Knowledge, attitude, and practices related to standard precautions of surgeons and physicians in university-affiliated hospitals of Shiraz, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To measure levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward standard precautions (SP) in medical practitioners of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences affiliated hospitals in Iran. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, knowledge, attitude, and practice related to SP among four medical staff groups - surgeons, surgical residents, physicians and medical residents - were assessed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Across the four medical staffing groups the median levels of knowledge ranged from 6 to 7 (maximum score 9), median attitude scores were high ranging from 35 to 36 (maximum score 45), while median practice scores were low, ranging from 2 to 3 (maximum score 9). A moderate relationship between knowledge and attitudes was found in surgical residents and medical residents (r=0.397, p=0.030 and r=0.554, p=0.006, respectively). No significant correlation was found between knowledge and practice between the groups. A significant but poor (r=0.399, p=0.029) relationship between attitude and practice was found in surgical residents. CONCLUSION: Specific training programs may have to target newly graduated medical practitioners to establish acceptance of appropriate practices that will enable them to adopt and adhere to SP while their older counterparts may require more intense continuous assistance.