[Assessment of COVID-19 Risky Contact of Healthcare Workers in an University Hospital]. / Bir Üniversite Hastanesindeki Saglik Çalisanlarinin COVID-19 Riskli Temas Durumlarinin Degerlendirilmesi.

Healthcare workers are the group with the highest risk of COVID-19 transmission. The illness of healthcare workers poses a risk to patients admitted to the hospital, colleagues and households besides their own health. In this study, it was aimed to determine the risk assessment and the factors associated with risk status of an university hospital healthcare workers after risky COVID-19 contact. The data of the descriptive study were obtained from 773 follow-up records of 555 healthcare workers who applied with COVID-19 risky contact between 06.04-10.05.2020. Employees who were positive for RT-PCR evaluated as "patients" and others as "risky contact". Risk assessment was classified as no risk, low, medium and high risk contact according to the "Algorithm of Assessment of Health Workers with COVID-19 Contact" of the Ministry of Health. The relationship between the risk levels of the participants and their demographic and workplace characteristics and their usage of personal protection were evaluated. Mean, standard deviation, percentage, chi-square and ANOVA tests were used in the analysis of the data. The average age of the healthcare workers was determined as 34.4 ± 7.6 years. It was determined that 56.2% of those who had contact were female, 62.9% were married and 17.5% had an additional disease. It was determined that 45.6% of the risky contacts were nurses, 18.4% were supportive personnel and 16.9% were doctors. While 46.5% of the contacts were found as medium, 28.0% low, 17.1% high risk and 8.4% risk free. 38.2% of risky contacts occurred while working in internal/surgical clinics. While 66.0% of the employees had risky contact during patient care and treatment, 25% had risky contact with colleagues in social settings. High-risk contact was higher in social relations between employees. The source of the contact was a colleague in 73.2% of the employees. The average age of high-risk employees was smaller than those of low-risk. While 54.5% of the employees wore surgical masks during contact, 67.8% of the patients did not have a mask. Of 555 employees followed, 37 (6.7%) were diagnosed as COVID-19; 48.6% of the patients were nurses and 18.9% were doctors. It was determined that 48.6% of the healthcare workers were working in the COVID-19 service, outpatient clinic or intensive care unit at the time of diagnosis. The source of the infection was thought to be a colleague in 51.6% of the patients. COVID-19 was more common in nurses and doctors. It was determined that risky contact also occurred in services other than the units where COVID-19 patients were treated and risky contact often took place while providing healthcare to the patients and during social relations between the employees. Unprotected contact of the employees with each other in the workplace was identified as an important risk source. Inadequate use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers led to an increase in medium and high risk contacts. The use of masks by patients and their relatives during the health service delivery and the proper use of personal protective equipment by healthcare professionals will reduce the risk. With the physical improvement of the rest areas of the employees and the arrangement of the breaks, the risky contact between colleagues in the social areas will be reduced.

The prevalence of headache disorders in children and adolescents in Mongolia: a nationwide schools-based study.

BACKGROUND: The Global Campaign against Headache collects data from children (7-11 years) and adolescents (12-17 years) both to inform health and education policies and to contribute to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. This survey in Mongolia was part of this global enquiry. METHODS: Following the generic protocol for the global enquiry, this was a schools-based cross-sectional survey. Self-completed structured questionnaires were administered, within classes, in seven schools in four districts of the Capital city and three rural areas of Mongolia, selected to represent the country's diversities. Headache diagnostic questions were based on ICHD-3 criteria but for the inclusion of undifferentiated headache (UdH). RESULTS: Of 4515 potential participants, 4266 completed the questionnaire (children 2241 [52.5%], adolescents 2025 [47.5%]; males 2107 [49.4%], females 2159 [50.6%]). Children were therefore slightly over-represented, although overall mean age was 11.3 ± 3.3 years (range: 6-17; median 11). The non-participation proportion was 4.5%. Observed lifetime prevalence of headache was 81.0%. Gender- and age-adjusted 1-year prevalence was 59.4% (migraine: 27.3%; tension-type headache [TTH]: 16.1%; UdH: 6.6%; all headache on ≥15 days/month: 4.2%; probable medication-overuse headache: 0.7%). All headache types except UdH were more prevalent among females than males, and all were more prevalent among adolescents than children, although UdH represented a higher proportion of all headache in children (13.0%) than in adolescents (10.0%). Headache yesterday was reported by 15.9% of the sample, 26.0% of those with headache. CONCLUSIONS: At least in adolescents, headache in Mongolia is no less common than in adults. The clear difference from similar studies in other countries was a lower prevalence of UdH, perhaps a consequence of reporting bias in a non-troublesome headache (mild and short-lasting by definition). This study informs policy in Mongolia and, with no similar study yet from elsewhere in Western Pacific Region, makes an important contribution to the global enquiry.