Infection Prevention and Control Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Adult Infectious Disease, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Aug 15;24(1):2224. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19717-x.
Competency of the staff working in infection prevention and control (IPC) is the cornerstone of successful IPC programs. The objective was to assess competency level and associated factors among IPC staff working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2019 among active IPC staff who were members of the Arab Countries Infection Control Network. The questionnaire covered demographic and professional characteristics of IPC staff and characteristics of work facilities and IPC programs. A competency score was created from self-perceived responses to 8 competency domains. The competency score was then transformed into 100-scale and categorized into two groups (≥ median and < median).
A total of 176 participants completed the survey. Participants were mostly female (65.7%), and the mean age was 40.2 ± 8.3 years. The mean competency score was 61.4%. It was slightly variable between domains, being highest with preventing transmission of infection (65%) and lowest with sterilization and disinfection (59%). Higher (≥ median) competency score was associated with having CBIC certification (p < 0.001). It was also associated with facilities having IPC plan (p = 0.005), IPC committee (p = 0.049), regular meetings of IPC committee (p < 0.001), and IPC plan included communications with healthcare workers (p < 0.001). Domain-specific competency scores were significantly associated with receiving same domain-specific training (p < 0.05 for all).
The competency levels of IPC staff in the MENA region is still suboptimal. The current finding calls for more regional and national investment in IPC staff by providing up-to-date customized educational and training opportunities.
从事感染预防与控制（IPC）工作的员工的能力是成功实施 IPC 项目的基石。本研究旨在评估中东和北非（MENA）地区 IPC 工作人员的能力水平及其相关因素。
2019 年，我们对阿拉伯国家感染控制网络的活跃 IPC 工作人员进行了一项横断面研究。调查问卷涵盖了 IPC 工作人员的人口统计学和专业特征以及工作设施和 IPC 计划的特征。根据对 8 个能力领域的自我感知反应，创建了一个能力评分。该能力评分转换为 100 分制，并分为两组（≥中位数和<中位数）。
共有 176 名参与者完成了调查。参与者主要为女性（65.7%），平均年龄为 40.2±8.3 岁。平均能力评分为 61.4%。各领域的评分存在差异，预防感染传播的能力评分最高（65%），消毒和灭菌的能力评分最低（59%）。较高（≥中位数）的能力评分与拥有 CBIC 认证相关（p<0.001）。它还与设施具有 IPC 计划（p=0.005）、IPC 委员会（p=0.049）、IPC 委员会定期会议（p<0.001）以及 IPC 计划包括与医护人员的沟通（p<0.001）相关。特定领域的能力评分与接受相同特定领域的培训显著相关（p<0.05）。
MENA 地区 IPC 工作人员的能力水平仍然不理想。目前的研究结果呼吁在区域和国家层面上加大对 IPC 工作人员的投资，提供最新的定制化教育和培训机会。
