Categories Of Healthcare Workers Research Articles

Guarding Our Guardians: Navigating Adverse Reactions in Healthcare Workers Amid Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Usage During COVID-19.

The widespread utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been crucial for reducing transmission risk among healthcare workers (HCWs) and the public. However, the extensive use of PPEhas brought about potential adverse reactions, particularly among HCWs. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of adverse skin reactions associated with PPE use among different categories of HCWs, including faculty, residents, and nursing officers (NOs), in a dedicated tertiary care COVID-19 hospital. The study design was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study conducted over one month, involving a total of 240 participants. The participants were required to complete a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire that covered demographic information, PPE-related data, preventive measures, observed reactions, and self-management strategies. Results indicated that adverse skin reactions were common among HCWs, with reactions reported by all participants. The most commonly used PPE included N95 masks, goggles, gloves, face shields, isolation gowns, and medical protective clothing. Excessive sweating (60% residents, 21.1% NOs, and 16.25% faculties), facial rash, dry palms (>70% of HCWs), and itching were among the most prevalent adverse reactions. Urticarial lesions (28.5% among NOs), pressure marks and pain (100% on the cheek among all HCWs), fungal infections (18.5% among residents at the web space of fingers), and skin breakdown were also reported. Factors such as age, gender, pre-existing skin problems, and oily/acne-prone skin history were found to be significantly associated with adverse skin reactions. In conclusion, the findings highlight the common adverse reactions reported by HCWs during the use of different PPEs. Certain steps taken by HCWs for the prevention of adverse reactions due to PPE emphasize the importance of tailored preventive measures and strategies to mitigate these adverse reactions, such as proper PPE selection, well-fitting equipment, regular breaks, and appropriate skincare practices. These insights contribute to the development of guidelines for optimal PPE usage and support the well-being of HCWs in their essential roles.

Health Care Waste Assessment in a Secondary Health Care Facility in Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: Proper management of waste generated in healthcare facilities is very important for patient safety, disease containment, and the general safety of healthcare workers in the facilities. It is important that healthcare workers have a good knowledge of healthcare waste management, develops good attitude towards healthcare waste management and practices standard health care waste management protocols as stipulated by the World Health Organization. Objectives: This study therefore assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care waste management among health care workers in Borromeo Hospital, Anambra State. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among healthcare workers selected using multistage sampling technique in 6 categories of healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, lab scientists/technicians, pharmacists/technicians, hospital attendants) in Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, using a pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and associations and correlations between dependent and independent variables were tested at the bivariate level using Pearson Chi-square test and t-test as appropriate. The level of statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: A total of 73 healthcare workers were studied. Most of the respondents were female nurses with 0-5 years of working experience.58.9% of respondents had a very good knowledge of health care waste management and 37% had a relatively good knowledge. Majority of respondents (85%) agreed that HBV immunization prevents hospital transmission while 79.4% disagreed that containment of sharps does not help in safe management of hospital wastes.89% of the respondents adheres strictly to waste management regulations while only 2.7% of the respondents do not wear gloves in handling medical waste. Most of the respondents (83.6%) agreed that the number of patients in the facility was the single main factor .......

COVID-19 geçiren veya geçirmemiş olan sağlık çalışanlarında anksiyete durumunun değerlendirilmesi

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide, impacting the mental health of healthcare workers. This study aimed to assess and compare anxiety levels among different categories of healthcare workers during the pandemic.
 
 Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 180 healthcare workers categorized into four groups: COVID-19 negative healthcare workers (n=45), COVID-19 positive hospitalized and treated healthcare workers (n=45), COVID-19 positive healthcare workers treated at home (n=45), and COVID-19 negative healthcare workers who were off duty due to chronic illnesses (n=45). The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) was used to measure anxiety levels.
 
 Results: COVID-19 negative healthcare workers reported relatively lower anxiety levels (mean CAS score = 1.29, SD = 1.829), with the majority experiencing minimal anxiety. COVID-19 positive hospitalized and treated healthcare workers had expressively higher anxiety levels (mean CAS score = 4.09, SD = 5.049), indicating substantial distress. COVID-19 positive healthcare workers treated at home demonstrated intermediate anxiety levels (mean CAS score = 3.09, SD = 3.014). COVID-19 negative healthcare workers with chronic illnesses showed higher anxiety levels compared to their non-chronically ill counterparts (mean CAS score = 2.02, SD = 2.19).
 
