ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis infection control is a combination of measures designed to minimize the risk of tuberculosis transmission within populations. Healthcare workers are not sufficiently protected from tuberculosis infection in healthcare facilities where infection control protocols are not followed completely. Studies conducted in Ethiopia about tuberculosis infection control practices were self-report. OBJECTIVE: To assess tuberculosis infection control practices and associated factors among health care workers in hospitals of Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia. METHOD: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 6 to April 2, 2019. The sample size was 422. The sample was proportionally allocated to each hospital and the respective discipline. Simple random sampling was used to select participants from each discipline. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.4.2.1 and analyzed using SPSS Version 21 software. Multicollinearity and Model goodness-of-fit was checked. A multivariate logistic regression model at 95% CI was used to identify the predictors. RESULT: The response rate was 97.4%. The proportion of good tuberculosis infection control practice was 39.9% [95% CI (35.5, 44.9)]. Knowledge on tuberculosis infection control measures [AOR = 3.65, 95% CI (2.07, 6.43)], educational level of degree and above [AOR = 2.78, 95% CI (1.7, 4.53)] and ever having tuberculosis-related training [AOR = 2.02, 95% CI (1.24, 3.31)] were significantly associated with good tuberculosis infection control practice. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The proportion of good tuberculosis infection control practice among healthcare workers in hospitals of the Gamo Gofa Zone was 39.9%. The good practice of tuberculosis infection control was determined by educational level, working department, knowledge on tuberculosis infection control measures, and having tuberculosis-related training. Hence, training of healthcare workers, targeting diploma-holders in upgrading educational level programs, developing knowledge on tuberculosis infection control measures, and qualitative research to explore reasons for not practicing infection control measures is recommended.
