Abstract
Background Standard precautions are infection control and prevention (ICP) measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings. In Cameroon, maternal and neonatal mortality remain a concern. Unsystematic compliance with these measures increases the risk of HAIs and other medical hazards. The present investigation aimed at assessing the baseline understanding of hand hygiene principles and perceptions, experience of occupational exposure to body fluids, and preventive vaccination coverage among HCWs in the obstetrics-gynecology ward of a referral hospital of Yaounde.
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the obstetrics-gynecology department of the health facility from April to July 2024. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from consenting HCWs. It was adapted from the WHO Knowledge Questionnaire for Health Care Workers.
Results A total of 41 healthcare workers participated in the study. Participants were predominantly female (78%) and ranged in age from 20 to 57 years. Staff knowledge of hand hygiene was average overall, with a median score of 60%. Most of respondents considered hand hygiene to be an essential part of their care (90%). Most of paramedical staff (82%) significantly agreed that they had been properly trained on hand hygiene during their training (p=0.006). More than half of respondents (59%) experienced an accidental exposure to body fluids in the previous 12 months. A significant factor associated with the occurrence of occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids was a high level of education (aOR=14; p=0.044). The coverage of fully vaccinated HCWs was 27% for viral hepatitis B, 19% for COVID-19, and 0% for cholera. Factors associated with low adherence to vaccination included not having received training in ICP interventions (aOR=7.37; p=0.046) for hepatitis B vaccination and having completed tertiary education (aOR=14; p=0.043) for COVID-19. Half of the HCWs exposed (12/24=50%) to blood and body fluids were not fully vaccinated against viral hepatitis B.
Conclusions This study revealed gaps in knowledge of hand hygiene, high occupational exposure to biological fluids and low vaccination. Health facility managers and national health authorities must therefore commit to implementing specific strategies to increase staff training in standard precautions and promote vaccination.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Funding Statement
This study did not receive any funding
Author Declarations
I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
Ethics committee/IRB of of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of Yaounde gave ethical approval for this work
I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.
Yes
I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).
Yes
I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.
Yes
Footnotes
Coauthor's name and affiliation added.
Data Availability
All data produced in the present work are contained in the manuscript
Abbreviations
- aOR
- Adjusted Odds Ration
- CI
- Confidence Interval
- cOR
- Crude Odds Ratio
- COVID-19
- New Coronavirus Disease
- HAI
- Healthcare Associated Infection
- HCW
- Healthcare Worker
- ICP
- Infection Control and Prevention
