Impact of Health Education on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Post-exposure Prophylaxis

Overview

Occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) for healthcare workers through contact with human blood and body fluids has become a major health concern as it poses a risk of transmission of these infectious agents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, about three million HCWs are exposed to blood-borne pathogens each year, of which 170,000 are exposed to HIV infections, 2 million to HBV infections, and 0.9 million to HCV infections. Most of the time, healthcare providers get exposure through the splash of blood or other body fluids into the eyes, nose, or mouth or nonintact skin exposure, and percutaneous injury occurs as a result of a break in the skin caused by a needlestick or sharps contaminated with blood or body fluids

Post exposure prophylaxis is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the medical intervention offered to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases following a potential exposure to HIV, HBV, HCV, and other viruses. In developing regions, 40%-65% of HBV and HCV infections in health care workers are attributable to percutaneous occupational exposure .Approximately 3 out of 35 million HCWs worldwide experience needlestick injuries (NSIs) annually, exposing them to blood-borne pathogens . In Egypt, like many developing countries, few efforts have been undertaken to raise awareness about needlestick injury (NSI) among HCWs . There is a lack of regulations and policies to protect HCWs from exposure. HCWs rarely receive training in infection control and standard precautions, even though these are low-cost solutions to reducing the risk of sharp injuries and have a high likelihood of being adopted . There is a lack of data and surveillance concerning health care-related occupational exposures and the use of PEP. Furthermore, unsafe practices are frequently observed, placing patients and healthcare workers at risk of infection. knowledge and practice of PEP for HIV/HBV. As a result, the study recommended the establishment of PEP training centre with proper guidelines in order to enhance the utilization of PEP. No empirical data exists on the knowledge and attitudes of HCWs toward post exposure prophylaxis following occupational exposure to the blood-borne viruses at Aswan University Hospital. Hence the study will apply interventions in the form of an education module designed to suit the need of each of these categories of HCWs (doctors, nurses, and ward aides). Furthermore, the study seeks to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an education program regarding post exposure prophylaxis on their change in knowledge, attitude, and practice.