Measuring Awareness of Infection Control Guidelines for Patients with COVID-19 in Radiology Departments in Saudi Arabia

• Main Authors: M. Almatari, Ali Alghamdi, Sultan Alamri, Mufeed Otaibey, Ahmad Joman Alghamdi, Azah Alasmari, Magbool Alelyani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Medical Sciences
• Subjects: COVID-19; medical imaging; radiology; infection control
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/9/1/18

Due to the contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus, healthcare workers are at a great risk of infection. Since medical imaging plays a significant part in the healthcare system and is often used in the diagnosis of potential COVID-19 patients, the radiology personnel are at a very high risk of becoming infected. Purpose: This study aims to assess the enforcement of infection control guidelines for patients with COVID-19 during medical imaging procedures and raise awareness of infection control in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 128 responses were collected from four hospitals across Saudi Arabia using a new structured questionnaire, which was created for health workers by the WHO specifically for this purpose. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Results: Most participants correctly followed the guidelines of the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on infection control in the X-ray and general radiology departments. Guideline awareness was higher among magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised tomography (CT) radiographers, which reduced the risk of future infections. Out of the total respondents, 98.4% stated that they had received formal training in hand hygiene. Only 40.6% of participants, however, knew that respiratory droplets are the primary mode of transmission of the virus from person to person. Conclusion: The knowledge of healthcare professionals in the radiology department regarding infection control needs to be continually assessed. A focus on educational interventions on infection control is required in order to maintain well-informed medical staff.