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Working Despite Having Influenza-Like Illness: Results of An Anonymous Survey of Healthcare Providers Who Care for Transplant Recipients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2017

Sherif B. Mossad*
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio Transplantation Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Abhishek Deshpande
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio Center for Value-Based Care Research, Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Sarah Schramm
Affiliation:
Center for Value-Based Care Research, Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Xiaobo Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Michael B. Rothberg
Affiliation:
Center for Value-Based Care Research, Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Address correspondence to Sherif Beniameen Mossad, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FAST, Department of Infectious Diseases, Medicine Institute and Transplant Center, Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Room 131, G21, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195 (mossads@ccf.org).

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To compare the rates of and reasons for presenteeism associated with influenza-like illness (ILI) among healthcare professionals (HCPs) caring for hospitalized inpatient transplant recipients and internal medicine patients.

DESIGN

We designed a 10-question anonymous survey in which ILI was defined as fever (>37.8°C) and cough and/or sore throat and ILI B was defined as fever (>37.8°C) or cough or sore throat; both definitions were considered in the absence of another known cause.

SETTING

Tertiary-care center.

PARTICIPANTS

Physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs) and nurses.

INTERVENTION

Survey deployed at peak of influenza activity in 2016.

MEASUREMENTS

Rates of ILI, presenteeism, wearing masks, and time away due to ILI.

RESULTS

Of 707 HCPs surveyed, 286 (40%) responded; 15 (5.2%) reported having ILI, and 73 (25.5%) reported having ILI B in the preceding 2 weeks. Presenteeism rates were 92% in both groups of HCPs and were higher among women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.64; 95% CI, 1.23–5.71; P=.01) and those ≤40 years old (AOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.03–3.68; P=.04). Healthcare professionals who cared for transplant recipients and female HCPs were more likely to wear masks (AOR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.05–3.40; P=.04 for transplant recipients and AOR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.35–11.63; P=.01 for female HCPs). Nurses were more likely than physicians and APPs to take time off (AOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.10–10.09; P=.03.)

CONCLUSIONS

Presenteeism among HCPs with ILI is common, including among those caring for transplant recipients. Nonpunitive systems should encourage HCPs not to work with ILI and to wear masks to prevent spread of infections.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:966–969

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© 2017 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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Footnotes

PREVIOUS PRESENTATION: This study was presented in part at the 2016 ID Week meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 28, 2016 (poster 1393).

References

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