Knowledge and compliance to guidelines of preparing 0.5% disinfectant solution among health workers in health facilities of Mukono Municipality

Abstract

Introduction: In Uganda, the recommended standard concentration for disinfecting and decontamination is 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (jik) solution. Its preparation requires following certain operating procedures. However, many of the health workers don’t follow these standard operating procedures contributing to the increased occurrence of nosocomial infections among health workers and patients. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge and compliance to guidelines of preparing 0.5% sodium hypochlorite disinfectant solution among health workers in health facilities in Mukono municipality, Mukono district. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study that enrolled 107 health workers by consecutive sampling in Mukono Municipality, Uganda. The health workers were interviewed using a semi structure questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions and an observational checklist. Descriptive analysis was done and associations between independent and dependent variables were computed using the chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. Results: 107 health workers were interviewed, 72.9% had low knowledge and 27.1% had high knowledge. The overall compliance was high at 72.9%. At bivariable analysis there was a relationship between gender (P=0.04), occupation (P=0.027), education level (P=0.003), duration of occupation(P=0.007) with knowledge. There was also a relationship between occupation and compliance (P=0.03). In multivariate logistic regression there was a statistical relationship between knowledge and level of education (P=0.041) and between compliance and a midwife(P=0.01). Conclusion: Knowledge on preparation of 0.5% disinfectant solution is low however the compliance to the guidelines of preparing 0.5% disinfectant solution is high Recommendations: Training health care workers in infection prevention practices, providing and emphasizing the use of locally available guidelines, providing of different personal protective equipment’s in the different health facilities and carrying out more research on health workers’ knowledge and compliance to infection control practices.