Perceptions of physicians on infection control activities in Turkish hospitals: A cross-sectional survey

Background: Most countries practice some form of infection control (IC) to minimize hospital-acquired infections. There is still considerable diversity in IC activities in Turkey. Little is known about practical issues and perceptions of physicians regarding IC in Turkey. Methods: The authors developed an 11-item questionnaire addressing questions on IC activities. Physicians attending a national infection control meeting (n = 285) were asked to participate. Results: The response rate was 86%. Respondents from nonuniversity teaching hospitals stated a higher involvement in IC. Physicians from university hospitals were in greater need of IC training. Conclusions: Academic hospitals are particularly concerned with IC. Domains such as surveillance of endemic hospital infections, specific preventive protocols, antibiotics policy, and staff education should be addressed by IC committees. IC is well established in Turkey, but there is still a long way to go to reach the standards found in developed countries. (Am J Infect Control 2002;31:325-8.)