IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4434-d1085318.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Preventive Measures among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Rodríguez-González

    (Public Health Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Aleksis Galloza

    (School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Edgar J. Medina

    (School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Valeria Oliver

    (School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Natalia I. Rodríguez

    (School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Elizabeth Ramos-Colón

    (Public Health Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Mileily Velázquez-Ferrer

    (Public Health Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Dayaneira Rivera-Alers

    (Public Health Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Wanda Vargas

    (Center for Research Resources, RCMI Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

  • Vanessa Rivera-Amill

    (School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA
    Center for Research Resources, RCMI Program, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, PR 00716, USA)

Abstract

COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), placed health systems worldwide under immense pressure, and healthcare workers (HCWs) were at the front lines. The Puerto Rico Department of Health confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in March 2020. We aimed to assess whether COVID-19 preventive measures implemented by HCWs were effective in a work scenario before vaccine availability. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study from July to December 2020 to evaluate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hygiene guidelines, and other measures taken by HCWs to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We collected nasopharyngeal specimens for molecular testing at the beginning of the study and follow-up. We recruited 62 participants aged 30–59 (79% women). Participants recruited from hospitals, clinical laboratories, and private practice included medical technologists (33%), nurses (28%), respiratory therapists (2%), physicians (11%), and others (26%). Among our participants, nurses were at higher risk ( p < 0.05) of infection. We identified that 87% of participants followed the hygiene recommendation guidelines. In addition, all participants practiced handwashing or disinfection before or after caring for each patient. All participants tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. On follow-up, all study participants reported being vaccinated against COVID-19. The implementation of PPE and hygiene measures showed high efficacy as a prevention method against SARS-CoV-2 infection when vaccines and treatment were not widely available in Puerto Rico.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Rodríguez-González & Aleksis Galloza & Edgar J. Medina & Valeria Oliver & Natalia I. Rodríguez & Elizabeth Ramos-Colón & Mileily Velázquez-Ferrer & Dayaneira Rivera-Alers & Wanda Vargas & Vanes, 2023. "Preventive Measures among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-9, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4434-:d:1085318
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4434/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4434/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diego Delgado & Fernando Wyss Quintana & Gonzalo Perez & Alvaro Sosa Liprandi & Carlos Ponte-Negretti & Ivan Mendoza & Adrian Baranchuk, 2020. "Personal Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Realities and Perspectives of Healthcare Workers in Latin America," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-8, April.
    2. Tafadzwa Dzinamarira & Grant Murewanhema & Malizgani Mhango & Patrick Gad Iradukunda & Itai Chitungo & Moreblessing Mashora & Pelagia Makanda & James Atwine & Munashe Chimene & Elliot Mbunge & Munyara, 2021. "COVID-19 Prevalence among Healthcare Workers. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    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. Jianlin Ren & Shasha Duan & Leihong Guo & Hongwan Li & Xiangfei Kong, 2022. "Effects of Return Air Inlets’ Location on the Control of Fine Particle Transportation in a Simulated Hospital Ward," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Razieh Mokhtari & Ali Safdari & Davood Hekmatpou & Ali Sahebi & Siamak Moayedi & Mercedes Torres & Mohamad Golitaleb, 2021. "Investigating the Effective Factors of Using Personal Protective Equipment from the Perspective of Nurses Caring for COVID-19 Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-9, July.
    3. Natascha Mojtahedzadeh & Tanja Wirth & Albert Nienhaus & Volker Harth & Stefanie Mache, 2021. "Job Demands, Resources and Strains of Outpatient Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-26, April.
    4. Ngqabutho Moyo & Anita D. Bhappu & Moment Bhebhe & Farai Ncube, 2022. "Perceived Risk of COVID-19 and Employee Decision-Making: How Psychological Distress during the Pandemic Increases Negative Performance Outcomes among Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Young-Jae Kim & Seung-Woo Kang, 2020. "The Quality of Life, Psychological Health, and Occupational Calling of Korean Workers: Differences by the New Classes of Occupation Emerging Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-14, August.
    6. Abdul Aziz Harith & Mohd Hafiz Ab Gani & Robin Griffiths & Azlihanis Abdul Hadi & Nor Aishah Abu Bakar & Julia Myers & Maznieda Mahjom & Rosnawati Muhamad Robat & Muhammad Zulfakhar Zubir, 2022. "Incidence, Prevalence, and Sources of COVID-19 Infection among Healthcare Workers in Hospitals in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.
    7. Miguel Ortíz-Barrios & Natalia Jaramillo-Rueda & Muhammet Gul & Melih Yucesan & Genett Jiménez-Delgado & Juan-José Alfaro-Saíz, 2023. "A Fuzzy Hybrid MCDM Approach for Assessing the Emergency Department Performance during the COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-39, March.
    8. Haibo Chen & Zongjun Wang & Xuesong Yu & Qin Zhong, 2022. "Research on the Anti-Risk Mechanism of Mask Green Supply Chain from the Perspective of Cooperation between Retailers, Suppliers, and Financial Institutions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Grzegorz Józef Nowicki & Barbara Ślusarska & Kinga Tucholska & Katarzyna Naylor & Agnieszka Chrzan-Rodak & Barbara Niedorys, 2020. "The Severity of Traumatic Stress Associated with COVID-19 Pandemic, Perception of Support, Sense of Security, and Sense of Meaning in Life among Nurses: Research Protocol and Preliminary Results from ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Mateusz Babicki & Ilona Szewczykowska & Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas, 2021. "Mental Health in the Era of the Second Wave of SARS-CoV-2: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on an Online Survey among Online Respondents in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-15, 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:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4434-:d:1085318. 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.