Knowledge, awareness, and attitude regarding infection prevention and control among medical students: a call for educational intervention

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of the responding students

Characteristics		Number	Percentage (%)
1.	Age (answered 73, skipped 0)
	15–19 years	2	2.74
	20–25 years	70	95.89
	26–30 years	1	1.37
2.	Sex (answered 73)
	Female	36	49.32
	Male	37	50.68
3.	Year of medical school (answered 72, skipped 1)
	First year medical students	25	34.72
	Second year medical students	11	15.28
	Third year medical students	13	18.06
	Fourth year medical students	23	31.94

Table 2 Responses of the medical students

Questions		Total number responded	Number responded Yes (%)	Number responded No (%)
1.	Are you aware of the standard isolation precautions within the health care setting?	69	31 (48.44)	33 (51.56)
2.	I was exposed to hand hygiene training	62	41 (66.13)	21 (33.87)
3.	I have sufficient knowledge about hand hygiene	62	53 (85.45)	9 (14.52)
4.	Hand hygiene is embedded into my professional practice	62	53 (85.45)	9 (14.52)
5.	The minimum time needed for hand washing is:	62
	3 seconds		0 (0)
	10 seconds		17 (27.42)
	15 seconds		21 (33.87)
	1 minute		16 (25.81)
	More than 1 minute		4 (6.45)
6.	Do you wash your hands before and after each patient encounter?	60
	Yes		45 (75.00)
	No		2 (33.33)
	Only after		1 (1.67)
	No, only before		0 (0)
	Sometimes I forget		12 (20.00)
7.	Do you follow strict infection control practices when dealing with TB patients	53	44 (83.02)	9 (16.98)
8.	Does contaminated patient-care equipment result in an increased risk of communicable diseases?	52	47 (90.38)	5 (9.62)

Abbreviation: TB, tuberculosis.

Table 3 Students’ knowledge regarding respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette

Which of the following sentences are true regarding respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette?	True, n (%)	False, n (%)	I don’t know, n (%)	Total, N	Weighted average
Cough/sneeze on a disposable napkin and wash your hands	52 (98.11)	1 (1.89)	0 (0.00)	53	1.02
Cough/sneeze over shoulder if a napkin is not available	31 (58.49)	20 (37.74)	2 (37.74)	53	1.45
Keep a distance of 3 feet from others when coughing	30 (58.49)	9 (16.98)	14 (26.42)	53	1.70
Wipe your hands on the inside of your white coat after you cough or sneeze	0 (0.00)	51 (96.23)	2 (3.77)	53	2.04

Table 4 Students responses: evaluate the following statements about the N95 mask

	Yes, n (%)	No, n (%)	I don’t know, n (%)	Total, N	Weighted average
N95 mask must be thrown away after each use	27 (50.94)	13 (24.53)	13 (24.53)	53	1.74
A wet N95 mask can still be used	1 (2.00)	34 (68.00)	15 (30.00)	50	2.28
An N95 mask can be re-used if stored in a sealed plastic bag	12 (23.08)	24 (46.15)	16 (30.77)	52	2.08
N95 mask fit test should be done at least once a year	23 (44.23)	7 (13.46)	22 (42.31)	52	1.98

Table 5 Students responses: in your opinion, which of the following is associated with an increased risk for spread of diseases?

	Strongly disagree, n (%)	Disagree, n (%)	Agree, n (%)	Strongly agree, n (%)	Total, N	Weighted average
Wearing jewelry in a hospital setting	1 (1.92)	18 (34.62)	26 (50.00)	7 (13.46)	52	2.75
Wearing your white coat or scrubs outside the hospital setting (eg, at lunch, gym, home)	2 (3.92)	2 (3.92)	19 (37.25)	28 (54.90)	51	3.43
Wearing artificial fingernails	2 (3.92)	7 (13.73)	19 (37.25)	23 (45.10)	51	3.24
Wearing a necktie	3 (5.88)	17 (33.33)	17 (33.33)	14 (27.45)	51	2.82

Figure 1 Are you satisfied with your training in basic infection prevention and control measures?

Figure 2 Do classmates and/or senior doctors act as role models in the practices of infection prevention and control.