Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control-Online Journal

Full Text of PDF (555K)
Article in Japanese

Environmental Factors Affecting the Behavior Related to Occupational Infection Control in Dental Clinics

Keiko OKAMORI¹⁾, Ryoko SHIBATANI¹⁾, Aiko KOH²⁾ and Mitsuko YOKOUCHI²⁾
¹⁾Public Interest Incorporated Association Osaka Nursing Association, ²⁾Nursing Practice Design / Information Management Field, Kobe Women's University Graduate School of Nursing

The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors that influence the behavior of dentists and dental hygienists working in dental clinics related to occupational infection control. Questionnaires were distributed to 3, 443 dental clinics in Hyogo and Yamagata prefectures from September to November 2020, and 855 copies (24.8% response rate) were completed. The result showed that the person's knowledge of infection control had the greatest impact on actions related to occupational infection control. The number of workshop participations in the past two years affected the possession of knowledge and the opportunities to acquire knowledge. Furthermore, it was suggested that the older the age, the lower the knowledge. The experience of occupational exposure was not associated with behaviors related to occupational infection control. As for the effect of environmental factors on their workplace, the installation of washer-disinfector (W/D) as facility equipment had an effect on behavior through knowledge acquisition. However, the influence of other environmental factors such as the size of the facility and several external factors was not found. This study showed that the possession of knowledge was the most effective factor in influencing behavior related to occupational infection control. Moreover, the opportunities to acquire knowledge can be reflected in the current behavior related to occupational infection control not only through basic education but also by participating in the recent workshops and actively obtaining necessary information from various sources.

Key words：occupational infection control, environmental factor, dental clinics, dentists, dental hygienists

e-mail: k-okamori＠osaka-kangokyokai.or.jp

Received: February 16, 2022
Accepted: July 4, 2022

37 (6)：239─247,2022