Infection prevention decision support for emerging infectious diseases: a qualitative assessment from the 18th international congress on infectious diseases

Abstract

Purpose: The International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) is a non-profit organization committed to the prevention of infectious diseases around the world. Since 1998, the ISID has produced and distributed "A Guide to Infection Control in the Hospital" - an open access resource for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). In the wake of the Ebola and Zika epidemics, and in addition to prior feedback received from more than 1,100 Guide users, focus group interviews were conducted. In this study, we provide a qualitative assessment of focus group responses, with an emphasis on the relevance of the guide to infection prevention and surveillance decision support for emerging infectious diseases. Methods & Materials: Focus group interviews were conducted at the International Congress on Infectious Diseases in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March 2018. All Congress attendees were invited to participate. Moderators in small group settings used standardized questions, and insights from those discussions were transcribed. Qualitative analysis was performed to evaluate areas of need in regards to IPC resources in general, and the Guide in particular. Results pertaining to emerging diseases and IPC are highlighted here. Result(s): Forty health care workers from 12 countries participated in the focus group discussions. 57% of participants identified country of residence as Argentina. Participants were divided into five groups in order to facilitate discussion. A moderator affiliated with the Guide led each group. Four distinct themes emerged in relation to IPC needs for emerging infectious diseases; (1) Update recommendations frequently to address new emerging diseases and reflect the evolving understanding of established outbreaks (2) Target recommendations towards resource-limited settings (3) Provide strategies for IPC practice implementation and surveillance practices across various resource levels (4) Ensure accessibility through various channels including mobile and desktop. Conclusion(s): Our focus group responses demonstrate the need for practical IPC at the point of care, while addressing best practices and disease surveillance across a wide range of resource settings. Infection prevention and effective surveillance supported by current, evidence-based, and easily accessible decision support resources are critical in the setting of outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.Copyright © 2018