Biosafety: physiotherapy students’ knowledge about techniques and behavior in cross-infection control

Abstract

Introduction: Biosafety is the set of measures applied to prevent the spread of infectious agents. Through biosafety, it is possible to avoid and inhibit the risks that compromise the health of the individual, animals and the environment. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge about undergraduate biosafety in physiotherapy and physiotherapists. Methods: The work was a field research with a defined universe, and classified as descriptive and exploratory-quantitative-qualitative. The sample consisted of 93 physiotherapy students from the Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná (State University of Northern Paraná), Jacarezinho, Brazil, and 10 professionals working in the region. Data were collected through a questionnaire on knowledge about biosafety and cross-infections. A statistical analysis was performed using SPPS software version 25.0 and the data found in the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, with the variables in median and interquartile range (25% -75%). The chi-square test was applied to search for statistically significant differences between the different years of the physiotherapy course and the trained professionals. Through content analysis, open, treatment and analysis of qualitative data were chosen. The level of significance adopted was 5%. Results: There is a small deficit in the knowledge in biosafety, however, this knowledge increased to some extent with the evolution of students in the course (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Most students and professionals have enough knowledge to control or even eradicate the risks of certain activities and prevent cross-infection in the practice of physiotherapy. The perceived deficit in knowledge in biosafety can be easily resolved with the adequate dissemination of knowledge on the subject.