Clinician Perceptions of Respiratory Infection Risk; a Rationale for Research into Mask Use in Routine Practice

Overview

Journal Infect Dis Health

Publisher Elsevier

Date 2019 Feb 26

PMID 30799181

Citations 12

Authors

Ruth Barratt

Ramon Z Shaban

Gwendoline L Gilbert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are global threats to society. Planning for, and responses to, such events must include healthcare and other measures based on current evidence. An important area of infection prevention and control (IPC) is the optimal use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers (HCWs), including masks for protection against respiratory pathogens. Appropriate mask use during routine care is a forerunner to best practice in the event of an outbreak. However, little is known about the influences on decisions and behaviours of HCWs with respect to protective mask use when providing routine care. In this paper we argue that there is a need for more research to provide a better understanding of the decision-making and risk-taking behaviours of HCWs in respect of their use of masks for infectious disease prevention. Our argument is based on the ongoing threat of emerging infectious diseases; a need to strengthen workforce capability, capacity and education; the financial costs of healthcare and outbreaks; and the importance of social responsibility and supportive legislation in planning for global security. Future research should examine HCWs' practices and constructs of risk to provide new information to inform policy and pandemic planning.

Citing Articles

Development of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Two Fungal Pathogens Causing Pneumonia.

Lim H, Ahn S, No J, Park M, Kim M, Sohn Y J Fungi (Basel). 2024; 10(9).

PMID: 39330379 PMC: 11433024. DOI: 10.3390/jof10090619.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Emergencies in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: An Analysis of Patients Presenting to Emergency Rooms in South-West Germany: A Bi-Center Study.

Wolpert S, Knoblich N, Holderried M, Becker S, Schade-Mann T Diseases. 2024; 12(8).

PMID: 39195193 PMC: 11354163. DOI: 10.3390/diseases12080194.

Exploring healthcare workers' perspectives of video feedback for training in the use of powered air purifying respirators (PAPR) at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wyer M, Barratt R, Hor S, Ferguson P, Gilbert G BMC Med Educ. 2022; 22(1):688.

PMID: 36151565 PMC: 9502944. DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03742-8.

Knowledge and performance of the Iranian general population in the use of masks during the 2019 coronavirus.

Mirmolaei S, Geranmayeh M, Salehiniya H, Mohammadi A, Ebrahimi M J Educ Health Promot. 2022; 11:33.

PMID: 35281402 PMC: 8893084. DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1471_20.

Pattern and determinants of COVID-19 infection and mortality across countries: An ecological study.

Asem N, Ramadan A, Hassany M, Ghazy R, Abdallah M, Ibrahim M Heliyon. 2021; 7(7):e07504.

PMID: 34254048 PMC: 8264269. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07504.

References

Beckman S, Materna B, Goldmacher S, Zipprich J, DAlessandro M, Novak D . Evaluation of respiratory protection programs and practices in California hospitals during the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Am J Infect Control. 2013; 41(11):1024-31. PMC: 4615716. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.05.006. View

Szymczak J, Smathers S, Hoegg C, Klieger S, Coffin S, Sammons J . Reasons Why Physicians and Advanced Practice Clinicians Work While Sick: A Mixed-Methods Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2015; 169(9):815-21. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0684. View

Nichol K, Bigelow P, OBrien-Pallas L, McGeer A, Manno M, Holness D . The individual, environmental, and organizational factors that influence nurses' use of facial protection to prevent occupational transmission of communicable respiratory illness in acute care hospitals. Am J Infect Control. 2008; 36(7):481-7. PMC: 7132646. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2007.12.004. View

Bramley T, Lerner D, Sames M . Productivity losses related to the common cold. J Occup Environ Med. 2002; 44(9):822-9. DOI: 10.1097/00043764-200209000-00004. View

Michie S, van Stralen M, West R . The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implement Sci. 2011; 6:42. PMC: 3096582. DOI: 10.1186/1748-5908-6-42. View

