Determinants of compliance with infection prevention measures by physicians: a scoping review

Abstract

Despite evidence that application of infection prevention measures can reduce healthcare-associated infections, compliance with these measures is low, especially among physicians. Intervention effects often do not sustain. An overview of determinants for physicians' infection prevention behaviour and successful behaviour change strategies is lacking. The aim of this review was to identify what determinants influence physicians' infection prevention behaviour, what strategies to improve compliance have been explored, and whether theories, models, and frameworks from implementation science have been used in these studies. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, APA PsycInfo and Web of Science up to June 2^nd, 2023, in collaboration with a medical information specialist. All study types focusing on infection prevention behaviour of physicians in high-income countries were included. Data on determinants and strategies was extracted; determinants were categorized into the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Fifty-six articles were included. The TDF domains 'environmental context and resources', 'social influences', 'beliefs about consequences', 'memory, attention and decision-making', 'knowledge', and 'skills' were found most relevant. The prevailing determinant covers a theme outside the TDF: socio-demographic factors. Sustainable interventions are multimodal approaches that at least include feedback, education, and a champion. Theories, models, and frameworks have rarely been used to guide implementation strategy development. In conclusion, it was found that intervention studies rarely specify the determinants that they aim to address and they lack theoretical underpinning. Future initiatives should combine knowledge about determinants with implementation science to develop theory-based interventions tailored to determinants.

Keywords: Compliance; Determinants; Infection prevention; Physicians; Strategies; Theoretical domains framework.