Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana.
<h4>Introduction</h4>Health care workers (HCWs) are crucial to the fight against COVID-19 and are at risk of being infected. We sought to determine the risk factors and associations of COVID-19 among HCWs in Ghana during the period of the pandemic.<h4>Materials and methods</h4&g...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288242 |
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| author | Margaret Lartey Ernest Kenu Vincent Jessey Ganu Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe Baafour Kofi Opoku Alfred Yawson Sally-Ann Ohene |
| author_facet | Margaret Lartey Ernest Kenu Vincent Jessey Ganu Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe Baafour Kofi Opoku Alfred Yawson Sally-Ann Ohene |
| author_sort | Margaret Lartey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Introduction</h4>Health care workers (HCWs) are crucial to the fight against COVID-19 and are at risk of being infected. We sought to determine the risk factors and associations of COVID-19 among HCWs in Ghana during the period of the pandemic.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>A case-control study was conducted using the WHO COVID-19 HCWs exposure risk assessment tool. A HCW was categorized as "high risk" for COVID-19 if s/he did not respond "always, as recommended" to adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures during a healthcare interaction. A HCW was categorized as "low risk" if s/he responded "always, as recommended" to adherence to IPC measures. We used univariate and multiple logistic regression models to determine associated risk factors. Statistical significance was set at 5%.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 2402 HCWs were recruited and the mean age was 33.2±7.1 years. Almost 87% (1525/1745) of HCWs had high risk for COVID-19 infection. Risk factors identified were profession (doctor- aOR: 2.13, 95%CI: 1.54-2.94; radiographer-aOR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.44-3.09)), presence of comorbidity (aOR: 1.89, 95%CI: 1.29-2.78), community exposure to virus (aOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03-1.55), not performing hand hygiene before and after aseptic procedures performed (aOR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.05-2.45); not frequently decontaminating high-touch surfaces always as recommended (aOR: 2.31, 95%CI: 1.65-3.22; p = 0.001) and contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.15-1.67). Among those who came into any form of contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient, providing direct care (aOR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.36-2.94), face-to-face contact (aOR: 2.23, 95%CI: 1.41-3.51), contact with environment/materials used by COVID-19 patient (aOR: 2.25, 95%CI: 1.45-3.49) and presence during conduct of aerosol generating procedures (aOR: 2.73, 95%CI: 1.74-4.28) were associated with COVID-19 infection.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Non-adherence to IPC guidelines puts HCWs at increased risk of COVID-19 infection thus ensuring IPC adherence is key to reducing this risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:26:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1a6728b612345e08ea16b9e35c198e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:26:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1a6728b612345e08ea16b9e35c198e62023-07-22T05:31:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01187e028824210.1371/journal.pone.0288242Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana.Margaret LarteyErnest KenuVincent Jessey GanuFranklin Asiedu-BekoeBaafour Kofi OpokuAlfred YawsonSally-Ann Ohene<h4>Introduction</h4>Health care workers (HCWs) are crucial to the fight against COVID-19 and are at risk of being infected. We sought to determine the risk factors and associations of COVID-19 among HCWs in Ghana during the period of the pandemic.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>A case-control study was conducted using the WHO COVID-19 HCWs exposure risk assessment tool. A HCW was categorized as "high risk" for COVID-19 if s/he did not respond "always, as recommended" to adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures during a healthcare interaction. A HCW was categorized as "low risk" if s/he responded "always, as recommended" to adherence to IPC measures. We used univariate and multiple logistic regression models to determine associated risk factors. Statistical significance was set at 5%.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 2402 HCWs were recruited and the mean age was 33.2±7.1 years. Almost 87% (1525/1745) of HCWs had high risk for COVID-19 infection. Risk factors identified were profession (doctor- aOR: 2.13, 95%CI: 1.54-2.94; radiographer-aOR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.44-3.09)), presence of comorbidity (aOR: 1.89, 95%CI: 1.29-2.78), community exposure to virus (aOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03-1.55), not performing hand hygiene before and after aseptic procedures performed (aOR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.05-2.45); not frequently decontaminating high-touch surfaces always as recommended (aOR: 2.31, 95%CI: 1.65-3.22; p = 0.001) and contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.15-1.67). Among those who came into any form of contact with confirmed COVID-19 patient, providing direct care (aOR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.36-2.94), face-to-face contact (aOR: 2.23, 95%CI: 1.41-3.51), contact with environment/materials used by COVID-19 patient (aOR: 2.25, 95%CI: 1.45-3.49) and presence during conduct of aerosol generating procedures (aOR: 2.73, 95%CI: 1.74-4.28) were associated with COVID-19 infection.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Non-adherence to IPC guidelines puts HCWs at increased risk of COVID-19 infection thus ensuring IPC adherence is key to reducing this risk.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288242 |
| spellingShingle | Margaret Lartey Ernest Kenu Vincent Jessey Ganu Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe Baafour Kofi Opoku Alfred Yawson Sally-Ann Ohene Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. PLoS ONE |
| title | Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. |
| title_full | Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. |
| title_fullStr | Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. |
| title_short | Risk factors for COVID-19 infections among health care workers in Ghana. |
| title_sort | risk factors for covid 19 infections among health care workers in ghana |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288242 |
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