Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare workers concerning Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Western Iran

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine Vol. 6; no. 6; pp. 546 - 550
• Main Authors: Salimi, Mojtaba, Aghaei Afshar, Abbas, Limoee, Mojtaba, Babakhani, Soraya, Chatrabgoun, Omid, Hanafi-Bojd, Ahmad Ali, Nutifafa, Gidiglo Godwin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2016; Department of Medical Entomology&Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences TUMS, Tehran, Iran%Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran%Departments of Public Health and Health Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran%Department of Health Promotion and Network Expansion, Health Deputy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran%Department of Mathematical, Statistics and Probability, Malayer University, Iran%Department of Medical Entomology&Vector Control, School of Public Health, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Crimean-Congo; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever; fever;Healthcare; Healthcare worker; hemorrhagic; Iran; Knowledge; worker;Knowledge;Iran; ISW, Iran; Healthcare worker; Iran; Knowledge; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
• ISSN: 2221-1691; 2588-9222
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.04.007

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare workers in Kermanshah Province about Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever(CCHF).Methods: This study was conducted in 2014 on healthcare personnel in different job categories including physicians, nurses, midwives, laboratory staff and network health staff of Kermanshah Province by direct interview.Results: A total of 367 respondents who had more than 5 years of experience in their jobs were interviewed. Among them 91% of physicians and nurses, 97% of midwives and health workers and 96% of laboratory staff stated that they had not been confronted with CCHF patients so far. Regarding knowledge, 76% of physicians, 78% of nurses, 77% of midwives and 58% of laboratory staff believed that the disease is remediable. Most of the interviewed participants stated that the disease pertains to people who are in close contact with domestic animals, but they did not consider their own occupations as one of the risk factors. More than 70% of the respondents believed that the disease may exist in the province or their work field. Generally, the knowledge about CCHF was inadequate, with nurses having the lowest level of knowledge.Conclusions: Knowledge of Kermanshah healthcare staff about CCHF was poor,especially nurses in a high risk job category. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct specific training programs for the disease identification, transmission, prevention, and treatment as well as the use of personal protection and safety devices.