Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38886634›Full record

Observational studyBMC infectious diseases2024

Compliance of healthcare workers in a psychiatric inpatient ward to infection control practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: a participant observation study supplemented with a self-reported survey.

Leonia Hiu Wan Lau, Queenie Shing Kwan Lam, Minnie Mei Yi Siu, Tiffany Sze Ki Tang, Lorna Kwai Ping Suen, Simon Ching Lam

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

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  5. World Hand Hygiene Day 2025: A perspective from theInfection prevention in practice · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Leonia Hiu Wan Lau *School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Queenie Shing Kwan Lam *School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Minnie Mei Yi SiuSchool of Nursing, Union Hospital, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Tiffany Sze Ki TangSchool of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Lorna Kwai Ping SuenSchool of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Simon Ching LamSchool of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. simlc@alumni.cuhk.net.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAs an emerging infectious disease with a heterogenous and uncertain transmission pattern, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a catastrophe in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and posed a significant challenge to infection control practices (ICPs) in healthcare settings. While the unique characteristics of psychiatric patients and clinical settings may make the implementation of ICPs difficult, evidence is lacking for compliance with ICPs among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a psychiatric setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsA cross-sectional multi-method study based on participant unobtrusive observation coupled with the completion of a self-administered ICP survey was conducted to assess compliance with ICPs among HCWs in a psychiatric inpatient ward in a regional hospital. An online checklist, called eRub, was used to record the performance of HCWs in hand hygiene (HH) and other essential ICPs. Furthermore, a well-validated questionnaire (i.e., Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale, CSPS) was used to collect the participants' self-reported ICP compliance for later comparison.

resultsA total of 2,670 ICP opportunities were observed from January to April 2020. The overall compliance rate was 42.6%. HCWs exhibited satisfactory compliance to the wearing of mask (91.2%) and the handling of clinical waste (87.5%); suboptimal compliance to the handling of sharp objects (67.7%) and linen (72.7%); and poor compliance to HH (3.3%), use of gloves (40.9%), use of personal protective equipment (20%), and disinfection of used surface/area (0.4%). The compliance rates of the nurses and support staff to HH were significantly different (χ

conclusionThe compliance of HCWs in a psychiatric inpatient ward to ICPs during the COVID-19 pandemic ranged from poor to suboptimal. This result was alarming. Revisions of current ICP guidelines and policies that specifically target barriers in psychiatric settings will be necessary.

Indexed as

COVID-19Guideline AdherenceHealth PersonnelInfection ControlSelf ReportAdultCross InfectionCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHand HygieneHumansMaleMiddle AgedPersonal Protective EquipmentPsychiatric Department, HospitalSARS-CoV-2COVID-19Healthcare workersObservational studyPsychiatric wardSelf-reported surveyStandard precautions

Identifiers

PMID38886634
PMCPMC11181547

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.