 Conclusion: This study highlights the diverse psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers. COVID-19 positive hospitalized and treated healthcare workers experienced the highest levels of anxiety, followed by those treated at home. Even COVID-19 negative healthcare workers and those with chronic illnesses experienced notable anxiety. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions and support systems to address the mental health needs of healthcare workers effectively during and beyond the pandemic. Understanding and mitigating anxiety among healthcare workers are crucial for their well-being and the quality of patient care. Further research is warranted to explore additional factors influencing anxiety levels in this population.

Mental health status and associated factors with stress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

COVID-19, being the most terrible occurrence of the 21st century, has profoundly affected the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs). Throughout this pandemic, HCWs have been at the forefront, confronting numerous physical and mental health problems. Our study aimed to identify the major mental health issues experienced by HCWs in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Additionally, we aimed to uncover the contributing factors that led to their heightened stress. According to this purpose, this cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2021 to February 2022 with different categories of HCWs selected from twelve hospitals exclusively designated for COVID-19 patients. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. A 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess the stress levels experienced by the respondents. Among the total of 483 HCWs, 76.6% were nurses, 19.9% were doctors, and 3.5% were medical technologists. Our study found that the prevalence of COVID-19 positive cases among HCWs (nurses, doctors, and medical technologists) was 28.6%. Based on the PSS, 93.2% experienced low to moderate levels of stress, and 6.8% reported high levels of stress. A number of sociodemographic, habitual, organizational, and family factors of the respondents were significant, with the PSS at a 5% level of significance and a p-value less than 0.05. However, the variable ‘experience of any negligence, torture, blaming/bullying/threat from society’ was insignificant to the stress experienced by the HCWs. In brief, the study highlights the mental health issues faced by HCWs amid the pandemic, emphasizing significant associated factors. Organizational support and the role of the HCWs' families are crucial in reducing their stress levels.

SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG & Neutralizing antibodies among different categories of health care workers post third dose BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

ABSTRACT Neutralizing antibodies (NTAb) play a significant role in preventing and protecting against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Identifying NTAb is undoubtedly imperative in understanding the immunity toward COVID-19 better. However, it is interesting to note that the production of NTAb varies among individuals, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs), as they are exposed to the virus daily. Hence, we would like to investigate factors affecting the production of S-RBD IgG and NTAb among different categories of HCWs, particularly after receiving the third dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine. A total of 361 HCWs from our hospital were prospectively enrolled and had their S-RBD IgG and NTAb titers measured. They were studied in relation to the degree of exposure to COVID-19, breakthrough infections, gender, age, race, household income, housing type, household number, and education levels. HCWs with the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19, breakthrough infections, and male gender displayed the highest median titers of both S-RBD IgG and NTAb, and the differences were statistically significant (p < .05). Age, race, household income, housing type, household number, and education levels were revealed to be insignificant. We concluded that the degree of exposure to COVID-19, breakthrough infections, and male gender are significant factors in NTAb production among HCWs.

Biomedical waste management: assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice among health care workers

Background: The waste produced in healthcare activities carries a high potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. Inadequate knowledge of biomedical waste (BMW) management can lead to serious health consequences and an adverse impact on environment. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of BMW management among healthcare workers of government T. D. medical college, Alappuzha. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among staff and students of government T. D. medical college, Alappuzha. Stratified sampling was done and data was collected using semi structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. Results: The majority of faculty and nurses had good knowledge about segregation of waste into yellow and red coded bags. Nurses, students and residents had good knowledge about waste disposal into white coded containers whereas into blue coded containers was seen in lesser proportion among all categories of health care workers. All the nurses and majority of the faculty had corrected attitude towards BMW management. Assessment of practice revealed that 50% of the nurses practiced proper BMW management and the proportion was much lower among all other categories of health care workers. Conclusions: Knowledge about infectious plastic waste and sharp waste disposal was low among students and faculty respectively. Knowledge about metallic and glassware disposal was low among all categories of health care workers. Attitude towards BMW management was low among students and residents and its practice was inadequate among all categories of health care workers.

