Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T17:59:10.945Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Survey Study of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Expected Behaviors of Critical Care Clinicians Regarding an Influenza Pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Elizabeth L. Daugherty ,
Trish M. Perl ,
Lewis Rubinson ,
Andrew Bilderback  and
Cynthia S. Rand
Elizabeth L. Daugherty*
Affiliation:
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Trish M. Perl
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Lewis Rubinson
Affiliation:
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Andrew Bilderback
Affiliation:
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Cynthia S. Rand
Affiliation:
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 East Monument Street, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205 (edaughe2@jhmi.edu)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective.

Intensive care units (ICUs) are potential high-risk areas for the transmission of respiratory viruses such as influenza. An influenza pandemic is expected to result in a dramatic surge of critically ill patients, and ICU healthcare workers (HCW) are likely to be at high risk of infection.

Objective.

To characterize the knowledge, attitudes, and expected behaviors of ICU HCWs concerning the risk of and response to an influenza pandemic.

Design, Participants, and Setting.

A survey was distributed to 292 HCWs (ie, internal medicine house staff, pulmonary and critical care fellows and faculty members, nurses, and respiratory care professionals) at 2 hospitals in Baltimore, Maryland.

Results.

Of the 292 HCWs, 256 (88%) completed the survey. Just over one-half of the respondents believed there is at least a 45% chance of an influenza pandemic within the next 5 years. However, only 41% reported knowing how to protect themselves during an outbreak. Despite this common belief that a pandemic is likely in the near future, 59% of those surveyed reported only minimal knowledge of the risks of and protective strategies for an influenza pandemic, and 20% reported being unlikely to report to work during a pandemic or being unsure about whether they would do so. The odds of reporting to work varied on the basis of race and responsibility for child care.

Conclusions.

ICU HCWs reported having minimal knowledge concerning the risk of and response to an influenza pandemic, even though more that one-half of HCWs expect that a pandemic will occur in the near future. This finding in a high-risk setting is of concern, given that lack of knowledge among HCWs may result in increased nosocomial transmission to HCWs and patients. Interventions to improve knowledge of pandemics and understanding of risks among ICU HCWs are essential.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 30 , Issue 12 , December 2009 , pp. 1143 - 1149
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Flu.gov. Pandemic Planning Update V. A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt. March 17, 2008. Available at: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/professional/pdf/panflureport5.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2008.Google Scholar
2.HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan. US Department of Health and Human Services; 2005. Available at: http://www.hhs.gov/pandemicflu/plan/pdf/ hhspandemicinfluenzaplan.pdf. Accessed November 8, 2006.Google Scholar
3.Qureshi, K, Gershon, RR, Sherman, MF, et al.Health care workers' ability and willingness to report to duty during catastrophic disasters. J Urban Health 2005;82:378–388.Google Scholar
4.Balicer, RD, Omer, SB, Barnett, DJ, Everly, GS Jr.Local public health workers' perceptions toward responding to an influenza pandemic. BMC Public Health 2006;6:99.Google Scholar
5.Alexander, GC, Wynia, MK. Ready and willing? Physicians' sense of preparedness for bioterrorism. Health Aff (Millwood) 2003;22:189–197.Google Scholar
6.Muller, MP, McGeer, A. Febrile respiratory illness in the intensive care unit setting: an infection control perspective. Curr Opin Crit Care 2006;12:37–42.Google Scholar
7.Christian, MD, Loutfy, M, McDonald, LC, et al.Possible SARS Coronavirus transmission during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:287–293.Google Scholar
8.Fowler, RA, Guest, CB, Lapinsky, SE, et al.Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome during intubation and mechanical ventilation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004;169:1198–1202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Peiris, JS, Chu, CM, Cheng, VC, et al.Clinical progression and viral load in a community outbreak of coronavirus-associated SARS pneumonia: a prospective study. Lancet 2003;361:1767–1772.Google Scholar
10.Loeb, M, McGeer, A, Henry, B, et al.SARS among critical care nurses, Toronto. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:251–255.Google Scholar
11.Ofner, M, Lem, M, Sarwal, S, Vearncombe, M, Simor, A. Cluster of severe acute respiratory syndrome cases among protected health-care workers— Toronto, Canada, April 2003. JAMA 2003;289:2788–2789.Google Scholar
12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Siegel, JD, Rhinehart, E, Jackson, M, Chiarello, L; Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/gl_isolation.html. Accessed June 27, 2007.Google Scholar
13.Daugherty, E, Perl, T, Needham, D, Rubinson, L, Bilderback, A, Rand, C. The use of personal protective equipment for control of influenza among critical care clinicians: a survey study. Crit Care Med 2009;37:1210–1216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Hamilton, LC. Statistics with Stata, updated for version 9. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Brooks/Cole; 2006.Google Scholar
15.Irvin, CB, Cindrich, L, Patterson, W, Southall, A. Survey of hospital healthcare personnel response during a potential avian influenza pandemic: will they come to work? Prehosp Disaster Med 2008;23:328–335.Google Scholar
16.Society of Critical Care Medicine. Critical care units: a descriptive analysis. Des Plaines, IL: Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2005.Google Scholar
17. American Association for Respiratory Care. Respiratory therapist human resources study—2005. Irving, Texas: American Association for Respiratory Care, 2006.Google Scholar
18.Knapp, DA. Professionally determined need for pharmacy services in 2020. Am J Pharm Educ 2002;66:421–429.Google Scholar
19.Knapp, KK, Quist, RM, Walton, SM, Miller, LM. Update on the pharmacist shortage: national and state data through 2003. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2005;62:492–499.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Angus, DC, Kelley, MA, Schmitz, RJ, White, A, Popovich, J Jr.Caring for the critically ill patient. Current and projected workforce requirements for care of the critically ill and patients with pulmonary disease: can we meet the requirements of an aging population? JAMA 2000;284:2762–2770.Google Scholar
21.Muller, MP, McGeer, A. Febrile respiratory illness in the intensive care unit setting: an infection control perspective. Curr Opin Crit Care 2006;12:37–42.Google Scholar
22.Syrett, JI, Benitez, JG, Livingston, WH III, Davis, EA. Will emergency health care providers respond to mass casualty incidents? Prehosp Emerg Care 2007;11:49–54.Google Scholar
23.Boulware, LE, Cooper, LA, Ratner, LE, LaVeist, TA, Powe, NR. Race and trust in the health care system. Public Health Rep 2003;118:358–365.Google Scholar
24.Corbie-Smith, G, Thomas, SB, Williams, MV, Moody-Ayers, S. Attitudes and beliefs of African Americans toward participation in medical research. J Gen Intern Med 1999;14:537–546.Google Scholar