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 occupational
hazards can occur. Workplace related health impairments, injuries and illnesses which cause
great human suffering and incur high costs of capital as a whole intended to identify and
prevented by the establishment of Occupational Health and Safety. To avoid these occupational
hazards 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 safety
among Medical laboratory professionals in selected government teaching hospitals in Ethiopia.
Method: A cross sectional study was conducted between March and May 2015 among 173
Medical laboratory professionals working in government teaching hospitals. Data was collected
using self-administered structured questionnaire; it was also supported by in-depth interview and
physical observation checklist. Data entry, analysis and quality of data were maintained by SPSS
version 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 lies
between18 - ≥ 46. The overall mean knowledge score of participant was 6.0 ± (SD 1.29), mean
attitude score was 18.7± (SD 4.2) and mean practice score was 20.4 ± (SD 2.31). There were
strong association between occupational health & safety training, risk assessment training and
knowledge score (p=0.000). Similarly, orientation on occupational health & safety was
significantly 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) were
significantly associated with practice score of laboratory professionals.
Conclusion: Training on occupational health & safety as well as risk assessment training were
significantly associated with level of knowledge and practice. Moreover, orientation was
statistically associated with attitude. Thus intervention that should focus on training occupational
health & safety, risk assessment and positive attitude creation are required to strengthen
occupational health and safety knowledge, attitude and practice in medical laboratory
professionals
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Keywords
Medical Laboratory Personnel, Health