Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of varying levels of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on COVID-19 transmission in nursing homes during the first wave of the pandemic. Background/Objectives: The primary aim involved exploring qualitative insights from staff and management...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lakshmi Krishna Menon, Ania Wisniak, Simon Regard, Silvia Stringhini, Idris Guessous, Jean-François Balavoine, Omar Kherad, The SEROCoV-WORK + Study Group
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Epidemiologia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/6/1/14
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850204833676525568
author Lakshmi Krishna Menon
Ania Wisniak
Simon Regard
Silvia Stringhini
Idris Guessous
Jean-François Balavoine
Omar Kherad
The SEROCoV-WORK + Study Group
author_facet Lakshmi Krishna Menon
Ania Wisniak
Simon Regard
Silvia Stringhini
Idris Guessous
Jean-François Balavoine
Omar Kherad
The SEROCoV-WORK + Study Group
author_sort Lakshmi Krishna Menon
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this study was to examine the impact of varying levels of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on COVID-19 transmission in nursing homes during the first wave of the pandemic. Background/Objectives: The primary aim involved exploring qualitative insights from staff and management regarding the implementation of NPIs. The secondary aim was to determine the cumulative incidence of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents. Incident rate ratios (IRRs) were the calculated levels of NPI restrictiveness. Methods: We used a mixed methodology to identify factors that might have affected COVID-19 expansion in nursing homes in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. For the qualitative component, we interviewed the Attending Physicians and/or Director of each nursing home. In the quantitative component, we calculated incident rate ratios (IRRs) for infection between the three levels of COVID-19-related measures taken in these nursing homes, and the cumulative incidence of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases in their resident population. This study was conducted in 12 nursing homes located in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, between 1 March 2020, and 1 June 2020. Results: Most nursing homes mandated NPIs for their staff and residents during the first wave of COVID-19. We found an equal distribution of maximally (<i>n</i> = 4), moderately (<i>n</i> = 4), and minimally (<i>n</i> = 4) restrictive NPIs for nursing home workers and residents. The extent of NPIs implemented was not shown to be significantly associated with the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases among residents (maximally restrictive IRR = 3.90, 95%CI 0.82–45.54, <i>p</i> = 0.184; moderately restrictive IRR = 3.55, 95%CI 0.75–41.42, <i>p</i> = 0.212; minimally restrictive IRR = reference). Conclusions: Nursing homes in our study showed high variability in which NPIs, and to what extent, they implemented, with no significant relationship between the restrictiveness of NPIs and COVID-19 incidence among nursing home residents. This suggests that other factors influence the transmission of COVID-19 in these settings. Future research should explore additional determinants and the balance between strict NPIs and the overall well-being of residents.
format Article
id doaj-art-174e8d49dea84aabaabe914d72a35837
institution OA Journals
issn 2673-3986
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Epidemiologia
spelling doaj-art-174e8d49dea84aabaabe914d72a358372025-08-20T02:11:13ZengMDPI AGEpidemiologia2673-39862025-03-01611410.3390/epidemiologia6010014Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative StudyLakshmi Krishna Menon0Ania Wisniak1Simon Regard2Silvia Stringhini3Idris Guessous4Jean-François Balavoine5Omar Kherad6The SEROCoV-WORK + Study GroupUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Security, Population and Health, General Health Directorate, Canton of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandUnit of Population Epidemiology, Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandThe objective of this study was to examine the impact of varying levels of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on COVID-19 transmission in nursing homes during the first wave of the pandemic. Background/Objectives: The primary aim involved exploring qualitative insights from staff and management regarding the implementation of NPIs. The secondary aim was to determine the cumulative incidence of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents. Incident rate ratios (IRRs) were the calculated levels of NPI restrictiveness. Methods: We used a mixed methodology to identify factors that might have affected COVID-19 expansion in nursing homes in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. For the qualitative component, we interviewed the Attending Physicians and/or Director of each nursing home. In the quantitative component, we calculated incident rate ratios (IRRs) for infection between the three levels of COVID-19-related measures taken in these nursing homes, and the cumulative incidence of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases in their resident population. This study was conducted in 12 nursing homes located in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, between 1 March 2020, and 1 June 2020. Results: Most nursing homes mandated NPIs for their staff and residents during the first wave of COVID-19. We found an equal distribution of maximally (<i>n</i> = 4), moderately (<i>n</i> = 4), and minimally (<i>n</i> = 4) restrictive NPIs for nursing home workers and residents. The extent of NPIs implemented was not shown to be significantly associated with the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases among residents (maximally restrictive IRR = 3.90, 95%CI 0.82–45.54, <i>p</i> = 0.184; moderately restrictive IRR = 3.55, 95%CI 0.75–41.42, <i>p</i> = 0.212; minimally restrictive IRR = reference). Conclusions: Nursing homes in our study showed high variability in which NPIs, and to what extent, they implemented, with no significant relationship between the restrictiveness of NPIs and COVID-19 incidence among nursing home residents. This suggests that other factors influence the transmission of COVID-19 in these settings. Future research should explore additional determinants and the balance between strict NPIs and the overall well-being of residents.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/6/1/14non-pharmaceutical interventionsCOVID-19nursing homeslong-term careGenevainfection control
spellingShingle Lakshmi Krishna Menon
Ania Wisniak
Simon Regard
Silvia Stringhini
Idris Guessous
Jean-François Balavoine
Omar Kherad
The SEROCoV-WORK + Study Group
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
Epidemiologia
non-pharmaceutical interventions
COVID-19
nursing homes
long-term care
Geneva
infection control
title Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
title_full Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
title_fullStr Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
title_full_unstemmed Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
title_short Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 in Workers and Residents of Nursing Homes in Geneva: A Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study
title_sort non pharmaceutical interventions on covid 19 in workers and residents of nursing homes in geneva a mixed qualitative and quantitative study
topic non-pharmaceutical interventions
COVID-19
nursing homes
long-term care
Geneva
infection control
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3986/6/1/14
work_keys_str_mv AT lakshmikrishnamenon nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT aniawisniak nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT simonregard nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT silviastringhini nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT idrisguessous nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT jeanfrancoisbalavoine nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT omarkherad nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy
AT theserocovworkstudygroup nonpharmaceuticalinterventionsoncovid19inworkersandresidentsofnursinghomesingenevaamixedqualitativeandquantitativestudy