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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
A cross-sectional survey of knowledge and attitudes towards scabies control in Australian aged care facilities
Epidemiology and Infection, Vol.152, pp.1-8
2024
Abstract
Scabies outbreaks cause significant morbidity and disruption in aged care facilities and other institutional settings. Failure to manage scabies outbreaks may be attributable to low awareness amongst healthcare workers. A survey was distributed to healthcare workers across aged care facilities in South-East Queensland, Australia. The survey captured demographics, prior scabies experience, knowledge-based questions, and attitudes. Scabies was common in aged care facilities, with 41% of 128 respondents encountering the disease while working in aged care. Participants demonstrated sound theoretical knowledge regarding scabies (median knowledge score 82%). Scabies knowledge was not associated with years of experience in the sector or educational level but was associated with respondent age (p = 0.017). Knowledge gaps were evident regarding diagnosis, incubation periods, and treatment. Respondents demonstrated an inconsistent ability to identify atypical clinical presentations of scabies, showing discordance between theoretical knowledge and its practical application. The ability to identify crusted scabies was low, reflecting the high frequency of misdiagnosis of index cases in scabies outbreaks. Respondents considered scabies to be a problem and were supportive of improved management guidelines. These study outcomes will inform the design of accessible, targeted educational resources for scabies to help prevent and reduce the impact of outbreaks.
Details
- Title
- A cross-sectional survey of knowledge and attitudes towards scabies control in Australian aged care facilities
- Authors
- Isabelle LightbodySkye Cash-Deans - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - AnatomyCielo J Pasay - QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteFlorin Oprescu - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthKate Mounsey (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Biomedicine
- Publication details
- Epidemiology and Infection, Vol.152, pp.1-8
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Date published
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1017/S0950268824001377
- ISSN
- 1469-4409; 0950-2688
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
- Data Availability
- All relevant data are presented in the manuscript and supplementary material. Images used in the survey are not published due to copyright restrictions but can be disseminated for educational purposes upon request to the corresponding author.
- Grant note
- This research was supported by a Research Fellows seed grant from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council (KM, CP, FO).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Biomedicine
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991066998402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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