Barriers to adherence to standard precautions among community health workers: a scoping review

Abstract

Aim This review aims to map available evidence on the adherence level and barriers to standard precautions among home-based community health workers. Methods A scoping review using the JBI protocol searched multiple databases (Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science) as well as Google Scholar for published articles on standard precaution practices of community health workers during home visits. Search terms included “standard precautions”, “guideline adherence”, “community health” and “home care”. Two-stage screening (title/abstract and full-text) was conducted to select relevant articles. Results Eight eligible studies yielded three major themes: home environment context, individual factors and organisational factors. Findings indicated low adherence to standard precautions in home care, attributed to factors such as home layout, family or pet interference, cleanliness, limited access to protective equipment (e.g. gloves) and personal protective equipment allergies. Conclusion Providing healthcare at home is challenging, impacting care quality. Further studies on standard precautions in home care can improve adherence, quality of care and patient outcomes.