No Abstract available.
Catheter-Related Infections*

BACKGROUND: Respiratory infection in pregnancy can cause various side effects and affect the fetus. Therefore, efforts to prevent infection during pregnancy are essential. This study investigated knowledge and compliance regarding the prevention of respiratory infection among pregnant women. METHODS: A survey was conducted on May 10, 2012 on 300 pregnant women who attended a maternity school education program in a tertiary care hospital. The responses of 259 women were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Only 2 women (0.8%) had been educated about respiratory infection prevention methods, while 106 (40.9%) experienced respiratory infection during pregnancy. The mean score of respiratory infection prevention knowledge was 11.63 out of 15 points (percentage of correct answers: 77.5%). The mean score for compliance to respiratory infection prevention was 32.34 out of 52 points (percentage of practice: 62.19%). Knowledge and compliance were found to be positively correlated. CONCLUSION: Although many pregnant women experience respiratory infection during pregnancy, few have opportunities to be educated about prevention. Thus, the positive correlation between knowledge and compliance highlights the need for respiratory infection prevention education programs.
Compliance ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Tertiary Healthcare

BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine the knowledge of nursing and allied health-college students on cough etiquette and their actual compliance to it. METHODS: For data collection, a structured questionnaire was created and handed out to students from 3 colleges from November 9 to November 18, 2011. The questionnaires were distributed to 300 students, and responses from 253 students were used for data analysis. RESULTS: In total, 54.85% students provided correct answers to questions regarding their knowledge on cough etiquette. The compliance score was 34.39 (compliance rate: 61.41%). There was a positive association between knowledge of proper cough etiquette and compliance with those procedures. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that college student's knowledge of cough etiquette is low, and subsequently that their compliance with the proper procedures of cough etiquette was low. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a program to build knowledge of proper cough etiquette amongst these students.
Compliance ; Cough ; Data Collection ; Hand ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: Health care workers(HCWs) are more likely to become infected with tuberculosis from patients in the hospital. When HCWs have an active tuberculosis infection, it is possible that they also become a source of infections to other HCWs and patients. METHODS: Tuberculin tests were performed with mantoux method using 5 units of tuberculin by infection control practitioners on Feb. 21, and Mar. 7, 1997. A total of 138 newly employed HCWs including 44interns and 94 nurses were tested. Results of skin test were interpreted by themselves according to the instructions. RESULTS: Among 138 personels, skin tests were negative in 27 personels (19.6%); 4 interns (9.1%) and 23 nurses (24.5%). There were 3 persons (2.2%) who had a history of tuberculosis which had been treated. CONCLUSION: The study showed that approximately 20% of newly employed HCWs had negative tuberculin skin test. Given the possibility of being infected with tuberculosis in the hospital, regular follow up of tuberculin skin test is warranted to protect HCWs,
Delivery of Health Care* ; Humans ; Infection Control Practitioners ; Skin Tests* ; Skin* ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculin* ; Tuberculosis

No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge of the general public about novel influenza and the extent of preventive measures undertaken when information on novel influenza and its preventive measures was extensively broadcasted during the novel influenza outbreak. METHODS: Between September 21 and October 31, self-report questionnaires were distributed to 1,200 persons. The completed questionnaires were collected from 1,025 persons. The collected data was used to determine the frequency and percentage as well as to conduct analyses such as t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression by using SPSS WIN 12.0. RESULTS: The knowledge on novel influenza and the performance of preventive measures were scored at 6.58 and 5.10, respectively, on a scale of 12. This finding suggested that the knowledge on novel influenza and the performance of preventive measures were low. The significant factors influencing the participants' knowledge on novel influenza were age and the experience of watching relevant educational programs on television, whereas the factors influencing the performance of preventive measures were academic career, working status, and the experience of watching relevant educational programs on television. Between knowledge and implementation of preventive measures, there was positive correlation at low level (r=0.112, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that factors influencing the knowledge on and the performance of preventive measures against a disease should be considered when developing prevention strategies, such as broadcast of educational programs on television, against influenza or similar infectious diseases during an outbreak.
Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Logistic Models ; Pandemics ; Television ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the actual state of influenza vaccination among pregnant women and factors affecting vaccination rate. METHODS: Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Participants were pregnant women who participated in a prenatal education program at an acute care hospital in 2013. Data collected from 218 pregnant women were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 Program. RESULTS: Only 48.6% of the pregnant women had received vaccination when the influenza was prevalent. Statistically significant factors affecting the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women were vaccination experience in the previous year, knowledge and attitude about vaccination, and gestation period. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women is lower than that of elders, healthcare workers, and patients with chronic diseases, who have been considered to be the mandatory vaccination recipients. Therefore, it is necessary to develop programs and policies which provide information including safety of vaccines for pregnant women and to induce positive attitudes towards vaccination for these women, in order to ultimately improve the vaccination rate.
Adult ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/*immunology ; Influenza, Human/*prevention & control ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women/*psychology ; Questionnaires ; Vaccination/*statistics & numerical data

