Adherence to biosafety standard operating procedures – Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical laboratory science students at an autonomous university in Davao City, Philippines

Laboratory biosafety in the Philippines was given critical attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed gaps in the established safety practices and the need for strict protocol adherence. Considering this, the present study was conducted to evaluate the biosafety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of medical laboratory science students (N = 262) at an autonomous university in Davao City, Philippines, using a validated questionnaire. The results revealed the students’ high attitudes towards biosafety, with strong compliance in using personal protective equipment (PPE) (mean = 4.89 ± 0.55) and aseptic techniques (mean = 4.84 ± 0.57) and following hand hygiene and laboratory protocols (compliance mean = 4.53 ± 0.20; routine disinfection mean = 4.85 ± 0.60). Attitude scores ranged from 3.61 ± 0.10 to 4.90 ± 1.39, indicating a significant emphasis on biosafety (4.90 ± 0.53). Statistically significant differences ( p < 0.05) in knowledge and practices were observed across demographic variables, with female students and those in higher year levels demonstrating greater adherence and understanding. In sum, the study findings highlight the effectiveness of current biosafety education and the need for ongoing training to maintain a strong safety culture that can serve as a model for other institutions.