Adherence of Healthcare Staff to Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines in The Government Health Sector In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the adherence of healthcare staff (HCSs) in the government health sector in Saudi Arabia to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices and to identify the factors that influence their compliance, utilizing the Health Belief Model as the theoretical framework.

Design: The research utilized quantitative data from an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study.

Participants and settings: Between May 17 and August 30, 2022, a total of 604 healthcare staff from randomly selected tertiary care facilities in the government health sector in Saudi Arabia participated in the study.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary outcome was the level of compliance with the IPC guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), along with identifying the associated factors influencing compliance.

Results: The study revealed a mean compliance score of 0.49 (±0.25) on a scale of 0 to 1. HCSs demonstrated the highest compliance with medical mask wearing guidelines (81%) and the lowest compliance with high-touch surface decontamination regulations (23%). Compliance with IPC guidelines were significantly associated with factors such as increasing age, female sex, working as a nurse, having non-communicable diseases, and previous exposure to patients with COVID-19. Compliance was positively associated with perceived benefits (B=0.039, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.076), self-efficacy (B=0.101, 95% CI 0.060 to 0.142), and cues to action (B=0.045, 95% CI 0.002 to 0.088). Participants who reported low perceived barriers had 0.061 times greater compliance with IPC guidelines compared to those with high perceived barriers.

Conclusion: The overall compliance with IPC guidelines among HCSs in the government health sector in Saudi Arabia was found to be unsatisfactory. The study highlights the importance of emphasizing self-efficacy in interventions aimed at improving HCSs' adherence to IPC practices. Additionally, interventions should address perceived barriers, including unreliable information sources, unsafe working conditions, and inadequate availability of personal protective equipment. Furthermore, cues to action, such as trust in the administration and the provision of adequate IPC guidance, should be considered in interventions to enhance compliance.