Knowledge, practice and correlates of compliance to safety precautions: Across-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Universal safety precaution (USP), a concept aimed at protecting health care workers (HCW) from acquiring infection following accidental exposures to infected blood and body products (BBP). Knowledge and practice have been a huge challenge to HCW despite the grave consequences of exposure.
Objective: The study aims to ascertain level of knowledge and practice and to determine correlates of compliance among Primary Health Care Workers in Rivers State.
Material and method: The study was a cross sectional observational study which involves HCW in selected primary Health care centers (PHCC) in Rivers State. It involves the use of semi structured self-administered pre tested questionnaire and an observational check list. A multistage sampling technique was used.
Data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 17 statistical software. Categorical data was analyzed using chi square test while students T- test was used for quantitative data. Level of statistical significance was set at 0.05.
Result: A total of 366 respondents participated in the study with 108(29.5%) males and 258(70.5%) females, while 125(34.2%) of respondents were aged 30-39 years and 50(13.7%) respondents were ≥50 years. More doctors 38(76%) complied with safety practice than nurses 19(31.7%). Compliance was higher in female HCW than males 111(43.0%) and 34(31.5%) respectively.
Conclusion: knowledge and practice of USP among HCW was abysmal, several factors were highlighted as reasons for poor compliance. Measures therefore must be taken by responsible authority to address these shortfall.