Enone L L, Oyapero A, Makanjuola J O, Ojikutu R O
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos State, Nigeria.
West Afr J Med. 2022 Nov 30;39(11):1165-1173.
Some studies have been conducted worldwide on the preparedness of dentists and even dental students for infection prevention and control with regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but very few studies have been done among other Oral Health Care Workers (OHCWs). The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and practices of dental health care workers in Nigeria on infection prevention and control with regards to COVID-19.
This was a descriptive study on the knowledge and practices regarding infection control protocols and procedures with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic among dental personnel in Nigeria. A validated self-administered questionnaire was utilised for data collection. Bivariate analysis was done with a Chi-squared test to determine the association between the participants age, gender, profession and place of practice with knowledge and practices regarding COVID 19 infection. Statistical significance in associations was inferred at P-value < 0.05.
The majority of the OHCWs (77.4%) had good knowledge about infection prevention and control, and regulations regarding COVID-19, but most of them (58.5%) displayed poor practices with regard to infection prevention and control regulations related to COVID-19. Male respondents (68.8%), those aged between 55-64 (83.3%) years and Dental therapists (71.4%) had a higher proportion of those with good practices with the male gender and profession (Dental Therapist) being significantly associated with good practices. (P<0.05).
Our study identified a high rate of knowledge but low compliance with infection prevention and control guidelines regarding COVID-19. Better compliance with recommended infection control and waste management practices for all OHCWs and continuing education programs promoting infection control awareness are vital to improving the practices of these OHCWs.
全球范围内已经开展了一些关于牙医甚至牙科学生针对持续的新冠疫情进行感染预防与控制准备情况的研究，但针对其他口腔卫生保健工作者（OHCWs）的研究却很少。本研究的目的是评估尼日利亚牙科保健工作者在新冠疫情感染预防与控制方面的知识和实践情况。
这是一项关于尼日利亚牙科人员在新冠疫情感染控制方案和程序方面知识与实践的描述性研究。采用经过验证的自填式问卷进行数据收集。使用卡方检验进行双变量分析，以确定参与者的年龄、性别、职业和执业地点与新冠病毒感染知识和实践之间的关联。当P值<0.05时推断关联具有统计学意义。
大多数口腔卫生保健工作者（77.4%）对感染预防与控制以及新冠疫情相关规定有良好的了解，但他们中的大多数人（58.5%）在与新冠疫情相关的感染预防与控制规定方面实践较差。男性受访者（68.8%）、年龄在55 - 64岁之间的受访者（83.3%）以及牙科治疗师（71.4%）中实践良好的比例较高，其中男性和职业（牙科治疗师）与良好实践显著相关（P<0.05）。
我们的研究发现，在新冠疫情感染预防与控制指南方面，知识普及率较高，但依从性较低。所有口腔卫生保健工作者更好地遵守推荐的感染控制和废物管理实践，以及开展提高感染控制意识的继续教育项目，对于改善这些口腔卫生保健工作者 的实践至关重要。
