Knowledge and awareness of bloodborne infections among medical laboratory technology students and technicians from a tertiary care teaching hospital in Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional study

Ashraf, Asem Ali; Shamanna, Bindiganavale Ramaswamy

doi:10.21608/mid.2024.296895.1994

Knowledge and awareness of bloodborne infections among medical laboratory technology students and technicians from a tertiary care teaching hospital in Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Nitte (Deemed to be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), Department of Microbiology, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

² Professor, School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

10.21608/mid.2024.296895.1994

Abstract

Background: Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) technicians and students must be aware of how to mitigate the risk of occupationally acquired bloodborne infections and adapt their methods to handle patient samples with bloodborne illnesses. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of awareness and knowledge regarding bloodborne infections and the prevention of their transmission among MLT technicians and undergraduate students at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Karnataka, India. Methods: A prospective, anonymous questionnaire-based cross-sectional study involving 171 study participants (120 MLT undergraduate students and 51 MLT technicians) was conducted over a period of 3 months, from November 2023 to January 2024. Data were collected via online questionnaire forms (Google Forms). Results: The majority of the study participants were female (77.4%). Approximately 60% of the MLT technicians were in the age group of 23-27 years, and 45.8% of MLT students were in the age group of 19-20 years. Most of the MLT technicians (96 %) scored >70% points, whereas in contrast, most of the MLT students (56.8%) scored between 50-70%. Overall, MLT technicians scored highly across all domains of this study compared to MLT students. Conclusion: Several MLT students gave inconsistent replies to multiple questions, demonstrating a lack of understanding of the topic at hand. To emphasize the significance of preventing the spread of bloodborne infections and provide MLT technicians and students with the skills and self-assurance to manage occupational exposures, frequent and comprehensive training sessions and educational activities are essential.

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