Major Factors affecting Health and Safety of Healthcare Workers During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare workers around the world are at risk of contracting an infectious disease including the recent Coronavirus Disease 19 epidemic which had a profound effect, especially on hospitals and health workers. However, at the national level in Ethiopia, there is a lack of data on the current state of health and safety of health care professionals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the status and the health and safety of healthcare workers in public hospitals in the continued COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the status of health and safety of healthcare workers and associated factors, at selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa in the continued Coronavirus Disease 19 pandemic. Methodology: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted From January 1 to January 30, 2022, for 360 participants. A simple random technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected using self-administered questioners and entered into EPI info version 3.1 before being exported to SPSS Software (version 23) for analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify significant variables and control confounding factors. The strength of the association was measured using an adjusted odds ratio with a 95 percent confidence interval at a 5% level of significance. A P-value < 0.05 indicated a significant relationship between factors. Result: Out of a total of 360 study participants, 73.6% (95%Confidence Interval [CI]=68.9–78.3) had good occupational health and safety status. Work experiences(Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] =1.8, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]=1.12–3.2), Availability of Proper facemasks, (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] =3, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]: 1.7–5.2), availability of disinfectants (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] =2, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]=1.11–3.7), availability of water and handwashing facilities (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] =2, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]=1.1–3.4), training on health and safety (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.8, 95%Confidence Interval[CI]=1.13–3.2) were significantly associated with health and safety status of health care workers. Conclusion: The findings indicated that health and safety status was generally good in the study area. Availability of personal protective equipment, availability of water and handwashing facilities, availability of cleaning and disinfectants, and provision of health and safety training were predictors favoring good OHS status for health professionals. Ministry of Health and specific policy makers should formulate health and safety policy and monitoring and evaluation health and safety in HCF should be implemented