title: Limited knowledge and practice of Chinese medical students regarding health-care associated infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health-care associated infections (HCAIs) occur worldwide and affect both patients and health-care workers (HCWs), including medical students. This study aimed to investigate HCAI risks associated with clinical medical students attending Shantou University Medical College (SUMC) and the effectiveness of their learning resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four cohorts (n = 272) of medical students participated in a questionnaire-based survey was done on (year 5 in the 5-year program and years 5 to 7 in the 7-year program) undergoing internship training in 14 teaching hospitals in Guangdong, China.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean overall score of the students was 52.54  ±  0.45 (mean  ±  SE). Students received fairly good scores in hand hygiene (77.57  ±  0.77) and HCAI source (63.16  ±  1.18); relatively weak scores in the isolation precautions (44.59  ±  0.55), HCW safety (45.59  ±  0.86), and personal protective equipment (57.64  ±  0.60); and the weakest scores in HCA-pathogen identification (27.44  ±  0.81). The year of education (r = 0.089, P = 0.144, n = 272) or internship placement (r = 0.077, P = 0.206, n = 272) had no significant influence on their level of knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that medical students at SUMC have limited knowledge and practice regarding HCAI due to substantial deficiencies in their learning resources. Review of medical curricula, improvement in preclinical and clinical training, and surveillance and monitoring of practicing HCWs are urgently needed to minimize risk of HCAIs in patients and HCWs.
authors: First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P.R. China.
authors: Yuanchun
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Wenni
authors: W
authors: Xie
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Zeng
authors: Frieda
authors: F
authors: Law
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Ba-Thein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult