Cervical cancer screening for individuals at average risk: 2020 guideline update from the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that individuals with a cervix initiate cervical cancer screening at age 25 years and undergo primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing every 5 years through age 65 years (preferred); if primary HPV testing is not available, then individuals aged 25 to 65 years should be screened with cotesting (HPV testing in combination with cytology) every 5 years or cytology alone every 3 years (acceptable) (strong recommendation). The ACS recommends that individuals aged >65 years who have no history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or more severe disease within the past 25 years, and who have documented adequate negative prior screening in the prior 10 years, discontinue all cervical cancer screening (qualified recommendation). These new screening recommendations differ in 4 important respects compared with the 2012 recommendations: 1) The preferred screening strategy is primary HPV testing every 5 years, with cotesting and cytology alone acceptable where access to US Food and Drug Administration-approved primary HPV testing is not yet available; 2) the recommended age to start screening is 25 years rather than 21 years; 3) primary HPV testing, as well as cotesting or cytology alone when primary testing is not available, is recommended starting at age 25 years rather than age 30 years; and 4) the guideline is transitional, ie, options for screening with cotesting or cytology alone are provided but should be phased out once full access to primary HPV testing for cervical cancer screening is available without barriers. Evidence related to other relevant issues was reviewed, and no changes were made to recommendations for screening intervals, age or criteria for screening cessation, screening based on vaccination status, or screening after hysterectomy. Follow-up for individuals who screen positive for HPV and/or cytology should be in accordance with the 2019 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology risk-based management consensus guidelines for abnormal cervical cancer screening tests and cancer precursors.

Masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory infections: a state of the science review.

SUMMARYThis narrative review and meta-analysis summarizes a broad evidence base on the benefits-and also the practicalities, disbenefits, harms and personal, sociocultural and environmental impacts-of masks and masking. Our synthesis of evidence from over 100 published reviews and selected primary studies, including re-analyzing contested meta-analyses of key clinical trials, produced seven key findings. First, there is strong and consistent evidence for airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory pathogens. Second, masks are, if correctly and consistently worn, effective in reducing transmission of respiratory diseases and show a dose-response effect. Third, respirators are significantly more effective than medical or cloth masks. Fourth, mask mandates are, overall, effective in reducing community transmission of respiratory pathogens. Fifth, masks are important sociocultural symbols; non-adherence to masking is sometimes linked to political and ideological beliefs and to widely circulated mis- or disinformation. Sixth, while there is much evidence that masks are not generally harmful to the general population, masking may be relatively contraindicated in individuals with certain medical conditions, who may require exemption. Furthermore, certain groups (notably D/deaf people) are disadvantaged when others are masked. Finally, there are risks to the environment from single-use masks and respirators. We propose an agenda for future research, including improved characterization of the situations in which masking should be recommended or mandated; attention to comfort and acceptability; generalized and disability-focused communication support in settings where masks are worn; and development and testing of novel materials and designs for improved filtration, breathability, and environmental impact.

Cancer screening in the United States, 2018: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening.

