Use of Personal Protective Equipment among Healthcare Personnel during COVID-19 Pandemic | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine | ||||
| Article 4, Volume 45, Issue 3, September 2021, Page 183-198 PDF (9.76 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejom.2021.193272 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| El-Sallamy R R* ; Elghazally N | ||||
| Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Introduction: COVID-19 is a real threat to Egypt which needs effective preparedness for crisis of infections that could happen. Use of personal protective equipment is pivotal to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in the healthcare settings. Aim of Work: To assess the feasibility of a training intervention program to HCWs (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technicians and workers) which was used to evaluate their level of knowledge regarding COVID-19 pandemic, to promote their degree of confidence in using PPE, and to improve their knowledge during the current pandemic. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was carried out at Tanta Chest Hospital. Participants answered a self-administered validated questionnaire which included questions regarding socio-demographic, knowledge about COVID-19 and confidence of the usage of PPE as a protective measure. The questionnaire was used before and after intervention health education program and training sessions. Results: Means of knowledge scores of physicians and nurses after intervention (11.19±2.18 and 10.06±2.26 respectively) were statistically significantly higher than all other subgroups of HCWs. Only 13.9% of physicians, 6.0% of pharmacists, 10.7% of nurses, 2.4% of technicians and no workers had high confidence regarding PPE as a preventive tools, and a significant increase in confidence level after intervention to be (62.9%, 53.4%, 61.2%, 44.7% and 55.3%) respectively. A linear regression analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant relation between high confidence in PPE after intervention with increased years of experience and total knowledge score. Conclusion: Intervention training program significantly increased knowledge and confidence level of targeted participants in PPE. Hence, ongoing training for HCWs is fundamental for health care personnel especially during pandemics. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Personal protective equipment; knowledge; Health care workers; COVID-19 pandemic and Confidence | ||||
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