Albastaki Abdulla, Olsen Matthew, Almulla Hanan, Nassar Rania, Boucherabine Syrine, Mohamed Lobna, Almheiri Reem, Kachigunda Barbara, McKirdy Simon, Alghafri Rashed, Tajouri Lotti, Senok Abiola
International Center for Forensic Sciences, General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, Dubai Police, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Dubai Police Scientists Council, Dubai Police, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, QLD, Australia.
Infect Dis Health. 2023 Feb;28(1):19-26. doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.07.001. Epub 2022 Aug 19.
In 2022, smartphone use continues to expand with the number of smartphone subscriptions surpassing 6 billion and forecasted to grow to 7.5 billion by 2026. The necessity of these 'high touch' devices as essential tools in professional healthcare settings carries great risks of cross-contamination between mobile phones and hands. Current research emphasises mobile phones as fomites enhancing the risk of nosocomial disease dissemination as phone sanitisation is often overlooked. To assess and report via a large-scale E-survey the handling practices and the use of phones by healthcare workers.
A total of 377 healthcare workers (HCWs) participated in this study to fill in an E-survey online consisting of 14 questions (including categorical, ordinal, and numerical data). Analysis of categorical data used non-parametric techniques such as Pearson's chi-squared test.
During an 8-h shift, 92.8% (n/N = 350/377) use their phone at work with 84.6% (n/N = 319/377) considering mobile phones as an essential tool for their job. Almost all HCWs who participated in this survey believe their mobile phones could potentially harbour microorganisms (97.1%; n/N = 366/377). Fifty-seven respondents (15.1%) indicated that they use their phones while wearing gloves and 10.3% (n/N = 39/377) have never cleaned their phones. The majority of respondents (89.3%; n/N = 337/377) agreed that contaminated mobile phones could contribute to dissemination of SARS-CoV-2.
Mobile phone use is now almost universal and indispensable in healthcare. Medical staff believe mobile phones can act as fomites with a potential risk for dissemination of microbes including SARS-COV-2. There is an urgent call for the incorporation of mobile phone sanitisation in infection prevention protocol. Studies on the use of ultraviolet-C based phone sanitation devices in health care settings are needed.
2022年，智能手机的使用持续增长，智能手机用户数量超过60亿，预计到2026年将增至75亿。在专业医疗环境中，这些“高接触”设备作为基本工具的必要性带来了手机与手部之间交叉污染的巨大风险。当前研究强调手机作为污染物会增加医院感染传播的风险，因为手机消毒常常被忽视。通过大规模电子调查评估并报告医护人员对手机的处理方式和使用情况。
共有377名医护人员参与了本研究，在线填写一份包含14个问题（包括分类、有序和数值数据）的电子调查问卷。分类数据分析采用非参数技术，如Pearson卡方检验。
在8小时的轮班期间，92.8%（n/N = 350/377）的医护人员在工作时使用手机，84.6%（n/N = 319/377）认为手机是其工作的必备工具。几乎所有参与此次调查的医护人员都认为他们的手机可能携带微生物（97.1%；n/N = 366/377）。57名受访者（15.1%）表示他们在戴手套时使用手机，10.3%（n/N = 39/377）从未清洁过手机。大多数受访者（89.3%；n/N = 337/377）同意受污染的手机可能会导致SARS-CoV-2传播。
在医疗保健领域，手机的使用现在几乎普及且不可或缺。医务人员认为手机可作为污染物，存在传播包括SARS-CoV-2在内的微生物的潜在风险。迫切需要将手机消毒纳入感染预防方案。需要开展关于在医疗环境中使用基于紫外线C的手机消毒设备的研究。
