[A case-control study on the risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndromes among health care workers]

Abstract

Objective: To study the factors in relation to severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS) among health care workers and to develop related protective measures.

Methods: Case-control study was applied. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect SARS related information for health care workers who had contacted or treated SARS patients. Univariate analysis was conducted using SPSS 10.0 software package and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted using SAS 6.12.

Results: Twenty-seven of the 49 factors under study were significantly associated with SARS infection, in which 22 factors were protective, and the other 5 were risk factors. 27 factors were included for multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results showed that six factors as wearing eye glasses, wearing protection gowns, exposure to secrets/mode of contact with SARS patients, types of mask and the working years atc, remained significant association with hospital infection of SARS.

Conclusion: SARS infection in heath care workers was related to many factors during the process of diagnoses and/or treatment. It is recommended that adequate masks, eye-protection and protective gowns should be adopted for heath care workers during the process of clinical diagnoses and treatment of SARS patients.