Clinical Endoscopy

The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (대한소화기내시경학회)
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Perception of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Personnel on Society Recommendations on Personal Protective Equipment, Case Selection, and Scope Cleaning During Covid-19 Pandemic: An International Survey Study

  • Parit Mekaroonkamol (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Kasenee Tiankanon (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Rapat Pittayanon (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Wiriyaporn Ridtitid (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Fariha Shams (Division of Radiology, Jinnah Hospital) ;
  • Ghias Un Nabi Tayyab (Division of Gastroenterology, Lahore General Hospital) ;
  • Julia Massaad (Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University) ;
  • Saurabh Chawla (Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University) ;
  • Stanley Khoo (Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya) ;
  • Siriboon Attasaranya (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Nonthalee Pausawasdi (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University) ;
  • Qiang Cai (Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University) ;
  • Thawee Ratanachu-ek (Department of Surgery, Rajavithi Hospital) ;
  • Pradermchai Kongkham (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross) ;
  • Rungsun Rerknimitr (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross)
  • Received : 2021.01.18
  • Accepted : 2021.02.27
  • Published : 2022.03.30
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Abstract

Background/Aims: The Thai Association for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy published recommendations on safe endoscopy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to assess the practicality and applicability of the recommendations and the perceptions of endoscopy personnel on them. Methods: A validated questionnaire was sent to 1290 endoscopy personnel globally. Of these, the data of all 330 responders (25.6%) from 15 countries, related to the current recommendations on proper personal protective equipment (PPE), case selection, scope cleaning, and safety perception, were analyzed. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine the relationships between the variables. Results: Despite an overwhelming agreement with the recommendations on PPE (94.5%) and case selection (95.5%), their practicality and applicability on PPE recommendations and case selection were significantly lower (p=0.001, p=0.047, p<0.001, and p=0.032, respectively). Factors that were associated with lower sense of safety in endoscopy units were younger age (p=0.004), less working experience (p=0.008), in-training status (p=0.04), and higher national prevalence of COVID-19 (p=0.003). High prevalent countries also had more difficulty implementing the guidelines (p<0.001) and they considered the PPE recommendations less practical and showed lower agreement with them (p<0.001 and p=0.008, respectively). A higher number of in-hospital COVID-19 patients was associated with less agreement with PPE recommendations (p=0.039). Conclusions: Using appropriate PPE and case selection in endoscopic practice during a pandemic remains a challenge. Resource availability and local prevalence are critical factors influencing the adoption of the current guidelines.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the Thai Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (TAGE) and the Endoscopy Nurse Society of Thailand (ENST) for the critical revision and support in distributing the questionnaire.

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