Abstract :
Introduction: Effective use of Face mask is very important to protect healthcare workers (HCWs) against respiratory hazards including COVID-19.Several countries are presently using face masks in their infection control plans, besides, incorrect use and disposal may actually increase the rate of transmission. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of healthcare workers (HCWs) regarding the use of face mask as a measure to COVID-19 infection prevention.
Materials and Methods: This survey was conducted by interviewing 345 HCWs using a questionnaire consisting of the demographic characteristics, questions regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practices of use of face mask. Each correct answer was scored 1 and each incorrect answer scored 0. The total number of questions were 25; 10 for Knowledge, 8 for Practice and 7 for Attitude of heath care workers on the use of face mask. The final aggregate score was calculated and then labeled according to the percentage of correct responses as good >50% and poor < 50% for Knowledge, Practice and Attitude of health care workers on use of face mask. Data were gathered, analyzed using SPSS software version 25.
Results: A total of 345 participants with a mean age of 36.0 years (108 males and 237 females) were included in the study. The Health care workers were good in Knowledge 324 (93.9%), attitude 250 (72.5%), and practice 282(81.7%) regarding use of face mask. However clinical HCW had good knowledge(X2 = 13.84, P value = 0.001, 95% CI= 0.08-0.51) and attitude(X2= 13.80, p value = 0.0001, 95% CI=0.21-0.6) of use of face mask than Non Clinical HCW when compared with their practice(X2=1.10, p value = 0.30, 95 % CI=0.40-1.35)
Conclusions: Knowledge, attitude of HCWs regarding the use of face masks were found to be adequate. but moderate-to-poor level of practice regarding the use of face mask. HCWs and general public to create awareness regarding the proper use of face mask by utilizing all social media. Provision of user friendly mask by government to the hospitals and at affordable rate to the public in order to improve their level of practice in wearing the masks.
Keywords :
Attitude, Knowledge, Practice- use-face mask-HCWs-Infection PreventionReferences :
- David Cennimo: Coronavirus Disease;emedicine.medscape.com/article/2500114, 23rd April 2020 COVID-19,
- Public Health Emergency of international concern (PHEIC)Global research and innovation forum: towards a research road map
- Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, et al.: Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet (London, England). 2020, 395:1054-1062. 1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3
- Coronavirus disease ( COVID-19): What parents should know, How to protect yourself and your children; https://www.unicef.org/northmacedonia/our-storiesorg.6th march 2020
- 2019 Novel Corona2020irus, Wuhan, China.CDC.available at
https://www.cdcgov/coronavirus/2019.ncov/about/index.html.january 27,2020
- Lauer S A, Grantz K H, Jones F K, Zheng Q, Meredith, H R, et al.The incubation Period of coronavirus disease 2019. (COVID-19) From Publicly Reported confirmed cases: Estimation and Application.Ann Intern Med. 2020 march.
- HSW: Use of face masks in a primary care outpatient setting in Hong Kong: knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Public Health. 2012, 126:1001-1006. 1016/j.puhe.2012.09.010
- Noreen Iftikhar Covid-19 prevention, 12 tips, and strategies Health line march 23 2020
Healthline.com/health/coronavirus/prevention#march 23,2020.
- World Health Organization. Advice on the use of the mask in the context of COVID-19, Interim guidance 6th April 2020. Siegel JD, Rhinehart E, Jackson M, Chiarello L: 2007 guideline for isolation precautions: preventing transmission of infectious agents in health care settings.
- Am J Infect Control. 2007, 35:65-164. 1016/j.ajic.2007.10.007
- Advice on the use of masks in the community, during home care and in healthcare settings in the context of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak: interim guidance, 29 January 2020. (2020). Accessed: February 23, 2020: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/330987
- Abdollah Dargahi, Farhad Jeddi et al:Evaluation of masks Internal and External Structure surfaces used by Health Care workers and patients in Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CO-V2);Environmental Research, 2021 May : 196
- NCDC: Advisory on Use of Face Mask, by members of Public Without Respiratory Symptoms; https://covid19.ncdc.gov.ng/media/files/UseOfMasks_lBdgzHH.pdf
- World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease ( COVID-19) advice for the public; when and how to use face mask, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks.
- Derek K Aki, Elie A Akl et al: Physical distancing, face mask and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-Co-V2; a systematic review and meta-analysis; THE LANCET, June,27,2020 vol. 395, Issue 10242, P1973-1987.
- WHO: Advice on the use of face masks in the community, during home care and in the Health care setting in the context of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak: Interim guidance; 29 January 2020. Accessed. February 23, 2020.
- Kelkar US, Gogate B, Kurpad S, Gogate P, Deshpande M: How effective are face masks in operation theatre? A time frame analysis and recommendations, Int J Infect Control. 2013;9;https://www.ijic.info/article/view/10788.
- Odenigbo, O.O. (2015) Pattern of Medical Admissions at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba—A Two Year Review; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20329679/.
- Andrew C. S, Marley H: Difference between Clinical and Non-clinical Jobs; Very Well Health, June 2020; https://www.verywellhealth.com/clinical-versus-non-clinical-jobs-1736349.
- Franklin Chibuacha et al: How to determine the Sample size for Research Study; Geo Poll; April, 2021 https://www.geopoll.com/blog/sample-size-research/.
- Jagdesh kumar, Muhammad soughat katto et al: Knowledge , attitude and Practice of Health care workers Regarding the use of face mask to limit the spread of Coronavirus disease; Cureus 12(4),2020.
- Adam Hayes, Somer Anderson: Systematic Sampling, Cooperate accounting, financial analysis, Investopedia, updated May, 2021https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/systematic-sampling.asp.
- Honarbakhsh M, Jahangiri M, Ghaem H : Knowledge, Perceptionand practices of Health Care Workers regarding the use of respiratory protection equipment at Iran hospitals ; J Infec. Prev. 2018, 19: 29-36. doi: 10.1177/1757177417724880.
- Oyitso, M. and Olomukoro, C. (2015) Training and Retraining as a Tool for Promoting Workers Productivity in Nigeria. https://www.research.net.publication.334618539.
- Muhammad Irfan, Nadeem Akhatar et al: Assessing Public willingness to wear face mask, during the COVID-19, Pandemic : Fresh Insight from the Theory of Planned Behavior ; Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 4577
- Chughtai AA, Stelzer-Braid S, Rawlinson W, et al: Contamination by respiratory viruses on outer surface of medical masks used by hospital health care workers. BMC Infect. Dis. 2019, 19:491. Accessed April, 20, 2020.
- WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public ; when and how to use masks, (2020). Accessed; February 23, 2020: last updated December 2021. https:// who.int/ emergencies/ diseases/ novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks.
- Chartier Y, Emmanuel J, Pieper U, et al : Safe Management of Wastes from Health-care Activities ; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2014.