THE USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE COVERING IN NON-CLINICAL AREAS AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Personal Protective Covering (PPC) is a professional garment used in the work place for personal protection by health workers. Earlier study in Ebonyi State focused on the potential for nosocomia infection transmission by white coats used by physicians in Nigeria indicating that wearing of any of this covering, to Non-Clinical Areas (NA) such as cafeterias, banks could be a means of transmitting germs to the community. Moreover, there is dearth of information on other healthcare workers relating to using PPC to NA in Nigeria. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the use of PPC in NA among Healthcare Workers (HW) in Ibadan, Nigeria. The study was descriptive cross-sectional in design. A three-stage sampling technique was used to select 424 consenting respondents among doctors, nurses, medical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians from the University College Teaching Hospitals and Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan. A semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information on knowledge of health risk on using PPC (Lab coats and Nurses uniforms) in NA was assessed on a 16-point scale; scores ≤8 and >8 were categorized as poor and good, respectively. Attitude towards using PPC was measured on a 16-point scale: scores ≤8 and > were classified as negative and positive, respectively. Perception towards using PPC was measured on a 24-point scale: scores ≤12 and >12 were classified as negative and positive respectively. Twenty in-depth Interviews (IDI) were conducted among HW. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and logistic regression model at p=0.05, whlie IDI was analysed thematically. Respondents' age was 34.9±6.8 years. Majority of the respondents (72.1%) were female. Respondents (48.1%) were nurses, medical doctors (39.4%), medical laboratory scientists (8.7%) and medical laboratory technicians (3.3%). About 48.1% used their PPC daily to NA prior to the study. Reported factors influencing wearing PPC in NA among others were professional identification (84.9%), lack of hospital policy (79.5%) and inadequate re-training of HW (72.2%). Respondents knowledge score was 12.3±3.5 with 98.3% and 1.7% having good and poor knowledge on health risk, respectively. Majority (97.6%) had positive perception (16.7±3.3) and 53.1% had negative attitude towards the use of PPC in NA. More female respondents (87.3%) significantly wore PPC in NA compared to male repondents (12.7%). Male respondents were less likely to use their PPC in NA compared to femalw respondents (OR=0.37 CI=18-0.71). Number of years (≥10) of service was significantly associated with knowledge of health risk on utilisation of PPC in NA. Healthcare workers who were in service for 10 years were more likely to have good knowledge on health risk than HW who were in service for <10 years (OR=4.2; CI=1.5-10.4). The IDIs revealed that lack of hospital policy and professional identification were the main factors perceived influencing the use of PPC in NA. Attitude of healthcare workers in Ibadan was negative and the use of personal protective coverings in non-clinical areas was high despite good knowledge and negative attitude. Consequently, health promotion interventions via advocacy and enactment of professional, hospital and public policy to discourage using these coverings in non-clinical areas are suggested.