School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street West, Room 436, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7, Canada.
CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7, Canada.
Can J Public Health. 2022 Dec;113(6):918-929. doi: 10.17269/s41997-022-00674-0. Epub 2022 Sep 6.
Congregate living settings supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have experienced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the development and utilization of infection control policies in congregate living settings supporting individuals with IDD during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This qualitative study employed an interpretive description using semi-structured interviews involving administrative personnel from agencies assisting those with IDD residing in Developmental Services congregate living settings in Ontario, Canada.
Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals from 22 agencies. Thematic analysis revealed three categories: Development of infection control policies, Implementation of infection control policies, and Impact of infection control policies. Each category yielded subsequent themes. Themes from the Development of infection control policies category included New responsibilities and interpreting the grey areas, and Feeling disconnected and forgotten. Four themes within the Implementation of infection control policies category included, "It's their home" (i.e. difficulty balancing public health guidance and organizational values), Finding equipment and resources (e.g. supports and barriers), Information overload (i.e. challenges agencies faced when implementing policies), and Emerging vaccination (i.e. perspective of agencies as they navigate vaccination for clients and staff). The category of Impact of infection control policies had one theme-Fatigue and burnout, capturing the impact of policies on stakeholders in congregate living settings.
Agencies experienced difficulties developing and implementing infection control policies, impacting the clients they serve and their families and staff. Public health guidance should be tailored to each congregate living setting rather than generally applied.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，为支持智力和发育障碍（ID）个体而设立的集中居住环境面临着前所未有的挑战。本研究旨在探索在 COVID-19 大流行期间，为支持 ID 个体而设立的集中居住环境中感染控制政策的制定和利用情况。
本定性研究采用解释性描述方法，使用半结构式访谈，涉及加拿大安大略省协助居住在发育服务集中居住环境中的 ID 个体的机构行政人员。
对来自 22 个机构的 22 名个体进行了 22 次半结构式访谈。主题分析揭示了三个类别：感染控制政策的制定、感染控制政策的实施以及感染控制政策的影响。每个类别都产生了后续的主题。感染控制政策制定类别的主题包括新的责任和解释灰色地带，以及感觉脱节和被遗忘。感染控制政策实施类别中的四个主题包括“这是他们的家”（即平衡公共卫生指导和组织价值观的困难）、寻找设备和资源（例如支持和障碍）、信息过载（即机构在实施政策时面临的挑战）以及新兴疫苗接种（即机构在为客户和员工接种疫苗时的观点）。感染控制政策影响类别的一个主题是“疲劳和倦怠”，该主题捕捉了政策对集中居住环境中利益相关者的影响。
各机构在制定和实施感染控制政策方面遇到了困难，这影响了他们所服务的客户及其家庭和工作人员。公共卫生指导应针对每个集中居住环境进行定制，而不是普遍适用。
