care workers reported experiencing a mental illness, which could have significant implications for service delivery. Some health care workers held causal explanations of mental illness that were not evidence based; for example, some respondents reported that demonic possession or possession by evil spirits was a very good explanation for mental illness.

Download Full-text

A Personal Respirator Specification for Health-care Workers Treating COVID-19 (PeRSo)

10.31224/osf.io/rvcs3 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Paul Elkington ◽

Alexander Dickinson ◽

Mark Mavrogordato ◽

Dan Spencer ◽

Ric Gillams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Media Coverage ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

Face Mask ◽

Turnaround Time ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Care Workers

The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a rapidly spreading global pandemic. Recent media coverage has highlighted the importance of protecting health-care workers together with issues surrounding availability and suitability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Around 20% of healthcare workers treating COVID19 cases in Italy have become infected which leads to staff absence at a critical point during the pandemic, and unfortunately in some cases mortality.PPE plays a major role in control programs. Standard PPE such as N95/FFP3 facemasks have limitations such as an ineffective seal during talking or after prolonged use, face shapes which cannot be adequately fitted, and logistical issues ensuring availability of the correct mask for each person. Furthermore, global stock is low, and issues around diagnostic testing specificity and turnaround time may lead to infectious patients receiving care from health care staff who are not wearing appropriate PPE. To address acute shortcomings in PPE availability, we have developed a simple pressurised air purified respirator unit, incorporating a combination of inexpensive and widely available components parts. The prototype was developed to minimise the number and complexity of manufacturing steps with the intention that derivative versions could be developed in many different parts of the world, including low resource settings with minor modification, where transmission could be rapid amongst high population densities.The “Personal Respirator – Southampton” (PeRSo) delivers HEPA filtered air from a battery powered fan-filter assembly through a lightweight hood/face mask that can be comfortably worn for several hours. Initial user feedback provided by doctors and nurses shows the PeRSo prototype was preferred to standard N95/FFP3 masks, being more comfortable, reducing time lost placing and removing PPE between patients, and allowing better communication. Preliminary tests indicate that the device removes microbes and passes the “fit tests” widely used to evaluate face masks. Full verification of the safety and the duration of effectiveness and durability of the device is required, as part of translation into use. Rapid upscale of production is required to protect healthcare workers from infection while the global situation accelerates, so that they can look after patients during the peak of the pandemic.

Download Full-text

A tribute to nurses; the front-line soldiers who are ready to sacrifice their lives in the war against COVID-19

Rehman Journal of Health Sciences ◽

10.52442/rjhs.v2i1.26 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Aurang Zeb

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Transmission Rate ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Front Line ◽

Unique Type ◽

Care Workers ◽

The World ◽

Almost All

In the late December 2019, a unique type of pneumonia was observed in Wuhan city and was reported by China Centre for Disease Control (China CDC). The pathogen was identifed on January 07, 2020 and was named as COVID-19. The COVID-19 has transmission rate more than MERS-COV and SARS-COV. The fatality rate, so far, is around 5% that is more than the common infuenza.1 According to WHO report until the end of June, 2020, there are approximately 10 million confrmed cases worldwide with total approximately 0.5 million deaths. In Pakistan alone until now there are 0.2 million confrmed cases with more than 4000 deaths.2 The whole world is affected by this pandemic psychosocially, economically and physically. To control the spread of infection almost all the countries have started lockdowns. Majority of them are following smart lockdowns where the infected cluster population is sealed only and the restrictions on economic activities are under the safety guidelines. The scientists and medical experts are trying to develop treatment and vaccine against the infection.3 Those who have already got the infections have been quarantined and those with severe symptoms are hospitalized for treatment almost all-over the world. The health care staff including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedical staff are struggling for the prevention and cure of the disease. This struggle makes them on risk for getting infection by themselves. Thousands of doctors and nurses have already been affected by the infections and hundreds of them have sacrificed their lives in fighting against it. Among all the health care workers, nurses are the professionals who spent more time than the other with the patients and are directly involved in care of the infected patients. Over 20 million nurses worldwide are fighting as front-line soldiers against COVID-19 all-over the world4 and because of the unique patient facing nature of the profession, nurses are at high occupational risk in communities and hospitals.5 It would not be wrong to say that the most vulnerable professionals in this life-threatening pandemic are nurses. Nurses need to be supported by the government and non-governmental organizations by providing them safe environment and protective equipment. Their duties should be scheduled as per WHO recommendations and they need to be compensated in terms of treatment and screening test if anyone of them is suspected for the infection. Today, the health care workers are the real heroes and nurses are the front-line members of the team. The brave efforts of these frontline soldiers are acknowledged all over the world and they have been saluted.

Download Full-text

The Psychological Experience of Frontline Perioperative Health Care Staff in Responding to COVID-19: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.27166 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Toni Withiel ◽

Elizabeth Barson ◽

Irene Ng ◽

Reny Segal ◽

Daryl Lindsay Goulding Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Team Leadership ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Frontline Staff ◽

Care Workers ◽

Psychological Impacts

BACKGROUND The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has presented immeasurable challenges to health care workers who remain at the frontline of the pandemic. A rapidly evolving body of literature has quantitatively demonstrated significant psychological impacts of the pandemic on health care workers. However, little is known about the lived experience of the pandemic for frontline medical staff. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the qualitative experience of perioperative staff from a large trauma hospital in Melbourne, Australia. METHODS Inductive thematic analysis using a critical realist approach was used to analyze data from 9 semistructured interviews. RESULTS Four key themes were identified. Hospital preparedness related to the perceived readiness of the hospital to respond to the pandemic and encompassed key subthemes around communication of policy changes, team leadership, and resource availability. Perceptions of readiness contributed to the perceived psychological impacts of the pandemic, which were highly varied and ranged from anger to anxiety. A number of coping strategies were identified in response to psychological impacts which incorporated both internal and external coping mechanisms. Finally, adaptation with time reflected change and growth over time, and encompassed all other themes. CONCLUSIONS While frontline staff and hospitals have rapidly marshalled a response to managing the virus, relatively less consideration was seen regarding staff mental health in our study. Findings highlight the vulnerability of health care workers in response to the pandemic and reinforce the need for a coordinated approach to managing mental health.

