title: Impact of education on knowledge, attitudes and practices among various categories of health care workers on nosocomial infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices among the different health care workers (HCWs) on nosocomial infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 150 HCWs, doctors (n=50), nurses (n=50) and ward aides (n=50) were included. A questionnaire was administered to the HCWs to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices on nosocomial infections. A scoring system was devised to grade those (KAP score). They were further subjected to a series of similar questionnaires at intervals of 6, 12 and 24 months after an education module. Subjects in each category of staff (n=10) were observed for compliance to hand washing practices in the ward in the post-education period. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed an increase in the number of subjects in each category scoring good and excellent in the post-education questionnaire; however this declined with the progress of time. It was observed that the compliance level to hand washing practices differed among the different HCWs. Total compliance was 63.3% and ward aides were most compliant 76.7% (adjusted Wald 95% CI= 58.80-88.48).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Education has a positive impact on retention of knowledge, attitudes and practices in all the categories of staff. There is a need to develop a system of continuous education for all the categories of staff. In order to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections, compliance with interventions are mandatory.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Mysore University, Mysore - 570 006, Karnataka, India. suchitrapreetham@yahoo.com
authors: J B
authors: JB
authors: Suchitra
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Lakshmi Devi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires