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Basseal JM, Bennett CM, Collignon P, Currie BJ, Durrheim DN, Leask J, McBryde ES, McIntyre P, Russell FM, Smith DW, Sorrell TC, Marais BJ. Key lessons from the COVID-19 public health response in Australia. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2023; 30:100616. [PMID: 36248767 PMCID: PMC9549254 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Australia avoided the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but still experienced many negative impacts. Reflecting on lessons from Australia's public health response, an Australian expert panel composed of relevant discipline experts identified the following key lessons: 1) movement restrictions were effective, but their implementation requires careful consideration of adverse impacts, 2) disease modelling was valuable, but its limitations should be acknowledged, 3) the absence of timely national data requires re-assessment of national surveillance structures, 4) the utility of advanced pathogen genomics and novel vaccine technology was clearly demonstrated, 5) decision-making that is evidence informed and consultative is essential to maintain trust, 6) major system weaknesses in the residential aged-care sector require fixing, 7) adequate infection prevention and control frameworks are critically important, 8) the interests and needs of young people should not be compromised, 9) epidemics should be recognised as a 'standing threat', 10) regional and global solidarity is important. It should be acknowledged that we were unable to capture all relevant nuances and context specific differences. However, the intent of this review of Australia's public health response is to critically reflect on key lessons learnt and to encourage constructive national discussion in countries across the Western Pacific Region.
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Affiliation(s)
- JM Basseal
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - CM Bennett
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
| | - P Collignon
- Medical School, Australian National University and Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia
| | - BJ Currie
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - DN Durrheim
- Department of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - J Leask
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - ES McBryde
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - P McIntyre
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - FM Russell
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - DW Smith
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia and PathWest Department of Microbiology, Perth, Australia
| | - TC Sorrell
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - BJ Marais
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Corresponding author at: Clinical School, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145 Sydney, Australia.
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Armstrong SJ, Porter JE, Larkins JA, Mesagno C. Burnout, stress and resilience of an Australian regional hospital during COVID-19: a longitudinal study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1115. [PMID: 36056342 PMCID: PMC9438236 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08409-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed huge strain on hospital staff around the world. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to investigate the resilience, stress and burnout of hospital staff located at a large, regional hospital in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic over time via cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were disseminated six times from August 2020 to March 2021, with the first three data collection points distributed during a state-wide lockdown. A total of 558 responses from various professional roles within the hospital over the survey period were included in the sample. Analysis of variance indicated significant main effects for the psychological variables across time, age, and workload. Hospital staff reported an increase in burnout levels throughout the eight-months. Significant negative relationships were observed between resilience and burnout, and between resilience and stress. A backward regression highlighted the contribution of resilience, stress, age, and nursing roles on burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that resilience contributed to the stress-burnout relationship. This study strengthens the evidence between resilience and burnout among healthcare workers and hospital staff and highlights the need for psychological wellbeing programs to be implemented for hospital staff impacted by a prolonged worldwide pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Armstrong
- Victoria University, 70/104 Ballarat Rd, Footscray, VIC, 3011, Australia. .,Federation University, University Dr, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia.
| | - Joanne E Porter
- Federation University, University Dr, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia
| | - Jo-Ann Larkins
- Federation University, University Dr, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia
| | - Christopher Mesagno
- Victoria University, 70/104 Ballarat Rd, Footscray, VIC, 3011, Australia.,Federation University, University Dr, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia
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Qureshi M, Chughtai A, Seale H. Supporting the Delivery of Infection Prevention and Control Training to Healthcare Workers: Insights from the Sector. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10050936. [PMID: 35628072 PMCID: PMC9141703 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10050936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection prevention and control (IPC) cannot be implemented without healthcare workers (HCWs) being properly trained and competent. The provision of training is essential, yet there is a gap in our understanding of the factors impacting the implementation of IPC training. This paper reports the results from in-depth interviews that explored the current landscape around IPC training delivered across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key stakeholders involved in policymaking or IPC implementation in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia. Although the training was mandated for many HCWs, participants indicated that only some training elements were mandatory. Participants spoke about covering various topics, but those in low-resource settings spoke about the challenges of delivering training. Classroom-based training dominated, but online delivery modes were also used in some locations. Whilst HCW’s training was postulated to have improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, the capacity to deliver training did not improve in some settings. More research is needed to establish the essential elements that could underpin the development of training packages.
