Knowledge and Compliance with Covid-19 Infection Prevention and Control measures among Health Workers in Regional Referral Hospitals in Northern Uganda: A cross-sectional Online Survey

Abstract Background:Infection prevention and control (IPC) has increasingly been underscored as a key tool for limiting the transmission of Covid-19 and safeguarding health workers from infections during their work. Knowledge and compliance with IPC measures is therefore essential in protecting health workers. However, this has not been established among Ugandan health workers in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.Objective: To determine the knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures among health workers in regional referral hospitals in Northern Uganda.Methods: An online cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 75 health workers in regional referral hospitals within Northern Uganda. A structured questionnaire was distributed to health workers via WhatsApp messenger. Sufficient knowledge was considered at a correct response score of ≥80%, while adequate compliance was rated ≥75 of the maximum score. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21.Results: The majority of the health workers had good knowledge (69%) and compliance (68%) with Covid-19 IPC. Good compliance was significantly associated with training in Covid-19 IPC (p=0.039), access to Covid-19 IPC at work stations (p=0.036), and having sufficient institutional support (p=0.031). However, there was no significant relationship between knowledge and compliance with IPC (p=0.007). The sociodemographic characteristics of health workers, including age, sex, education level, occupation, working hours and work experience, had no statistically significant relationship with Cvid-19 IPC knowledge or compliance.Discussion: Our findings provide support for IPC training and guidelines as well as adequate PPEs to be available to health workers to improve compliance with Covid-19 IPC.