Needle-stick and Sharps Injuries among Health Care Workers in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Minyahil Tadesse,Mengistu Meskele,Andualem Tadesse Boltena

doi:10.4172/2574-0407.1000130

Abstract

Background: Needle-stick and Sharps injuries to health care workers constitute a major public health concern and the problem is more severe in low income setting. Therefore, this study examines the magnitude of needlesticks and sharps injuries and its associated factors among health care workers in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: Institution based cross sectional study was conducted in February 2016. Health care workers (n=760) of various occupations were the study population. A cluster sampling technique was used. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data was entered into EPI info version 3.5.4 and exported into SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Binary logistic regression model is used to identify factors associated with the outcome variable, and finally multivariate logistic regression model is used to identify independent predictors of the outcome, with statistical significance set at p<0.050 (95% confidence interval (CI)). Results: Three hundred and forty three (55.1%) health care workers were injured by needle-stick and sharps in the past one year. Occupation (AOR: 3.07; 95%CI: 1.80-5.25), and inconsistent wearing of gloves (AOR: 2.87; 95%CI: 2.00-4.12) were independent predictors of needle-stick and sharps injuries. Conclusion: The level of needle-stick and sharps injuries was high. All relevant stake holders in health need to provide training on prevention of needle-stick and sharps injuries to health care workers and ensure consistent wearing of gloves over their whole professional career.

Highlights

Needle-stick and sharps injuries (NSIs) is a serious public health problem that health workers face and it constitutes a major risk for the transmission of infections such as human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) [1,2,3]
A total of 623 health care workers participated in the study; yielding a response rate of 82%. 61.3% of HCWs are in the age range of (30-40), while nearly fifty seven percent of HCWs attained educational level of college degree. 32.1% were nurses by occupation, while 18.3% works in injection and dressing room, 44.3% have a working experience of six up to nine years [Table 1]
This study has shown that 55.1% (343) of health care workers were injured by needle sticks in the past one year, which is higher than findings from Bahir Dar and Cameroon; 29% [28, 29]

Summary

Introduction

Needle-stick and sharps injuries (NSIs) is a serious public health problem that health workers face and it constitutes a major risk for the transmission of infections such as human immune-deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) [1,2,3]. Taking this into account, the U.S Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposed stepwise standard operating procedures for preventing occupational exposures, and handling potentially infectious materials such as blood and body fluids [4, 5]. About 80.8% of HCWs in eastern Ethiopia reported that they regularly follow universal precautions [16]

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Methods

Conclusion