AEGiS-14IAC: Knowledge and compliance with universal precaution among doctors in a tertiary hospital.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Knowledge and compliance with universal precaution among doctors in a tertiary hospital.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. F11727)

Kolude OO, Owoaje ET, Omokhodion FI
university college hospital, ibadan, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: health care workers are at substantial risk for blood borne infections. universal precautions are recommended guidelines put in place to help reduce the risk of such infections. with the increasing prevalence of hiv/aids in the community, there is a need to assess compliance with set guidelines in order to reduce occupational transmission of infection.this study was done because nigeria has entered into the explosive phase of hiv/aids epidemic in 1999 yet studies in this area are generally lacking.

METHODS: a cross sectional study was carried out among doctors at the university college hospital in ibadan. a questionnaire was administered to inquire about their knowledge of and compliance with universal precautions. facilities available for protection at the work place were also assessed using a checklist.

RESULTS: a total of 271 doctors responded. sixty-five (24%) of the doctors knew the correct definition of universal precautions. for specific tasks like taking deliveries, compliance with glove use was 95%, gown 40%, masks 25%, goggles 5% and 60% for boots. in the operating theatre, compliance with use of protective clothing was 86.3%, 93.2% for gloves, mask 88.4%, boots 71.9% and protective goggles 12.3%. for tooth extraction, compliance with use of gloves was 94.4%, 55.6% for gown, face mask 72.2% and protective goggles 5.6%. two hundred and sixty five (97.8%) wash their hands or other skin surfaces when they come in contact with blood or other body fluids and over half of the doctors (80.8%) recap used needles. protective equipments like gloves were unavailable in 15 (75%) of the wards visited.

CONCLUSIONS: the result showed poor knowledge of universal precaution and compliance with the guidelines. formal training in universal precaution is urgently needed and protective equipment need to be made available for all health workers.

Keywords: AEGIS, Universal Precautions, Patient Compliance, Physicians, Compliance, Knowledge, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Health Personnel, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Gloves, Protective, Cross-Sectional Studies, Hospitals, University, Protective Clothing, Questionnaires, Nigeria

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F11727