Exploring Psychological and Socio-Economic Impact of Covid 2019 on Healthcare Workers in India: Evidence from Delhi-NCR Hospitals

The prevalence and severity of Covid 2019 has brought to light new vulnerabilities of Health Care Workers (HCWs) in their working conditions, social protection, and occupational safety and mental health. In view of this, our paper aimed to provide comprehensive analysis of psychological stress, socio-economic impact, government intervention, interpersonal relations, work-life balance, and coping strategies of HCWs during the pandemic time in India. Based on data collected physically from 606 HCWs working in seven hospitals located in Delhi-NCR using structured questionnaires, six latent variables were constructed. T-test and ANOVA technique along with Post-hoc analysis was used to make comparisons and identify groups across which significant differences existed. Further, a two-group discriminant analysis was performed to find the variables that best discriminated between HCWs from private or public hospitals and medically or not-medically trained. Lastly, chi-squared (χ²) test was performed to examine the statistical association between coping strategies and few demographic characteristics. The results revealed that females and medically-trained HCWs were more psychologically stressed than their counterparts. Work-life-balance and interpersonal relations were found to be more disturbed among the medically-trained HCWs. Government regulations favourably affected the non-medically trained and HCWs with children and elderlies. Additionally, the impact of interpersonal relationships and work-life-balance was found to be adverse on permanent HCWs. Discriminant analysis showed that interpersonal relationships, followed by government intervention, work-life balance and socio-economic impact were the most important predictors between medically and non-medically trained HCWs. However, none of these factors discriminated between HCWs from private or public hospitals. Further, the preference patterns of coping strategies suggested that HCWs worked with an optimistic state of mind and adopted positive techniques. To make the healthcare system more resilient, it is strongly suggested that the government should play a key role during the times of pandemic, especially-encompassing females and financially stressed categories of HCWs.

Survey on the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on the Sri Lankan mental healthcare system and the needs of frontline healthcare workers in the post-covid era.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely strained the health care in Sri Lanka. The subsequent economic crisis compounded this issue. Priority was given to treating those afflicted with COVID-19 and preventing its spread, and healthcare staff faced immense difficulties dealing with the situation. The psychosocial impact of COVID on health care staff has not been properly assessed or addressed. A study was conducted to identify the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among four different categories of health care workers, and perform a needs assessment among these groups. A convenient sample of frontline health workers, mental health teams, 1926 mental health helpline workers and 1990 Suwa Sariya emergency ambulance service staff were assessed via a self-administered questionnaire for mental health impact, work capacities and needs. Among frontline workers (n=188), 42.5% experienced anxiety symptoms, 12.8% depressive symptoms and 4.1% suicidal thoughts. Most (58.9%) lacked a psychological support system at the workplace. Only 20% have accessed specific programs or services at their workplace to obtain support for mental health issues, and all have benefitted from them. All categories of health workers lacked training and resources. The findings demonstrate that a significant amount of health care workers undergo psychological problems in the course of their work especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis reveals that Sri Lanka lacks structured psychological support systems for health workers and needs more resources and training. Psychological support for health workers through strengthening resources and training should be prioritised when planning service development.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE TOWARDS NEEDLE STICK INJURY AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL-QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY

