An assessment of awareness, preparedness and availability of personal protective equipment among Frontline healthcare providers in India during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Across the world as millions of people stayed at home to reduce the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19), health-care providers braved all odds and did the exact opposite. Though health workers are expected to save the lives of people

however, concerns related to the awareness, preparedness of hospital settings and availability or shortage of PPE kits surfaced and probably put healthcare workers at risk while carrying out their duties. An unforeseen shortage of PPE was evidenced across India during the peak of the pandemic in mid 2020. The media reported that many healthcare providers including nurses became infected and some of them even lost their lives. Hence, the safety and protection of healthcare providers while at work assumes great significance.

Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the awareness and preparedness regarding PPE and protocols for the same among frontline healthcare providers in India during theCOVID-19 pandemic and also explore the need and availability status of PPE kits for frontline health workers across India.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study included a total of 65 healthcare providers who were actively treating COVID-19 patients across hospitals in India during the middle of 2020. After obtaining informed consent, respondents were invited to answer an online questionnaire-based survey on the awareness, knowledge, and availability of PPE and recommended PPE practices related to COVID-19 infection in healthcare settings. Out of the 87 providers reached out to, only 65 of them answered the questionnaire in its entirety reflecting a response rate of 74.71%. A purposive convenient sampling method was used for data collection. Statistical analysis was performed and descriptive statistics are presented.

Results: The overall awareness among all categories of frontline healthcare workers was found to be adequate. Approximately 49% of the respondents had never used PPE during their clinical duties and as high as 60% of the respondents reported that they were not being provided appropriate PPE routinely. However, most of the respondents were aware that PPE can help protect them from COVID-19 infection. Nearly 51% of the respondents used the N95 respirator mask during clinical duties following by 44.62% using triple layered medical mask and 4.62% of them using cloth masks. Interestingly only 47.69% of the respondents were confident about having been demonstrated the appropriate method to wear the PPE and the precautions to be followed therein. As high as 95% of the respondents were interested to receive guidelines and/or trainings to help understand the right method to use and dispose the PPE. Concerningly, only 24.62% of the respondents confirmed positively that they had been provided with appropriate PPE kits during their clinical duties, 23.08% of them said they probably received the PPE while 20% of them were unsure of either.

Conclusion: The findings lead us to believe that there have been some gaps and potential risk for frontline healthcare workers. In terms of awareness, availability and training received regarding the use of PPE by frontline health workers much more needs to be done and there is a need to constantly monitor the implementation of PPE regimen in all healthcare facilities. Healthcare professionals in lower and middle income countries such as India may face more difficulties than those from other countries with a high proportion of respondents reporting that they did not have the necessary resources to care for patients with COVID-19. It is very important that technical and logistical difficulties should be addressed in the event of a future outbreak, as they have a negative impact on healthcare workers. Most of the respondents (as high as 85%) have the willingness and interest to receive training to understand the proper method to use and dispose PPE. It is important for authorities to provide an efficient supply chain, up-to-date protocols, and pertinent lucid information. This study has highlighted some areas that need to be improved for dealing with future waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and other potential future pandemics and epidemics, especially in a low resource, developing country context