Each year, the American Cancer Society publishes a summary of its guidelines for early cancer detection, data and trends in cancer screening rates from the National Health Interview Survey, and select issues related to cancer screening. In this 2018 update, we also summarize the new American Cancer Society colorectal cancer screening guideline and include a clarification in the language of the 2013 lung cancer screening guideline. CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68:297-316. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Rivaroxaban for Prevention of Thrombotic Events, Hospitalization, and Death in Outpatients With COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is associated with heightened risks of venous and arterial thrombosis and hospitalization due to respiratory failure. To assess whether prophylactic anticoagulation can safely reduce the frequency of venous and arterial thrombosis, hospitalization, and death in nonhospitalized patients with symptomatic COVID-19 and at least one thrombosis risk factor, we conducted the PREVENT-HD double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial (A Study of Rivaroxaban to Reduce the Risk of Major Venous and Arterial Thrombotic Events, Hospitalization and Death in Medically Ill Outpatients With Acute, Symptomatic COVID-19] Infection). METHODS: PREVENT-HD was conducted between August 2020 and April 2022 at 14 US integrated health care delivery networks. A virtual trial design used remote informed consent and clinical monitoring and facilitated data collection through electronic health record integration with a cloud-based research platform. Nonhospitalized patients with symptomatic COVID-19 and at least one thrombosis risk factor were enrolled and randomly assigned to either 10 mg of oral rivaroxaban or placebo daily for 35 days. The primary efficacy outcome was time to first occurrence of a composite of symptomatic venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, acute limb ischemia, non-central nervous system systemic arterial embolism, hospitalization, or death through day 35. The principal safety end point was International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis critical-site or fatal bleeding. The last study visit was on day 49. RESULTS: The study was terminated prematurely because of enrollment challenges and a lower-than-expected blinded pooled event rate. A total of 1284 patients underwent randomization with complete accrual of primary events through May 2022. No patients were lost to follow-up. The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 22 of 641 in the rivaroxaban group and 19 of 643 in the placebo group (3.4% versus 3.0%; hazard ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 0.63-2.15]; P=0.63). No patient in either group experienced critical-site or fatal bleeding. One patient receiving rivaroxaban had a major bleed. CONCLUSIONS: The study was terminated prematurely after enrollment of 32% of planned accrual because of recruitment challenges and lower-than-expected event rate. Rivaroxaban prescribed for 35 days in nonhospitalized patients with symptomatic COVID-19 at risk for thrombosis did not appear to reduce a composite end point of venous and arterial thrombotic events, hospitalization, and death. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT04508023.

Comparison of QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube Versus Tuberculin Skin Tests on the Initiation of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy Among Patients Newly Diagnosed With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the North West Province of South Africa (the Teko Study): A Cluster Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy (TPT) reduces the risk of TB disease in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), yet uptake has been suboptimal in many countries. We assessed whether QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QGIT) during routine HIV care increased TB infection (TBI) testing and TPT prescriptions. METHODS: This parallel-arm, 1:1 cluster-randomized controlled trial compared the standard-of-care tuberculin skin test to QGIT in South Africa. We enrolled consenting, TPT-eligible adults diagnosed with HIV ≤30 days prior and used intention-to-treat analyses for the outcomes: proportion of patients with documented TBI results, proportion with documented TPT, and time from enrollment to outcomes. FINDINGS: We enrolled 2232 patients across 14 clinics from November 2014 to May 2017 (58% in intervention clinics). At 24 months of follow-up, more participants in intervention clinics had TBI results (69% vs 2%, P < .001) and TPT prescriptions (45% vs 30%, P = .13) than control clinics. Controlling for baseline covariates, intervention clinics had 60% (95% confidence interval, 51-68; P < .001) more participants with TBI results and 12% (95% confidence interval, -6 to 31; P = .18) more with TPT prescriptions. Among participants with results, those in intervention clinics received results and TPT faster (intervention: median of 6 and 29 days after enrollment vs control: 21 and 54 days, respectively). INTERPRETATION: In this setting, QGIT in routine HIV care resulted in more patients with TBI results. Clinicians also initiated more people with HIV on TPT in QGIT intervention clinics, and did so more quickly, than the control arm. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02119130.

Treatment and Outcomes of Cervical Artery Dissection in Adults: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Cervical artery dissection is an important cause of stroke, particularly in young adults. Data conflict on the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of patients with suspected cervical artery dissection, leading to variability in practice. We aim to provide an overview of cervical artery dissection in the setting of minor or no reported mechanical trigger with a focus on summarizing the available evidence and providing suggestions on the diagnostic evaluation, treatment approaches, and outcomes. Writing group members drafted their sections using a literature search focused on publications between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2022, and included randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational studies, meta-analyses, opinion papers, case series, and case reports. The writing group chair and vice chair compiled the manuscript and obtained writing group members' approval. Cervical artery dissection occurs as a result of the interplay among risk factors, minor trauma, anatomic and congenital abnormalities, and genetic predisposition. The diagnosis can be challenging both clinically and radiologically. In patients with acute ischemic stroke attributable to cervical artery dissection, acute treatment strategies such as thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy are reasonable in otherwise eligible patients. We suggest that the antithrombotic therapy choice be individualized and continued for at least 3 to 6 months. The risk of recurrent dissection is low, and preventive measures may be considered early after the diagnosis and continued in high-risk patients. Ongoing longitudinal and population-based observational studies are needed to close the present gaps on preferred antithrombotic regimens considering clinical and radiographic prognosticators of cervical artery dissection.

