Compliance with universal precautions among health care workers at base hospital, Negombo

Objectives: To assess self-reported compliance with universal precautions and its determinants, and to describe the occupational exposures to blood and body fluids among health care workers at Base Hospital Negombo,

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 215 health care workers using a self-administered questionnaire

Results: Nurses frequently reported high levels of compliance with disposal of needles into sharp bins (88.9%) and hand washing following contamination (73.8%). Medical Officers reported lower compliance rates than nurses, Compliance rates for wearing personal protective equipment were lower among all categories of respondents who were expected to wear them. A higher proportion of respondents recapped and unscrewed used needles. The factors significantly associated with poor compliance were younger age, lack of relevant training, poor knowledge and -poor access to personal protective equipment. Approximately 50% of all respondents had at least one needlestick injury during the previous six months. Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids was inversely related to the compliance with universal precautions.

Conclusions: This study identified certain modifiable determinants of poor compliance. Therefore, intervention programmes addressing those determinants will probably succeed in facilitating compliance with universal precautions among health care workers.