Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding contact precautions among Iranian physicians

Objective. To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Iranian physicians regarding contact isolation precautions. Design. Data were collected between May and November 2002 using a cross-sectional survey design. Setting. Teaching hospitals in Shiraz, Iran. Participants. A total of 155 physicians: 78 attending clinicians and 77 resident physician surgeons or internists. Results. The mean scores for knowledge and attitude were acceptable, with 71% of physicians scoring the maximum for knowledge and 65% achieving the maximum scores for attitude, whereas the mean score for practice was low, with only 26% achieving the maximum score. A good level of knowledge be associated with a good attitude (odds ratio [OR], 68.4 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 20.0-285.6];), good practices were associated with good knowledge (OR, 22.5 [95% CI, 7.1-91.3];), and a good attitude was associated P <.001 P <.001 with good practice (OR, 20.0 [95% CI, 5.7-105.2]; P <.001). Conclusion. Although strong associations were found among knowledge, attitude, and practice, the level of compliance with precautions was not nearly as high as it should be.