ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTRIBUTION AND PRACTICE RELATED TO NSIS AND BLOOD EXPOSURE AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN THE ARMED FORCES REFERRAL AND TEACHING HOSPITAL, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract: Sharpe injury has been recognized as one of the potential occupational hazards for health care workers risking them to blood borne pathogens such as HBV, HCV, and HIV/AIDS while performing their clinical activities in health facilities. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attribution and practices among health care workers regarding sharp injuries and exposure to blood and body fluids. This facility based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among in the Armed Forces Referral and Teaching Hospital found in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A sample of 200 health care workers (HCWs) were selected using a simple random procedure and in order to represent various health professionals sample selection was made proportionate to size involving nurses, physicians, lab technicians, midwives, and anesthetists. A pretested structured questionnaire consisting of 27 items were administered to health care workers in two weeks' time with four assist and data collectors. Data was coded and entered into excel worksheet and then imported to SPPS version 20 database. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were generated for analysis. Apart from frequency tables displaying counts and per cents, chi-square test was applied to see if there are any significant findings between the profile of HCWs and their knowledge, practice and compliance of universal precautions guideline. Accepting or rejecting hypothesis was determined setting alpha at 0.05 with 95% level of significance.