• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.99-113
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• 2008

In order to protect Rescue 119 workers exposed on the spot from potential infection, this study identified their awareness and practices of infection control so that it could help preventing them from infection and also provide basic materials necessary for pre-hospital infection control. This study applied questionnaire survey to total 215 Rescue 119 workers at fire stations in Jeonbuk province, Jeonnam province and Gwangju city from July 14 to Sept. 14, 2006 for the benefit of data collection. The questionnaire about possible associations between awareness and practices of infection control consisted of total 46 times across 6 categories such as washing hands during emergency activities ; fluid therapy and injection ; respirator maintenance; individual hygienics ; disinfectant supplies and equipments maintenance ; and control of infectious wastes. And collected data were processed using SPSS statistic program to analyze frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, Pearson's correlation coefficient, t-test and one-way ANOVA. As a result, this study came to the following conclusions : In terms of awareness about infection control, our respondents showed highest awareness about infectious waste control, and also showed highest level of practices in washing hands during emergency activities. Throughout all domains, awareness means were higher than practice means. In particular, infectious waste control was the domain of significant differences between awareness and practices. In terms of associations between awareness and individual characteristics, it was found that female rescue worker group and hospital/general hospital career group (before joining the Rescue 119) showed significantly higher awareness on statistic level. In regard to associations between individual characteristics and practices, it was found that female rescue worker group showed higher level of practices than male group on statistic level. This study also analyzed correlations between rescue workers' awareness and practice of infection control. As a result, it was found that the higher awareness was in correlations with the higher practices across all 6 domains including washing hands. In addition, the higher awareness of a questionnaire item was in significantly positive correlations with the higher practice of other items. However, our respondents showed high awareness about anti-infection, but low practices in reality. This indicates necessity of devising possible solutions to improve the practices as much as awareness. Especially, it was noted that major reasons for insufficient practices of infection control guideline come from unhabituated practices and lack of supports for infection-preventing supplies and protective device (mask, etc). Hence, it is necessary to provide more infection-preventing supplies for local rescue workers sufficiently, in parallel with steady habituation of infection control. Furthermore, it is required to manage and study infection control policies even at pre-hospital step in efforts for effective infection control, education and activities.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2017

This study aims to determine the changes in health beliefs and practices of dental hygienists on infection control after having received special training on that subject. The study population consisted of dental hygienists working at the dental institutions located in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. The intervention group and the control group each had randomly assigned 26 dental hygienists. The intervention group received training courses on infection control once a week for 3 hours, for a total of 4 training sessions. We used a survey tool to find the changes between the two groups regarding their health beliefs and practices on infection control measures. The survey was conducted prior to the training sessions, 3 months and 2 weeks after the training. The study results revealed statistically significant increases in perceived sensitivity, perceived seriousness, and perceived benefits after the training courses in the intervention group (p<0.05). A statistically significant decrease in perceived barriers was also noted in the intervention group (p<0.05). Additionally, there was a statistically significant increase in the practice of infection control in the intervention group as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Therefore, we conclude that infection control training is crucial in bringing about positive changes to the health beliefs of dental hygienists, and a structured system is necessary for continuous infection management along with training in order to improve infection control practices.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.27-37
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• 2020

This study investigated the relationship between knowledge of COVID-19, the risk of exposure to subjective infectious diseases, and the degree of infection control practices for dental personnel. For dental personnel currently working in dentistry, a survey consisting of 10 questions about COVID-19 knowledge and 63 questions about infection control practices was conducted. This study analyzed 126 survey data collected by distributing questionnaires form May 30 to June 20, 2020. Data was analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. The average level of knowledge of COVID-19 was 5.44 out of 10, the average risk of exposure to infectious diseases was 3.86 out of 5, and the average level of infection control practices was 4.05 out of 5. The risk of exposure to infectious diseases was positively correlated with dental waste (r=.184). It was found that there was a significant positive correlation between infection control practices and sub-factors of infection control practices (p<0.001). To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and infectious diseases and to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases for dental personnel, the practice of infection control should be improved. It is necessary to cultivate infection control experts and have mandatory infection control education and social regulations.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.137-148
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• 2011

Objectives : The objectives of this study were to investigate the infection control practices of practicing dental hygienists. Methods : This research was based on self-filling survey which 149 dental hygienists in dental clinic and dental hospital on October 2009. For the data analysis, an SPSS WIN 11.5 program was used and its signification level was 0.05. The following shows the results of this study. Results : 1. There was significant difference in there practice about sterilization and disinfection of dental instrument depending upon the respondent' career(p<0.05). 2. There was significant difference to were gloves and a apron according to type of service(p<0.05). 3. There was significant difference in the time to change the gown according to experience of education factors infection control(p<0.05). Conclusions : The majority of dental hygienists surveyed reported altering infection control practices and treatment techniques. While there has been an improvement in compliance with recommended infection control guidelines. Even though there is a need for continuing infection control education for dental hygienists.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.190-203
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• 2003