Infection Prevention and Control in Correctional Settings.

Correctional facilities house millions of residents in communities throughout the United States. Such congregate settings are critical for national infection prevention and control (IPC) efforts. Carceral settings can be sites where infectious diseases are detected in patient populations who may not otherwise have access to health care services, and as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, where outbreaks of infectious diseases may result in spread to residents, correctional staff, and the community at large. Correctional IPC, while sharing commonalities with IPC in other settings, is unique programmatically and operationally. In this article, we identify common challenges with correctional IPC program implementation and recommend action steps for advancing correctional IPC as a national public health priority.

Outbreak of Invasive Serratia marcescens among Persons Incarcerated in a State Prison, California, USA, March 2020-December 2022.

Serratia marcescens is an environmental gram-negative bacterium that causes invasive disease in rare cases. During 2020-2022, an outbreak of 21 invasive Serratia infections occurred in a prison in California, USA. Most (95%) patients had a history of recent injection drug use (IDU). We performed whole-genome sequencing and found isolates from 8 patients and 2 pieces of IDU equipment were closely related. We also identified social interactions among patients. We recovered S. marcescens from multiple environmental samples throughout the prison, including personal containers storing Cell Block 64 (CB64), a quaternary ammonium disinfectant solution. CB64 preparation and storage conditions were suboptimal for S. marcescens disinfection. The outbreak was likely caused by contaminated CB64 and propagated by shared IDU equipment and social connections. Ensuring appropriate preparation, storage, and availability of disinfectants and enacting interventions to counteract disease spread through IDU can reduce risks for invasive Serratia infections in California prisons.

Yersinia ruckeri Infection and Enteric Redmouth Disease among Endangered Chinese Sturgeons, China, 2022.

During October 2022, enteric redmouth disease (ERM) affected Chinese sturgeons at a farm in Hubei, China, causing mass mortality. Affected fish exhibited characteristic red mouth and intestinal inflammation. Investigation led to isolation of a prominent bacterial strain, zhx1, from the internal organs and intestines of affected fish. Artificial infection experiments confirmed the role of zhx1 as the pathogen responsible for the deaths. The primary pathologic manifestations consisted of degeneration, necrosis, and inflammatory reactions, resulting in multiple organ dysfunction and death. Whole-genome sequencing of the bacteria identified zhx1 as Yersinia ruckeri, which possesses 135 drug-resistance genes and 443 virulence factor-related genes. Drug-susceptibility testing of zhx1 demonstrated high sensitivity to chloramphenicol and florfenicol but varying degrees of resistance to 18 other antimicrobial drugs. Identifying the pathogenic bacteria associated with ERM in Chinese sturgeons establishes a theoretical foundation for the effective prevention and control of this disease.

Candida auris in US Correctional Facilities.

Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen that typically affects patients in healthcare settings. Data on C. auris cases in correctional facilities are limited but are needed to guide public health recommendations. We describe cases and challenges of providing care for 13 patients who were transferred to correctional facilities during January 2020-December 2022 after having a positive C. auris specimen. All patients had positive specimens identified while receiving inpatient care at healthcare facilities in geographic areas with high C. auris prevalence. Correctional facilities reported challenges managing patients and implementing prevention measures; those challenges varied by whether patients were housed in prison medical units or general population units. Although rarely reported, C. auris cases in persons who are incarcerated may occur, particularly in persons with known risk factors. Measures to manage cases and prevent C. auris spread in correctional facilities should address setting-specific challenges in healthcare and nonhealthcare correctional environments.

Prolonged carriage of OXA-244-carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli complicates epidemiological investigations.

