DISEASE SURVEILLANCE NOTIFICATION KNOWLEDGE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HEALTH WORKERS AT GOVERNMENT HEALTH FACILITIES IN WEST HARARGHE ZONE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Disease surveillance and notification is an effective strategy for the prevention and control of diseases most especially epidemic prone diseases. Even though strong surveillance system relies on good disease surveillance notification knowledge of health workers, evidence on diseases surveillance notification knowledge and associated factors among health care workers in West Hararghe Zone is limited. Objective: To assess level of disease surveillance notification knowledge and associated factors among health workers at government health facilities in West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia, July, 01-30, 2021. Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 633 sample sizes were selected using stratified random sampling method. Data collected using a standard structured and self-administered questionnaire were cleaned, coded, and entered into Epi-info version 3.1., and transferred into SPSS version 24 for further statistical analysis. All covariates that are significant at p-value < 0.25 in bivariate analysis were considered for multivariate analysis to control all possible confounders. The level of statistical significance was declared at p-value less than 0.05. Results: This study revealed that 45.88% (95% CI: 42% - 50%) of health workers had good disease notification knowledge. Training on public health emergency management (AOR=2.68, 95% CI: 1.69 – 4.22), regular supportive supervision (AOR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.43–3.70) and regular feedback (AOR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.06–2.77) were factors statistically associated with good disease notification knowledge. Conclusion: This study concluded that less than half of the health workers in government health facilities in West hararghe zone had good disease notification knowledge. Training on public health emergence management, supportive supervision and regular feedback were factors statistically associated with good disease notification knowledge. Therefore, strengthening training on Public Health Emergence Management, conducting supportive supervision and regular feedback for health workers are highly recommended to strengthen disease notification knowledge.