Personal Protective Equipment Use among Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study in England and Greece

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Personal protective equipment (PPE) use among health care workers (HCWs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased significantly creating various difficulties. Aim: To examine HCWs' experiences, practice, and attitudes regarding PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Greece. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample was conducted during April 2021. Due to the circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, we collected data through google forms using a snowball method. We created a google form with the study questionnaire asking HCWs to complete it in an anonymous way. We collected the following demographic data gender, age, clinical experience, country of work, and profession. Also, we used 21 questions to assess HCWs experiences, practice, and attitudes regarding PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Study population included 87 HCWs from Greece (51.8%) and 81 from England (48.2%) with a mean age of 38.1 years. Significant percentages of HCWs stated that PPE was insufficient (36.4%), training regarding PPE use was limited (49.1%), and information regarding PPE use was limited (43.1%). 91.1. Almost all the HCWs knew to use PPE (97.6%). The greatest difficulties that HCWs faced were the following development of physical problems, difficulty in communication, difficulty of physical movements, lack of adequate personal protective equipment, lack of organizational support, and lack of knowledge of protocols/instructions for the correct use of the equipment. HCWs in England considered more often that PPE is sufficient (p<0.001), the availability of PPE is increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001), and know to use appropriate PPE (p=0.013). Training and information regarding PPE use were more often in England (p=0.003 and p<0.001 respectively). Also, lack of adequate PPE (p<0.001), knowledge of using PPE (p=0.002), protocols/instructions for the correct use of the PPE (p<0.001), knowledge of protocols/instructions for the correct use of the PPE (p<0.001), organizational support (p<0.001), motivation (p<0.001), and safety culture in work (p<0.001) were more often in Greece. Conclusions: Since the COVID-19 pandemic continuous to threat public health, creating a safety culture work environment for HCWs in clinical settings is essential to decrease the spread of SARS-CoV-2, protect HCWs and their patients, and increase work performance.