Background : An occupational injury is loosely termed as needle stick injury(NSI) , though it included injury through needle or other sharps and splashes4.They constitute major source of blood borne pathogens especially HIV, HBV, HCV. The risk of transmission after NSI is highest for HBV (2-40%), followed by HCV (2.7-10%), least for HIV (0.3%) 5. Purpose 1. To assess the occurrence of NSI among different categories of HCWs 2. To study various factors responsible and the circumstances under which they occur 3. To prevent these through improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among health care workers (HCWs) in a Private Hospital (Shanthi hospital and research centre) in Bengaluru from Jan to March 2023. This study included all HCW (50), who come in contact with patients, thus exposed to sharps and other occupational hazards. Data collection was carried out using standardized questionnaire, created based on review of the literature Results: out of 50, 21 were males and 29 were female. Maximum were in the age group of 20-40 yrs. 50 % of the HCWs are nursing staff, followed by 20% doctors, 18% housekeeping, 12% technicians. Needle stick injury was seen in 10% of HCWs. Out of 5 HCWs, only one has sustained 2 NSIs, remaining 4 HCWs had NSI only once. It was common in nursing staff as they will be dealing with sharps frequently. Interpretation &amp; Conclusion: NSI rate is relatively low in this study compared to many other studies, even HBV Vaccination rate is good in this study. To improve the knowledge, attitude and practice towards NSI repeated training with pre and post test questionnaire is very important. More knowledge is required regarding needleless safety devices.

Contextual factors influencing the roles of patent medicine vendors in the provision of injectable contraception services in Nigeria

BackgroundPatent medicine vendors (PMVs) play vital roles in the delivery of family planning services in Nigeria and other developing countries. There is a growing recognition of the need to integrate them into the formal health care system as a strategy to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate and achieve universal health coverage. Though promising, the success of this proposition is largely dependent on a critical analysis of the factors which influence their operations. This study was designed to identify the contextual factors influencing the provision of injectable contraceptive services by PMVs and the broader effects of their activities on the health system to inform similar interventions in Nigeria.MethodsThis was a qualitative study guided by the UK Medical Research Council’s Framework for Complex Interventions. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews were conducted among officials of the association of PMVs, health workers, government regulatory officers and programme implementers who participated in a phased 3-year (2015–2018) intervention designed to enhance the capacity of PMVs to deliver injectable contraceptive services. The data were transcribed and analyzed thematically using NVIVO software.ResultsThe contextual factors which had implications on the roles of PMVs were socio-cultural and religious, the failing Nigerian health system coupled with government regulatory policies. Other factors were interprofessional tensions and rivalry between the PMVs and some categories of health care workers and increasing donors’ interest in exploring the potentials of PMVs for expanded healthcare service provision. According to the respondents, the PMVs bridged the Nigerian health system service delivery gaps serving as the first point of contact for injectable contraceptive services and this increased contraceptive uptake in the study sites. A negative effect of their operation is the tendency to exceed their service provision limits, which has spurred a planned tiered PMV accreditation system.ConclusionsThis study has highlighted the contextual factors which define the roles and scope of practice of PMVs involved in injectable contraceptive service provision. Strategies and interventions aimed at expanding the healthcare delivery roles of PMVs must be encompassing to address the broader contextual factors which underpin their capacities and functions.

An Association Between Job Stress and Poor Social Support Among Healthcare Workers in Northeastern Malaysia.

Job stress is an important occupational health problem globally. Hence, identification of workers at risk of developing job stress is paramount to the decision-makers. This study aims to estimate the proportion of job stress and its relationship with different categories of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the primary care and public health settings in northeastern Malaysia. A cross-sectional study involving 520 HCWs across all categories was conducted in Kelantan State, Malaysia. A proforma and validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaires were administered to obtain the data. The participants were then classified into four categories of workers according to Karasek's job demands-control model classification which were active, passive, high strain, and low strain. We found that a total of 145 (28.5%) HCWs in the study have job stress (high-strain job type). HCWs with a degree or higher qualification had the highest proportion of job stress (41.2%), while the diploma group has the lowest proportion of job stress among the four academic qualification groups (22.9%). Pearson chi-square shows a significant association between Karasek's job types and the level of social support from their supervisors (p < 0.05)but no association between job strain and the level of supervisor's social support (p > 0.05). Job stress among HCWs is prevalent, and the professional group had the highest percentage of risk job stress as compared to other groups. There is a significant association between the supervisor's social support and Karasek's job strain categories.

