A Tool to Assess Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior of Indonesian Health Care Workers Regarding Infection Control
ABSTRACT: to investigate
knowledge, attitude and behaviour toward infection control in two teaching
hospitals on the island of Java by means of a questionnaire and to evaluate the
use of the questionnaire as a tool. Methods: we investigated knowledge,
attitude and behaviour toward infection control in two teaching hospitals on
the island of Java by means of a questionnaire to identify problem areas,
barriers and facilitators. The target was to include at least 50% of all health
care workers (physicians, nurses, assistant nurses and infection control
nurses) in each hospital, department and profession. Differences between
demographic variables and scores for individual questions and groups of
questions were compared using the chi-square statistic and analysis of variance
and Spearman’s rho was used to test for correlations between knowledge,
attitude, self-reported behaviour and perceived obstacles. Results: more than
half of the health care workers of the participating departments completed the
questionnaire. Of the 1036 respondents (44% nurses, 37% physicians and 19%
assistant nurses), 34% were vaccinated against hepatitis B, 77% had experienced
needle stick accidents and 93% had been instructed about infection control. The
mean of the correct answers to the knowledge questions was 44%; of the answers
to the attitude questions 67% were in agreement with the correct attitude;
obstacles to compliance with infection control guidelines were perceived in 30%
of the questions and the mean self-reported compliance was 63%. Safe handling
of sharps, hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment were
identifed as the most important aspects for interventions. Signifcant positive
correlations were found between knowledge, attitude, self-reported behaviour
and perceived obstacles. Conclusion: the questionnaire in conjunction with site
visits and interviews was a valuable strategy to identify trouble spots in the
hospitals and to determine barriers to facilitators of change that should be
taken into account when planning interventions. Successful interventions should
cover hospital management, the infection control team, as well as the health
care workers on the wards.
Author: D.O. Duerink, U. Hadi,
E.S. Lestari, Djoko Roeshadi, Hendro Wahyono, N.J.D. Nagelkerke, R.G. Van der
Meulen, P.J. Van den Broek
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg130267
