Tuberculosis and Public Health Care Workers: Infection Prevention and Control Practices and Associated Factors Among Governmental Health Centers and Hospitals in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Fikru Labena,1 Yibeltal Kassa,2 Eyasu Gambura2 1Sodo Health Center, Wolaita Zone Health Department, Sodo, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Eyasu Gambura Tel +251901513048Email eyasugabura@yahoo.comPurpose: Institutional settings, including health care facilities, have been identified to be at high risk of tuberculosis (TB) transmissions. But no study has been conducted in hospitals and health centers concurrently in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess tuberculosis infection prevention and control (TBIPC) practices and associated factors among public health care workers in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.Material and Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional quantitative study supplemented with qualitative interview and observation was conducted in 16 sampled governmental health facilities in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia, from 25 July 2020 to 25 August 2020. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 748 health care workers, while purposive sampling was used to identify participants for the qualitative study.Results: The proportion of proper TBIPC practices was 44.78%. Years of service (AOR=4.182, 95% CI: 2.024– 8.639), working in a TB clinic (AOR=4.009, 95% CI: 1.311– 12.261), working in an anti-retroviral therapy clinic (AOR=2.796, 95% CI: 1.009– 7.743), TB-related training (AOR=0.024, 95% CI: 11.483– 34.92), availability of personal protective equipment (AOR=1.712, 95% CI: 1.057– 2.776), good knowledge of TBIPC measures (AOR=2.66, 95% CI: 1.119– 4.196), and positive attitude (AOR=2.011, 95% CI: 1.242– 3.255) were significantly associated with proper TBIPC practices.Conclusion and Recommendation: The proportion of proper TBIPC practices among public health care workers was low in the study area. For better intervention, further studies could focus on experimental research into possible factors that are responsible for TBIPC practices in health care facilities in the study area.Keywords: health care workers, infection prevention, institutions, knowledge, tuberculosi