Staff perception and institutional reporting: two views of infection control compliance in British Columbia and Ontario three years after an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome.
Few studies have audited the resources available to infection control (IC) and occupational health (OH) to promote safe work behaviour, whilst comparing audited findings with perceptions by healthcare workers (HCWs). We aimed to determine the IC and OH resources available and compare this with HCWs' perception of resources, following an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). A survey of IC and OH resources and a questionnaire completed by HCWs were compared with on-site observational audits. HCWs believed that plans were available to protect against future SARS-like events but audits revealed that these did not exist in many facilities. Both OH and IC were under-resourced post-SARS, with OH professionals particularly lacking in British Columbia. There is a discrepancy between HCWs' perception of what is available and what is actually accessible in facilities. Experts in IC and OH need to focus on communication.
Bryce
E
E
Infection Control, Vancouver Coastal Acute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada. elizabeth.bryce@vch.ca
Copes
R
R
Gamage
B
B
Lockhart
K
K
Yassi
A
A
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires