The determination of nurses' knowledge levels about crimean-congo hemorrhagic disease in terms of various variables: Karbala sample, Iraq

A viral hemorrhagic fever called Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is usually transmitted by ticks. Once the bloodstream is exposed to viraemic animal tissues, the virus enters it, during and immediately after animal slaughter can also lead to the contracting of this fever. CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics and has a high case fatality ratio (10–40%). It's difficult to prevent and treat. CCHF is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Asia. In Iraq, there were many infected cases; according to the last statistics of the Ministry of Health in October 2023, there were 545 infected cases and 70 deaths concerning to CCHF in Iraq. the chose of the nurses because they represent the largest segment in the hospital and serve as the first responders when patients arrive. They carry out various nursing operations that come into direct touch with the patient's fluids and blood, such as intravenous interventions. This research aims to assess the levels of nurses knowledge regarding Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic disease. In other words, it examines how nurses' knowledge levels regarding a certain disease change in terms of different variables. In this sense, the existing knowledge levels of nurses regarding a certain subject are defined. Face-to-face interviews with the nurses will be used to fill out the questionnaire. A cross sectional study was conducted in Karbala city / Imam Hussein Medical City, the largest hospital in this city, a suitable research group due to its high case density and the high number of working nurses, the research was conducted there between August and December 2023. The research included a random sample of 240 nurses who agreed to participate. The questionnaire was created after surveying previous literature, after which expert opinion was taken and the questionnaire was developed and changed by the experts. A pilot study was conducted to verify whether it was applicable or not. Cronbach alpha was 0.78. The research's findings were analyzed and evaluated using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. A chi-squared test was carried out to compare the differences among the mean qualitative variables between groups. It was decided that a probability value of 0.05 was statistically significant. The average score on the calculated questionnaire of knowledge was 14.02 ± 3.81. Results show that nurses had knowledge about the disease (CCHF) and answered most of the questionnaire items in causes, signs and symptoms, transmission, prevention and control of infection, and treatment. The research found that nurses' knowledge was low in some sub-information about the CCHF, such as the incubation period and how to remove ticks. Our research found statistically significant differences between various variables and the level of knowledge about CCHF, male nurses had higher knowledge of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. The group of nurses over 40 years of age had more information than other age groups regarding CCHF. Graduates of the College of Nursing and above have a higher level of knowledge compared to those with other educational levels. Nurses who have taken training courses have higher knowledge than those who have not taken training courses. This result suggests that various factors contributed to the variation in nurses' knowledge about CCHF. To prevent the spread of this disease and combat it, we must work to strengthen and guide these differences to improve the level of knowledge about CCHF, as this knowledge reflects in our work through increasing knowledge can lead to a decrease in the spread of the disease within the hospital and even in the community, providing urgent care to the patient through early diagnosis, knowing the initial signs of the disease taking the necessary measures and using the necessary isolation tools to protect against infection. So its benefits to patients, health workers, and society as a whole. This research recommends updating nurses' knowledge through ongoing educational programs regarding complications and risk factors for patients with CCHF, continuous evaluation of nurses' knowledge and practices to determine nurses' needs, encouraging and facilitating nurses to participate in national and globally nursing care conferences, workshops, and training activities for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever patients, providing educational brochures about the disease, about the correct way to remove ticks and the incubation period of the disease. The research must be repeated with a large sample in order for the results to be generalizable.