Ejaz Enayatollah, Masudi Mohammad, Rahimi Ali, Osmani Khadejah, Shayan Nasar Ahmad
Department of Curative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jami University, Herat, Afghanistan.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Herat University, Herat, Afghanistan.
Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2025 Jun 17;18:1991-2005. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S524485. eCollection 2025.
Hand hygiene (HH) is a fundamental practice in preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), yet compliance among healthcare workers, including students, remains suboptimal. This study assesses the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to HH among final-year health sciences students in Herat, Afghanistan.
A convenience-based cross-sectional study was conducted in October to December 2023 at public and private health sciences institutions in Herat, using a structured questionnaire to assess KAP on HH. A sample of 427 participated. Data analysis in SPSS 27 included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression.
The overall accuracy of responses was 84.61% (IQR: 76.92, 84.61), reflecting a strong level of awareness. Attitudes toward HH were also largely positive, with a correct rate of 81.25% (IQR: 75.00, 85.41). Additionally, self-reported adherence to proper HH practices was notably high at 92.85% (IQR: 85.71, 98.21). Students assigned to the emergency ward (23.6%) demonstrated significantly higher knowledge compared to those in other wards (p = 0.016). Logistic regression further confirmed that work setting played a crucial role, with students in the internal ward exhibiting significantly higher knowledge levels than their peers (95% CI: 1.001-4.448) (p = 0.050). The study objectives were met, revealing that final-year students possessed strong knowledge, positive attitudes, and high adherence to HH practices. However, the work environment was a key determinant of knowledge variation across wards.
Despite high awareness and adherence, misconceptions and barriers to compliance exist. Strengthening educational interventions, institutional policies, and real-time monitoring is crucial to ensuring sustained HH practices among future healthcare professionals.
手部卫生（HH）是预防医院获得性感染（HAIs）的一项基本措施，但包括学生在内的医护人员的依从性仍不理想。本研究评估了阿富汗赫拉特市健康科学专业最后一年学生对HH的知识、态度和实践（KAP）。
2023年10月至12月，在赫拉特市的公立和私立健康科学机构进行了一项基于便利抽样的横断面研究，使用结构化问卷评估对HH的KAP。427名学生参与了样本。在SPSS 27中进行的数据分析包括描述性统计、卡方检验和逻辑回归。
回答的总体准确率为84.61%（四分位间距：76.92，84.61），反映出较高的知晓水平。对HH的态度也大多是积极的，正确率为81.25%（四分位间距：75.00，85.41）。此外，自我报告的正确HH实践依从率显著较高，为92.85%（四分位间距：85.71，98.21）。分配到急诊病房的学生（23.6%）与其他病房的学生相比，知识水平显著更高（p = 0.016）。逻辑回归进一步证实工作环境起着关键作用，内科病房的学生知识水平显著高于同龄人（95%置信区间：1.001 - 4.448）（p = 0.050）。达到了研究目标，表明最后一年的学生具备丰富的知识、积极的态度以及对HH实践的高度依从性。然而，工作环境是各病房知识差异的关键决定因素。
尽管知晓率和依从性较高，但仍存在误解和依从障碍。加强教育干预、机构政策和实时监测对于确保未来医护人员持续践行HH至关重要。
