SARS-CoV-2 Epidemics in Retirement and Nursing Homes in Italy: A New Preparedness Assessment Model after the First Epidemic Wave

Carmelo Gugliotta, Davide Gentili, Silvia Marras, Marco Dettori, Pietro Paolo Muglia, Maria Giuseppina Desole, Marcello Acciaro, Sabina Bellu, Antonio Azara and Paolo Castiglia
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Carmelo Gugliotta: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Davide Gentili: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Silvia Marras: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Marco Dettori: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Pietro Paolo Muglia: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Maria Giuseppina Desole: ASSL Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Marcello Acciaro: Regional Agency Emergency and Urgent Care Sardinia, AREUS, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Sabina Bellu: University Hospital of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Antonio Azara: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Paolo Castiglia: Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: The aim of the study is to evaluate the preparedness of retirement and nursing homes in the city of Sassari at the end of the first wave of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic, first by investigating the risk perception of epidemic outbreaks by the facility managers and subsequently by carrying out a field assessment of these facilities. To perform the field assessment, a checklist developed by the CDC (Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Tool for Nursing Homes Preparing for COVID-19) and adapted to the Italian context was used. Fourteen facilities took part in the survey (87.5%). The application of good practices for each survey area was expressed as a percentage with the following median values: restriction policies (87.5%), staff training (53.8%), resident training (67.6%), availability of personal protective equipment (41.7%), infection control practices (73.5%) and communication (80%). Among the facilities, considerable variability was observed in these evaluation fields: only the restriction policies and communication activities were applied uniformly. A discrepancy was found between perceived risk and real danger in the facilities, requiring targeted communication actions. At present, it is necessary to promote a new approach based on the prediction of critical events, thereby providing the means to effectively address them.

Keywords: COVID-19; preparedness; risk communication; nursing home; infection prevention and control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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