The Current Knowledge and Awareness Levels of Healthcare Workers About COVID-19.

Year 2023, Volume: 25 Issue: 2, 182 - 192, 31.08.2023

Arzu Babacan

https://doi.org/10.24938/kutfd.1243938

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to determine the effect of healthcare workers' knowledge and awareness of COVID-19 on their individual attitudes and behaviors.

Material and Methods: After obtaining the approval of the ethics committee, the questionnaire questions prepared in accordance with the Ministry of Health "COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 Infection) guideline" were asked to volunteer healthcare workers. The questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics in the first part, general information about COVID-19, risk assessment, contact tracing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the second part, and 10 questions in the third part to evaluate the effect of participants' knowledge about COVID-19 on their individual attitudes and behaviors in their daily lives. A total of 397 healthcare workers completed the study.

Results: The prevalence of COVID-19 was 22.7% among healthcare workers, 35.5% among their families, and 9.7% among their friends. About one-quarter of participants reported a COVID-19-related death in their community or family. About 60% of participants reported that they preferred to get information from the guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Health. The prevalence of COVID-19 was lower in the group who reported always using PPE (p<0.001). Approximately 75% of the participants were willing to be vaccinated and 9.1% reported volunteering for a vaccination study. The mean COVID-19 general knowledge score was 4.85±1.28. A significant difference was found between occupational groups (p<0.001) and between those working in pandemic units and other units. (p=0.024). 91.9% of the participants reported they paid attention to social distance. Again, 90% thought they had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19. 90.7% of the participants reported that they were worried about spreading COVID-19.

Conclusion: The knowledge level of healthcare workers in our institution about COVID-19 is low. Regular training programs and supporting the use of personal protective equipment are important for the health of healthcare workers and the community.

Keywords

Health workers, knowledge, awareness, COVID-19

SAĞLIK ÇALIŞANLARIN COVID-19 HAKKINDAKİ GÜNCEL BİLGİ VE FARKINDALIK DÜZEYLERİ

Abstract

Amaç: Sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 konusundaki bilgi düzeyi ve farkındalıklarının, bireysel tutum ve davranışlarına olan etkisini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Etik kurul onayı alındıktan sonra Sağlık Bakanlığı "COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 Enfeksiyon) rehberi" doğrultusunda hazırlanan anket soruları, gönüllü sağlık çalışanlarına sorulmuştur. Anket birinci bölümünde demografik özellikler, ikinci bölümde COVID-19 hakkında genel bilgiler, risk değerlendirmesi temaslı takibi ve kişisel koruyucu ekipman (KKE) kullanımı ile ilgili toplam 20 soru ve üçüncü bölümde, katılımcılara COVID-19 hakkındaki bilgilerinin günlük yaşamlarındaki bireysel tutum ve davranışlarına etkisini değerlendirmek için 10 sorudan oluşmuştur. Toplam 397 sağlık çalışanı çalışmayı tamamlamıştır.

Bulgular: COVID-19 sıklığı sağlık çalışanlarında %22.7, sağlık çalışanlarının ailelerinde %35.5 ve arkadaşlarında %9.7 bulunmuştur. Katılımcıların yaklaşık dörtte biri, çevrelerinde veya ailelerinde COVID-19 kaynaklı bir ölüm yaşadıklarını bildirmiştir. Katılımcıların yaklaşık %60'ı sağlık bakanlığı tarafından hazırlanan rehberlerden bilgi almayı tercih ettiğini bildirmiştir. KKE’yi her zaman kullandığını belirten grupta COVID-19 prevalansı daha az bulunmuştur (p<0.001). Katılımcıların yaklaşık %75’i aşı olma konusunda istekli ve %9.1'i de bir aşı çalışması için gönüllü olduğunu bildirmiştir. COVID-19 genel bilgi puanı ortalaması 4.85±1.28 bulunmuştur. Meslek grupları arasında (p<0.001) ve pandemi birimlerinde çalışanlar ile diğer sağlık çalışanları arasında anlamlı farklılık saptanmıştır (p=0.024). Katılımcıların %91.9’u sosyal mesafeye dikkat ettiğini bildirmiştir. Yine %90’ı COVID-19 hakkında yeterli bilgiye sahip olduğunu düşünmektedir. Katılımcıların %90.7’si etrafına COVID-19 bulaştırma konusunda endişelendiğini bildirmiştir.

Sonuç: Kurumuzda sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 hakkında genel bilgi düzeyleri düşük bulunmuştur. Düzenli eğitim programları ve kişisel koruyucu ekipman kullanımının desteklenmesi sağlık çalışanları ve toplum sağlığı için önemlidir

Keywords

Sağlık çalışanları, bilgi, farkındalık, COVID-19

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