"Abstract:

Background: Barbering is the practice of shaving or cutting hair, hairdressing in addition to barbering is the performance of styling while, sterilization is a process of destroying or killing microorganisms on the surface of tools. Poor salons practices or if they are not conducted in a safe and hygienic manner contribute the spread of infections including bacterial infections, fungal infections such as tinea capitis and viral infections such as, warts acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and Hepatitis B and C may be both to the operators and the clients.

General Objective: The essence of this study was to determine awareness, attitudes and sterilization practices of salon equipment’s among salon workers towards infectious disease control in Ilemela district.

Method: This was cross-sectional community-based study conducted in 12th to 28th April in which 220 salon workers aged 18 to 65 years old visited in their work places and were administered and asked some of questions conducted in questionnaires form as the method of data collection by using semi structured tool. The study unit was salon workers, their premises and level of infection control measures were the study outcomes by using convenient sampling procedure.

Results/Discussion: Out of 220 study population 67% were males and 33% were females. Also, 15% of participants were aware about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and fungal infections could be spread in salons. Although over 55% of the participants had poor attitudes towards infection control, 77% of barbers and 23% of the hairdressers were found with inadequate awareness.

Conclusions: Barbers with inadequate awareness on infection spread in salons were found with poorer infection control measures in their places of work than hairdressers. Lack of specific regulations in Ilemela district on salon operations had a set back on its ensuring good infection control among salon workers."