KNOWLEDGE AND ADHERENCE TO BIOSAFETY PRACTICES BY HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN BRAZIL: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

The objective of this integrative review is to describe the level of knowledge and the degree of adherence of Brazilian health professionals about biosafety practices and their importance in the work environment. The research was conducted between August 2021 to August 2022 using the databases LILACS, BVS, and PUBMED. The studies were selected with the aid of pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria and data collection took place with the aid of a validated collection instrument. Fourteen articles were selected for review, and four topics of discussion were created: 1) Knowledge and adherence to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); 2) Knowledge and adherence to hand hygiene measures; 3) Knowledge and adherence to vaccination programs; 4) Main reasons for ignorance and non-adherence to biosecurity measures. Based on the findings, it was possible to observe that Brazilian professionals have unsatisfactory levels of knowledge in all areas analyzed, and this directly reflects on adherence to biosafety protocols and conducts, which were also deficient. Factors such as lack of continued qualification, deficiency in the provision of biosafety instruments and intense and rushed care flow were also pointed out as obstacles to adherence.