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. 2011 Apr;4(2):184-7.
doi: 10.4103/0974-2700.82203.

Who is willing to risk his life for a patient with a potentially fatal, communicable disease during the peak of A/H1N1 pandemic in Israel?

Yaron Bar-Dayan  1 , Noga Boldor, Inbar Kremer, Michal London, Rachel Levy, Maya Iohan Barak, Yosefa Bar-Dayan
Affiliations

Who is willing to risk his life for a patient with a potentially fatal, communicable disease during the peak of A/H1N1 pandemic in Israel?

Yaron Bar-Dayan et al. J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2011 Apr.

Abstract

Background: The willingness of healthcare workers to risk their lives for a patient with a potentially fatal, communicable disease is a major concern, especially during a pandemic where the need for adequate staffing is crucial and where the public atmosphere might enhance anxiety and fear of exposure.

Objective: To examine the relationships between the willingness of healthcare workers to risk their lives for a patient with a potentially fatal A/H1N1 flu, and knowledge of personal protection against infection, and trust in colleagues, workplace preparedness and the effectiveness of safety measures, during the winter A/H1N1 pandemic in Israel.

Materials and methods: A questionnaire was distributed to healthcare workers in 21 hospitals in Israel between 26 November 2009 and 10 December 2009 (the peak of the winter A/H1N1 flu outbreak). The questionnaire was completed by 1147 healthcare workers.

Results: Willingness to risk one's life for a patient was significantly lower in females, respondents of younger age (18-24 years), administrative staff, and those with a non-academic education, as well as among those with a less knowledge about safety measures and among those with less trust in colleagues, in work place preparedness, and in the effectiveness of safety measures.

Conclusions: Willingness to risk one's life for a patient is related to knowledge of safety measures, and trust in colleagues and work place preparedness. Education programs to enhance trust in colleagues, improve work place preparedness, and safety measures are recommended, especially for healthcare workers who are young, inexperienced, female, or administrative staff.

Keywords: Health workers; pandemic flu; willingness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency differences according to the extent of trust in workplace preparedness, trust in safety measures, and trust in colleagues between health care workers reporting high/very high willingness to treat patients suffering from an infectious lethal disease
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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