The Prevalence of Covid-19 Positivity Among Healthcare Workers Managing Covid-19, Its Associated Factors and Adherence to Personal Protective Equipment in Terengganu
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Abstract
Introduction: COVID-19 is highly contagious and spread rapidly affecting almost the whole world. Many healthcare workers (HCWs) who served as frontliners were infected and some even died due to the illness. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health and overall well-being of HCWs, leading to burnout, anxiety, depression and stress. Therefore, this study aims to determine both the prevalence and risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection and compliance with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among HCWs in Terengganu. Methods: This retrospective record review study included all HCWs at Hospital Sultanah Nurzahirah and Hospital Hulu Terengganu who were exposed to or worked with COVID-19 patients from June 2020 to June 2021. PPE compliance was evaluated through questionnaires. Results: A total of 260 HCW are included in this study. However, none of them were tested to be positive for COVID-19 PCR. Overall, 187 workers (71.9%) reported full compliance to PPE guidelines, with facemasks having the highest compliance rate (96.2%). However, risk of inadequate PPE usage was found to be higher among healthcare assistant and shorter duration of exposure. Conclusion: The study found no COVID-19 cases among the healthcare workers, highlighting the effectiveness of strict PPE adherence particularly facemask. PPE compliance is crucial in preventing virus transmission within healthcare settings and indicates specific factors affecting PPE use, assisting in targeted improvements for frontline workers’ safety. However, retrospective design of this study and reliance on self-reported data may causes bias and eventually affect the generalizability of the findings.
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