COMPLIANCE WITH INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF HARAR TOWN, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Infection in healthcare facilities is a major public health problem in most developing countries like Ethiopia. Currently, the overall incidence of health care associated infectionsand the burden of the infections had been highly increasing.There is limited evidence on compliance with infection prevention and control practices in Ethiopia;particularly,among health care workersinpublic hospitals of Harar town. Objectives: To assess compliance with infection prevention and control practicesand associated factors among Health care workers in public hospital of Harar Town, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods:An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among health professionals withinpublic Hospitals in Harar Town from May 15 to June 30, 2023.The questionnaire was used to collect data from sample of 280 health care workers by using simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using self-administeredquestionnaires and observational check list. The Epidataversion 3.1 and SPSS version 22 were used for analysis. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were assesed the association between independent variables and the outcome variable. Odds ratios at 95%CI were computed to measure the strength of association between outcomes and explanatory variables and P-value less than 0.05 used as acute off point for statistically significant. Results:-A total of 280 healthcare workers participated in the study with a response rate of 100%. Out of the total respondents, 162 (57.90%) [95% CI = 52.10, 64.30] good complied with IPC; practice, while118(42.1%) poor complied with IPCpractice.The multivariate logistic regression found thatknowledge (AOR=3.36, 95% CI=1.71, 6.71), hand hygiene practice (AOR=4.90, 95% CI=2.38, 10.17), PPE practice (AOR=11.37, 95% CI=5.27, 24.54), sharp handling practice (AOR=6.21, 95% CI=3.04, 12.69), and monitoring and evaluation (AOR=5.36, 95% CI=2.59, 11.14) were significantly associated with compliance to standard precautions. Conclusions:The study concluded that more than half of respondents were complied with standard precaution practice.The study also identifiedknowledge, hand hygiene practice, PPE practice, sharp handling practice and monitoring and evaluationwere significantly associated with compliancewithstandard precautions