Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Standard Infection Control Precautions among Health-Care Workers in a University Hospital in Qassim, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Adil Abalkhail,Yousif Mohammed Elmosaad,Thamer Alslamah,Fahad A Alhumaydhi,Ilias Mahmud,Ali Alamer,Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam,Mahmoud F Jaber,Khaled Al Hosis

doi:10.3390/ijerph182211831

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) contribute to increased length of hospital stay, higher mortality and higher health-care costs. Prevention and control of HAIs is a critical public health concern. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of standard infection control precautions among health-care workers (HCWs) in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional online survey among HCWs was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Predictors of KAP were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analyses and independent sample t-tests. A total of 213 HCWs participated in the survey. The prevalence of good (≥80% correct response) knowledge, attitude, and practice were 67.6%, 61.5%, and 73.2%, respectively. The predictors of good knowledge included the age of the HCWs (>34 years) (adjusted odds ratio: 30.5, p < 0.001), and training (13.3, p < 0.001). More than 6 years of work experience was a significant predictor of having a positive attitude (5.5, p < 0.001). While the predictors of good practice were having >6 years of experience (2.9, p < 0.01), previous exposure to HAIs (2.5, p < 0.05), and training (3.5, p < 0.01). However, being female (0.22, p < 0.001) and older (>34 years) (0.34, p < 0.01) were negatively associated with knowledge. Results indicate that arranging training for HCWs might be useful in improving their knowledge of standard infection control precautions and is also expected to facilitate positive attitude and practice.

Highlights

The burden of Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) is on the rise globally despite advancements in medical care and technologies [1]
30–34 years of age; 56.3% were males; 67.6% had more than 6 years of experience as an health-care workers (HCWs); 30.5% were previously exposed to infection while working and 84.5% received training in infection control practices (Table 1)
Related to the factors that impact the level of knowledge about standard infection control precaution, the results presented in Table 5 revealed that the older HCWs (>34 years) were more likely to have good knowledge about standard precautions when compared with the younger HCWs (OR: 30.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 8.34–111.25, p < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

The burden of HAIs is on the rise globally despite advancements in medical care and technologies [1]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of HAIs ranges between 5.7% and 19.1% in hospital settings globally [2]. Recent studies estimated the prevalence of HAIs in Europe [3] and the USA [4] at 6.5% and 3.2%, respectively. The burden of HAIs is strikingly higher in low-resourced countries compared with high-income countries [5,6,7]. A WHO-led systematic review revealed that the prevalence.

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Discussion

Conclusion