Knowledge and Practice of Health Care Professionals Regarding the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections at Tertiary Hospitals in Rwanda

Abstract

Background
The prevention of surgical site infections heavily relies on healthcare professionals
who adhere to appropriate use of guidelines. However, there is limited evidence on
their knowledge and practices regarding surgical site infections prevention in Rwanda.
Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of health care
professionals regarding the prevention of surgical site infections at tertiary hospitals
in Rwanda.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study involving 213 healthcare professionals was conducted to
assess the practice and knowledge of surgical site infection preventions. Univariate
and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 25.
Results
This study indicated that 53.1% of healthcare professionals had good knowledge
regarding surgical site infections prevention, while 57% reported good practices.
Nurses were significantly more likely to have good practices, with a 4.7 times higher
likelihood (AOR=4.66, 95% CI=1.23-17.77) than other healthcare professionals.
Healthcare professionals who received in-service training on infection prevention
were more likely to demonstrate good practices compared to those who are not trained
(AOR=2.99, 95% CI=1.29-6.92).
Conclusion
The current study revealed that 43% of study participants reported poor surgical
site infections prevention practices. Therefore, healthcare professionals' knowledge
on surgical site infections prevention needs upgrading, and in-service training on
infection prevention necessary.
Rwanda J Med Health Sci. 2024; 7(1):22-35