Adherence to Universal Precautions in Infection Prevention among Health Workers in Kabarole District

Abstract

Background: Health Care Workers (HCWs) are potentially exposed to hospital acquired infections while performing their duties. Adherence to universal precautions is regarded as an effective means of protecting health care workers, patients, and the public, thus reducing hospital acquired infections. Measures to prevent the transmission of these infectious are therefore a significant component of health care delivery.

Objective: To assess the factors influencing adherence to universal precautions in infection prevention among health workers in Kabarole district.

Methodology:      This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 168 health workers were interviewed between June 2014 to September 2014 working in three hospitals and three health centre IVs of Kabarole district. Information was collected concerning the health workers’ social demographic characteristics, level of adherence to universal precautions, individual factors and institutional factors influencing adherence to universal precautions in infection control.

Results: The results of the study revealed that 94% (153/163) of the respondents adhered to universal precautions infection control practices. In this study, there was a statistically significant association between health workers’ Knowledge of the elements of universal precautions (OR = 65.97, C.I = 6.23-698.96, P = 0.01) and ever had training (OR, 18.52, C.I = 1.74-197.28, P = 0.016).

Conclusion: This study found out that health care workers’ training and knowledge on universal precautions were the predictors of health workers’ adherence to universal precautions thus need for the budget for training courses for the health workers on universal precautions periodically.