# 1252
Sure, this survey was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company (GSK) looking to bolster the case for stockpiling antivirals, in this case Relenza, by hospitals and government agencies. So there's an agenda here.
We get that.
The questions appear to have been framed in such a way as to get the response the company was looking for. That HCW's (health care workers) would be more prone to work if they were provided with prophylactic anti-virals.
I've no doubt that is true.
Of course, most hospitals and governments have decided not to provide prophylactic antivirals, despite early assurances 2 years ago that they would, because the costs of doing so are `prohibitive.
Antivirals are, at least for now, targeted exclusively for those already infected with the virus. And there are serious questions as to whether there is enough stockpiled for that use.
There simply isn't enough Relenza or Tamiflu available to give every HCW a daily prophylactic dose for weeks, perhaps months, on end.
To get a real idea of how nurses really think about working during a pandemic, visit the ongoing thread at Allnurses.com discussing this very issue: Will you work in a Pandemic?.
It's not a simple question. And there are no easy answers.
The working assumption by hospitals and governments is that people will work, as normal, during a pandemic. That only those who are actually sick, or are actively taking care of a loved one who is sick, will forego work.
They talk of up to a 40% absenteeism level. Many believe that to be an optimistic forecast.
Very rarely does anyone acknowledge the very real fear-factor that will be prevalent during a pandemic. That many people will avoid exposing themselves, and thereby exposing their loved ones, if at all possible.
That many will simply stay home.
Notice that `half of workers in B.C.' said their sense of responsibility would cause them to report for for work. A pretty good indication that 50% have serious doubts.
And that's before anyone is out for actual illness.
Pandemic flu a worry for some health care workers, survey shows
Pamela Fayerman, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007
VANCOUVER - A national survey sponsored by a drug company which makes antiviral medications shows that 15 per cent of B.C. health care workers would be uncomfortable reporting to work if an individual in the province was diagnosed with pandemic influenza.
And the rate rises to 39 per cent of workers who would be uncomfortable going to work if more than one individual had such a flu.
Workers surveyed included nurses, pharmacists and medical technicians. But the likelihood of reporting to work during a pandemic flu outbreak was 95 per cent if healthcare workers in this province knew that their employers were able to make preventive medicines available to them, the survey found.
B.C. has taken steps to stockpile antiviral medications.
The national survey of 2,000 individuals (700 in B.C.) was conducted by Leger Marketing and sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline.
It used a combination of telephone and online interviews with health care workers across the country, including nurses, hospital support staff (clerical and food preparation), medical technicians (radiology, x-ray and laboratory), pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
The 13-minute survey was conducted between August 7th and August 23rd of this year.
With a national sample of 2,000 respondents, results are considered accurate to within ±2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Other findings from B.C. include:
- Twenty per cent of pharmacists and 23 per cent of hospital support staff do not feel their role would be significant during a pandemic flu outbreak.
- Twenty-seven per cent of health care workers are doubtful a flu pandemic will likely come to Canada.
- Nearly a third of health care workers are not aware that there are medicines that can reduce or prevent the impact of pandemic flu.
- More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of health care workers in B.C. get an annual flu shot.
- Half of workers surveyed in B.C. said their sense of responsibility would motivate them most to report to work, regardless of the outbreak's proximity to them.
Sun Health Issues Reporter
