Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Occupational Health and Safety Among Medical Laboratory Personnel In Selected Governmental Teaching Hospitals Of Ethiopia
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Date
2015-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Medical laboratory is one of the most at risk place where a range of occupationalhazards can occur. Workplace related health impairments, injuries and illnesses which causegreat human suffering and incur high costs of capital as a whole intended to identify andprevented by the establishment of Occupational Health and Safety. To avoid these occupationalhazards individuals who are working in the laboratory should be aware of safety practice,monitored and evaluated employees information gap, knowledge as well as attitudinal behavior.
Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices towards occupational health and safetyamong Medical laboratory professionals in selected government teaching hospitals in Ethiopia.
Method: A cross sectional study was conducted between March and May 2015 among 173Medical laboratory professionals working in government teaching hospitals. Data was collectedusing self-administered structured questionnaire; it was also supported by in-depth interview andphysical observation checklist. Data entry, analysis and quality of data were maintained by SPSSversion 20 software. Level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Result: Of 173 total respondents, 112(64.7%) were male and the age of participant’s liesbetween18 - ≥ 46. The overall mean knowledge score of participant was 6.0 ± (SD 1.29), meanattitude score was 18.7± (SD 4.2) and mean practice score was 20.4 ± (SD 2.31). There werestrong association between occupational health & safety training, risk assessment training andknowledge score (p=0.000). Similarly, orientation on occupational health & safety wassignificantly associated with attitude score (p= 0.002). In addition, work experience (p= 0.000),training on occupational health and safety (p=0.000) and risk assessment (p=0.004) weresignificantly associated with practice score of laboratory professionals.
Conclusion: Training on occupational health & safety as well as risk assessment training weresignificantly associated with level of knowledge and practice. Moreover, orientation wasstatistically associated with attitude. Thus intervention that should focus on training occupationalhealth & safety, risk assessment and positive attitude creation are required to strengthenoccupational health and safety knowledge, attitude and practice in medical laboratoryprofessionals
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Medical Laboratory Personnel Health