Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study
Background The introduction of community infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a reduction in acute exacerbations of lung disease. We aimed to understand the acceptability of continued use of infection control measures among people with chronic lung disease and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Respiratory Society
2024-01-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/10/1/00403-2023.full |
| _version_ | 1797278823736147968 |
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| author | Arwel W. Jones Bill E. King Andrew Cumella Nicholas S. Hopkinson John R. Hurst Anne E. Holland |
| author_facet | Arwel W. Jones Bill E. King Andrew Cumella Nicholas S. Hopkinson John R. Hurst Anne E. Holland |
| author_sort | Arwel W. Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
The introduction of community infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a reduction in acute exacerbations of lung disease. We aimed to understand the acceptability of continued use of infection control measures among people with chronic lung disease and to understand the barriers and facilitators of use.
Methods
Australian adults with chronic lung disease were invited to an online survey (last quarter of 2021) to specify infection control measures they would continue themselves post-pandemic and those they perceived should be adopted by the community. A subset of survey participants were interviewed (first quarter of 2022) with coded transcripts deductively mapped to the COM-B model and Theoretical Domains Framework.
Results
193 people (COPD 84, bronchiectasis 41, interstitial lung disease 35, asthma 33) completed the survey. Physical distancing indoors (83%), handwashing (77%), and avoidance of busy places (71%) or unwell family and friends (77%) were measures most likely to be continued. Policies for the wider community that received most support were those during the influenza season including hand sanitiser being widely available (84%), wearing of face coverings by healthcare professionals (67%) and wearing of face coverings by the general population on public transport (66%). Barriers to use of infection control measures were related to physical skills, knowledge, environmental context and resources, social influences, emotion, beliefs about capabilities and beliefs about consequences.
Conclusions
Adults with chronic lung diseases in Australia are supportive of physical distancing indoors, hand hygiene, and avoidance of busy places or unwell family and friends as long-term infection control measures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:14:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3092019838a243cc8b5c18067287abbc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-0541 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:14:46Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | European Respiratory Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ERJ Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-3092019838a243cc8b5c18067287abbc2024-03-04T11:29:59ZengEuropean Respiratory SocietyERJ Open Research2312-05412024-01-0110110.1183/23120541.00403-202300403-2023Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods studyArwel W. Jones0Bill E. King1Andrew Cumella2Nicholas S. Hopkinson3John R. Hurst4Anne E. Holland5 Respiratory Research@Alfred, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Respiratory Research@Alfred, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Asthma+Lung UK, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK UCL Respiratory, University College London, London, UK Respiratory Research@Alfred, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Background The introduction of community infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a reduction in acute exacerbations of lung disease. We aimed to understand the acceptability of continued use of infection control measures among people with chronic lung disease and to understand the barriers and facilitators of use. Methods Australian adults with chronic lung disease were invited to an online survey (last quarter of 2021) to specify infection control measures they would continue themselves post-pandemic and those they perceived should be adopted by the community. A subset of survey participants were interviewed (first quarter of 2022) with coded transcripts deductively mapped to the COM-B model and Theoretical Domains Framework. Results 193 people (COPD 84, bronchiectasis 41, interstitial lung disease 35, asthma 33) completed the survey. Physical distancing indoors (83%), handwashing (77%), and avoidance of busy places (71%) or unwell family and friends (77%) were measures most likely to be continued. Policies for the wider community that received most support were those during the influenza season including hand sanitiser being widely available (84%), wearing of face coverings by healthcare professionals (67%) and wearing of face coverings by the general population on public transport (66%). Barriers to use of infection control measures were related to physical skills, knowledge, environmental context and resources, social influences, emotion, beliefs about capabilities and beliefs about consequences. Conclusions Adults with chronic lung diseases in Australia are supportive of physical distancing indoors, hand hygiene, and avoidance of busy places or unwell family and friends as long-term infection control measures.http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/10/1/00403-2023.full |
| spellingShingle | Arwel W. Jones Bill E. King Andrew Cumella Nicholas S. Hopkinson John R. Hurst Anne E. Holland Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study ERJ Open Research |
| title | Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study |
| title_full | Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study |
| title_fullStr | Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study |
| title_short | Use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease: mixed methods study |
| title_sort | use of infection control measures in people with chronic lung disease mixed methods study |
| url | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/10/1/00403-2023.full |
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