Exploring Perceptions of U.S. Healthcare & Public Safety Workers at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Details

• Personal Author:
  Casey, Megan L. ; Furek, Alexa ; Haas, Emily J. ; Moore, Susan M.
• Description:
  Key Takeaways: Results identified differences in occupational sectors and work groups regarding perceived risks toward contracting SARS-CoV-2, efficacy to mitigate exposure risks and confidence in the efficacy of PPE during the pandemic. Previous experience in using PPE by way of job occupation has a significant impact on workers' confidence in the ability of their PPE to protect them from exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Role modeling behaviors of management as well as their enforcement of safety and health plans, including the use of PPE, is necessary to garner employee-wide participation in health-protective behaviors. There is a gap in research associated with emerging infectious diseases and the role that individual perceptions have on attitudes and health-protective behaviors. NIOSH researchers sought to understand healthcare and emergency medical services (EMS) workers' perceived risks toward SARS-CoV-2 and what factors may significantly influence subsequent health-protective behaviors. Between March and May 2020, 122 healthcare and EMS workers completed an assessment on a mobile safety application provided by their workplace. The results inform organizational practices regarding COVID-19 information sharing. First, it is important that all employees have access to information about respiratory protection as well as organizational resources such as their updated respiratory protection plans that may influence health-protective behaviors at work. Second, messaging for employees with individualistic attitudes may significantly differ and more research should be done to determine whether science-based consensus messages are the most effective risk communication strategy. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Emergency Responders Health Personnel Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Risk Assessment Safety
• Keywords:
  COVID-19 Emergency Medical Services Workers EMS Health Care Workers Health Protection Personal Protective Equipment PPE Respiratory Protection Risk Management SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN:
  0099-0027
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  7 pdf pages
• Volume:
  67
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067619
• Citation:
  Prof Saf 2022 May; 67(5):16-21
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Professional Safety
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d2b052665b7e1dcdf8e0d4e8e336bd2fe874665e4f41b5cc1fefa8b9518b692df8f9f0350dbf912d05893a7069b2d1778625d344f4ebaa2076f044b981d4a93a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230839/cdc_230839_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 420.32 KB ]