Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of airborne and droplet isolation precautions among Dental Health Professionals (DHPs) (dental students, interns, practitioners and auxiliaries) during the outbreak of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), corona virus infection in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 406 dental health professionals (DHPs) working in selected dental facilities in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia during the outbreak of MERS (April-June 2013). A structured, close-ended, self-administered questionnaire explored the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards droplet and isolation precautions. Collected data was subjected to descriptive statistics to express demographic information, mean knowledge score, mean attitude score and practice score of DHPs. Inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p < 0.05) were used to examine differences between study variables. Spearman’s rho correlation was used to identify the association between the knowledge-attitude, knowledge-practice, and attitude-practice. Results A response rate of rate of 90.22% (406 out of 452) was obtained. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude and practice were 10.61 ± 1.19, 50.54 ± 7.53 and 8.50 ± 2.14 respectively. Spearman’s correlation test revealed a significant linear positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r-0.501, P- 0.01), knowledge and practice (r-0.185, P-0.01) and attitude and practice (r-0.351, P- 0.01) of DHPs about airborne isolation precautions. Conclusions Dental health professionals considered in the present study showed good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice towards droplet and airborne isolation precautions during outbreak of MERS. Key words:Knowledge, attitude, practice, droplet, airborne, precaution, dental professionals.
Highlights
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by corona virus called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Corona virus (MERSCoV)
Dental health professionals considered in the present study showed good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice towards droplet and airborne isolation precautions during outbreak of MERS
The results of the study revealed that for knowledge the percentage of correct answers was lowest (56.4%) for the question number 4 (Mask should be worn if or when a subject is within a 90 cm distance from a patient under droplet precaution care) and was highest (87.9%) for the question number 1 (Patients with a droplet spread disease should be isolated in a private room)
Summary
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by corona virus called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Corona virus (MERSCoV). To the best of our understanding, none of the previous studies examined general awareness of droplet and airborne isolation precautions among the DHPs from Saudi Arabia, especially when the concerns of infection control among health care workers increased due to the outbreak of MERS-CoV infection (April-May-June 2013). The aim of this study was to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of airborne and droplet isolation precautions among DHPs (dental students, interns, practitioner and auxiliaries) in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of airborne and droplet isolation precautions among Dental Health Professionals (DHPs) (dental students, interns, practitioners and auxiliaries) during the outbreak of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), corona virus infection in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Spearman’s correlation test revealed a significant linear positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r-0.501, P- 0.01), knowledge and practice (r-0.185, P-0.01) and attitude and practice (r-0.351, P- 0.01) of DHPs about airborne isolation precautions
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