The rapid increase of OXA-244-producing Escherichia coli, predominantly driven by genetically clustered isolates of sequence type (ST)38, has been observed in at least nine European countries, including Germany. However, the reasons for the spread of OXA-244-producing E. coli remain unclear. Here, we aim to evaluate the possibility of prolonged carriage. We identified a total of six different patients with repeated detection of OXA-244-producing E. coli isolates, which were subjected to both short and long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Besides allelic differences using core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) analyses, we obtained numbers of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to calculate individual base-pair substitution (BPS) rates. To assess possible re-exposure and risk factors for prolonged carriage, case interviews were conducted. The time between detections ranged from eleven months to more than three years. Initial isolates originated in three+ out of six cases from clinical samples, whereas remaining samples were from screening, mostly in the inpatient setting. As expected, cgMLST analyses showed low numbers of allelic differences between isolates of each case ranging from 1 to 4, whereas numbers of SNPs were between 2 and 99 (mean = 36), thus clearly highlighting the discrepancy between these different bacterial typing approaches. For five out of six cases, observed BPS rates suggest that patients can be colonized with OXA-244-producing E. coli, including ST38 cluster isolates, for extensively long times. Thus, we may have previously missed the epidemiological link between cases because exposure to OXA-244-producing E. coli could have occurred in a time frame, which has not been evaluated in previous investigations. Our results may help to guide future epidemiological investigations as well as to support the interpretation of genetic diversity of OXA-244-producing E. coli, particularly among ST38 cluster isolates.

PASQUALE - A long-term partnership to improve hand hygiene and capacity building in infection prevention and control in the Faranah region of Guinea.

Across the globe, hand hygiene (HH) is promoted to fight the spread of healthcare associated infections. Despite multiple ongoing HH campaigns and projects, the healthcare associated infection rates remain high especially in low- and middle-income countries. In the narrative overview presented here, we aim to share objectives, framework, successes and challenges of our long-term partnership in Guinea to offer guidance for other projects aiming to sustainably improve HH.

Simulating the impact of optimized prevention and control measures on the transmission of monkeypox in the United States: A model-based study.

This study aimed to develop a modified susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) model to evaluate monkeypox epidemics in the United States and explore more optimized prevention and control measures. To further assess the impact of public health measures on the transmission of monkeypox, different intervention scenarios were developed based on the classic SEIR model, considering reducing contact, enhancing vaccination, diagnosis delay, and environmental transmission risk, respectively. We evaluated the impact of different measures by simulating their spread in different scenarios. During the simulation period, 8709 people were infected with monkeypox. The simulation analysis showed that: (1) the most effective measures to control monkeypox transmission during the early stage of the epidemic were reducing contact and enhancing vaccination, with cumulative infections at 51.20% and 41.90% of baseline levels, respectively; (2) shortening diagnosis time would delay the peak time of the epidemic by 96 days; and (3) the risk of environmental transmission of monkeypox virus was relatively low. This study indirectly proved the effectiveness of the prevention and control measures, such as reducing contact, enhancing vaccination, shortening diagnosis time, and low risk of environmental transmission, which also provided an important reference and containment experience for nonepidemic countries.

Surveying the Knowledge and Practices of Primary Care Residents in Managing Adult Patients with Obesity.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate, yet obesity remains under-addressed during clinic encounters. A lack of training in how to treat obesity is one crucial factor contributing to this deficiency. OBJECTIVE: This study explored resident physicians' perceptions of their education on obesity and its relationship with confidence and practice behaviors when caring for patients with obesity. DESIGN: A survey was distributed to residency directors to share with residents in their programs. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Data was collected over a 3-month period. PARTICIPANTS: Residents in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine programs in West Virginia and Indiana who saw adult patients in an ambulatory care setting. MAIN MEASURES: The electronic survey queried the presence of a formal curriculum on Obesity Medicine (OM) and each resident's knowledge, confidence, practice behaviors, and attitudes pertaining to OM. KEY RESULTS: The survey was distributed to 490 residents in 12 programs. Response rate was 22.9% (112 resident physicians). All respondents felt that medical training in obesity should be strengthened. Residents who reported having a formal curriculum on OM were more likely than those without a curriculum to rate their confidence as "high" when discussing weight (35.0% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.03) and when counseling patients about diet and nutrition (37.5% vs. 18.1%, p = 0.02). They also more frequently reported learning enough from faculty to manage obesity (65.0% vs. 29.2%, p < 0.001). Residents with an OM curriculum reported discussing obesity as a problem with patients (100.0% vs. 86.1%, p = 0.01), and completing motivational interviews (90.0% vs. 58.3%, p = < 0.001), more frequently than their peers without a curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Residents with a formal OM curriculum were more confident in addressing and discussing obesity with patients. Formal training in OM will strengthen resident training to better address and treat patients with obesity.

