title: Health-care workers' perspectives on workplace safety, infection control, and drug-resistant tuberculosis in a high-burden HIV setting.
abstract: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is an occupational hazard for health-care workers (HCWs) in South Africa. We undertook this qualitative study to contextualize epidemiological findings suggesting that HCWs' elevated risk of drug-resistant TB is related to workplace exposure. A total of 55 HCWs and 7 hospital managers participated in focus groups and interviews about infection control (IC). Participants discussed caring for patients with drug-resistant TB, IC measures, occupational health programs, also stigma and support in the workplace. Key themes included: (i) lack of resources that hinders IC, (ii) distrust of IC efforts among HCWs, and (iii) disproportionate focus on individual-level personal protections, particularly N95 masks. IC programs should be evaluated, and the impact of new policies to rapidly diagnose drug-resistant TB and decentralize treatment should be assessed as part of the effort to control drug-resistant TB and create a safe workplace.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Social Work, Touro College, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA. jennifer.zelnick@touro.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zelnick
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loveday
authors.forename: Nesri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Padayatchi
authors.forename: Max R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013019:South Africa; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission