Parent Perceptions of Healthcare-Associated Respiratory Infection in Pediatric Clinics: A Qualitative Study
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Background. The success of infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions in pediatric ambulatory settings relies on engaged healthcare workers, patients and parents. It is important to consider perspectives from these key stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these interventions. The objective of this study was to explore parent perceptions about the risk for healthcare-associated respiratory infection (HA-RI) and the acceptability of IPC interventions in the pediatric ambulatory setting. Methods. We conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of children < 6 years old recruited from a large pediatric ambulatory network. Parents were asked about perceived risk of HA-RI for their child, who they feel is responsible for IPC, and acceptability of various patient-and-provider directed interventions. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results. We interviewed 23 parents from 2 socioeconomically diverse practices. Our analysis identified three major themes. First, parents primarily associate the risk of their child acquiring a respiratory tract infection to exposure outside of the clinic. While parents think about their child getting sick from a visit, the majority of parents did not feel that their child acquired a RI. Second, although they recognized that specific roles differ, parents believed that clinical and non-clinical staff, parents, and children share responsibility for preventing HA-RI transmission. Third, the acceptability of IPC interventions is dependent on the feasibility of the intervention, parent and child comfort, and perceived success of the intervention in reducing HA-RI risk. Parents' suggestions included: parent and child educational interventions, prominent hand hygiene stations throughout the clinic, and designated space for sick patients in waiting rooms. Conclusion. Parents do not perceive that spending time in a pediatric ambulatory setting increases their child's risk of acquiring an HA-RI but acknowledge the importance of IPC interventions to prevent transmission. Parents also acknowledge a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of infection and seek more educational and physical resources to promote effective IPC practice. Disclosures. All authors: No reported disclosures.
Source: Open Forum Infectious Diseases
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,053
OpenAlex ID: W2336527280