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Stone E, Irving L, Tonga KO, Thompson B. Sustaining the Australian respiratory workforce through the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping literature review. Intern Med J 2022; 52:1115-1122. [PMID: 35195945 PMCID: PMC9111702 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in late 2019 and in 2020 presented challenges to healthcare workers (HCW) around the world that were unexpected and dramatic. The relentless progress of infection, starting in China and rapidly spreading to Europe, North America and elsewhere gave more remote countries, like Australia, time to prepare but also time for unease. HCW everywhere had to readjust and change their work practices to cope. Further waves of infection and transmission with newer variants pose challenges to HCW and health systems, even after mass vaccination. Respiratory medicine HCW found themselves at the frontline, developing critical care services to support intensive care units and grappling with unanticipated concerns about safety, risk and the need to retrain. Several studies have addressed the need for rapid changes in the healthcare workforce for COVID‐19 and the impact of this preparation on HCW themselves. In this paper, we present a scoping review of the literature on preparing HCW for the pandemic, explore the Australian experience of building the respiratory workforce and propose evidence‐based recommendations to sustain this workforce in an unprecedented high‐risk environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Stone
- Department of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health St Vincent's Clinical Campus
| | - Lou Irving
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katrina O Tonga
- Department of Thoracic Medicine and Lung Transplantation, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health St Vincent's Clinical Campus; Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bruce Thompson
- Swinburne University of Technology, 3783, School of Health Sciences, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
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Sotomayor-Castillo C, Li C, Kaufman-Francis K, Nahidi S, Walsh LJ, Liberali SA, Irving E, Holden AC, Shaban RZ. Australian dentists' knowledge, preparedness, and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infect Dis Health 2022; 27:49-57. [PMID: 34750088 PMCID: PMC8523486 DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2021.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is a global health crisis. Close contact with the mucous membranes and respiratory secretions of patients and aerosol-generating procedures renders dentists and other oral health professionals at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. We examined dentists' knowledge, preparedness, and experiences of managing COVID-19 in Australia. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey of dentists with a current membership with The Australian Dental Association (ADA) was conducted between March and April 2021. RESULTS Of the 368 survey responses, most dentists (72.3%) reported having a good level of knowledge about COVID-19, with most visiting the ADA Federal COVID-19 (74.7%) and state/territory department of health websites (62.8%), respectively to source up-to-date information. Most dentists (87.6%) felt prepared to manage COVID-19 into the future, although 66% reported not receiving training or certification in the use of PPE. Over half (58.7%) reported not being concerned about contracting SARS-CoV-2 at work, with some (28.9%, n = 98/339) feeling more stressed than usual and having heavier workloads. CONCLUSION COVID-19 had significant impact in oral healthcare in Australia. Dentistry has adapted to the varied challenges raised by the pandemic. Comprehensive training and detailed guidelines were fundamental for successful patient management during the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sotomayor-Castillo
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Cecilia Li
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Keren Kaufman-Francis
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Shizar Nahidi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Laurence J Walsh
- School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia.
| | - Sharon Ac Liberali
- Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Special Needs Unit, Adelaide Dental Hospital, SA Dental, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | | | - Alexander Cl Holden
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney School of Dentistry, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia; Sydney Dental Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ramon Z Shaban
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Division of Infectious Diseases and Sexual Health, Westmead Hospital and Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia; New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District and New South Wales Health, NSW, Australia.
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Nahidi S, Li C, Sotomayor-Castillo C, Kaufman-Francis K, Shaban RZ. "We will have to learn to live with it": Australian dentists' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infect Dis Health 2021; 27:96-104. [PMID: 34916176 PMCID: PMC8666844 DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Australian dentists are among the frontline healthcare workers providing dental and oral health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore have been affected in multiple ways. In this study, we explore their experiences of practising and living in this pandemic. METHODS A qualitative study analysed responses of 333 Australian dentists' who participated in a survey with open-ended questions about the challenges and positive outcomes of practising during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questions were embedded in a national online survey of Australian dentists' knowledge, preparedness and experiences conducted between March and April 2021. Data were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS Australian dentists reported their challenging experiences to be four-fold, including 'public health orders and restrictions', 'Infection prevention and control measures (IPC), 'Personal concerns about COVID-19' and 'Detracting opinions about COVID-19'. Conversely, they reported positive outcomes in relation to their practice during COVID-19, including 'Awareness of and adherence to IPC practices', 'Teamwork and interpersonal dynamics', 'Decompressed workload', 'Perceived support' and 'unintended positive outcomes'. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic generated several challenges for Australian dentists, but it also engendered some positive outcomes. Understanding of these can help tailor the professional support plans to address the needs and priorities of Australian dentists during the current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizar Nahidi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Cecilia Li
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Cristina Sotomayor-Castillo
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Keren Kaufman-Francis
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ramon Z Shaban
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Division of Infectious Diseases and Sexual Health, Westmead Hospital and Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia; New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District and New South Wales Health, NSW, Australia.
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