20. Perception of Medical and Paramedical Staff in regard of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Covid-19
Muhammad Iqbal Afridi1, Javed Akbar Dars1, Jamil Junejo2, Kamran Ali Tunio1, Muhammad Yaqoob Shahani3 and Chooni Lal Katariya1
ABSTRACT
Objective: The current study accessed the observance of SOPs especially the mask related, personal, and social factors that discourage medical and paramedical staff from using face masks. Study Design: Observational, Cross-Sectional Study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Departments of Psychiatry, JPMC, Karachi and Psychiatry / Anatomy, LUM&DC, Jamshoro from March to August 2020.
Materials and Methods: All healthcare professionals who gave electronic consent and had internet access were included in the study. Due to the government-ordered lock down, an online semi-structured questionnaire was developed using Google forms to collect data. The socio demographic characteristics, past medical or surgical history, recent infection, which was followed by knowledge about coronavirus and attitude toward masks were recorded in a predesigned questionnaire. All data was analyzed using SPSS v 24.
Results: The mean age (SD) was 34.3 (10.25) years. The majority of the health-care workers wore masks at the workplace (97%). 1% of doctors who always wore face masks claimed that the mask displaces spectacles, 4% reported that it interferes with communication, 5.9% reported that it is not always available. 12.9% doctors did not experience any problem. Those who confessed to not wearing masks at the workplace, felt suffocated (16.8%), mask hurt their ears (7.9%), or mask interfered with their prescription spectacles (5%).
Conclusion: The current study indicated that the majority of the healthcare workers wore masks at the workplace and only a few percentages of participants faced a problem due to a face mask. The knowledge about face masks and its correct usage are important to mitigate negative attitudes.
Key Words: pandemic, epidemic, COVID-19, SARS-COV-2, surgical mask, prevention
Citation of article: Afridi MI, Dars JA, Junejo J, Tunio KA, Shahani MY, Katariya CL. Perception of Medical and Paramedical Staff in regard of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Covid-19. Med Forum 2021;32(1):81-85.