Factors Influencing Health Care Workers’ Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Standard Precautions: A Case Study of Kasama General and Mbala General Hospitals, Northern Province, Zambia

Given Mbita; Ernest C. Mutale

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.47741

Factors Influencing Health Care Workers’ Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Standard Precautions: A Case Study of Kasama General and Mbala General Hospitals, Northern Province, Zambia

Author(s)	Dr. Given Mbita, Prof. Dr. Ernest C. Mutale
Country	Zambia
Abstract	Introduction: Infection prevention and control Standard Precautions (IPCSPs) are the minimal infection prevention and control (IPC) measures that apply to all patient care activities at all times, regardless of whether the patient has a suspected or proven disease, in any place where healthcare service is provided. Since health care workers are at risk of acquiring and transmitting hospital acquired infections in the course of delivering the health services, compliance with infection prevention and control standard precautions (IPCSPs) during the provision of health services by health care workers is key in the prevention of hospital acquired infections (HAI). Objective: The main objective of this study was to investigate and establish factors influencing health care workers’ compliance with infection prevention and control standard precautions with the aim of improving compliance with IPC standard precautions so that health care workers are protected from acquiring nosocomial infections during the provision of health services both at Kasama General and Mbala general Hospitals. Methods: A descriptive case study design of 354 health care workers working both at Kasama General and Mbala general hospitals was conducted using a structured self-administered questionnaire and key informant interview guide. With the confidence level of 95%, margin of error of 5 and known population size for Kasama general hospital (405) and Mbala general hospital (260), sample size standard formula as well as online calculator was used to come up with sample size of the participants. Simple random sampling was used to select the participants and data was analyzed using SPSS version 27. Results: Out of the 354 participants for both Kasama general and Mbala general hospital, 45.8% were females and 54.2% were males. A large proportion of the participants (85.9%) had obtained diploma certificate. Despite a lower proportion (39%) of health workers being trained in IPC, majority (85.3%) of the participants both at Kasama general and Mbala general hospitals had knowledge on what IPC is and 81.5% were knowledgeable on the basic elements of infection prevention and control standard precautions. 81.1% were knowledgeable on public health importance of poor IPC standard precautions. While 55.4% were performing hand hygiene at all critical times, only 41.5% were washing hands immediately upon reporting for work and when leaving work. 37.3% were using gowns or aprons, 41.4% masks and 35% goggles all the time when attending to patients or when doing procedures which are likely to generate splashes. Poor health care waste management, inadequate number of trained health care workers in IPC, lack of IPC assessment, monitoring and supervision, lack of IPC mentorship and technical supportive supervision, non-availability of IPC supplies, lack of management commitment and support towards IPC and poor staffing level of qualified staff were the major reported factors influencing poor health care workers ‘compliance with IPC standard precautions. Conclusion and Recommendations: Despite high proportion of health care workers having knowledge on IPC both at Kasama general and Mbala general hospitals, majority of them were not trained in IPC. Required infection prevention commodities were not available in good quantities all the time. Hospital management should procure all essential infection prevention commodities in adequate quantities all the time. The management should also conduct regular monitoring and on-spot technical supportive supervision and continuous medical education on infection. Management commitment and support towards IPC is of paramount importance if the IPC programme has to receive adequate funding and make positive impact at both hospitals on compliance with IPC standard precaution by health care workers.
Keywords	Compliance, health care workers, Infection Prevention and control standard precautions, Hospital Acquired Infection, Knowledge, IPC supplies.
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On	2025-08-26
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.47741

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Factors Influencing Health Care Workers’ Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Standard Precautions: A Case Study of Kasama General and Mbala General Hospitals, Northern Province, Zambia

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