Specific COVID-19 Risk Behaviors and the Preventive Effect of Personal Protective Equipment Among Healthcare Workers in Japan

Overview

Journal Glob Health Med

Specialty Public Health

Date 2023 Mar 3

PMID 36865900

Authors

Reiko Shimbashi

Teiichiro Shiino

Akira Ainai

Saya Moriyama

Satoru Arai

Saeko Morino

Sayaka Takanashi

Takeshi Arashiro

Motoi Suzuki

Yukimasa Matsuzawa

Kenichiro Kato

Mitsuru Hasegawa

Rie Koshida

Masami Kitaoka

Takafumi Ueno

Hidefumi Shimizu

Hiroyoshi Yuki

Tomoko Takeda

Fukumi Nakamura-Uchiyama

Kashiya Takasugi

Shun Iida

Tomoe Shimada

Hirofumi Kato

Tsuguto Fujimoto

Naoko Iwata-Yoshikawa

Kaori Sano

Souichi Yamada

Yudai Kuroda

Kazu Okuma

Kiyoko Nojima

Noriyo Nagata

Shuetsu Fukushi

Ken Maeda

Yoshimasa Takahashi

Tadaki Suzuki

Makoto Ohnishi

Keiko Tanaka-Taya

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks in healthcare facilities are a serious public health concern, we performed a case-control study to investigate the risk of COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers. We collected data on participants' sociodemographic characteristics, contact behaviors, installation status of personal protective equipment, and polymerase chain reaction testing results. We also collected whole blood and assessed seropositivity using the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and microneutralization assay. In total, 161 (8.5%) of 1,899 participants were seropositive between August 3 and November 13, 2020. Physical contact (adjusted odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1-5.6) and aerosol-generating procedures (1.9, 1.1-3.2) were associated with seropositivity. Using goggles (0.2, 0.1-0.5) and N95 masks (0.3, 0.1-0.8) had a preventive effect. Seroprevalence was higher in the outbreak ward (18.6%) than in the COVID-19 dedicated ward (1.4%). Results showed certain specific risk behaviors of COVID-19; proper infection prevention practices reduced these risks.

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