Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward COVID-19 and infection prevention and control among tertiary level hospital labor and delivery room healthcare workers in time of pandemic
Authors: Flores Joan M. , Borbe Maria Michelle G. 
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND:
In our recent times, COVID-19 is an evolving, rapidly changing global health challenge affecting all sectors. Health-care workers (HCWs) are not only the first in defense against this highly contagious infectious disease but also are directly or indirectly affected by it, and the likelihood of acquiring this disease is higher among HCWs compared to the overall population. It is of utmost importance, therefore, that HCWs have adequate knowledge about all aspects of the disease from clinical manifestation, diagnosis, proposed treatment, and established prevention strategies. In this present study, we assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among HCWs toward the COVID-19 and infection prevention during the ongoing pandemic.

METHODOLOGY:
A KAP and infection prevention and control (IPC) questionnaire was adapted and was administered to the recruited labor and delivery room HCWs involved in the COVID-19 response at a tertiary-level hospital. Clinical characteristics, prevention, and management of COVID-19 consisted of the knowledge questionnaire. Knowledge questionnaire on IPC consisted of questions regarding nosocomial infections, hand hygiene, and universal precautions. Assessment on attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 included questions on behavior and change in practices made toward COVID-19 response while attitude and practice assessment on IPC included questions on guidelines, conducts, and trainings. Knowledge scores were considered and associated by demographic characteristics and their attitude and practices.

RESULTS:
The study included 114 HCWs with a median age of 30 years (range: 22–72), dominated by females, 85.09% versus 14.91%. The majority of the respondents attained doctorate (44.55%) and bachelor (43.56%) degrees. These HCWs mostly assume 8–16 h tour of duty (62.28%). The mean knowledge score of the HCWs on COVID-19 was 87.48 ± 14.17. The correct overall rate of the knowledge questionnaire was 80.7%. The mean attitude was 3.32 ± 0.55. More than half contemplated that the country is not on a good position to contain COVID-19 spread (54.39%) and only 38.60% are confident that they can manage patients with signs and symptoms of the disease when present to them. As for their current health practices, the past 14 days before the time of data gathering, 63.16% admitted that they have never gone to any crowded places. They always wore their masks when contact with patients (99.12%), refrained from doing handshakes (80.70%), cautiously washed their hands before and after handling patients (99.12%), and avoided patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (82.46%). Overall, up to 97.4% of the participants had good practices. Based on the study findings, it was evident that HCWs are knowledgeable in IPC. The mean score for knowledge among nurses in IPC was 86.7. The mean scores for attitude and practices among nurses in IPC were 4.06 and 2.69, respectively. Therefore, nurses had positive attitudes and good practice toward IPC.

CONCLUSION:
Our findings suggest that labor and delivery room HCWs have adequate knowledge, and possess good preventive practice to contain the transmission of SARS-COV-2 during the amount of the COVID-19. They even have adequate knowledge and positive attitude and apply appropriate practice on IPC. However, their attitude was less optimistic toward COVID-19 even with better knowledge. Health education schemes geared toward improving COVID-19 knowledge are helpful for encouraging an optimistic attitudes and maintaining safe practices. Continued professional education is suggested among HCWs to enhance the knowledge of HCWs, hence averting negative attitudes and promoting positive preventive and therapeutic practices.