ABSTRACT
Background: Since the emergence of SARS-CoV- 2 in China, health care workers have been identified as being at risk of contracting Covid-19. Objective(s): To describe the exposure situations of healthcare workers affected by SARS-CoV- 2. Method(s): A questionnaire was established and filled in by healthcare workers practicing at the Sahloul University Hospital of Sousse-Tunisia, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the period from September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Data were collected on activity, type of tasks performed, wearing of protective equipment, and existence of possible contacts with cases (professional or extra-professional), in the 2 weeks preceding the date of symptom onset. Result(s): A total of 188/287 infected healthcare workers responded to the questionnaire. The gender and age distribution of the respondents showed a sex ratio of 0.34 and an average age of 41 years. Paramedical staff represented 63% of the participants. Among the infected caregivers, 16 (8.5%) had not worked during the 15 days preceding the symptoms. There were 69 (36.7%) professionals who worked in the Covid sector. The rate of use of a FFP2 mask for the most risky tasks varied greatly according to the sector of practice. Concerning hydro-alcoholic solutions, 58.5% of the workers stated that they had them as often as necessary. Other exposure situations outside of direct patient care were reported by these infected workers: 20.4% reported at least one contact without a mask with one or more caregivers with a confirmed Covid-19 infection, and 32.4% reported contacts with suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection outside of their professional activity. Conclusion(s): The context of contamination of healthcare workers seems to be essentially professional. The nonuse of protective masks, particularly in non-COVID sectors, as well as the role of contamination between caregivers at their workplace seem to be important determinants of healthcare workers' contamination.
ABSTRACT
Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the physical and psychological health of the people affected. However, this impact has been more significant for health care workers who were on the front line of the management of this health crisis. Objective(s): To evaluate the work productivity and the limitation of activities of healthcare workers in post-COVID- 19. Method(s): A Cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers practicing at the Sahloul University Hospital in Sousse-Tunisia, diagnosed with COVID-19 during a 3-month period. Work productivity and activity limitation were assessed 3 months after infection by the French version of the WPAI questionnaire. Result(s): A total of 188 affected healthcare workers completed the questionnaire (sex ratio = 0.34;mean age = 41 years). Paramedical staff represented 63.1% of respondents. 28.6% worked in the emergency and intensive care units. More than half of the affected workers (52, 4%) had retained physical symptoms 3 months after covid 19 infection. The average percentage of absenteeism was 5.48% and presenteeism was 23.04%. Activity limitation was 26.84%. Work productivity was correlated with age (p = 0.015), presence of pathological history (p = 0.043), and presence of post-covid- 19 physical symptoms (p = 0.007). Conclusion(s): Covid-19 appears to have an impact on work productivity in some healthcare workers.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is a disease with a varied expression, in terms of its clinical expression, its severity, and its duration. The persistence of symptoms during several weeks or months after the first episode has been reported in several studies. The objective of this survey was to identify the occurrence of post-COVID- 19 symptoms and its determinants in healthcare professionals of Sahloul Academic Hospital in Tunisia. Method(s): A cross-sectional survey was carried out among healthcare workers in Sahloul Academic Hospital in Tunisia for which a diagnosis of COVID-19 was made between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. Data included socio-demographic, professional, and clinical features. Post-COVID symptoms were evaluated 6 months after infection. Result(s): A total of 188/279 affected healthcare workers had participated in our study. The mean age was 41 years and the sex ratio was 0.34. Paramedical staff represented 63.2% of the population. 22.8% were working in the emergency and intensive care units. A previous medical history was reported by 45.2% of patients. The initial symptoms were asthenia (65.4%), headaches (52.9%), and fever (39.4%). Five cases required hospitalisation. Persistent symptoms 6 months after the infection were reported by 67.6% of the staff. The most commonly reported symptoms were asthenia (25%), shortness of breath (24.5%), arthromyalgia (16%), and chest pain (13.3%). The occurrence of post COVID19 symptoms was correlated with female gender (p = 0.018) and initial symptomatic form (p = 0.043). Conclusion(s): The post-COVID- 19 syndrome was common in the population studied. The poly-symptomatic and fluctuating nature of its clinical manifestations raises questions and concerns for patients and clinicians.