A Qualitative Assessment of Changes in Occupational Exposures Among Healthcare Facility Workers.

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Workplace Health & Safety, 2025, v. 73, no. 2: A Qualitative Assessment of Changes in Occupational Exposures Among Healthcare Facility Workers.
• Journal Article:
  Workplace Health & Safety
• Personal Author:
  de Porras, David Gimeno Ruiz ; Patel, Jenil ; Conway, Sadie ; Pompeii, Lisa ; Mitchell, Laura E. ; Carson, Arch ; Whitehead, Lawrence W. ; Han, Inkyu ; Zock, Jan-Paul ; Henneberger, Paul K. ; Patel, Riddhi ; De Los Reyes, Joy ; Delclos, George L.
• Description:
  Adult-onset asthma, notably prevalent among healthcare professionals, especially nurses, is often attributed to occupational factors such as exposure to cleaning agents. Studies consistently underscore the substantial role of such exposure in work-related asthma among hospital staff. We aimed to (a) identify and characterize current practices in cleaning and aerosolized medication administration; (b) assess changes in practices since a similar 2003 study of Texas healthcare workers; and (c) identify factors contributing to diverse exposures within healthcare job categories. We conducted focus groups with 38 participants in 6 healthcare settings, analyzing current practices, changes since 2003, and factors contributing to exposure diversity. We used a three-step approach for data analysis, including sociodemographic characterization, a scissor-and-sort technique for exposure description, and qualitative content analysis. Participants were primarily healthcare providers (76%) and housekeepers/cleaners (11%) who reported exposure to aerosolized medications, cleaning products, adhesives, and solvents. Participants reported transitioning from cleaning practices to new formulas with reduced odors and shifting from spray cleansers to wipes. Personal protective equipment (PPE) used during cleaning tasks varied, with training differing among job categories. Aerosolized medication administration varied among facilities, with reported medication types and protocol changes over time. The results emphasized the significance of maintaining uniform protection, disseminating knowledge, and consistently adhering to PPE protocols in the healthcare environment. Addressing the identified gaps in comprehension and potential sources of exposure variability requires additional focus on occupational health and safety initiatives.
• Content Notes:
  Author manuscript
• Subjects:
  • Humans
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Male
  • Focus Groups
  • Middle Aged
  • Qualitative Research
  • Health Personnel
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  More +
• Keywords:
  • qualitative research methods
  • occupational health
  • respiratory conditions/asthma
  • employee health
  • workplace hazards
• Source:
  Workplace Health & Safety, 2025, v. 73, no. 2
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1177/21650799241284085
• ISSN:
  2165-0799 ; 2165-0969
• Pubmed ID:
  39440680
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC11774666
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/ ; P30 ES013508/ES/NIEHS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 OH010648/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; T42 OH008421/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Texas
• Pages in Document:
  53-62 (17 pdf pages)
• Volume:
  73
• Issue:
  2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/261960/cdc_261960_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 109.64 KB]
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bc24365d40fab423f8514618c92566f88b8c008ef0a521dbeeb84a8b8d5ea4513e935009f47c8eaa029cfca1228c2d7917a7bb37e0f7bd66d205c049fd39ab80