Factors associated with the willingness of healthcare workers to work during an influenza public health emergency

Abstract

What is this? An effective public health response to an emergency such as that caused by COVID-19 depends on the majority of uninfected healthcare workers continuing to work. In this integrative review, the author searched for quantitative research into the willingness of healthcare workers to work during an influenza public health emergency. They restricted their search to articles published in English in a peer-reviewed journal and did the search in 2012. They identified 32 eligible studies. What works: Factors associated with a greater willingness to work during an influenza public health emergency included being male, being a doctor or nurse, working in a clinical or emergency department, working full-time, prior influenza education and training, prior experience working during an influenza emergency, the perception of value in response, the belief in duty, the availability of personal protective equipment and confidence in one’s employer.