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The Factors Associated With COVID-19 Infection Among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Institution in North
Ravneet Kaur1, Shashi Kant1, Mohammad Ahmad2
1Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IND.
Insights
Healthcare workers (HCWs) with better infection prevention and control (IPC) practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) use had lower COVID-19 risks. Training in COVID-19 patient care significantly reduced infection risk among HCWs.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Healthcare workers (HCWs) face elevated risks of COVID-19 infection due to patient contact.
- Understanding risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 among HCWs is crucial for preventing transmission and healthcare-associated infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify potential risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare workers.
- To assess the impact of infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge and practices on COVID-19 risk in HCWs.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 316 HCWs (187 cases, 129 controls) from December 2020 to August 2021.
- Data on IPC knowledge, practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE) use were collected using a WHO questionnaire.
- Multivariable logistic regression analyzed factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Results:
- Adherence to IPC measures and PPE usage were significantly higher in controls (uninfected) compared to cases (infected).
- HCWs in cleaning, patient transport, reception, and catering roles showed higher infection rates.
- Training in COVID-19 patient care was linked to a reduced risk of infection (OR: 0.40).
Conclusions:
- Higher adherence to IPC and greater PPE use correlate with lower COVID-19 infection risk in HCWs.
- Training in COVID-19 patient care is a significant protective factor against infection for healthcare workers.
Abstract:
Background and objective Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at a higher risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since they regularly come into direct contact with infected patients and their surroundings. In light of this, it is critical to study the potential risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCWs to help determine its transmission patterns and prevent infections among HCWs, as well as healthcare-associated COVID-19. Methods We conducted a case-control study at a tertiary healthcare center from December 2020 to August 2021. HCWs who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, by RT-PCR were included as cases and those who tested negative for RT-PCR and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were recruited as controls. We interviewed 316 HCWs (187 cases and 129 controls) by using the WHO questionnaire titled "Protocol for assessment of potential risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 among health workers in a health care setting" to assess infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge and practices, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The odds ratio (OR) for factors associated with infection was determined by multivariable logistic regression. Results The majority (87.2%) of the cases were symptomatic. Adherence to IPC measures was higher among controls as compared to cases. A significantly higher number of controls used PPE compared to cases. The proportions of HCWs involved in cleaning, patient transport, reception, and catering were higher among cases (37.9%) compared to controls (19.1%). In multivariable analysis, undergoing training on care for COVID-19 patients was associated with a lower risk of infection (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24-0.69). Conclusions Adherence to IPC and use of PPE were significantly higher among controls as compared to cases. Receiving training in COVID-19 patient care and compliance with IPC measures were associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 infection among HCWs in this study.
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