Knowledge, Awareness and Compliance with Standard Precautions among Health Workers in North Eastearn Nigeria
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
OMIS Group, USA
Abstract
Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of various occupational hazards in the hospital, including
exposure to blood borne infections such as Human Immuno -deficiency Virus (HIV) and hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infection from sharps injuries and contact with body fluids. Compliance on the part of Healthcare workers (HCWs) with standard precautions has been recognized as being an efficient means to prevent and control healthcareassociated
infections.
Objective: To assess knowledge, awareness and compliance of universal precautions among health workers in
north eastern Nigeria.
Method: This is a crossectional study conducted between March and August 2010. A 32- item self-administered
questionnaire and observational checklist were used to obtain information from the health workers. Data was analyzed
using SPSS version 17 and the level of significant was at p-value of < 0.05
Results: Less than one-fifth (13%) of the respondents have adequate knowledge of universal
precautions with
females (67.8%) better than the males (32.2%) (p< 0.05). Nurses (85.7%), midwifes (80.2%) and community health
officers (69.8%) were very knowledgeable of universal precautions compared with other studied health workers. Those
with ten years and above working experience had a high level of awareness of universal precautions than those with
below five years (p< 0.05). Compliance with the use of sterile gloves, handling and disposal of needles and other
sharp objects was higher than the knowledge of these procedures recorded (p < 0.05) especially among those with
experience of ten years and above.
Description
Keywords
Health workers;, Knowledge;, Compliance;, Universal precautions;, Nigeria
Citation
Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education