Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025
An Educational Video Demonstration of How to Prone a Critically Ill Intubated Patient
Published on: November 30, 2022
Patient adherence with infection control measures on a novel 'COVID-19 triage' psychiatric in-patient ward
Ryan Williams1, John Tweed2, Laura Rebolledo2
1South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK; and Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, UK.
Insights
Psychiatric patients showed low adherence to infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Direct staff instructions improved adherence, highlighting the need for proactive engagement in acute care settings.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Psychiatric Care
- Public Health
Background:
- Intra-hospital transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents significant challenges, particularly within psychiatric in-patient units.
- Novel 'COVID-triage' wards were established with stringent infection control protocols to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
- Limited data exists on psychiatric in-patients' adherence to these critical infection control procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess patient adherence to infection control measures on a specialized 'COVID-triage' psychiatric in-patient ward in London.
- To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with adherence to infection control protocols.
Main Methods:
- An observational study design was employed to evaluate adherence.
- The proportion of adherent patients was calculated.
- Statistical analysis examined the association between adherence and patient characteristics.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of patients (78.4%) demonstrated non-adherence to infection control measures.
- Direct verbal instructions from staff during clinical interactions led to improved patient adherence.
- Patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders, personality disorders, and substance use disorders exhibited lower adherence rates.
Conclusions:
- Psychiatric in-patients generally display poor adherence to essential infection control measures.
- Proactive and direct staff engagement is crucial for enhancing patient adherence.
- Further research and implementation of effective strategies are urgently required to improve adherence in acute psychiatric settings.
Background:
Intra-hospital transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major concern. Psychiatric in-patient units pose unique challenges for the prevention of transmission. 'COVID-triage' wards with strict infection control procedures have been implemented to prevent the spread of infection, but little is known about the extent to which psychiatric in-patients adhere to these procedures.
Aims:
To examine patient adherence with infection control measures on a novel 'COVID-triage' psychiatric in-patient ward in London, England.
Method:
This was an observational study of adherence with infection control measures. The proportion of patients who were adherent with infection control measures was calculated. The association of adherence with demographic and clinical factors was examined.
Results:
The majority of patients (n = 138/176, 78.4%) were not adherent with infection control measures. However, adherence did improve when patients who were non-adherent were given direct instructions by staff during clinical contact. Patients with diagnoses of psychotic disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders were less likely to be adherent than those without these diagnoses.
Conclusions:
Psychiatric in-patients show poor adherence with infection control measures. Proactive engagement by staff is key to improving patients' adherence. Urgent efforts are needed to identify and implement other effective methods of improving adherence in acute settings.
More Related Videos
09:30Author Spotlight: Microbial Control and Monitoring Strategies for Cleanroom Environments and Cellular Therapies
Published on: March 17, 2023
09:36Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
Published on: September 24, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:28Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the...
01:23Hand hygiene
Hand washing...