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Injection practices and awareness among health care workers in Kathmandu district, Nepal
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Health care workers who have occupational exposure to blood are at increased risk for acquiring blood-borne infections. There are more than 20 blood-borne diseases, but those of primary significance to health care workers are hepatitis due to either the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections are a significant problem throughout the world and are increasing. For, example, nosocomial infection rates range from as low as 1 percent in a few countries in Europe and America to more than 40 percent in parts of Asia, Latin America and Africa. Objectives: This study was conducted among the health care workers to assess their awareness and injection practices in tertiary level public hospitals of Kathmandu district in Nepal. Methods:This was institutional based cross-sectional descriptive study. There were 625 non-officer ;level nursing and laboratory staffs in tertiary level public hospitals of Kathmandu district in Nepal. From the total staffs, 118 staffs were selected to study on the basis of 9.8 percent prevalence of blood borne diseases in the least developed African countries. All the tertiary level public hospitals of the Kathmandu district were selected purposively and the required numbers of health care workers were selected proportionately from each hospital and respondents were taken randomly who were present in their duty hours. Information was collected by using questionnaire and observation checklist. Results:Approximately fifty percent health care workers were injured within last one year, out of the 0.8 percent were infected from blood borne infection: hepatitis b virus. They treated their injuries with antiseptics and they never had follow up post exposure procedures. Only 4.2 percent health workers used sterile gloves during risky activities.19.5 percent health workers washed their hands before starting injection practices but the proportion was higher 971.2%) hand washing after activities. 97.5 percent respondents did not follow recommended technique to clean the injecting sites, whereas , 69.5 percent used prescribed sites for injection. Conclusion:This study reveals the differences in the knowledge level of the health care workers. The knowledge level of nursing staffs was higher than the laboratory staffs. Regarding the practice level they had an overall similar performance and not much significant difference was found. Keywords: Awareness, Injection practices, Needle-stick injury, Blood -borne diseases , Universal precaution, etc.