IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i13p7097-d587461.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment and Impact of the Risk of Exposure of Portuguese Biomedical Scientists in the Context of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Ana Sofia R. Tavares

    (H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde Instituto, Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Fernando Bellém

    (Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Renato Abreu

    (H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde Instituto, Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Céu Leitão

    (H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde Instituto, Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Nuno Medeiros

    (H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde Instituto, Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal
    IHC—NOVA FCSH, Institute of Contemporary History, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Patrícia Alves

    (H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde Instituto, Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Luís Calmeiro

    (School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee DD1 1HG, UK
    Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Environmental Health, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

Currently, the main public health concern worldwide is the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, which was recently discovered and described. Due to its high pathogenicity and infectiousness, it is necessary to determine the risk healthcare professionals face every day while dealing with infected patients and contaminated biological samples. The purpose of this study was to assess Portuguese Biomedical Scientists’ risk of COVID-19 exposure and related stress appraisals. One hundred and forty participants completed online versions of the WHO’s Risk Assessment and Management of Exposure Survey and the Stress Appraisal Measure. Participants worked mainly in outpatient settings (45%), and in emergency services (28%). Twenty three percent of participants were exposed to COVID-19 through community exposure, and 39% through occupational exposure. Although 95% reported using personal protective equipment (PPE), 83.6% were at high risk of infection. However, the use of some types of PPE was related to the risk of exposure. Participants reported moderate perceptions of stress and threat, but also moderate perceptions of control over the situation. These results may contribute to a more efficient risk management of these professionals and prevent disease transmission in hospitals and communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana Sofia R. Tavares & Fernando Bellém & Renato Abreu & Céu Leitão & Nuno Medeiros & Patrícia Alves & Luís Calmeiro, 2021. "Assessment and Impact of the Risk of Exposure of Portuguese Biomedical Scientists in the Context of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-12, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7097-:d:587461
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7097/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/7097/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giovanni Gabutti & Erica d’Anchera & Francesco De Motoli & Marta Savio & Armando Stefanati, 2021. "The Epidemiological Characteristics of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Europe: Focus on Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-14, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Derek Huang & Huanyu Tao & Qilong Wu & Sheng-You Huang & Yi Xiao, 2021. "Modeling of the Long-Term Epidemic Dynamics of COVID-19 in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Ambra Gentile & Marianna Alesi & Barbara Caci, 2022. "Protective and Educational Effects of Physical Activity Practice on Mental Health in Young Age during COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Lucia Cazzoletti & Maria Elisabetta Zanolin & Ilaria Tocco Tussardi & Mulubirhan Assefa Alemayohu & Ernesto Zanetel & Donatella Visentin & Luca Fabbri & Massimo Giordani & Giancarlo Ruscitti & Pier Pa, 2021. "Risk Factors Associated with Nursing Home COVID-19 Outbreaks: A Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Junhwi Jeon & Changyong Han & Tobhin Kim & Sunmi Lee, 2022. "Evolution of Responses to COVID-19 and Epidemiological Characteristics in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7097-:d:587461. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.