A Qualitative Assessment of Changes in Occupational Exposures Among Healthcare Facility Workers.

Autor:	Gimeno Ruiz de Porras D; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, UT School of Public Health San Antonio, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), San Antonio, TX, USA.; Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain., Patel J; Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA.; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Dallas, TX, USA., Conway S; Smith Scientific LLC, Houston, TX, USA., Pompeii L; Research in Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA., Mitchell LE; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston ), Houston, TX, USA., Carson A; Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA., Whitehead LW; Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA., Han I; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA., Zock JP; Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain., Henneberger PK; Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Preventio, Morgantown, WV, USA., Patel R; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston ), Houston, TX, USA., De Los Reyes J; Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA., Delclos GL; Center for Research in Occupational Health, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain.; Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Workplace health & safety [Workplace Health Saf] 2024 Oct 23, pp. 21650799241284085. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 23.
DOI:	10.1177/21650799241284085
Abstrakt:	Adult-onset asthma, notably prevalent among healthcare professionals, especially nurses, is often attributed to occupational factors such as exposure to cleaning agents. Studies consistently underscore the substantial role of such exposure in work-related asthma among hospital staff. We aimed to (a) identify and characterize current practices in cleaning and aerosolized medication administration; (b) assess changes in practices since a similar 2003 study of Texas healthcare workers; and (c) identify factors contributing to diverse exposures within healthcare job categories. We conducted focus groups with 38 participants in 6 healthcare settings, analyzing current practices, changes since 2003, and factors contributing to exposure diversity. We used a three-step approach for data analysis, including sociodemographic characterization, a scissor-and-sort technique for exposure description, and qualitative content analysis. Participants were primarily healthcare providers (76%) and housekeepers/cleaners (11%) who reported exposure to aerosolized medications, cleaning products, adhesives, and solvents. Participants reported transitioning from cleaning practices to new formulas with reduced odors and shifting from spray cleansers to wipes. Personal protective equipment (PPE) used during cleaning tasks varied, with training differing among job categories. Aerosolized medication administration varied among facilities, with reported medication types and protocol changes over time. The results emphasized the significance of maintaining uniform protection, disseminating knowledge, and consistently adhering to PPE protocols in the healthcare environment. Addressing the identified gaps in comprehension and potential sources of exposure variability requires additional focus on occupational health and safety initiatives. Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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