The Incidence of Needlestick and Sharps Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Needlestickinjuries (NSIs) and sharps injuries (SIs) remain significant hazards in most healthcare facilities that expose healthcare workers (HCWs) to blood-borne pathogens (e.g., HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C). This study aims to review the incidence of NSIs and SIs in King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) and correlate this incidence with several parameters related to the event, including age, sex, length of work experience,type of injury, type of instrument causing the injury, type of activity during which the injury happened, nature of the job of the HCWs, and location within the hospital where the injury happened. Methodology This cross-sectional study involves all self-reported documents related to needlestick and sharp injuries among HCWs at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January 2017 to December 2020. The data of 389reports of needlestick and sharp injuries detailingincidence and site, shift, type, and instrument related to the incidents were reported to the infection control department for coding and analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)version 22 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA). Results Our data showed that NSIs/SIs could be caused by a wide range of objects used by healthcare workers, including needles, suture needles, scalpels, and sharp devices. Remarkably, the most common cause of NSIs was handling the sharp object (38.8%), followed by disposing of the sharp object (19.3%).Furthermore, nurses were found to be the highest at-risk category of HCWs experiencing NSIs (49.9%), while medical waste handlers (1.5%) and dentists (1.3%) were least likely to incur injuries. Conclusion This study sheds some light on the incidence rates of NCIs and SIs at KFMCand correlates these rates with several demographical, occupational, and experiential parameters related to these events.

Acceptability of mandatory vaccination against influenza, measles, pertussis and varicella by workers in healthcare facilities: a national cross-sectional study, France, 2019

BackgroundVaccination of healthcare workers (HCW) aims to protect them and to reduce transmission to susceptible patients. Influenza, measles, pertussis, and varicella vaccinations are recommended but not mandatory for HCW in France. Insufficient vaccine coverage for these diseases in HCW has raised the question of introducing mandatory vaccination. We conducted a survey to estimate acceptability of mandatory vaccination for these four vaccines by HCW working in healthcare facilities (HCF) in France, and to identify associated determinants.MethodsIn 2019, we performed a cross-sectional survey of physicians, nurses, midwives and nursing assistants working in HCF in France using a randomised stratified three-stage sampling design (HCF type, ward category, HCW category). Data were collected in face-to-face interviews using a tablet computer. We investigated the possible determinants of acceptability of mandatory vaccination using univariate and multivariate Poisson regressions, and estimated prevalence ratios (PR).ResultsA total of 8594 HCW in 167 HCF were included. For measles, pertussis, and varicella, self-reported acceptability of mandatory vaccination (very or quite favourable) was 73.1% [CI95%: 70.9–75.1], 72.1% [69.8–74.3], and 57.5% [54.5–57.7], respectively. Acceptability varied according to i) HCW and ward category for these three vaccinations, ii) age group for measles and pertussis, and iii) sex for varicella. For mandatory influenza vaccination, acceptability was lower (42.7% [40.6–44.9]), and varied greatly between HCW categories (from 77.2% for physicians to 32.0% for nursing assistants).ConclusionHCW acceptability of mandatory vaccination was high for measles, pertussis and varicella but not as high for influenza. Vaccination for COVID-19 is mandatory for HCW in France. Replication of this study after the end of the COVID-19 crisis would help assess whether the pandemic had an impact on their acceptability of mandatory vaccination, in particular for influenza.

Management in MAEPS 2.0 Quarantine Centre: Burnout and Quality of Life of MOH Healthcare Workers

Objectives: Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang, MAEPS was established as a COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre that was aimed to reduce the burden of hospitals. Various categories of healthcare workers (HCWs) were deployed nationwide. Being far from home and friends, working in an unfamiliar environment, and being concerned about one's own risk of COVID-19 exposure may exacerbate burnout in HCWs or affect their quality of life. Assessment on burnout and quality of life among MOH HCWs stationed at MAEPS 2.0 and the management of the healthcare workforce during the pandemic are shared. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between September 2021 to May 2022. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire were used to assess burnout and quality of life of MOH HCWs respectively. The Checklist for the Management of Health Workers in Response to COVID-19 consisting of 8 Essential Actions was given to heads of divisions in charge to obtain their perspective. One point assigned to the intervention answered “Yes” by the majority of respondents. Cumulative marks were then converted to percentages according to each Essential Action. Results: The rate of burnout ranged between 18% to 32% among the 377 respondents. Majority of HCWs had a good and very good perception of their quality of life and were satisfied with their overall health. There were moderate to strong correlations (r = - 0.44 - 0.67) between burnout and quality of life (p&lt;0.001). More than half of the eight Essential Actions in the checklist scored 100%. Conclusion: Management of workers is important to ensure preparedness for response, enhance surge capacity and maintain crucial health services during the pandemic. Some HCWs experienced burnout and it relates to their quality of life. Nonetheless, MOH HCWs management at MAEPS 2.0 was managed with minimum gaps against the checklist.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Supplementary Issue: 2023 Page: S18

