Assessment of Awareness and Knowledge of Blood Borne Infection Control among Undergraduates in the C.S.M.S.S Dental College & Hospital, Chh. Sambhajinagar - A Questionnaire-Based Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports enlighten us about the cardinal fact that around 5.6 million healthcare providers globally are put at risk of occupationally contracting blood borne pathogens namely human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and others. Focus of this study is to determine the cognizance level of blood-borne infection control (IC) amidst C.S.M.S.S undergraduate dental students. Materials and methods: A survey using a questionnaire with 18 questions was conducted from July to September 2024. This was a cross-sectional survey. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of blood borne infection among undergraduates, postgraduates & clinical practitioners of C.SM.S.S Dental College, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and awareness regarding blood borne infection among Third year, Final year & interns of C.S.M.S.S Dental College. Results: The research group comprised of 300 students, both male and female, in their third and fourth years as well as interns of C.S.M.S.S Dental college., aged between 20 and 25. Most of the participants were devoid of understanding with respect to the effectiveness of the one-hand needle covering technique, the persistence of HBV, HCV, or HIV, the availability of rapid tests, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the optimal timing for accessing PEP, or the indirect method of infection control (IC). Conclusions: There is lack of awareness about diseases that are transmitted through blood, such as HIV and hepatitis. This shows that there is need for better education on these diseases in the medical field. Key words: cross sectional survey; blood borne pathogens; medical educatio