Mary T Bessesen1, Susan Rattigan2, John Frederick3, Derek A T Cummings4, Charlotte A Gaydos5, Cynthia L Gibert6, Geoffrey J Gorse7, Ann-Christine Nyquist8, Connie S Price9, Nicholas G Reich10, Michael S Simberkoff11, Alexandria C Brown10, Lewis J Radonovich12, Trish M Perl13, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas14. 1. Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Healthcare System, Aurora, CO, USA; University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. Electronic address: Mary.Bessesen@cuanschutz.edu. 2. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. 3. Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. 4. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. 5. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. 6. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA; George Washington University School of Medical and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA. 7. Veterans Affairs St. Louis Healthcare System, St. Louis, MO, USA; Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. 8. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA. 9. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Denver Health, Denver, CO, USA. 10. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA. 11. Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY, USA; New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. 12. Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA. 13. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA. 14. Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Healthcare personnel (HCP) knowledge and attitudes toward infection control measures are important determinants of practices that can protect them from transmission of infectious diseases. METHODS: Healthcare personnel were recruited from Emergency Departments and outpatient clinics at seven sites. They completed knowledge surveys at the beginning and attitude surveys at the beginning and end of each season of participation. Attitudes toward infection prevention and control measures, especially medical masks and N95 respirators, were compared. The proportion of participants who correctly identified all components of an infection control bundle for seven clinical scenarios was calculated. RESULTS: The proportion of participants in the medical mask group who reported at least one reason to avoid using medical masks fell from 88.5% on the pre-season survey to 39.6% on the post-season survey (odds ratio [OR] for preseason vs. postseason 0.11, 95% CI 0.10-0.14). Among those wearing N95 respirators, the proportion fell from 87.9% to 53.6% (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.21-0.28). Participants correctly identified all components of the infection control bundle for 4.9% to 38.5% of scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward medical masks and N95 respirators improved significantly between the beginning and end of each season. The proportion of HCP who correctly identified the infection control precautions needed for clinical scenarios was low, but it improved over successive years of participation in the study.
BACKGROUND: Healthcare personnel (HCP) knowledge and attitudes toward infection control measures are important determinants of practices that can protect them from transmission of infectious diseases. METHODS: Healthcare personnel were recruited from Emergency Departments and outpatient clinics at seven sites. They completed knowledge surveys at the beginning and attitude surveys at the beginning and end of each season of participation. Attitudes toward infection prevention and control measures, especially medical masks and N95 respirators, were compared. The proportion of participants who correctly identified all components of an infection control bundle for seven clinical scenarios was calculated. RESULTS: The proportion of participants in the medical mask group who reported at least one reason to avoid using medical masks fell from 88.5% on the pre-season survey to 39.6% on the post-season survey (odds ratio [OR] for preseason vs. postseason 0.11, 95% CI 0.10-0.14). Among those wearing N95 respirators, the proportion fell from 87.9% to 53.6% (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.21-0.28). Participants correctly identified all components of the infection control bundle for 4.9% to 38.5% of scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward medical masks and N95 respirators improved significantly between the beginning and end of each season. The proportion of HCP who correctly identified the infection control precautions needed for clinical scenarios was low, but it improved over successive years of participation in the study.
Authors: Paul Thurman; Eileen Zhuang; Hegang H Chen; Caitlin McClain; Margaret Sietsema; Rohan Fernando; Melissa A McDiarmid; Stella E Hines Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2022-06-14 Impact factor: 2.306