Adverse Skin Reactions to Personal Protective Equipment Among Healthcare Workers in Oman During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Background During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) were required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for unusually prolonged periods of timein order to protect themselves. This study was conducted toassess the prevalence of adverse skin reactions to PPEamongHCWsfrom occupational and domestic exposure in Oman. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that used a self-administered questionnaire, modified based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, and was conducted in different categories of healthcare facilities in Oman from September to December 2020. This study involved 431 different categories of HCWs. Stata statistical software, version 12 (StataCorp, College Station, TX), was used to analyze the data, with a P value <0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results Findings indicated that 58.24% of HCWs reported new skin symptoms since the pandemic started, compared to 33.41% of HCWs who had skin symptoms before the pandemic (P<0.001). From the multivariate analysis, being female (odds ratio, or OR, 3.512; 95% confidence interval, or CI: 2.193-5.625), allergic rhinitis diagnosis (OR 2.420; 95% CI: 1.097-5.347), history of skin symptoms (OR 3.166; 95% CI: 1.856-5.400), and total glove use time (OR 1.160; 95% CI: 1.078-1.247) were associated with an increased risk of acquiring new skin symptoms. Conclusion This study demonstrates that there is some association between the prolonged use of PPE during an event such as a pandemic and a previous history of allergic rhinitis and skin symptoms. This study also emphasizes the importance of appropriate protective skin care before and after the use of PPE.

Prevalence of depression in healthcare workers of a COVID-19 First Line Treatment Centre in North Kerala

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a widespread impact over the health-care system all over the world. This had resulted in varying degrees of psychological issues on healthcare workers. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of depression among healthcare workers of a COVID-19 first line treatment center (CFLTC). Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 240 healthcare workers who volunteered for the study at COVID first line treatment centre-3 NIT mega boys’ hostel, Kozhikode, Kerala were recruited. They were interviewed, basic demographic data and patient health questionnaire-9 was administered. The data were analyzed with Microsoft Excel. The prevalence among various categories of healthcare workers were compared. Results: The prevalence of depression among healthcare workers was 52%. The prevalence of depression is each category of staff-doctors, staff nurses, cleaning staffs, and patient caretakers-separately. It was found that depression is inversely proportional to the knowledge, experience, medical qualification, and training. Conclusion: The prevalence of undetected depression is high among healthcare workers working in unconventional environment as in warfront situations such as COVID pandemic. The present study emphasizes the importance of proper screening of depression among healthcare workers in such circumstances in years to come.

Knowledge and attitude among healthcare workers towards COVID-19 in Facilities of the Ministry of Health care in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Objective: To assess the level of knowledge and attitude toward the COVID-19 virus and the protective measures among different categories of healthcare workers (HCWs) in King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 130 physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the internal medicine and surgery departments at King Abdul-Aziz hospital. A self-administered questionnaire that was adopted from WHO and official reports was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and risk perception of HCWs toward COVID-19. Results: The mean age of the studied group was 32.38 ± 12.13 and the majority were females (87.5%) with 26.9% having post-graduate education. About 71.5% had direct contact with COVID-19 patients and 66.9% received their information from WHO and official reports. The mean knowledge score was 11.32 ± 0.87 and 95.4% had sufficient knowledge. The mean attitude score was 6.46 ± 1.56 and 73.2% had a positive attitude. About 96.2% and 93.8% thought that the virus might be more dangerous for those with chronic disease and the elderly, respectively. There was a statistically significant relation among mean knowledge score and education, profession, and contact with COVID-19 patients with higher scores reported with a post-graduate education, physicians, and those with direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: HCWs had good knowledge and a positive attitude toward COVID-19, which is very essential for limiting the spread of the epidemic.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health care workers in a reference hospital in Brazil.

