We have heard a lot about the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control procedures (ICP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the focus has been on the role of PPE and ICP in reducing workplace COVID-19 transmission—less so on the association between the adequacy of PPE provision and ICP implementation and the mental health of workers.
In this presentation, Dr. Peter Smith shares results from two surveys, one conducted among 6,000 health-care workers and the other among 3,300 workers in non-health-care sectors. Survey respondents were recruited across Canada through the networks of an ad-hoc pandemic survey group, led by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW). The findings provide important insights into the additional benefits of adequately designed and implemented employer-based PPE and ICP practices, beyond reducing COVID-19 transmission.
You can read about the health-care worker survey results in this article in The Conversation. More information on these results and how they compare to those of non-health-care workers will be revealed at this IWH Speaker Series presentation.
