Medicina Ocupacional y Asuntos de Salud

Abstracto

Occupational Risk Factors Associated with Needle-Stick Injury among Healthcare Workers in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia

Hunachew Beyene Mengesha and Biruck Desalegn Yirsaw

Background: Accidental occupational injuries to health care workers continue to have a significant problem in healthcare systems owing to the associated risk of acquiring infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency viruses. Objective: The study examined the prevalence and health risk factors associated with needle stick injury in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hawassa City from October to January 2010. Result: Exposure to unsafe body fluids was common among healthcare workers in Hawassa City. The needle stick injury rate in the study area was 35.8%. Number of clinical procedures performed per day (p value=0.04) and the type of heath institution (p value=0.011) were significantly associated with the daily body fluids exposure. Lack of adequate personal protective equipment and negligence in personal safety were common among study participants. Conclusion: High prevalence of infections among patients in hospitals associated with high rates of occupational exposure to blood may markedly put healthcare workers at risk of infections. Therefore, infection control programs through adherence to standard precautions are critically required.