Odo Nnaemeka U, Raynor Peter C, Beaudoin Amanda, Somrongthong Ratana, Scheftel Joni M, Donahue James G, Bender Jeffrey B
a School of Public Health, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota.
J Occup Environ Hyg. 2015;12(6):363-8. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2015.1006635.
The goal of this study was to compare and contrast the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the practice of handwashing among participants of four studies assessing poultry and swine farms in the midwestern United States and in Thailand. This largely descriptive exercise was designed to assess and compare the frequency of these protective practices among the study populations. There were a total of 1113 surveys analyzed across the four studies. The respondents included workers in direct contact with animals as well as flock owners and veterinarians tending to farms. Handwashing was the most common practice observed among all participants with 42% "always" and 35% "sometimes" washing their hands after contact with the animals. This practice was least common among Minnesota swine workers. Even Thai poultry farmers, who demonstrated the lowest overall PPE use, reported a higher frequency of handwashing. Mask use during animal farming activities ("always" or "sometimes") was least commonly practiced, ranging from 1% in Thailand to 26% among backyard poultry farmers in Minnesota. Minnesota poultry and swine farmers had similar frequencies of mask (26%) and glove use (51% and 49%). All other comparisons differed significantly across the four sites (p-values <0.05). The use of PPE in animal farming differed by study location and is likely related to prevalent norms in the respective regions. Overall, the use of PPE did not appear to be influenced by the particular animal (poultry or swine) being farmed. These findings may prove useful to regulating bodies and farm owners in formulating policy or planning strategies for improving personal hygiene practices in animal farming and preparing for influenza and other potential zoonotic disease outbreaks.
本研究的目的是比较和对比四项评估美国中西部和泰国家禽及养猪场的研究参与者使用个人防护装备（PPE）的情况以及洗手习惯。这项主要为描述性的活动旨在评估和比较这些防护措施在研究人群中的实施频率。四项研究共分析了1113份调查问卷。受访者包括直接接触动物的工人、禽群所有者以及照料农场的兽医。洗手是所有参与者中最常见的行为，42%的人“总是”在接触动物后洗手，35%的人“有时”洗手。这种行为在明尼苏达州的养猪工人中最不常见。即使是总体PPE使用率最低的泰国家禽养殖户，洗手频率也较高。在动物养殖活动中使用口罩（“总是”或“有时”）的情况最不常见，从泰国的1%到明尼苏达州后院家禽养殖户的26%不等。明尼苏达州的家禽和养猪养殖户使用口罩（26%）和手套（51%和49%）的频率相似。四个地点的所有其他比较均存在显著差异（p值<0.05）。动物养殖中PPE的使用因研究地点而异，可能与各地区的普遍规范有关。总体而言，PPE的使用似乎不受所养殖的特定动物（家禽或猪）的影响。这些发现可能对监管机构和农场主制定政策或规划战略有用，以改善动物养殖中的个人卫生习惯，并为流感和其他潜在人畜共患病疫情做准备。
