Assessment of knowledge and practices of Healthcare Workers in the field of IPC and Control in healthcare in Egypt | ||||
| SVU-International Journal of Medical Sciences | ||||
| Article 94, Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2025, Page 1064-1074 PDF (303.15 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original research articles | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/svuijm.2025.378652.2171 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Ali Ahmed Mohamed Ibrahim  1; Rasha Saad Hussein2; Eman Hany Elsebaie3
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| 1Medical Services Department, Egyptian Ministry of Defense, Cairo, Egypt. | ||||
| 2Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||||
| 3Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: IPC and Control (IPC) is essential for delivering safe and effective healthcare and poses a major public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Egypt, where resources may be limited and healthcare infrastructure varies greatly across regions. In such contexts, the role of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) becomes critical. Their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to IPC directly impact the safety of both patients and healthcare providers. Objectives: To assess the level of awareness and understanding of standard IPC guidelines among HCWs of various specialties and work experience and evaluate the extent to which they apply IPC practices in their daily clinical routine. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study design to assess hospital staff's knowledge of infection control. The study was conducted in four hospitals in different governorates, taking into account geographic and demographic diversity during the study period from October 1, 2024, to December 25, 2024. This study included 190 HCWs from various sectors (40 doctors, 80 nurses, 21 pharmacists, 8 medical equipment engineers, 24 technical staff, and 17 administrators). Results: Knowledge about IPC for the 190 HCWs participating in this study: 85 (44.63%) were found to have knowledge about IPC, 57 (30%) were found to have moderate knowledge about IPC and 48 (25.37%) were found to have no knowledge about IPC. Conclusion: This study highlights the critical importance of IPC knowledge and practices among HCWs in Egypt. While many HCWs demonstrated a basic understanding of IPC principles, notable gaps remain between knowledge and its practical application. The findings suggest that factors such as inadequate training, limited access to IPC resources, and workplace constraints contribute to suboptimal adherence to standard precautions. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| IPC and Control (IPC); Healthcare Workers (HCWs); Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs); Personal protective equipment (PPE) | ||||
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