{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T18:46:20Z","timestamp":1792089980637,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791763200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Infection Prevention"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim\/Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To assess the knowledge and practice of infection prevention and control (IPC) among community health extension workers (CHEWs) in primary healthcare facilities in Southeast Nigeria and examine the relationship between IPC knowledge and preventive practices.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A cross-sectional study was conducted among 328 CHEWs in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria, using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured pre-tested questionnaire and analysed with IBM SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed at\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2264 0.05. Most respondents were female (53.7%) and had received previous IPC training (91.8%). Overall, 97.3% demonstrated good IPC knowledge. High compliance with IPC practices was reported, including hand hygiene (88.1%), consistent use of personal protective equipment (90.9%), safe injection practices (98.2%), and proper sharps disposal (95.4%). Significant associations were observed between IPC knowledge and all assessed preventive practices (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &lt; 0.001).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings suggest high levels of IPC knowledge and self-reported compliance among CHEWs in primary healthcare settings. Regular training, workplace monitoring, and availability of IPC policies may have contributed to these outcomes. However, gaps in hand hygiene consistency and IPC supply availability indicate the need for sustained institutional support.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Significance and Impact<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Strengthening continuous IPC training, supportive supervision, and access to essential IPC resources may improve frontline preparedness and reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections in resource-limited primary healthcare settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/17571774261497951","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T22:19:13Z","timestamp":1791843553000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Knowledge and self-reported infection prevention and control practices among community health extension workers in primary healthcare facilities in Southeast Nigeria"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"given":"Etiedu","family":"Christopher Ekara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2408-9006","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Uju Maryanne","family":"Onuorah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Friday Anigor","family":"Nwelibe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beluchi Denise","family":"Emma-Echiegu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ebonyi State University of ICT"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jennifer Amalachi","family":"Okolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2151-8825","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chiamaka Patience","family":"Odo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_7_2_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Knowledge and application of standard precautions by health care workers in a lassa fever endemic region of Nigeria","volume":"2","author":"Alice TE","year":"2013","unstructured":"Alice TE, Duru CB, Awunor NS, et al. (2013) Knowledge and application of standard precautions by health care workers in a lassa fever endemic region of Nigeria. International Journal of Basic, Applied and Innovative Research 2(1): 1\u20139.","journal-title":"International Journal of Basic, Applied and Innovative Research"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(10)61458-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_4_1","volume-title":"Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Nurses in Infection Prevention and Control Within a Tertiary Hospital in Zambia","author":"Chitimwango PC","year":"2017","unstructured":"Chitimwango PC (2017) Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Nurses in Infection Prevention and Control Within a Tertiary Hospital in Zambia. Master\u2019s Thesis. Stellenbosch University."},{"key":"e_1_3_7_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-018-3277-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13690-018-0314-0"},{"issue":"416","key":"e_1_3_7_7_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Knowledge, attitude and practice of infection prevention measures among health care workers in Wolaitta Sodo Otona teaching and referral hospital","volume":"6","author":"Hussein S","year":"2017","unstructured":"Hussein S, Estifanos W, Melese E, et al. (2017) Knowledge, attitude and practice of infection prevention measures among health care workers in Wolaitta Sodo Otona teaching and referral hospital. 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BMC Health Services Research 22: 598. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12913-022-07981-6","journal-title":"BMC Health Services Research"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.infpip.2022.100214"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_3_7_13_1","first-page":"258","article-title":"Compliance with hand disinfection and its impact on hospital-acquired infections","volume":"68","author":"Pittet D","year":"2018","unstructured":"Pittet D (2018) Compliance with hand disinfection and its impact on hospital-acquired infections. Journal of Hospital Infection 68(4): 258\u2013263. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0195-6701(03)00112-9","journal-title":"Journal of Hospital Infection"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2018.06.021"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/0300-1652.103543"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/673979"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(21)00809-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_18_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2015) Severe Acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): multi-Country outbreak update. 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