Healthcare Workers’ Adherence and Attitudes Toward the Adherence to COVID-19 Precautionary Guidelines Post-Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have shown increased adherence to infection control practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a need to assess their adherence to and attitude toward COVID-19 guidelines after being vaccinated. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the adherence to and attitudes toward the adherence to COVID-19 guidelines among HCWs who have been vaccinated. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional design was employed. One hundred and eight participants were recruited via email from a medical center in the Midwest United States. The participants completed online surveys measuring the level of adherence to and attitudes toward the adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. The response rate was 5.4%. Findings: Most participants were female (73.1%) and white (82.4%). The participants adhered to COVID-19 guidelines 79.7% of the time. The most frequently followed guidelines were performing hand hygiene, wearing a respirator or well-fitting mask in areas where patients may be present, and wearing eye protection when entering the room for a patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection. The least performed precautions were performing COVID-19 testing after exposure to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case and maintaining social distancing. There was a significant decrease in the perceived importance of adherence to COVID-19 precautions post-vaccination ( p <.001, 95% CI [−0.78, −0.35]). Conclusions: The increased perception of safety after receiving COVID-19 vaccination may negatively influence HCWs’ adherence to COVID-19 precautionary guidelines. Continuous education and monitoring of HCWs’ safety practices are important to influence HCWs’ attitudes to adhere to COVID-19 precautions, particularly after vaccination.