KNOWLEDGE, PREVENTIVE PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS ON HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTION AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR COMPREHENSIVE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA, 2017.

Abstract

Introduction: Hospital Acquired Infections contributed major causes of death, and morbidity among healthcare workers and patients worldwide. Health professionals are often exposed to various hospital acquired infections during the course of carrying out their professional activities. Therefore health professionals should have sound knowledge and strict adherence to infection control practice. Objectives: To assess knowledge, preventive practice and associated factors on Hospital Acquired Infections among health professionals working in university of Gondar hospital Northwest, Ethiopia Methods: A hospital-based cross sectional study was conducted among 423 health professionals from February to June 2017. Stratified random sampling technique was used as basic sampling scheme; and simple random sampling was employed to select each participants. Data was collected using self-administered structured questionnaires for knowledge and standardized observational checklist for practice. Logistic regression was used to determine association between factors, and knowledge and practice of hospital acquired infections. Variables with p-value less than 0.05 were considered statically significant. Odds Ratio with its 95% confidence level was used to estimate the strength of association. Results: A total of 391 health professionals with a response rate of 92.4% were participated in the study. Overall proportion of knowledge and prevention practice of health professionals on hospital acquired infections were 68.5% Conclusion and recommendation: Overall proportions of knowledge and prevention practice of health professionals on hospital acquired infections were low and poor respectively. Type of profession and working experience in years were significant with knowledge; whereas age of professionals’ ?29, 30 – 39 years and type of profession were showed statistical significance with preventive practice on hospital acquired infection preventions. Therefore, employing more experienced professionals in the hospital should get special attention. Keywords: Hospital acquired Infections, knowledge, preventive practice, University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital.