Infection prevention and control compliance among exposed healthcare workers in COVID-19 treatment centers in Ghana: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols is critical in minimizing the risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection among healthcare workers. However, data on IPC compliance among healthcare workers in COVID-19 treatment centers are unknown in Ghana. This study aims to assess IPC compliance among healthcare workers in Ghana’s COVID-19 treatment centers. The study was a secondary analysis of data, which was initially collected to determine the level of risk of COVID-19 virus infection among healthcare workers in Ghana. Quantitative data were conveniently collected using the WHO COVID-19 risk assessment tool. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses. We observed that IPC compliance during healthcare interactions was 88.4% for hand hygiene and 90.6% for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usage; IPC compliance while performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), was 97.5% for hand hygiene and 97.5% for PPE usage. For hand hygiene during healthcare interactions, lower compliance was seen among nonclinical staff [OR (odds ratio): 0.43; 95% CI (Confidence interval): 0.21–0.89], and healthcare workers with secondary level qualification (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08–0.71). Midwives (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.93) and Pharmacists (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.02–0.92) compliance with hand hygiene was significantly lower than registered nurses. For PPE usage during healthcare interactions, lower compliance was seen among healthcare workers who were separated/divorced/widowed (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01–0.43), those with secondary level qualifications (OR 0.08; 95% CI 0.01–0.43), non-clinical staff (OR 0.16 95% CI 0.07–0.35), cleaners (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.05–0.52), pharmacists (OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.01–0.49) and among healthcare workers who reported of insufficiency of PPEs (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.14–0.77). Generally, healthcare workers’ infection prevention and control compliance were high, but this compliance differs across the different groups of health professionals in the treatment centers. Ensuring an adequate supply of IPC logistics coupled with behavior change interventions and paying particular attention to nonclinical staff is critical in minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the treatment centers.

Observance of preventive standards against COVID-19 transmission in operating rooms: A cross-sectional study

“…In a study in the Ghana, Ashianyo et al Assessed infection prevention observance among healthcare workers against Covid-19 as Good level, which is consistent with our study. 17 …”

An analysis of the risks of COVID-19 exposure to hospital employees at a private hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…In line with a study conducted by Asinyo ME et al, hand hygiene compliance in non-medical employees is lower than in medical employees. 10 The emphasis on IPC behavior usually only focuses on medical services, even though the risk of COVID-19 infection is the same between the two working units.…”

Adesão à higienização das mãos como controle de infecção hospitalar na pandemia da COVID-19: Revisão bibliográfica

“…Hussain et al (2020) avaliando somente médicos observaram que a adesão da higienização das mãos após o contato com pacientes era significativa, afirmada por 98% dos entrevistados. Segundo Ashinyo et al (2021) 88.4% realizavam a higienização das mãos seguindo a preconização da OMS. 97,3% dos profissionais afirmaram higienizar as mãos após tocar em pacientes com COVID-19, 93,9% antes ou após realizar procedimentos, 95,1% após se expor a fluídos corporais e 97,3% após tocar em superfície de grande contato.…”

“…97,3% dos profissionais afirmaram higienizar as mãos após tocar em pacientes com COVID-19, 93,9% antes ou após realizar procedimentos, 95,1% após se expor a fluídos corporais e 97,3% após tocar em superfície de grande contato. Observando 267 vezes os profissionais de saúde, visando identificar os momentos de higienização das mãos por câmeras de vigilância, Derksen, Keller & Lippke (2020) confirmaram os achados de Ashinyo et al (2021), uma vez que em 75 vezes (28%) os profissionais lavaram as mãos antes do contato com pacientes e 95 (34%) vezes após encerrar o contato.…”

“…Os profissionais relataram seguir corretamente os passos de higienização das mãos (52,82%) por pelo menos 20 segundos (53,14%) em conformidade 5. O estudo deAshinyo et al (2021) avaliando 328 profissionais de 4 unidades hospitalares, referência para COVID-19 em Gana nos meses maio a agosto de 2020, também mostrou conformidade significantemente baixa na higienização das mãos para zeladoras (78,4%), parteiras (79,2%) e farmacêuticos (66,7%) comparados a enfermeiros (91,1%) e médicos (85,5%). A maioria dos profissionais (88,4%) relatou realizar a higienização das mãos sempre que recomendado ou a maioria das vezes.…”