Mobile phones usage in hospital settings and the risk of bacterial contamination

Keywords: Bacteria, Biological contamination, Cell phone use, Cross infection

Abstract

This work aims to evaluate the characteristics of the cell phone by employees, students and health professionals and investigate the relationship with the number and type of microorganisms present on the phone. Sociodemographic data and information on cell phone use were collected, in addition to the microbiological assessment of the phones. The data were analyzed in SPSS, through descriptive statistics of the variables. Among the 50 study participants, 82% were female, 96% used their cell phones at work and 70% performed some type of asepsis. Regarding microbiological collection, there was bacterial growth in 68% of cell phones, whose most isolated bacterium was negative coagulase Staphylococcus (47%). In addition, there was a growth of more than 100.000 CFU/mL in the cell phones of residents (26.5%) and undergraduates (23.5%). It is concluded that the use of the cell phone during the working day is frequent, which may be related to the number of contaminated devices.

Author Biographies

Natália Battisti Koslowski, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Curso de Farmácia da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Betina Brixner, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde (PPGPS) da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Nayanna Dias Bierhals, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Curso de Farmácia da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Karoline Schroder da Silva, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Curso de Biomedicina da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Silvio Augusto Ortolan, Hospital Santa Cruz
Hospital Santa Cruz (HSC), Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Caio Fernando de Oliveira, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde (PPGPS) da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul – UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.
Jane Dagmar Pollo Renner, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde (PPGPS) da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul – UNISC, Santa Cruz do Sul (RS), Brasil.

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Published
2021-06-11
Section
4º Congresso Brasileiro Interdisciplinar de Promoção da Saúde (CBIPS)