Knowledge and Information Sources of Standard Precautions among Physicians in Mashhad, Iran

Health care workers are exposed to percutaneous injuries. They are at risk of infection from bloodborne pathogens during routine clinical duties. Adherence to standard precautions can protect health care workers. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of physicians about standard precautions and the use of information resources in the field of infection control. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during January and March 2015, on 308 physicians working in the five academic hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Demographic and additional related data were obtained by questionnaire from all participants. Data were analyzed in SPSS 16. most of the participants were Specialists and female (60.7%). Specialists for some items related to standard precautions scores were over 90%; However for items related to “knowing the standard precautions, a goal of standard precautions and washing hand after taking off the gloves” scores were below 70%. There was no significant difference in knowledge of standard precautions among different medical groups (p-value=0.87). The most frequently mentioned information sources by specialists (90%) were “local instructions” but residents and interns (76%) preferred “discussion with colleagues” as the first source information in relation to standard precautions. The most Specialists had not received enough training about standard precautions (52.2%). There is a need for guidelines for training the standard precautions among health care workers.