BACKGROUND: Prevention of respiratory infection among workers in geriatric facilities is important because the workers can transmit these infections to the elderly. Therefore, this study intended to assess the knowledge and compliance of preventive behavior against respiratory tract infection among these workers. METHODS: Data were collected from 202 workers in geriatric facilities via a questionnaire-based survey from July 19 to August 8, 2014. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: Among the workers, 44.6% experienced respiratory tract infection in the last 1 year. The score for knowledge of respiratory tract infection prevention among the workers was 10.6 points out of 12. The average score for compliance of the preventive behavior against respiratory tract infection was 34.6 points out of 48. The correlation between preventive knowledge and compliance of the preventive behavior against respiratory tract infection was not verified (r=0.00, P=0.967). CONCLUSION: In this study, the level of knowledge of respiratory infection prevention among the workers in the elderly care facility was high. However, the level of compliance was not sufficiently high. In addition, no correlation was found between their preventive knowledge and compliance. Therefore, a preventive program that focuses on the compliance of respiratory infection prevention rather than on its knowledge needs to be developed.
Aged ; Compliance* ; Humans ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections*

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the current status of vaccination against the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus among university students from the fields of nursing and allied health from a local community and verify factors influencing vaccination. METHODS: The study included 227 students in the fields of nursing and allied health from a provincial university. Data were obtained from these participants between May 31 and June 11, 2010 by using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: The rate of vaccination against the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus for these participants was 14.5%. No difference was observed in this regard between majors and school year. Factors that influence vaccination against this virus included previous vaccination against seasonal influenza and participants' attitudes toward general vaccination. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that for effective pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination of university students from the fields of nursing and allied health, students who have not been vaccinated should be intensively managed. Developing a vaccination program that encourages a positive attitude toward vaccination is recommended.
Adult ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/*immunology ; Influenza Vaccines/*immunology ; Influenza, Human/epidemiology/prevention & control ; Male ; Pandemics ; Questionnaires ; Students, Health Occupations/*psychology ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Vaccination/*statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The usage of appropriate disinfectants is essential for infection control in a hospital. Inadequate use of disinfectants is the cause of human or environmental toxicity and is a waste of cost. The objective of this study was to describe the status of the usage of disinfectants in Korean hospitals. METHOD: One hundred and eighty three hospitals of over 300 beds were investigated by a questionnaire distributed by mall. Data collection was done on November 1999. The questionnaire was made by the Association of Infection Control Nurses in Korea, based on references and protocols of the Korean Society of Nosocomial Infection Control. Numerical and percentage data were analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: The collection rate of the questionnaire was 43.7% (80/300). Thirty five hospitals (46.7%) had an official process in selecting disinfectants in their hospitals. Regarding skin antiseptics, 10% povidone iodine and 70% alcohol were commonly used in skin preparation for intravenous catheterization or pre-operative skin disinfection, For disinfection of mucosal membranes such as mouth and periurethral area, 3% boric acid solution or 3% H202 were used. Most of the hospitals decontaminated contaminated medical instruments manually with dodecyl diamino ethyl glycine (20.8%). glutaraldehyde (15.6%). quaternary ammonium compounds (13.8%), virkon (12.3%) and sodium hypochlorites (11.7%). Glutaraldehyde and virkon were frequently used for disinfection of endoscopes. Sodium hypochlorites (48.9%) and quaternary ammonium compounds (19.8%) were the most commonly used environmental disinfectants. Some noticeable problems in disinfectants were as follows. First, for mouth care, many hospitals (41.7%) over-used boric acid, which has cumulative toxicity for humans. Second, many hospitals had an incorrect protocol of disinfecting endoscopes. Third, for environmental decontamination and instrument cleaning, some hospitals used high level disinfectants such as glutaraldehyde, which is too costly and provides unnecessary safety problems. Fourth, after patient discharge, many hospitals did not use disinfectants at all. Considering the specific Korean medical environment of high incidence of multi-drug resistant microorganisms, use of disinfectants for discharged environments may be warranted. CONCLUSION: This study included only hospitals of over 300 beds, which has a limitation in representing the status of disinfectants usage in a country. However, significant problems from misunderstanding the basic principles of disinfectants and misusages of disinfectants were observed in this investigation. These observations will provide useful information for designing a guideline for the appropriate uses and for efficient education of disinfectants, and also for planning a national control program for proper disinfectants usage in this country.
Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Data Collection ; Decontamination ; Disinfectants* ; Disinfection ; Education ; Endoscopes ; Glutaral ; Glycine ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Korea* ; Membranes ; Mouth ; Patient Discharge ; Povidone-Iodine ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; Skin ; Sodium ; Surveys and Questionnaires