Practice of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention and Associated Factors Among Nurses in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background Among the most prevalent illnesses linked to healthcare, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) dramatically raise hospital stays, morbidity, death, and medical expenses. Following evidence-based recommendations is essential for effective CAUTI prevention, and nurses are essential in putting preventive measures into action. Objective This study aimed to assess the level of CAUTI prevention practices and associated factors among nurses in Ethiopia. Methods A thorough search was carried out across multiple databases to identify important publications. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) technique intended for cross-sectional research was used to evaluate the quality and efficacy of each original study. Included were observational studies looking at Ethiopian nurses’ CAUTI preventive practices with a search period ending on February 9, 2025. A random-effects model was utilized for pooling estimates, and Stata software was utilized for analysis. The I 2 statistic was used to look for heterogeneity across the studies. Results The pooled estimate of CAUTI prevention practice among nurses in Ethiopia was 51% (95% CI: 45.02, 56.97). A total of seven studies were included, with a combined sample size of 2,669 nurses. Work experience (AOR = 4.37, 95% CI: 3.05, 5.68), knowledge (AOR = 4.5, 95% CI: 2.04, 6.97), training (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.74, 2.36), positive attitude (AOR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.89, 3.40), and availability of CAUTI prevention guidelines (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.88, 3.74) are all significantly associated with good CAUTI prevention practices. Conclusion CAUTI prevention practice among nurses in Ethiopia remains suboptimal, with a pooled estimate of 51%. Targeted interventions such as continuous training, enhanced knowledge dissemination, and ensuring guideline availability are crucial to improving adherence to CAUTI prevention practice.