Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids among Health Workers, The Case of Shai-Osudoku District Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs) is an everyday risk faced by HCWs as they come into contact with patients in their work activities. The most common pathogens of concern are HBV, HCV and HIV which are the most commonly transmitted. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that expose HCWs to BBFs. It was also to determine the prevalence of exposure and to investigate behaviours of HCWs after exposure. Methods: Associations were examined between the exposure and the dependent variables using the Chi square test. Logistic Regression model was used to assess the effect of socio-demographic factors, work factors and HCW factors on exposure. Variables with p-value < 0.05 in the final model were considered as having significant association with exposure to BBFs. Results: A total of 171 health care workers were included in this study. Majority (67.5%) had BBFs exposures in the past 12 months. Majority, 70.5% of health workers did not report their exposures. Factors closely related to exposures were, PPE availability, risk perception, exposure reporting training, being a midwife, IPC training and attending to more patients per shift. Less than half of those exposed through sharps had the source patient tested for HIV, HBV and HCV. Almost a quarter of tests done were HIV positive and PEP given accordingly. Conclusion: There was a high rate of exposure to blood and body fluids in spite of high number of participants trained in Infection Prevention and Control. There was also a low rate of reporting of exposure despite the majority of health workers trained in reporting of such incidences. Compliance to protocol is therefore a huge factor in prevention of exposure and good management after exposure