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ABSTRACT: Background
Despite the high prevalence of healthcare-acquired infection in resource-limited settings, healthcare workers' (HCWs') knowledge and practices of infection prevention and control (IPC) and triage are not well-researched. We examined thisin Bangladesh's primary healthcare facilities (HCFs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods
We surveyed 312 HCWs in 94 community clinics (CCs) and 90 family welfare centres (FWCs) in six districts from February to April 2021. We assessed HCWs' self-reported knowledge and observed practices in four domains: personal hygiene, medical instrument processing, waste management, and triage. We constructed a weighted composite knowledge score and estimated the association between knowledge and background characteristics using a generalised linear mixed effects model. Practices were described through univariate analysis.Findings
On a scale of 100, the mean composite knowledge score was 38.3 (SD: 13.3) overall and 44.0 (SD: 13.1) and 33.8 (SD: 11.6) for FWCs and CCs, respectively. The HCWs of FWCs were more aged, experienced, and educated than those of CCs. Knowledge score was the highest in personal hygiene and the lowest in medical waste segregation. Knowledge was significantly associated with HCWs' designation and education. Concerning practices, not more than one-third of the HCWs or HCFs, on average, followed the recommended protocols, except for wearing face masks while on duty (87.1%) and referring potential COVID-19 patients to higher-level facilities (68.3%).Conclusions
HCWs' capacity in instrument processing, waste management, and triage needs to be improved through formal education and training initiatives. Our study can contribute to the under-researched IPC and triage domains in resource-limited settings.
SUBMITTER: Talukder A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9720248 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Talukder Animesh A Roy Antara A Islam Muhammed Nazmul MN Chowdhury Mohiuddin Ahsanul Kabir MAK Sarker Malabika M Chowdhury Morseda M Chowdhury Imran Ahmed IA Hasan Mehadi M Latif A H M Mahbub AHMM
Infection prevention in practice 20221118 1
<h4>Background</h4>Despite the high prevalence of healthcare-acquired infection in resource-limited settings, healthcare workers' (HCWs') knowledge and practices of infection prevention and control (IPC) and triage are not well-researched. We examined thisin Bangladesh's primary healthcare facilities (HCFs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We surveyed 312 HCWs in 94 community clinics (CCs) and 90 family welfare centres (FWCs) in six districts from February to April 2021. We assessed ...[more]