The Impact of Rheumatoid Arthritis on First Nations and How We Can Work With Communities to Prevent It.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is prevalent in many Indigenous North American First Nations (FN) and tends to be seropositive, familial, and disabling, as well as associated with highly unfavorable outcomes such as early mortality. The risk of developing RA is based on a perfect storm of gene-environment interactions underpinning this risk. The gene-environment interactions include a high frequency of shared epitope encoding HLA alleles, particularly HLA-DRB1*1402, in the background population, and prevalent predisposing environmental factors such as smoking and periodontal disease. Together, these provide a compelling rationale for an RA prevention agenda in FN communities. Our research team has worked in partnership with several FN communities to prospectively follow the first-degree relatives of FN patients with RA, with the aim of better understanding the preclinical stages of RA in this population. We have focused on specific features of the anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and other proteomic biomarkers as predictors of future development of RA. These studies have now led us to consider interventions having a favorable risk-benefit ratio if applied at a stage prior to a hypothetical "point of no return," when the autoimmunity potentially becomes irreversible. Based on a supportive mouse model and available human studies of curcumin, omega-3, and vitamin D supplements, we are undertaking studies where we screen communities using dried blood spot technology adapted for the detection of ACPA, and then enrolling ACPA-positive individuals in studies that use a combination of these supplements. These studies are guided by shared decision-making principles.

Cancer screening in the United States, 2017: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening.

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE Each year, the American Cancer Society publishes a summary of its guidelines for early cancer detection, data and trends in cancer screening rates, and select issues related to cancer screening. In this issue of the journal, the authors summarize current American Cancer Society cancer screening guidelines, describe an update of their guideline for using human papillomavirus vaccination for cancer prevention, describe updates in US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for breast and colorectal cancer screening, discuss interim findings from the UK Collaborative Trial on Ovarian Cancer Screening, and provide the latest data on utilization of cancer screening from the National Health Interview Survey. CA Cancer J Clin 2017;67:100-121. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Innovative teaching in infection prevention and control and infectious diseases education: testing and investigation of student perceptions.

PURPOSE: Many curricula promote frontal teaching approaches, potentially decreasing interaction and motivation - also within infection prevention & control and infectious diseases (IPC/ID). We aimed to investigate the implementation of three innovative teaching methods (ITM) within IPC/ID education: game-based learning (GBL), peer-teaching (PT) and misinformation detection (MID). METHODS: Multi-phase study involving third-year medical students was conducted. Phase-1 included a cross-sectional survey, assessing previous ITM-experience and interest to participate in phase-2, where the students were divided into teams. Each team prepared a video covering an IPC/ID-topic with deliberately placed misinformation, which had to be identified and corrected by the opposing team, followed by qualitative evaluation (phase-3). Finally, the MID-concept was incorporated into regular curricula in a non-competitive environment (phase-4) and evaluated within a cohort not involved in phases 1-3. RESULTS: 276 students responded to phase-1. 58% expressed interest in participating in phase-2. Roughly 59% [47-71%] CI-95% of respondents without previous PT-experience stated interest in PT, while the interest in GBL and MID was even higher. 19 students participated in phase-2. All topic MID-scores ranged between 6 and 8/10 points, except for emporiatrics (3/10). Post-hoc analysis revealed a positive student-perception of ITM, particularly GBL. Phase-4 received 103 responses with general positive evaluation. Major agreements existed on the usefulness of critical information evaluation for medical practice (82% [75-91%] CI-95%) and of MID during studies (69% [59-79%] CI-95%). CONCLUSION: our results hint at a relatively high interest in ITM and show MID applicability in regular IPC/ID curricula, which could be of advantage for the learning environment.

