Descriptive Study of Reported Bloodborne Exposures in Health Care Workers in a University Hospital

Oh, Hyang Soon; Choe, Kang Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to patients' blood occupationally by needlesticks or sharps injuries and by direct contact to mucous membranes or skins. This study was performed to investigate actively the descriptive epidemiology of HCWs' blood exposures in a University Hospital in Korea.
METHODS
Over a 5 year period (from Jan, 1996 to Dec. 31, 2000), in a acute, educational, tertiary and about 1,500 beds university hospital, blood exposure episodes were reported by HCWs. The reported cases of 532 were analysed epidemiologically and statistically using PC SAS 6.12.
RESULTS
The proportions of male and female were 44.0% (234), 56.0% (298) respectively the mean age was 29.2 years and the mode of career was 12 months. Distributions by job titles were 44.9% (239/532) in doctors' 29.5% (157/532) in registered nurses' 9.0% (48/532) in aid nurses, 6.4%(34/532) in housekeepers and 4.3%(23/532) in technicians. The proportions per 100 HCWs by job category were 4.4%(239/5,489) in doctors, 3.7%(157/4,262) in registered nurses and 1.3%(23/ 1,786) in technicians. and that per 100 beds was 6.8% (529/7,730). Distribution of reported cases were 13.0% (69/532), 11.5% (61/532), 9.2%(49/532) in March, April and May respectively. The major type of exposure was percutaneous injuries (96.3%, 513/533), and the most of them was needlesticks (91.4%, 469/513). The largest number of blood exposures occurred in inpatient ward(48.4%, 257/532) and the most injured body part was fingers (782%, 412/527), especially 1st finger (25%, 84/332). Blood exposure accidents were occurred during invasive procedures(66.3%, 341/514) and most of them were blood sampling(22.9%, 78/341) and recapping(20.8%, 71/341). Hepatitis B virus was the major bloodborne pathogens of reported cases (55.8%. 293/525). Post exposure prophylaxis and follow up were done for susceptible person but the seroposive conversions in them were not found. The association between job categories and exposure types and that between job titles and occurrence places were significant statistically(CMH chi-square p=0.001). The reporting cases of HBV exposures were decreased but those of HIV exposures were increased annually during the study period.
CONCLUSION
We could find the descriptive epidemiology of Hews' occupational exposures to blood in a university hospital in Korea. And we can support the data in order to establish the policy or act for HCWs' safety and health from the boodborne hazards. In addition, to confirm the preventive effects of infection control activities for Hews from the risk of bloodborne diseases.