title: Knowledge and practice of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) against HIV infection among health care providers in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge and practice of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) against HIV infection among health care providers in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey conducted on 230 health care providers in UATH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority (97.0%) of the respondents have heard about PEP, but only a few (30.9%) of them could correctly identify the drugs used and duration of PEP. A third of respondents have had one form of accidental exposure or the other. HIV test was carried out in about two-thirds (64.8%) of the source patients. Thirteen (28.3%) of the source patients were HIV-positive. Of the 13 respondents that were exposed to HIV-positive patients, only 3 (23.1%) received PEP, and these three completed PEP, while majority, 10/13 (76.9%) did not receive PEP in spite of their exposure to HIV-positive sources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that the knowledge and practice of PEP among health care providers are very poor.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Rotimi S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Owolabi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alabi
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.forename: Olusoji
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Adeniyi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogundiran
authors.forename: Tanimola M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Akande
authors.forename: And Tunde
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Onafowokan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D009549:Nigeria; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents