Influencing factors for standard precautions behaviors of primary health care workers based on structural equation model

OBJECTIVE To understand the current status of standard precautions knowledge, behaviors of the primary health care workers and analyze the influencing factors so as to provide bases for improving the standard precaution behaviors of the primary health care workers.

METHODS A total of 1320 primary health care workers from a district of Luoyang were recruited as the research subjects. In Dec. 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted by using self-designed questionnaires on standard precautions knowledge, behavior scales, and Health Belief Model (HBM) scales. The survey data were treated with statistical description, reliability and validity tests and structural equation model (SEM) fitting.

RESULTS A total of 1205 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate 91.29% (1205/1320). Among the primary health care workers, 45.64% mastered standard precautions knowledge, and 62.99% could implement standard precautions behaviors. There was significant difference in the score of standard precautions knowledge among the health care workers of different genders and age (P < 0.05); the significant differences in standard precautions behavior scores were observed among the health care workers of different genders, professional titles, work regions, and unit natures (P < 0.05). After the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) theory was integrated with the Health Belief Model, the knowledge, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy had direct impacts on standard precautions behaviors during the implementation process of standard precautions, with direct effect values 0.054, 0.112, 0.276, -0.062, 0.223 and 0.213, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS The awareness rate of standard precautions and the implementation level of related behaviors are relatively low among the primary health care workers. The standard precautions behaviors can be remarkable improved by designing reasonable training programs to improve medical staff′s knowledge, perceived severity, perceived benefits, cues to action and self-efficacy, while by reducing perceived barriers.