Occupational exposure of health workers to blood and body fluids in six hospitals of Tigray region (August 1-30, 2006): magnitude and management

Abstract

Background: Health care workers are at risk of acquiring blood born infections in their workplace. Needle stick injuries, blood and body fluids contact to non-intact skin and accidental splash to the mucus membrane are known to transmit infections. There is paucity of reports of such type of exposure in Ethiopia.

Objective: To assess the incidence of exposure of health care workers to blood and body fluids and their practice to prevent infection after exposure.

Methods: A cross sectional study by interviewing all health care workers in six hospitals of Tigray from August 1, 2006 to August 30, 2006.

Results: A total of 618 health care workers were interviewed about exposure in the past three months prior this interview. Needle stick injury was reported in 106 health care workers (17.2%), 348 (56.3%) had contact of blood and body fluid to their skin and 154 (24.9%) reported exposure to their mucus membrane. Working in the delivery room (80.4%) and gynecological wards (75%) had higher risk of exposure to the skin. Regarding their knowledge to preventive measures, only 254 (41.1%) of all health care workers said they wash their skin immediately and 318 (51.5%) flash their eyes with clean water or saline if their skin and mucous membrane are exposed Incorrect method of processing instruments were practiced by high number of health care workers, namely, decontamination by 47.5%, disinfection by 46.5% and sterilization by 41.5% of them.

Conclusion: Health care workers are at a very high risk of exposure to blood and body fluids. Poor efforts are made to prevent infection after exposure. Wrong practice of processing instrument is shown to be high. It is recommended that health care workers should follow and practice all the standard measure to prevent transmission of infection in a clinical setting.