Evaluation of Medical Staff Knowledge about Chemical Pollutants in the Indoor Air of Hospitals in Najaf, Iraq
Abstract
Background: The preservation of life depends on effective control and prevention of chemical pollutants. Healthcare professionals serve as the primary defense against various toxic substances found in the indoor air of hospitals. However, the effectiveness of infection control may be compromised by a lack of professional knowledge. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate healthcare personnel's understanding of chemical contaminants in hospital indoor air and to assess the relationship between their knowledge levels and various independent and dependent variables. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted across three hospitals in Najaf between mid-December 2023 and late March 2024. Data were collected from 515 healthcare professionals through a randomly selected self-report questionnaire, which was subsequently analyzed using statistical methods. Results: The findings revealed that the majority of the participants (51.8%) were women, primarily aged between 20 and 29 years. Half of the respondents held bachelor's degrees and 54.6% had less than five years of professional experience. Additionally, 30.1% of the participants had received vocational training, while 27.0% had worked in laboratory settings. Notably, only 27.8% of the respondents demonstrated a commendable level of general knowledge regarding chemical pollutants. All sociodemographic characteristics were significantly correlated with knowledge level, except for sex, which showed no significant correlation. Furthermore, a significant proportion of the health professionals (68.0%) exhibited only moderate levels of understanding. Conclusions: It is crucial for local authorities to consistently provide training for healthcare workers on the topic of chemical indoor air pollution to enhance their knowledge. Our analysis revealed a strong correlation between participation in training programs and knowledge level. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between the educational attainment of healthcare personnel and their age, with most participants being young and relatively new to the profession.
Keywords: knowledge, health workers, chemical pollution, air pollution, cross-sectional.
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