Living with school-age children and absence among staff of a tertiary hospital during the Omicron epidemic in Tokyo.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Yamamoto S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9389519 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Living with school-age children and absence among staff of a tertiary hospital during the Omicron epidemic in Tokyo.
Yamamoto S S Mizoue N N Mizoue T T Konishi M M Horii K K Sugiyama H H Ohmagari N N
The Journal of hospital infection 20220819
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Project description:BackgroundMany countries, including high-income nations, struggled to control epidemic waves caused by the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), which had an antigenically distinct evolution. Evaluating the direct and indirect effects of vaccination during the Omicron waves is essential to assess virus control policies. The present study assessed the population impacts of a vaccination program during the sixth wave caused by BA.1 and BA.2 from January to May 2022, in Tokyo.MethodsWe analyzed the primary series and booster vaccination coverages and the confirmed cases stratified by vaccination history. We estimated the number of COVID-19 cases that were directly and indirectly prevented by vaccination. To estimate the direct impact, we used a statistical model that compared risks between unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals. A transmission model employing the renewal process was devised to quantify the total effect, given as the sum of the direct and indirect effects.ResultsAssuming that the reporting coverage of cases was 25%, mass vaccination programs, including primary and booster immunizations, directly averted 640,000 COVID-19 cases (95% confidence interval: 624-655). Furthermore, these programs directly and indirectly prevented 8.5 million infections (95% confidence interval: 8.4-8.6). Hypothetical scenarios indicated that we could have expected a 19% or 7% relative reduction in the number of infections, respectively, compared with the observed number of infections, if the booster coverage had been equivalent to that of the second dose or if coverage among people aged 10-49 years had been 10% higher. If the third dose coverage was smaller and comparable to that of the fourth dose, the total number of infections would have increased by 52% compared with the observed number of infections.ConclusionsThe population benefit of vaccination via direct and indirect effects was substantial, with an estimated 65% reduction in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared with counterfactual (without vaccination) in Tokyo during the sixth wave caused by BA.1 and BA.2.
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Project description:BackgroundEffectiveness of restricting healthcare providers (HCPs) from working based on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-like symptoms should be evaluated.MethodsA total of 495 HCPs in a tertiary care hospital in Tokyo, Japan, participated in this study between June and July in 2020. Analysis of serum anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody to identify infected HCPs, questionnaire surveys, and medical record reviews were conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of symptom-based work restriction for 10 days.ResultsFive participants (1.0%) were identified as infected. Forty-six participants (9.3%) experienced work restriction and all 5 infected participants (10.8%) restricted working, even though the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was positive only in 4 participants (80.0%). There were no unexpectedly infected participants among those who did not experience work restriction. However, only 46 of 110 HCPs with COVID-19-like symptoms (41.8%) restricted themselves from working.DiscussionSymptom-based work restriction strategy successfully prevented infected HCPs to work, but showed low specificity to identify truly infected HCPs, and their low adherence to the strategy was revealed.ConclusionsHCPs with COVID-19-like symptoms should restrict working as the first step of infection prevention, but the strategy to identify truly infected HCPs is necessary.
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Project description:BackgroundHospital managers are best suited and located to enhance patient safety culture within their institutions.AimThis study sought to provide insight on the perceptions of 10 managerial staff regarding the patient safety culture at a tertiary academic hospital in South Africa.MethodIn-depth interviews were conducted with strategic and operational managers within high-risk units in order to determine their perceptions regarding patient safety culture.FindingsParticipants described diverse aspects of the hospital's patient safety culture including an overview of patient safety, implementation of patient safety initiatives, challenges to patient safety, current management of patient safety issues, as well as ways to improve the patient safety culture of the hospital.ConclusionThe findings highlighted a number of areas to improve on to advance patient safety within the South African context. These include improving basic services, strengthening the infrastructure, improving staff attitudes and implementation of patient safety initiatives. Further research and development of quality improvement plans are essential to enhance patient safety.
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Project description:BackgroundBuilding research capacity can strengthen health systems through evidence-based interventions. However, evaluating the current research capacity and increasing it is a layered process that needs to consider different institutional structures, as well as internal factors. This study collects baseline data on the research capacity and culture at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFH), a tertiary-level teaching hospital in Rwanda. It also proposes ways to further strengthen it and recommends ways for other institutions in Rwanda to strengthen research capacity.MethodsThe Research Capacity and Culture Tool was distributed to full-time clinical and non-clinical KFH staff in September 2021. Participants were required to hold a position that minimally requires an Advanced Diploma. The quantitative survey data were analyzed in SPSS Version 27 and analyzed via descriptive statistics across all domains, including the individual, organizational, and team levels.Findings152 participants completed the questionnaire. On a 5-point Likert scale, the highest ranked skills were designing questionnaires (3.34) and using digital referencing systems (3.29), while the lowest ranked skills were securing research funding (2.40) and writing for publication in peer-reviewed journals (2.46). Perceptions about the organizational level's research system were overall stronger than those at the team level, with the weakest team-level system being having regular research forums and bulletins (2.14) and having digital tools for conducting research (2.14). Motivators to conducting research included skills development (87%) and career advancement (74%), while barriers included a lack of time (64%) and access to funding (56%).DiscussionTo strengthen the research capacity and culture at KFH, focus should be on allocating tools, resources, and training opportunities to staff. Research should be integrated into staff job descriptions, with a time audit conducted to ensure they have adequate time for these activities. Finally, decentralizing research and ensuring team-level ownership will help with staff buy in.
