Knowledge on Safety Measures Regarding Hospital Acquired Infections among Sanitary Workers at the Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya

Abstract

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a primary health concern in the hospital sector. HAIs are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. Hospital sanitary workers are a high-risk group who can be exposed to HAIs at work. The knowledge regarding HAIs is essential for preventing and reducing the prevalence of HAIs. Objectives: To assess the knowledge on prevention and safety measures of HAIs among sanitary workers at Teaching Hospital Karapitiya (THK) and to identify the affecting factors associated with the knowledge. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in THK selecting a convenient sample of 102 sanitary workers. Data were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer administered questionnaire with five-point Likert scale designed based on the literature. It included nine questions to assess knowledge on prevention and safety measures of HAIs. Data analysis was done with Chi-square test using SPSS version 25.0. Results: Majority (n=78, 76.5%) of the participants were males. The age range distributes from 23 to 72 years with a mean (SD) age of 49 (±10.4). Most of sanitary workers (n=61, 59.8%) were 55-64 years old. About 53.5% (n=55) workers had less than 3 years of work experience. The mean (SD) knowledge was 29.37 (±6.43). Majority (n=84, 82.4%) had a good level of knowledge about HAIs while 17.6 % (n=18) had poor knowledge. Only the work experience (p=0.03), associated with the level of knowledge while age (p=0.12), education level (p=0.67), gender (p=0.09) and marital status (p=0.52) had no such associations. Conclusions: This study identified majority of sanitary workers in THK had good knowledge on prevention and safety measures of HAIs which is associated with the work experience.