Health care workers' recommendations for strengthening tuberculosis infection control in the Dominican Republic/Recomendaciones de los trabajadores de salud para fortalecer el control del contagio de la tuberculosis en la Republica Dominicana/Recomendacoes dos profissionais da saude para refo\car o controle de infeccao pelo bacilo da tuberculose na Republica Dominicana.(Original research texto en ingles)

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública 2018-04, Vol.42 (1)
• Main Authors: Perez-Then, Eddy N, Veras-Estevez, Bienvenido A, Pomeranz, Jamie L, Lauzardo, Michael, Marcelino, Belkys, Chapman, Helena J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1020-4989
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2018.169

Objective. To describe health care workers' practical recommendations for strengthening adherence to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection control practices in their health institutions and elsewhere across the Dominican Republic. Methods. In this qualitative study, 10 focus groups, with a total of 40 clinicians (24 physicians, 16 nurses), were conducted in 2016 at two tertiary-level institutions in the Dominican Republic. Grounded theory guided the analysis to expand on health care workers' recommendations for empowering clinicians to adhere to M. tuberculosis infection control practices. To ensure reliability and validity, the authors analyzed data and incorporated both peer debriefing with qualitative experts and participant feedback or validation on the final themes. Results. Six emerging themes were described: 1) education and training; 2) administrative policy; 3) infrastructure policy; 4) economic allocations; 5) research; and 6) public health policy. Conclusions. Future efforts may combine the health care workers' recommendations with evidence-based strategies in M. tuberculosis infection control in low-resource settings. This could pave the way for interventions that empower health care workers in their application of M. tuberculosis infection control measures in clinical practice. Keywords Focus groups; grounded theory; health personnel; infection control; disease transmission, infectious; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; occupational exposure; Dominican Republic. Objetivo. Definir las recomendaciones practicas de los trabajadores de salud para consolidar la adhesion a las practicas de control de la infeccion por Mycobacterium tuberculosis en instituciones de salud y otros lugares de la Republica Dominicana. Metodos. En este estudio cualitativo, se organizaron 10 grupos de debate, con un total de 40 trabajadores clinicos (24 medicos, 16 enfermeras), en dos instituciones de nivel terciario de la Republica Dominicana en el 2016. El analisis para ampliar las recomendaciones de los trabajadores de salud a fin de estimular a los trabajadores clinicos a adherirse a las practicas de control de la infeccion por M. tuberculosis se baso en teoria fundamentada. Para garantizar la fiabilidad y validez de los resultados, los autores analizaron los datos e incorporaron el asesoramiento sobre el diseno y el analisis del estudio a cargo de expertos cualitativos y la verificacion de la informacion con los participantes sobre los temas finales. Resultados. Se encontraro