Lau J, Griffiths S, Choi K, Lin C . Prevalence of preventive behaviors and associated factors during early phase of the H1N1 influenza epidemic. Am J Infect Control. 2010; 38(5):374-80. PMC: 7132693. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2010.03.002. View

Van Buynder P, Konrad S, Kersteins F, Preston E, Brown P, Keen D . Healthcare worker influenza immunization vaccinate or mask policy: strategies for cost effective implementation and subsequent reductions in staff absenteeism due to illness. Vaccine. 2015; 33(13):1625-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.01.048. View

Russell C, Young I, Leung V, Morris K . Healthcare workers' decision-making about transmission-based infection control precautions is improved by a guidance summary card. J Hosp Infect. 2015; 90(3):235-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2014.12.025. View

Smith A, Thomas M, Whitney H . Effects of upper respiratory tract illnesses on mood and performance over the working day. Ergonomics. 2000; 43(6):752-63. DOI: 10.1080/001401300404724. View

10.

Chiu S, Black C, Yue X, Greby S, Laney A, Campbell A . Working with influenza-like illness: Presenteeism among US health care personnel during the 2014-2015 influenza season. Am J Infect Control. 2017; 45(11):1254-1258. PMC: 5670002. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.04.008. View

11.

Worsnop C . Domestic politics and the WHO's International Health Regulations: Explaining the use of trade and travel barriers during disease outbreaks. Rev Int Organ. 2024; 12(3):365-395. PMC: 7149042. DOI: 10.1007/s11558-016-9260-1. View

12.

Hor S, Hooker C, Iedema R, Wyer M, Gilbert G, Jorm C . Beyond hand hygiene: a qualitative study of the everyday work of preventing cross-contamination on hospital wards. BMJ Qual Saf. 2016; 26(7):552-558. DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005878. View

13.

Molinari N, Ortega-Sanchez I, Messonnier M, Thompson W, Wortley P, Weintraub E . The annual impact of seasonal influenza in the US: measuring disease burden and costs. Vaccine. 2007; 25(27):5086-96. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2007.03.046. View

14.

Veater J, Wong N, Stephenson I, Kirk-Granger H, Baxter L, Cannon R . Resource impact of managing suspected Middle East respiratory syndrome patients in a UK teaching hospital. J Hosp Infect. 2017; 95(3):280-285. PMC: 7132460. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2016.12.010. View

15.

Srigley J, Corace K, Hargadon D, Yu D, MacDonald T, Fabrigar L . Applying psychological frameworks of behaviour change to improve healthcare worker hand hygiene: a systematic review. J Hosp Infect. 2015; 91(3):202-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.06.019. View

16.

Cho S, Kang J, Ha Y, Park G, Lee J, Ko J . MERS-CoV outbreak following a single patient exposure in an emergency room in South Korea: an epidemiological outbreak study. Lancet. 2016; 388(10048):994-1001. PMC: 7159268. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30623-7. View

17.

John A, Tomas M, Cadnum J, Mana T, Jencson A, Shaikh A . Are health care personnel trained in correct use of personal protective equipment?. Am J Infect Control. 2016; 44(7):840-2. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.03.031. View

18.

Vijaykrishna D, Mukerji R, Smith G . RNA Virus Reassortment: An Evolutionary Mechanism for Host Jumps and Immune Evasion. PLoS Pathog. 2015; 11(7):e1004902. PMC: 4497687. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004902. View

19.

Chow E, Mermel L . More Than a Cold: Hospital-Acquired Respiratory Viral Infections, Sick Leave Policy, and A Need for Culture Change. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018; 39(7):861-862. DOI: 10.1017/ice.2018.94. View

20.

Harrigan P, Webb S, Seppelt I, OLeary M, Totaro R, Patterson D . The practical experience of managing the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic in Australian and New Zealand intensive care units. Crit Care Resusc. 2010; 12(2):121-30. View