Appraising the Knowledge, Perception, Attitude and Practice of Occupational Health and Safety among Physiotherapists in an Under-Staffed Healthcare Settings

Abstract

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a concept designed to prevent work-related hazards. The leeway for widespread practice of OHS among healthcare professionals underscores its appraisal on profession-specific basis, particularly in under-staffed settings. Aim: We determined the knowledge, perceptions, attitude and practice of OHS among physiotherapists at selected hospitals in the southern sector of Ghana. Methods: The Practicing physiotherapists within the sector were purposively sampled to participate in the cross-sectional survey. Their e-mail and WhatsApp addresses were obtained from the registry of the Ghana Physiotherapy Association. Google software link was created for the completion of a validated questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, perception and practice of OHS. Percentages and proportions were used to summarize demographic profiles. Associations of their knowledge and perceptions with socio-demographics, were performed using Pearson Chi-square test at p<0.05. Results: One hundred and three physiotherapists (mean age; 30.66 ± 5.49 years) participated in the study of which male accounts for 52, (50.1%). 91 (88.3%) respondents had practiced less than 10 years. High proportions of the physiotherapists demonstrated adequate specific knowledge on physical hazards (89.3%), perceived risks of work-related hazards (93.2%), which were not significantly associated with their gender, and years of practice experience (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated adequate knowledge, perception, attitude, and practice of OHS among the physiotherapists. The highly perceived occupational hazards in their practice suggests exigency for adequate support to ensure positive occupational environment.