Awareness of post exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus among healthcare professionals in a tertiary care hospital in Telangana, South India

Authors

  • Apoorva Pandharpurkar Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad, Telangana, India
  • Deepak P. Department of General Medicine, Sangareddy Medical College, Telangana, India
  • Manjula B. S. V. Mallareddy Women’s College, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20221009

Keywords:

Healthcare professionals, Post-exposure prophylaxis, HIV, Awareness, Practices

Abstract

Background: India has the third highest number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) population in the world. Health care personnel (HCP) are major risk group for acquiring HIV infection by accidental occupational exposure. Knowledge on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) holds the key to prevent new HIV infections and also helps in reduction of anxiety among HCP in case of accidental exposure. This study was designed to assess the awareness of PEP and to compare the levels of knowledge among various cadres of HCP.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on awareness of PEP among the health care personnel of sample size 360 in a tertiary care centre in urban South India. Universal sampling was done and data was collected for a period of three months. Analysis was done using the Epi info 7.2.

Results: Knowledge of PEP among HCP was found to be 63.57%. Knowledge of PEP among groups of faculties, post graduate (PG) students, interns, nurses and lab technicians was found to be 73.5%, 70.9%, 62.8%, 56.9% and 42.2% respectively. There was poor knowledge among the most vulnerable groups i.e. nurses and lab technicians who handle the blood samples of number of PLHIV on a given day. There was a felt need among the faculty, PGs and interns for a refresher training every year on advances in HIV prophylaxis and treatment.

Conclusions: This study has brought to light the lacunae in awareness of PEP for HIV among HCP. As India has a high prevalence of HIV, and occupational exposure is pretty much inevitable, there is a pressing need to plug the gaps in awareness of PEP.

References

Be in the KNOW, AVERT. Available at: https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/asia-pacific/india Accessed on 30 December 2021.

National AIDS Control Organisation. 2018. Available at: http://naco.gov.in/sites/default/files/ NACO%20-%20National%20Technical%20Guide lines%20on%20ART_October%202018%20%281%29.pdf Accessed on 30 December 2021.

National AIDS Control Organisation. 2018. Available at: http://naco.gov.in/post-exposure-prophylaxis-pep. Accessed on 30 December 2021.

Shivaprakash G, Punya S, Pallavi LC. Assessment of knowledge of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV among healthcare workers (HCWS) at a tertiary care hospital. World J Pharm Pharmaceutical Sci. 2015;4(3):1091-9.

Tebeje B, Hailu C. Assessment of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis use among health workers of governmental health institutions in Jimma Zone, Oromiya Region, Southwest Ethiopia. Ethiopian J Health Sci. 2010;20(1).

Singh R, Kumar M, Rawat C, Rawat V. Awareness and practice of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) of HIV among health-care workers in tertiary care hospital of Haldwani, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2015;4(7):977-81.

Viswanathan S, Jain R, Adhikari MP, Jain A. Awareness of post–exposure prophylaxis guidelines against occupational exposure to HIV among post graduate residents at Mangalore, India. Int J Med Public Health. 2011;1(2).

Agaba PA, Agaba EI, Ocheke AN, Daniyam CA, Akanbi MO, Okeke EN. Awareness and knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus post exposure prophylaxis among Nigerian Family Physicians. Niger Med J. 2012;53(3):155.

Aminde LN, Takah NF, Noubiap JJ, Tindong M, Ngwasiri C, Jingi AM, Kengne AP, Dzudie A. Awareness and low uptake of post exposure prophylaxis for HIV among clinical medical students in a high endemicity setting. BMC Public Health. 2015;15(1):1-9.

Chogle NL, Chogle MN, Divatia JV, Dasgupta D. Awareness of post-exposure prophylaxis guidelines against occupational exposure to HIV in a Mumbai hospital. Nat Med J India. 2002;15(2):69-71.

Aswar NR, Barure BS, Inamdar IF, Tambe SH, Mohammed U, Akanksha J, Doibale MK. HIV post exposure prophylaxis awareness among the nursing staff. J Evol Med Dent Sci. 2014;3(21):5844-9.

Alemu B, Demessie A, Fantahun A, Gebrekirstos K. Awareness of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis of HIV Among Health Care Personnel in Asella Teaching Hospital, Asella Town, South-East Ethiopia, 2014: Cross Sectional Study. Age. 2015;25(43):17-4.

Downloads

Published

2022-04-27

How to Cite

Pandharpurkar, A., P., D., & V., M. B. S. (2022). Awareness of post exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus among healthcare professionals in a tertiary care hospital in Telangana, South India. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 9(5), 2066–2072. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20221009

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles