Related factors of infection control practice by dental hygienists in some areas

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to assess the cognition and the practice of infection control among dental hygienists, as well as to investigate factors influencing their practice of infection control. Between July 2011 to August 2011, 216 dental hygienists working in the Busan and South Gyeongsang Province region were included as subjects of the survey research. The average of the cognition was 4.36 ± 0.44. The order was as follows (descending): managements of medical wastes, personal protective equipments, disinfection and sterilization of instrument, managements of environments, and hand washing. The average of the practicing was 4.00 ± 0.52. The order was as follows (descending): management of medical wastes, disinfection and sterilization of instrument, personal protective equipments, hand washing, and managements of environments. Factors influencing the actual practice of infection control were included the followings: the awareness of infection control, the workload of dental hygienists, numbers of dentists, and the presence of infection control manuals in the clinic. Based on this study, to improve dental hygienists' level of practicing infection control.