Background: Dental hygienists are at risk of acquiring infections through exposure to infectious agents. This study explores the frequency of exposure to infectious agents and infection control practices among dental hygienists. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional survey to examine the exposure to infectious agents and infection control practices among dental hygienists through questionnaire. Data were obtained from 124 dental hygienists attending educational conferences. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors that effect infection control practices in relation to age, completion of infection control education, recognition of their own serum hepatitis Ag/Ab status, the number of one day patients, location of clinics, type of clinics, and career years. Result: Of the 124 dental hygienists, 91.7% were exposed to at least one accident such as needle stick injuries during their practices periods. The health screening coverage rate in dental hygienists was 16.5%. The number of one day patients and career years were important in relation to infection control practices among dental hygienists. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for career years were 5.049 times greater(95% Cl 1.238-20.597) for groups with over 4 career years than under 2 career years. That for the number of one day patients were 0.261(95% Cl 0.071-0.955) lower for through 20 up to 30 patients, 0.531(95% Cl 0.102-2.78) lower for through 30 up to 40 patients and 0.498(95% Cl 0.123-2.017) lower for more than 40 patients than under 20 patients. Conclusion: From these results, prevalence of infection control practices among dental hygienists is related to the number of one day patients and career years. Prevention of cross infection and reduction of future transmission should be a priority to dental hygienists for promotion of infection control and further efforts to educate newcomers on infection prevention should be made.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.319-320
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• 2023

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.95-107
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• 2019

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the infection management awareness and infection prevention management status of students who participated in occupational therapy and clinical practice. Methods : The study was carried out from June 27th to August 4th, 2017, to survey the awareness and practice of infection control in 11 practice institutes among 193 students who had experience in 8 universities. Results : A total of 93.3 % of the respondents said that they needed education about infectious diseases, but 53.3 % of them did not receive infection prevention education at school or in clinical trial institutes. Hygienic practices for infection prevention and infection control practices related to handwashing were high, but the use of protective equipment was poor in the observation of swallowing disorder treatment. It is also important to educate students who have been trained in infection control. However, infection prevention training at universities and training centers is insufficient suggesting the importance of future infection education. Conclusion : Infection control education to prevent infection is necessary not only for clinicians but also for students participating in on-the-job training. Effective efforts are also needed in universities and clinical practice institutes so that infectious disease prevention education can be implemented. This study provides basic data for infection control education in universities and practice educational institute that perform clinical training and occupational therapy.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.953-961
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the infection control practice and performance study on knowledge of dental hygienist between their knowledge and general characteristics. Methods : The subjects in this study are 305 dental hygienists who received local in-service education on December 10, 2011 and February 28, 2012. Results : The infection prevention knowledge and performance are higher as work experience is more (p<.05), as the education level is higher and when they have undergone in-service education (p<.001). Also these are higher when they are working in the dentist at the present (p<.001). The infection prevention practice are different with respect to ages (p<.01), work experience (p<.001), and the highest level of education (p<.01). There are correlations between the infection control practices and knowledge, performance and knowledge. As the practice level is higher, it is shown that the performance is higher (r=.049, p=.01). Conclusions : It would be necessary to develop the systematic and continuous program in infection control education and to build system which makes in-service training for dental hygienists mandatory. These could improve the level of infection prevention knowledge, practice and performance of dental hygienists to prevent the exposure to infection of the people.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.349-359
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• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of this study was two-fold : to describe the level of recognition of nosocomial respiratory infections by ICU nurses and to compare self evaluation and objective evaluation of nosocomial respiratory infection control practices by ICU nurses. Method: Data were collected from 78 nurses in intensive care units in one university affiliated hospital in Kyung Ki Province. Data were collected from March 4 to March 18, 2002. The recognition and self evaluation data were collected through a self report questionnaire and an objective evaluation which was done by observing the actual behavior of the nurses. Result: The results of this study showed that there was a significant positive relationship between recognition scores and self evaluation scores. However, there was no significant relationship between level of recognition and objective evaluation, nor between self evaluation and objective evaluation of infection control Practices by ICU nurses. Conclusion: ICU nurses In this study gave higher scores on self evaluation of their practice than were shown in the observation evaluation of actual practice. Moreover, in the objective evaluation the nurses had the lowest score on the item, 'washing hands before taking care of patients'. The results indicate that it is necessary to develop a standardized practice manual on nosocomial respiratory infection control in the ICU. Also, it is necessary to have a program to transfer knowledge into actual practice.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.327-334
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was done to examine the awareness and management practice of operating room nurses, to prevent nosocomial infection, to identify problems and to propose solutions. Method: The research tools used were the hospital infection control guideline and a modified version of the measurment tools used in the study of Cho (1998). The questionnaire consisted of questions on hand washing, personal hygiene and clothes control, cleaning and environment control, sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The collected data were analysed with the SPSS program. Results: The mean score for domain-specific awareness of nosocomial infection control was 4.81 out of a possible 5 points. The highest score was for sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The mean score for domain-specific practices of nosocomial infection control was 4.40, out of a possible 5 points. Sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials had the highest scores. The mean score for awareness in all domains was higher than mean score for practice. Among the general characteristics of the nurses, high awareness was found only in the provision of infection control guidelines and it had shown statistically significant difference. Examination of relation of general characteristics to practice showed that for age, career, the provision of infection control guidelines, and experience in infection control education there were statistically significant differences in the scores. For the relation between awareness of nosocomial infection control and practice, positive correlation was found in all domains, thus high awareness leads to high practice. Conclusion: Considering the result of this research, plans are needed that promote virtual practice of hospital infection control.