Original Research Article. 155 | Page Int J Med Res Prof.2018 Nov; 4(6); 155-58. www.ijmrp.com Knowledge about the Standard Precautions among Health Care Workers in Primary Health Care Centers, Ministry of Health, Jeddah 2017 Najat Abdulgader Alghamdi 1* , Sulafa T AlQutub 2 1* FM Residents in Joint Programs of Family Medicine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 2 Consultant Community Medicine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. ABSTRACT Introduction: Health care worker at risk of health associated infection (HAIs) due to their exposure to the patients during carrying out their duties. Health care workers in primary health care centers are the first to detect and to prevent the spread of infection. Standard precautions are regarded as an effective means for protecting health care worker, patients and community. This study aimed to assess the knowledge about the standard precautions and to identify factors associated among health care worker in primary health centers, ministry of health, Jeddah 2017. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers in PHCs in Jeddah during month of December 2017. The sample included general practitioner, family physicians, Dentist, nurses, pharmacist. Data were collected by using self-administered questionnaire which included information about demographic characteristics, health care workers’ knowledge about stander precaution. Data entry, tabulation and analysis were done using IBM SPSS statistical software package version 21. Results: The majority of the participants had good knowledge level. The highest knowledge levels were for the following domains: hand hygiene, respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette, and injection safety. Participants' knowledge grades regarding standard precaution were significantly higher among nurses, those with diploma degree, and those with lower monthly income (p=0.02, p=0.015, and p=0.003). The main information resources were educational courses. Conclusion: The knowledge level for HCWs in PHCs regarding SP was high, with some barriers against complete commitment that can be avoided with regular courses to HCWs and field visit to PHCs. Keywords: Knowledge, Precautions, Protective Equipment. Abbreviations: SP: Standard Precaution; PHCCs: Primary Health Care Centers; MOH: Ministry of Health; HCWs: Health Care Workers; PPE: Personal Protective Equipment; WHO: World Health Organization; CDC: Centers for Disease Control and prevention; SA: Saudi Arabia; CME: Continuous Medical Education. *Correspondence to: Dr. Najat Abdulgader Alghamdi, FM Residents in Joint Programs of Family Medicine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Article History: Received: 11-10-2018, Revised: 07-11-2018, Accepted: 28-11-2018 Access this article online Website: www.ijmrp.com Quick Response code DOI: 10.21276/ijmrp.2018.4.6.037 INTRODUCTION The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines standard precautions as a group of infection prevention practices that apply to all patients, regardless of suspected or confirmed infection status, in any setting in which healthcare is delivered. It is based on the presumption that every person is infected or colonized with an organism that could be transmitted in the healthcare setting and thus health care workers need to apply infection control practices during the delivery of health care. Health care worker at risk of health associated infection (HAIs) due to their exposure to the patients during carrying out their duties. Health care workers in primary health care centers are the first to detect and to prevent the spread of infection. Standard precautions are regarded as an effective means for protecting health care worker, patients and community. They are designed to protects HCWs from infection by applying the basic principles of infection prevention through hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE), needle stick and sharps injury prevention, cleaning and disinfection, respiratory hygiene (cough etiquette), waste disposal and safe injection practices. 1 SPs originated at 1987 instead of universal precaution by CDC, at 2007-2009 WHO has required that SPs guideline included in education and health promotion strategies by all hospital worldwide. WHO estimated globally at least 50% of 12 billion injection administered each year in developing countries are unsafe, this demonstrate serious health risk. Non-adherent to SPs by HCWs has been assumed to be determined by range of factors including lack of knowledge interference with flow of work and perception of probable risk. Several studies reported lack of appropriate knowledge of SPs and infection control was the main predictor for poor compliance, but studies at PHC level are very few.