Objective: To describe knowledge of preventive measures against exposure to commonly encountered hazardous chemicals and identify associated factors among medical laboratory technology students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2025.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 216 second- to fourth-year students. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with 29 items on preventive knowledge related to hazardous chemicals in laboratory practice. Data were analyzed using Stata 14.1 software; Chi-square tests examined associations, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The mean proportion of correct responses was 78%. The highest proportions were observed for oxidizing chemicals (80.1%) and corrosive chemicals (79.89%), while lower proportions were found for toxic substances (76.39%) and flammable chemicals (76.27%). Gender, academic year and academic performance were significantly associated with preventive knowledge for some chemicals. Knowledge acquired from instructors or senior students at the hospital regarding benzene prevention.
Conclusion: Students’ preventive knowledge was generally at a moderate-to-good level but varied across chemical groups. Scenario-based chemical safety training, standardized self-learning materials, safety checklists and assessment before practice should be strengthened.