Compliance with infection prevention and control standard precautions and factors associated with noncompliance among healthcare workers working in public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Feyissa Regassa Senbato; Deneke Wolde; Merga Belina; Kehabtimer Shiferaw Kotiso; Girmay Medhin; Wondwossen Amogne; Tadesse Eguale

doi:10.1186/s13756-024-01381-w

Compliance with infection prevention and control standard precautions and factors associated with noncompliance among healthcare workers working in public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2024 Mar 13;13(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s13756-024-01381-w.

Authors

Feyissa Regassa Senbato^{1

2}, Deneke Wolde^{3

4}, Merga Belina^{5

6

7}, Kehabtimer Shiferaw Kotiso⁸, Girmay Medhin³, Wondwossen Amogne⁹, Tadesse Eguale^{3

10}

Affiliations

¹ Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. feyissa.regassa@aau.edu.et.
² Aklillu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. feyissa.regassa@aau.edu.et.
³ Aklillu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wachemo University, P.O.Box 667, Hosanna, Ethiopia.
⁵ Department of Statistics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁶ Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁷ Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁸ Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Worabe University, Worabe, Ethiopia.
⁹ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
¹⁰ The Ohio State University Global One Heath, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Standard Precautions (SPs) are the minimal infection prevention and control (IPC) measures that apply to all patient care activities at all times, regardless of whether the patient has a suspected or proven disease, in any place where healthcare service is provided. These evidence-based practices protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from infection while preventing the spread of infectious agents among patients, visitors, and the environment.

Objectives: Assessed compliance of HCWs working in public hospitals in Addis Ababa to infection prevention and control SPs, and factors associated with noncompliance.

Methods: In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, 422 HCWs were recruited from nine public hospitals in Addis Ababa using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, entered into a computer using Epi data, and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The association between the independent and the outcome variables was investigated using logistic regression. Odd ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as measures of the strength of the association between the outcome and the explanatory variables. A p-value below 5% was considered an indicator of statistical significance.

Results: The level of knowledge of HCWs about IPC and SPs was 51.9% and 36.49% of the respondents were compliant with SPs. Receiving IPC Training [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.81, 95% CI 1.06, 3.09], knowing SPs [AOR = 3.46, 95% CI = 1.83, 6.54], presence of a mechanism in the hospital to enforce the IPC practices [AOR = 1.71 95% CI = 1.01, 2.89], and availability of cleaning and disinfection chemicals in the hospital [AOR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.15, 4.13] were significantly associated with the HCWs' compliance with SPs.

Conclusion: Compliance with IPC standard precautions of HCWs in public hospitals of Addis Ababa is suboptimal. Working in medical units, less work experience, lack of training, poor knowledge, absence of a mechanism to enforce adherence, and inadequate resources are independent predictors for non-compliance of the HCWs.

Keywords: And Control; Compliance; Infection Prevention; Knowledge; Standard precautions.

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Ethiopia
Health Personnel*
Hospitals, Public
Humans
Infection Control*