Awareness and Practice of Safety Precautions among Healthcare Workers in the Laboratories of Public Health Facilities in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Despite the high prevalence of healthcare-acquired the primary healthcare infection in resource limited settings, healthcare workers’ (HCWs’) knowledge and practices of infection and control standard are not well-researched especially in primary health care ,healthcare workers have lost their lives in significant numbers in the discharge of their duties as a result of a breach in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) procedures. The increasing incidence of emerging and re-emerging diseases complicates this burden. Adequate IPC includes knowledge and practices of infection and control standard administrative, environmental and personal protective control measures. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have an increased risk of active and latent infection compared to the general population, despite existing guidelines on the prevention and management of infection, little is known about why HCWs who tested positive for refuse by infection. Aim of study: To determine the level of awareness and practice of Safety Precautions among laboratory workers at  tertiary public health facilities in Makah City at Saudi Arabia 2022.Methods: This cross sectional study included (120) health care workers at the primary healthcare in Makah City at Saudi Arabia 2022. (doctors, nurses, lab workers) from primary healthcare (PHC) centers an self-administrated questionnaire was constructed by the researcher and was used for data collection. Results: shows  there were 120 participants, and the majority age was(55.67%) in (30-40)years, while the age(<30)were(26.0%), the majority of them were female (68.0%) while male(31.67%), regarding  the Nationality most of participants Saudi were(85.83%) while Non-Saudi were (14.17%), regarding Position the majority of participant are Lab technician were(60.0%)followed by Lab worker were(18.33%).Conclusion: This study shows the deficit in the awareness of Safety Precautions  among laboratory personnel and demonstrates that attitude and practice of safety rules are unsatisfactory. Training and re-training on Safety Precautions is therefore desired. Counseling to induce a positive attitudinal change on HBV immunization and post exposure prophylaxis is similarly necessary.