Download Full-text

KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE WORKERS ON NEWBORN CARE COMPONENTS: A QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL COMPARATIVE STUDY

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research ◽

10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i3.16219 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 318 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pandiamunian Jayabal ◽

Ishwarya Thaniarasu

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Newborn Care ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Government Health ◽

Primary Health ◽

Care Workers

ABSTRACTObjective: This study was done to evaluate the knowledge of primary health-care workers about the newborn care components.Methods: The Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained, and a cross-sectional study was carried out among the primary health-careworkers of Karaikal using a pretested questionnaire from January 2015 to March 2015. The questionnaire contained questions on various domains ofnewborn care components. The study participants were explained about the study. Verbal informed consent was obtained, and the questionnaire wasintroduced to 383 health-care workers. The answered questionnaires were collected and analyzed.Results: A total of 349 participants (192-government employees; 157-private employees) were willing to take part in the study. Most (54.7%) of thegovernment participants were nurses and auxiliary nurse midwives (43.2%) whereas the private sector participants were predominantly (79%)nurses. The knowledge level about some of the newborn care components, namely, positioning and attachment, advice on discharge, time of follow-upcheckup, bad child rearing practices, and danger signs of newborn were assessed to be predominantly inadequate among a majority of health workersof both sectors. 22.29% and 41.1% of the private health-care workers and government health-care workers respectively, were having an overalladequate knowledge (overall score >75%) on newborn care components. Knowledge of the government health workers was significantly better thanprivate health-care staff (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Knowledge is found to be inadequate among health-care workers on some newborn care components which necessitate measures toimprove.Keywords: Newborn care, Nurses, Midwives, Inadequate knowledge, Training programs.

Download Full-text

Mental illness among NHS health care workers: a survey

British Journal of Mental Health Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjmh.2018.0022 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 129-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Simon Sherring

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Causal Explanations ◽

Staff Members ◽

Care Workers ◽

Evil Spirits

Download Full-text

FACTS, MYTHS AND INFODEMICS IN COVID-19 IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND GENERAL POPULATION: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

10.36106/ijsr/2121567 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 49-52

Author(s):

Shrivastava P ◽

Verma S ◽

Khushboo Khushboo ◽

Bhattacharya P K

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Social Media ◽

General Population ◽

Mass Media ◽

Observational Study ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

The Public ◽

Care Workers ◽

Health Related

Despite the ubiquity of health-related communications via social media, no consensus has emerged what information should be conveyed and how it should be conveyed to avoid creating panic among general population. With lockdowns social media, mass media became as a habit by people for news, information regarding COVID-19 and it is practiced even after lockdown. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mass media, social media and local news has become as the source of a toxic “infodemic” source for public. It contained both solicited and unsolicited advice. No conceptual model exists for examining the roles of media. It is important to rst assess the important mis-information, role of infodemics and prevalent casualness among the public regarding the COVID-19. Till mass vaccination is not commenced it is prudent to emphasize guidelines and practices as per COVID guidelines like social distancing, wearing mask, hand hygiene

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of health care workers and peer engagement in promoting access to health services among population at higher risk for HIV in Tanzania (KPHEALTH): study protocol for a quasi experimental trial

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-019-4675-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Elia John Mmbaga ◽

Germana Henry Leyna ◽

Melkizedeck Thomas Leshabari ◽

Britt Tersbøl ◽

Theis Lange ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

General Population ◽

Hiv Infection ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Care Workers ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Peer Engagement ◽

Improve Access

Abstract Background While there are indications of declining HIV infection rates in the general population globally, Tanzania included, men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW) and people who inject drugs (PWID), now called Key Populations (KP) for HIV epidemic have 2–20 times higher infections rates and contributes up to 30% of new HIV infection. Tanzania have developed a Comprehensive Guideline for HIV prevention among key population (CHIP) to address the epidemic among KPs. However, these populations are stigmatized and discriminated calling for innovative approaches to improve access to CHIP. This project seeks to test the effectiveness of healthcare workers and peer-to-peer engagement in promoting access to CHIP among HIV at risk populations in Tanzania. Methods A quasi-experimental design involving Dar es Salaam City as an intervention region and Tanga as a control region will be done. Using respondent driven sampling, 1800 at risk population (900 from Intervention site and 900 from control site) will be recruited at baseline to identify pull and push factors for health services access. Stakeholder’s consultation will be done to improve training contents for CHIP among health care workers and peers. Effectiveness of healthcare workers training and peer engagement will be tested using a quasi-experimental design. Discussion The results are expected to co-create service provision and improve access to services among KPs as a human right, reverse HIV infection rates among KPs and the general population, and improve social and economic wellbeing of Tanzanian. Trial registration Retrospectively registered on 28th August, 2019 with International Standard Randomized Clinical Trial Number (ISRCTN11126469).

Download Full-text