Barriers and Facilitators of Health Care Workers' Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Practices in Health-care Facilities: A Systematic Literature Review.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Health-care-associated infections (HAIs) are prevalent in health-care facilities, with 7%-10% of patients in developed countries acquiring one. In low- and middle-income countries, the incidence is higher. Reducing HAIs is a global priority, requiring effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.<h4>Objectives</h4>This systematic review analyzes barriers and enablers in compliance with IPC procedures in hospitals.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Literature was obtained from the databases such as MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Web of Science, and other sources of gray literature. Government and health-care body websites were also searched for relevant references. The search used Boolean operators to combine keywords and text words in MeSH, title, abstract, and full text.<h4>Results</h4>Several factors can act as barriers or facilitators to health-care workers' compliance with IPC practices. Key barriers include lack of knowledge and training, time constraints, workload, inadequate resources, and cultural and behavioral factors. Key facilitators include leadership and management support, education and training, adequate resources, and monitoring and feedback.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This review aimed to identify factors causing noncompliance with infection control procedures and identify research gaps. Addressing both barriers and facilitators is crucial in promoting a safer health-care environment and reducing the incidence of HAIs.