title: Perceived risk of tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers in Swaziland.
abstract: The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Kingdom of Swaziland is extremely high. How healthcare workers (HCWs) in Swaziland perceive infection control (IC) measures for preventing TB transmission is unclear. This study aimed to determine perceived risk of TB infection in relation to IC measures among HCWs in three institutions of Swaziland.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2014. Demographic data and IC measures were collected from main and allied HCWs.
  
  
  
  In total, 186 HCWs (19 doctors, 99 nurses, and 68 allied HCWs) were enrolled. The multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that nurses (OR = 39.87, 95% CI = 2.721-584.3) and other HCWs (OR =99.34, 95% CI = 7.469-1321) perceived a higher TB infection risk than did doctors. Moreover, HCWs working for <4 years at the TB department perceived a lower TB infection risk (OR = 0.099, 95% CI = 0.022-0.453). Availability of N95 respirator masks (OR = 0.055, 95% CI = 0.005-0.586) and a designated sputum collection area (OR = 0.142, 95% CI = 0.037-0.545) also carried lower TB infection risks.
  
  
  
  This study depicts the current status of IC measures for TB infection in a high prevalence country. The results suggest that HCWs perceived a greater TB infection risk at inadequate environmental IC measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Southern Africa Nazarene University, Manzini, Swaziland.|Master Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Patience Thulile
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bhembe
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Health Policy and Care Research Center, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Master Program in Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. bettychiu@tmu.edu.tw.|Health Policy and Care Research Center, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. bettychiu@tmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D013541:Eswatini; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D010465:Perception; D010820:Physicians; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission
keywords: Infection control; N95 respirator mask; Sputum; Swaziland; Tuberculosis