Health care workers (HCW) are the frontline workforce for COVID-19 patient care and, consequently, are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection due to close contact to infected patients. Here, we evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCW from an infectious disease hospital, reference center for COVID-19 care in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo city, Brazil. Among 2,204 HCW, 1,417 (64.29%) were subjected to detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by chemiluminescent immunoassay. Out of the total, 271 (19.12%) presented anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Prevalence varied according to HCW categories. The highest prevalence was observed in workers from outsourced companies, cooks and kitchen assistants, hospital cleaning workers, and maintenance workers. On the other hand, resident physicians and HCW from the institution itself presented lower prevalence (nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, laboratory technicians). Social and environmental factors are important determinants, associated with exposure in the hospital environment, which can determine the greater or lesser risk of infection by pathogens that spread rapidly by air.

Prevalence and Management of Low Back Pain Among Health Workers in a Privately Owned Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

Aim: This study assessed the prevalence and management of LBP among health workers in a private teaching hospital in South West Nigeria. Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) often experience low back pain (LBP) more than any other category of workers. While a lot has been documented about the prevalence of LBP among different categories of workers, little is known about how health workers manage LBP. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and management of LBP among health workers in a private teaching hospital in South West Nigeria. Associations between variables: (a) sociodemographic variables (i.e., age, gender) and the prevalence of low back pain, and (b) interference with activities of daily living across different categories of health workers, were evaluated. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed in this study. One hundred and eighty-nine HCWs were randomly selected from the wards and units of the hospital. The LBP questionnaire and the Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive (mean and percentages) and inferential (chi-square and ANOVA) statistics. Results: The prevalence of LBP among health workers was found to be 87.3%. Moreover, most of the health workers massage their back (78.3%), engage in exercise (72.0%), and use analgesics (69.3%) as a means of managing LBP. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between gender (X2 = 0.31, P&gt;0.05), age (X2 = 1.52, P&gt;0.05), marital status (X2 = 2.93, P&gt;0.05) of HCWs and prevalence of LBP. However, a significant difference was reported in the mean interference of LBP with activities of daily living across the different categories of healthcare workers that participated in the study (F= (7,181) 3.58, P = 0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of LBP is high among HCWs that participated in the study. Therefore, it is recommended that HCWs might use massage, engage in exercise, and take analgesics as a means to combat LBP.

An observational multi-centric COVID-19 sequelae study among health care workers

India has seen more than 43 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of April 2022, with a recovery rate of 98.8%, resulting in a large section of the population including the healthcare workers (HCWs), susceptible to develop post COVID sequelae. This study was carried out to assess the nature and prevalence of medical sequelae following COVID-19 infection, and risk factors, if any. This was an observational, multicenter cross-sectional study conducted at eight tertiary care centers. The consenting participants were HCWs between 12 and 52 weeks post discharge after COVID-19 infection. Data on demographics, medical history, clinical features of COVID-19 and various symptoms of COVID sequelae was collected through specific questionnaire. Mean age of the 679 eligible participants was 31.49±9.54 years. The overall prevalence of COVID sequelae was 30.34%, with fatigue (11.5%) being the most common followed by insomnia (8.5%), difficulty in breathing during activity (6%) and pain in joints (5%). The odds of having any sequelae were significantly higher among participants who had moderate to severe COVID-19 (OR 6.51; 95% CI 3.46-12.23) and lower among males (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.39-0.76). Besides these, other predictors for having sequelae were age (≥45 years), presence of any comorbidity (especially hypertension and asthma), category of HCW (non-doctors vs doctors) and hospitalisation due to COVID-19. Approximately one-third of the participants experienced COVID sequelae. Severity of COVID illness, female gender, advanced age, co-morbidity were significant risk factors for COVID sequelae. This work is a part of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)- Rational Use of Medicines network. No additional financial support was received from ICMR to carry out the work, for study materials, medical writing, and APC.