Thematic Analysis of Nurses’ Risk Perceptions and Workplace Behaviours in Response to Emerging Acute Respiratory Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), particularly acute respiratory infections (ARIs) such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Avian Influenza (H5N1), and Influenza A (H1N1), pose significant global health challenges due to their rapid transmissibility, high virulence, and capacity for genetic mutation. Nurses, as frontline healthcare providers, are uniquely exposed not only to occupational risks but also to associated social, psychological, and professional stressors. Their perceptions of risk and the behaviours they adopt in response directly affect their personal safety, patient outcomes, and the overall resilience of healthcare systems. Experiences from previous ARI outbreaks illustrate the multifaceted challenges nurses encounter. During the SARS outbreak, healthcare workers faced elevated infection rates and considerable psychosocial consequences, including anxiety, social isolation, and moral distress. Similarly, during the H1N1 influenza pandemic, nurses’ perceptions of risk influenced their adherence to infection control measures, such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and vaccination uptake, highlighting the link between risk perception and protective behaviours. A comprehensive understanding of nurses’ lived experiences and behavioural responses to emerging ARIs is therefore essential to inform interventions that safeguard healthcare workers and optimize patient care. This thematic analysis integrates qualitative and quantitative evidence to identify key patterns in nurses’ perceptions, coping strategies, and behavioural adaptations in response to occupational exposure to emerging respiratory infections, with the aim of guiding policy development and institutional practices that reduce risk while supporting nurses’ psychological well-being and professional effectiveness.