Evaluation of the practice of reprocessing ORs in German hospitals from an infection prevention and control perspective.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the cleaning and disinfection of operating rooms (ORs) status quo focusing on hygiene plans in German hospitals. METHODS: In 2016, a structured online survey was sent to infection prevention and control (IPC) specialists at the cost calculation hospitals of the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) and all university hospitals in Germany (n = 365). RESULTS: With a response rate of 27.4%, 78% stated that written hygiene plans were available. After cleaning and disinfecting an OR with a "septic" patient, 55% waited until surfaces were dry before reusing in accordance with national recommendations, 27% waited > 30 min. Additionally, 28% of hospitals had ORs only for "septic" patients. In 56% "septic" patients were only operated on at the end of the program. Postoperative monitoring of patients with bacteria with special IPC requirements took place in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) (29%), operating room (OR) (52%), intensive care unit (ICU) (53%), and in the intermediate care unit (IMC) (19%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite written hygiene plans in place the partly long duration of OR nonuse time following IPC measures, the consistent continued use of stratification for "septic" patients and the postoperative follow-up care of patients with colonizing/infecting bacteria with special IPC requirements in the OR and high care areas represent relevant potential for improvement.

Infection prevention and control of highly infectious pathogens in resource-limited countries: an experience from Marburg viral disease outbreak in Kagera Region - Tanzania.

Marburg viral disease (MVD) is a highly infectious disease with a case fatality rate of up to 90%, particularly impacting resource-limited countries where implementing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures is challenging. This paper shares the experience of how Tanzania has improved its capacity to prevent and control highly infectious diseases, and how this capacity was utilized during the outbreak of the MVD disease that occurred for the first time in the country in 2023.In 2016 and the subsequent years, Tanzania conducted self and external assessments that revealed limited IPC capacity in responding to highly infectious diseases. To address these gaps, initiatives were undertaken, including the enhancement of IPC readiness through the development and dissemination of guidelines, assessments of healthcare facilities, supportive supervision and mentorship, procurement of supplies, and the renovation or construction of environments to bolster IPC implementation.The official confirmation and declaration of MVD on March 21, 2023, came after five patients had already died of the disease. MVD primarily spreads through contact and presents with severe symptoms, which make patient care and prevention challenging, especially in resource-limited settings. However, with the use of a trained workforce; IPC rapid needs assessment was conducted, identifying specific gaps. Based on the results; mentorship programs were carried out, specific policies and guidelines were developed, security measures were enhanced, all burial activities in the area were supervised, and both patients and staff were monitored across all facilities. By the end of the outbreak response on June 1, 2023, a total of 212 contacts had been identified, with the addition of only three deaths. Invasive procedures like dialysis and Manual Vacuum Aspiration prevented some deaths in infected patients, procedures previously discouraged.In summary, this experience underscores the critical importance of strict adherence to IPC practices in controlling highly infectious diseases. Recommendations for low-income countries include motivating healthcare providers and improving working conditions to enhance commitment in challenging environments. This report offers valuable insights and practical interventions for preparing for and addressing highly infectious disease outbreaks through implementation of IPC measures.

Exploring variations in IPC competencies: a cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals in Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study investigates infection prevention and control (IPC) competencies among healthcare professionals in northwest China, examining the influence of demographic factors, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels. METHODS: Data from 874 respondents across 47 hospitals were collected through surveys assessing 16 major IPC domains. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney tests, were employed to compare competencies across variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were identified based on gender, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels. Females demonstrated higher IPC competencies, while senior positions exhibited superior performance. Higher educational attainment and prolonged work experience positively correlated with enhanced competencies. Variances across hospital levels underscored context-specific competencies. CONCLUSION: Demographic factors and professional variables significantly shape IPC competencies. Tailored training, considering gender differences and job roles, is crucial. Higher education and prolonged work experience positively impact proficiency. Context-specific interventions are essential for diverse hospital settings, informing strategies to enhance IPC skills and mitigate healthcare-associated infections effectively.