Infection prevention and control practices among health-care workers in tuberculosis clinics in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Healthcare-acquired infections are significant causes of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients worldwide, most especially in resource-limited settings. Similarly, the tuberculosis (TB) clinic is a high-risk area due to the nature of the clients being managed, and the infectivity of the implicated microorganism. TB infection control is an essential, but often-overlooked, component of a comprehensive infection control program in developing countries like Nigeria. The knowledge and attitude of the relevant health workers would be a determinant of their preventive practice toward preparedness and infection prevention and control (IPC) Objectives: The study assessed IPC practices among health-care workers in TB Clinic, in Ondo State, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive crosssectional study was carried out among 400 healthcare workers in selected TB clinics in Ondo State Nigeria, and these were selected using the multistage sampling method. Research instruments used were semi-structured self-administered pretested questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 23.0. Mean scores were generated for the major outcome variables of knowledge, attitude, and practice of IPC. The P value was assumed significant at values ≤0.05 for all inferential statistics. Results: Mean age of respondents was 34 years ± 8.1 years, majority (83%) of the health-care workers had good knowledge of IPC, another majority (80%) of the health-care workers interviewed had good attitude toward IPC, 314 (78.5%) have read the guideline, while 68% of the health-care workers had good practice. Year of experience, type of facility, and facility settings were statistically significantly associated with respondents' knowledge, attitude, and practice of IPC (P 1 year, and working in a TB facility were significant predictors of good knowledge, attitude, and practice of IPC. Conclusion: There are huge gaps between knowledge and practice of IPC among respondents in this study. Since TB clinics are major sources of cross infection within the hospital setting, stakeholders have significant roles to play in IPC in the health-care setting.