| S-EPMC11620370 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This study aimed to evaluate ocular healthcare-seeking behaviours and vision screening outcomes of nursing staff at a tertiary eye care hospital.This study was conducted between April and September 2016 among all 500 nurses employed at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected on age, gender, use of visual aids, the presence of diabetes, a history of refractive surgery and date of last ocular health check-up. Participants were tested using a handheld Spot™ Vision Screener (Welch Allyn Inc., Skaneateles Falls, New York, USA).A total of 150 nurses participated in the study (response rate: 30.0%). The mean age was 41.2 ± 8.9 years old. Distance spectacles, reading spectacles and both types of spectacles were used by 37 (24.7%), 32 (21.3%) and 10 (6.7%) nurses, respectively. A total of 58 nurses (38.7%) failed the vision screening test. Visual defects were detected for the first time in 13 nurses (8.7%). With regards to regular eye checkups, 77 participants (51.3%) reported acceptable ocular healthcare-seeking behaviours; this factor was significantly associated with age and the use of visual aids (P <0.01 each).A high proportion of participants failed the vision screening tests and only half displayed good ocular healthcare-seeking behaviours. This is concerning as ophthalmic nurses are likely to face fewer barriers to eye care services than the general population.
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Project description: Not available
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Project description:BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) is considered the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorder among female healthcare workers. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence of LBP and non-ergonomic risk factors between female nurses, office workers, and patient transporters, and the effect of pain on job performance.MethodsBased on semi-structured interviews, we conducted a cross-sectional study on Jordanian female hospital workers between January and July, 2017.ResultsWe included 209 participants with a mean age of 35.57 ± 8 years from four Jordanian medical centers. Nurses have significantly higher frequency of LBP (82.5%; p = 0.05) compared to both office workers (67.5%) and patient transporters (68.6%). The mean difference in pain score using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) after treatment varied significantly (p = 0.003), since it was 28.2 (±35.4) for office workers, compared to 22.8 (±26.5) for nurses and 6.5 (±33.7) for patient transporters. A higher frequency of nurses reported that LBP affected their job performance (64.9%; p = 0.013), and 43.3% of them reported having previous sick leaves due to LBP (p = 0.008).ConclusionsLBP is common among female hospital workers, with significantly higher prevalence among female nurses when compared to other female hospital staff.
| S-EPMC7315438 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Objective The present study analyzed the psychological status of healthcare workers in Japan and the influencing factors during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic. Methods An online survey was conducted from July 22 to August 21, 2020. A total of 328 of the 1,029 medical staff members in our university hospital participated in the study. Their mental health was assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with the mental health outcomes. Results Of the respondents, 78.0% reported psychological distress. Overall, we found that women, non-physicians, those who lived alone, and younger respondents had significantly greater psychological distress than their counterparts. The multivariate regression analysis showed that four factors were extracted as independent 12-item General Health Questionnaire-related factors: the lack of a sense of mission as a medical professional, the burden of the change in the quality of work, the lack of understanding about virus infectivity, and a strong sense of duty. Conclusion In summary, we found a high prevalence of psychological distress among healthcare workers during the 2019 coronavirus disease outbreak in Japan. Independent risk factors for psychological distress were the burden of the change in the quality of work, the lack of understanding about virus infectivity, a sense of responsibility, and the lack of a strong motivation and drive to help.
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Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC6478185 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundOn April 7, 2020, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Given the nation-wide spread of the coronavirus in major Japanese cities and the rapid increase in the number of cases with untraceable infection routes, large-scale monitoring for capturing the current epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in Japan is urgently required.MethodsA chatbot-based healthcare system named COOPERA (COvid-19: Operation for Personalized Empowerment to Render smart prevention And AN care seeking) was developed to surveil the Japanese epidemiological situation in real-time. COOPERA asked questions regarding personal information, location, preventive actions, COVID-19 related symptoms and their residence. Empirical Bayes estimates of the age-sex-standardized incidence rate and disease mapping approach using scan statistics were utilized to identify the geographical distribution of the symptoms in Tokyo and their spatial correlation r with the identified COVID-19 cases.FindingsWe analyzed 353,010 participants from Tokyo recruited from 27th March to 6th April 2020. The mean (SD) age of participants was 42.7 (12.3), and 63.4%, 36.4% or 0.2% were female, male, or others, respectively. 95.6% of participants had no subjective symptoms. We identified several geographical clusters with high spatial correlation (r = 0.9), especially in downtown areas in central Tokyo such as Shibuya and Shinjuku.InterpretationWith the global spread of COVID-19, medical resources are being depleted. A new system to monitor the epidemiological situation, COOPERA, can provide insights to assist political decision to tackle the epidemic. In addition, given that Japan has not had a strong lockdown policy to weaken the spread of the infection, our result would be useful for preparing for the second wave in other countries during the next flu season without a strong lockdown.FundingThe present work was supported in part by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (H29-Gantaisaku-ippan-009).
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