Patient compliance with infection control measures on a novel ‘COVID-19 Triage’ psychiatric inpatient ward
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background: Intra-hospital transmission of COVID-19 is a major concern. Psychiatric inpatient units pose unique challenges for the prevention of transmission. ‘COVID-Triage’ wards with strict infection control procedures have been implemented to prevent the spread of infection, but little is known about the extent to which psychiatric inpatients adhere to these procedures.
Aims: To examine patient compliance with infection control measures on a novel ‘COVID-Triage’ psychiatric inpatient ward in London, England.
Methods: Observational study of compliance with infection control measures. The proportion of patients who were compliant with infection control measures was calculated. The association of compliance with demographic and clinical factors was examined.
Results: The majority of patients (n=138/176, 78.4%) were not compliant with infection control measures. However, compliance did improve when non-compliant patients were given direct instructions by staff during clinical contact. Patients with diagnoses of psychotic disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders were less likely to be compliant than those without these diagnoses.
Conclusions: Psychiatric inpatients show poor compliance with infection control measures. Proactive engagement by staff is key to improving patients’ compliance. Urgent efforts are needed to identify and implement other effective methods of improving compliance in acute settings.
Aims: To examine patient compliance with infection control measures on a novel ‘COVID-Triage’ psychiatric inpatient ward in London, England.
Methods: Observational study of compliance with infection control measures. The proportion of patients who were compliant with infection control measures was calculated. The association of compliance with demographic and clinical factors was examined.
Results: The majority of patients (n=138/176, 78.4%) were not compliant with infection control measures. However, compliance did improve when non-compliant patients were given direct instructions by staff during clinical contact. Patients with diagnoses of psychotic disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders were less likely to be compliant than those without these diagnoses.
Conclusions: Psychiatric inpatients show poor compliance with infection control measures. Proactive engagement by staff is key to improving patients’ compliance. Urgent efforts are needed to identify and implement other effective methods of improving compliance in acute settings.
Date Issued
2021-07-14
Date Acceptance
2021-06-23
Citation
BJPsych Open, 2021, 7 (4), pp.1-7
ISSN
2056-4724
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Start Page
1
End Page
7
Journal / Book Title
BJPsych Open
Volume
7
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-open/article/patient-adherence-with-infection-control-measures-on-a-novel-covid19-triage-psychiatric-inpatient-ward/79C7B6525C2A13A160854E6D39DBC0E9
Subjects
1103 Clinical Sciences
1117 Public Health and Health Services
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-07-14