Cross-sectional study on factors hampering implementation of measles pre- and postexposure measures in Dutch hospitals during the 2013-2014 measles outbreak

L C R Fievez, A Wong, W L M Ruijs, F S Meerstadt-Rombach, Aura Timen

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study examined adherence to national recommendations on measles pre- and postexposure measures, including immunization of health care workers (HCWs) in Dutch hospitals, during a national outbreak of measles in The Netherlands. This study also investigated which hospital characteristics and organizational issues hamper implementation.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey among all general and academic hospitals in The Netherlands. An online structured questionnaire (48 questions) was administered. Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

RESULTS: Of 88 hospitals, 70 (79.5%) were included. Of 68 hospitals, 48 (70.6%) assessed susceptibility to measles in HCWs. Of 70 hospitals, 61 (87.1%) offered vaccination to susceptible HCWs. Of 63 hospitals, 42 (66.7%) had postexposure policies consistent with national recommendations. Of 62 hospitals, 30 (48.4%) implemented all these measures, which is the minimum set of measures considered necessary to adequately prevent measles in HCWs. Logistic regression suggests that hospitals with several locations, hospitals with more employees, and hospitals where infectious disease experts designed infection prevention policies while occupational health experts implemented the policy less often implemented this minimum set of measures (P < .001, P < .01, and P < .001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: During a national measles outbreak, most hospitals took measures to prevent measles in HCWs, but less than half implemented the minimum set of measures required. Implementation strategies in hospitals need to be improved, especially in large-sized hospitals and hospitals with several locations, and with respect to the assignment of responsibilities for infection prevention policies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)750-755
Number of pages6
JournalAmerican Journal of Infection Control
Volume45
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2017
Externally publishedYes

Funding

Funding/support: Supported by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

FundersFunder number
Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport

    Keywords

    • Cross-Sectional Studies
    • Disease Outbreaks
    • Disease Transmission, Infectious/prevention & control
    • Health Personnel
    • Hospitals
    • Humans
    • Infection Control/methods
    • Measles/epidemiology
    • Netherlands/epidemiology
    • Surveys and Questionnaires

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