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Infection Control Assessment after an Influenza Outbreak in a Residential Care Facility for Children and Young Adults with Neurologic and Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Alejandro Azofeifa ,
Lorraine F. Yeung ,
Georgina Peacock ,
Cynthia A. Moore ,
Loren Rodgers ,
Mary DiOrio ,
Shannon L. Page ,
Brian Fowler ,
Nimalie D. Stone  and
Lyn Finelli
...Show all authors
Alejandro Azofeifa*
Affiliation:
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Lorraine F. Yeung
Affiliation:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Georgina Peacock
Affiliation:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Cynthia A. Moore
Affiliation:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Loren Rodgers
Affiliation:
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio
Mary DiOrio
Affiliation:
Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio
Shannon L. Page
Affiliation:
Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio
Brian Fowler
Affiliation:
Ohio Department of Health, Columbus, Ohio
Nimalie D. Stone
Affiliation:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Lyn Finelli
Affiliation:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Michael A. Jhung
Affiliation:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
*
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-86, Atlanta, GA 30333 (aazofeifa@cdc.gov).
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Abstract

Objective.

To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of infection control among staff in a residential care facility for children and young adults with neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Design.

Self-administered survey.

Setting.

Residential care facility (facility A).

Participants.

Facility A staff (N = 200).

Methods.

We distributed a survey to staff at facility A. We classified staff with direct care responsibilities as clinical (ie, physicians, nurses, and therapists) or nonclinical (ie, habilitation assistants, volunteers, and teachers) and used X2 tests to measure differences between staff agreement to questions.

Results.

Of 248 surveys distributed, 200 (81%) were completed; median respondent age was 36 years; 85% were female; and 151 were direct care staff (50 clinical, 101 nonclinical). Among direct care staff respondents, 86% agreed they could identify residents with respiratory symptoms, 70% stayed home from work when ill with respiratory infection, 64% agreed that facility administration encouraged them to stay home when ill with respiratory infection, and 72% reported that ill residents with respiratory infections were separated from well residents. Clinical and nonclinical staff differed in agreement about using waterless hand gel as a substitute for handwashing (96% vs 78%; P = .005) and whether handwashing was done after touching residents (92% vs 75%; P = .04).

Conclusions.

Respondents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding infection control could be improved, especially among nonclinical staff. Facilities caring for children and young adults with neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions should encourage adherence to infection control best practices among all staff having direct contact with residents.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 34 , Issue 7 , July 2013 , pp. 717 - 722
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2013

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