Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020
Introduction: Health workers play a critical role in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. However, research on their infection risk and clinical characteristics, particularly in Africa, is emerging. We investigated risk factors for COVID-19 infection and assessed adherence to infection prev...
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African Field Epidemiology Network
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.afenet-journal.net/content/series/4/2/10/full/ |
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| author | Chikama Mukwangole Abdul Muhammad Nyambe Sinyange Amos Hamukale Kelvin Mwangilwa Precious Kalubula Nathan Kapata |
| author_facet | Chikama Mukwangole Abdul Muhammad Nyambe Sinyange Amos Hamukale Kelvin Mwangilwa Precious Kalubula Nathan Kapata |
| author_sort | Chikama Mukwangole |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Health workers play a critical role in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. However, research on their infection risk and clinical characteristics, particularly in Africa, is emerging. We investigated risk factors for COVID-19 infection and assessed adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers in Nakonde District.
Methods: A case-control study among health workers at Nakonde Urban Health Centre and Nakonde District Hospital was conducted from 15 to 25 May 2020. A standardized questionnaire covering demographic information; possible exposure to persons with COVID-19; adherence to infection prevention and control measures was administered to all health workers present at these facilities. Descriptive statistics were performed and logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CIs.
Results: A total of 197 HCWs are deployed in the two facilities out of which we obtained 138 responses. Seventy five (54%) had complete responses that were analyzed in this study. Among the 75, 54 (72%) were female. The median age for all the HCWs that responded was 30 years (IQR 26-33). Thirty-seven (49%) were laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases. Symptoms that were exhibited among HCWs with COVID-19 included cough (49%), headache (43%), runny nose (32%) and fatigue (18%); fever was rarely reported (8%). Cough was associated with being a case of COVID-19 (OR 4.2 95% CI 1.5-11.9). Coexisting conditions were similar among the cases and controls. There were no statistically significant differences in exposures between HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 and those without (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.4-2.5). The WHO five moments of hand hygiene recommended for health workers were practiced by (64%). Non availability of Personal Protective Equipment was reported by 70% of HCWs and this was similar among the cases of COVID-19 and the non-cases.
Conclusion: Given the critical role HCWs play in looking after the sick, continued protection of this population at work, at home, and in the community through surveillance should be a national priority. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-097cd9ff6cc646bba0bd4bf1f9ee2918 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2664-2824 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | African Field Epidemiology Network |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-097cd9ff6cc646bba0bd4bf1f9ee29182025-08-20T03:08:28ZengAfrican Field Epidemiology NetworkJournal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health2664-28242021-12-0144https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph.supp.2021.4.4.02.10Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020Chikama Mukwangole0Abdul Muhammad1Nyambe Sinyange2Amos Hamukale3Kelvin Mwangilwa4Precious Kalubula5Nathan Kapata6Field Epidemiology Training Program, Lusaka, ZambiaNakonde District Hospital, Nakonde, ZambiaField Epidemiology Training Program, Lusaka, Zambia; Zambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, ZambiaField Epidemiology Training Program, Lusaka, ZambiaZambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, ZambiaWorld Health Organization, Lusaka, ZambiaZambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, ZambiaIntroduction: Health workers play a critical role in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. However, research on their infection risk and clinical characteristics, particularly in Africa, is emerging. We investigated risk factors for COVID-19 infection and assessed adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers in Nakonde District. Methods: A case-control study among health workers at Nakonde Urban Health Centre and Nakonde District Hospital was conducted from 15 to 25 May 2020. A standardized questionnaire covering demographic information; possible exposure to persons with COVID-19; adherence to infection prevention and control measures was administered to all health workers present at these facilities. Descriptive statistics were performed and logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CIs. Results: A total of 197 HCWs are deployed in the two facilities out of which we obtained 138 responses. Seventy five (54%) had complete responses that were analyzed in this study. Among the 75, 54 (72%) were female. The median age for all the HCWs that responded was 30 years (IQR 26-33). Thirty-seven (49%) were laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases. Symptoms that were exhibited among HCWs with COVID-19 included cough (49%), headache (43%), runny nose (32%) and fatigue (18%); fever was rarely reported (8%). Cough was associated with being a case of COVID-19 (OR 4.2 95% CI 1.5-11.9). Coexisting conditions were similar among the cases and controls. There were no statistically significant differences in exposures between HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 and those without (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.4-2.5). The WHO five moments of hand hygiene recommended for health workers were practiced by (64%). Non availability of Personal Protective Equipment was reported by 70% of HCWs and this was similar among the cases of COVID-19 and the non-cases. Conclusion: Given the critical role HCWs play in looking after the sick, continued protection of this population at work, at home, and in the community through surveillance should be a national priority.https://www.afenet-journal.net/content/series/4/2/10/full/health care workerscovid-19infection prevention and control |
| spellingShingle | Chikama Mukwangole Abdul Muhammad Nyambe Sinyange Amos Hamukale Kelvin Mwangilwa Precious Kalubula Nathan Kapata Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health health care workers covid-19 infection prevention and control |
| title | Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 |
| title_full | Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 |
| title_short | Factors associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines among health workers —Nakonde District, Zambia, 2020 |
| title_sort | factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 covid 19 and an assessment of adherence to infection prevention and control ipc guidelines among health workers nakonde district zambia 2020 |
| topic | health care workers covid-19 infection prevention and control |
| url | https://www.afenet-journal.net/content/series/4/2/10/full/ |
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