Adherence to non-pharmacological preventive measures among healthcare workers in a middle-income country during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: Hospital and community setting

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 50; no. 6; pp. 707 - 711
• Main Authors: Costa, Silvia Figueiredo, Vernal, Sebastian, Giavina-Bianchi, Pedro, Mesquita Peres, Carlos Henrique, dos Santos, Lanuse G.D., Santos, Roseli E.B., Santos, Rita C.C., Francisco, Maria Cristina P.B., Satie, Fatima M., dal Secco, Ligia M., Pivetta Cora, Aline, dos santos, Carolina Lazari, Duarte, Alberto Jose da Silva, Oliveira Bonfá, Eloisa Silva Dutra de, Perreira, Antonio Jose, Sabino, Ester Cedeira, Segurado, Aluisio Cotrin, Levin, Anna Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2022; Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc
• Subjects: Brief Report; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Hand hygiene; Health Personnel; Hospitals; Humans; Pandemics - prevention & control; Physical distance; SARS-CoV-2; Social isolation; Use of mask; Hand hygiene; Social isolation; Use of mask; Physical distance
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.12.004

•This study assessed the adherence to PPE (mask, gowns, and gloves) at the workplace, as well as to non-pharmacological preventive measures (NPPM) outside of the workplace among healthcare workers.•NPPM was defined as physical distance as hardly ever and/or never approaches other people within 1.5 meters, social isolation as leaving home less than once a week; hand hygiene as performing hand hygiene ≥ 6 times per period; and adherence to the use of a mask outside of the workplace was defined as on all outings and hardly ever/never removes the mask.•High adherence to PPE was independently associated with younger age, professional category, work in an area of direct patient assistance; use of public transportation, or adherence to NPPM outside of the workplace. This study assessed, using a self-reported questionnaire, the adherence to PPE (mask, gowns, and gloves) at the workplace, as well as to non-pharmacological preventive measures (NPPM) (physical distance defined as hardly ever and/or never approaches other people within 1.5 meters, social isolation as leaving home less than once a week, hand hygiene was defined as performing hand hygiene ≥ 6 times per period, and adherence to the use of a mask outside of the workplace was defined as on all outings and hardly ever and/or never removes the mask) outside of the workplace among 1,296 health care workers (HCWs), including if NPPM adherence was associated with COVID-19 in HCWs. High adherence to PPE was independently associated with younger age, professional category, work in an area of direct patient assistance; use of public transportation, or adherence to NPPM outside of the workplace.