Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Feb 16;21(4):e2022994.
doi: 10.47626/1679-4435-2022-994. eCollection 2023 Oct-Dec.

Factors associated with accidents involving biological material among health professionals

Leila de Fátima Santos  1   2 , Gleisy Kelly Neves Gonçalves  2 , Soraya Rodrigues de Almeida Sanches  1 , Wanessa Trindade Clemente  1
Affiliations

Factors associated with accidents involving biological material among health professionals

Leila de Fátima Santos et al. Rev Bras Med Trab. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Introduction: Accidents with biological material and cuting/piercing instruments among health professionals have led to increased rates of hospital infection and subsequent patient contamination.

Objectives: To compare factors associated with accidents involving biological material among health workers.

Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological study, conducted in 2019-2020, included 229 physicians and non-physicians.

Results: The sample was 60.7% physicians and 39.3% non-physicians; 51.5% were women; 48.5% were aged ≥40 years; 55% lived with a partner; 57.6% had a specialist or graduate degree; and 51.5% had ≥ 1 child). he physician group had a higher education level, worked > 1 job, and had a high rate of accidents, in addition to lower rates of pre-employment examinations, specific accident training, and supervisor contact in case of accidents. There was also a positive association in the physician group between accidents, employment length, and operating room experience, while age was inversely correlated with accident risk.

Conclusions: Different worker categories had specific risk profiles that involved education level, employment length, a low notification level, and risk underestimation. The results showed that education level and employment length do not guarantee accidents prevention. Both the physician and non-physician groups had significant accident rates and a similar behavior profile when events occurred, including low notification rates and underestimating the risk involved in the accident.

Introdução: Acidentes envolvendo material biológico com instrumentos cortantes e perfurantes entre profissionais de saúde têm sido causa de aumento de infecção hospitalar e, portanto, de contaminação do paciente.

Objetivos: Comparar fatores associados ao acidente com material biológico em trabalhadores da saúde.

Métodos: Estudo epidemiológico transversal envolvendo 229 profissionais, médicos e não médicos (2019-2020).

Resultados: A amostra total foi composta por 229 profissionais (48,1% médicos, 51,9% não médicos, 51,5% mulheres, 48,5% ≥ 40 anos, 55% viviam com companheiro, 57,6% tinham nível educacional de especialização/pós-graduação, 51,5% ≥ um filho). Os profissionais médicos apresentaram maior escolaridade, mais de um emprego e maior proporção de ocorrência de acidentes, bem como menor proporção de exames admissionais, treinamentos específicos e contato com supervisor em casos de acidentes. Ainda, os profissionais médicos apresentaram associação positiva dos acidentes com o tempo de trabalho e o tempo de experiência no bloco cirúrgico, enquanto a idade apresentou relação inversa com as chances de acidentes.

Conclusões: Diferentes categorias de trabalho apresentaram perfil específico de riscos envolvendo estudo e tempo de serviço, baixa notificação e risco subestimado. Os resultados deste estudo mostraram que o nível de estudo e o tempo de serviço não foram capazes de garantir a prevenção de acidentes envolvendo material biológico. Além disso, profissionais médicos e não médicos apresentaram não apenas uma incidência significativa de acidentes, mas também um perfil de comportamento semelhante diante do evento, com baixa notificação e risco subestimado do acidente.

Keywords: health personnel; penetrants; professional exposure; risk factors; underreporting.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Lebni JY, Azar FE, Sharma M, Zangeneh A, Kianipour N, Azizi SA, et al. Factors affecting occupational hazards among operating room personnel at hospitals affiliated in Western Iran: a cross-sectional study. J Public Health (Berl) 2020;29:1225–1232.
    1. Mekkodathil A, El-Menyar A, Al-Thani H. Occupational injuries in workers from different ethnicities. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2016;6(1):25–32. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sepkowitz KA, Eisenberg L. Occupational deaths among healthcare workers. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005;11(7):1003–1008. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Garus-Pakowska A, Ulrichs M, Gaszyńska E. Circumstances and structure of occupational sharp injuries among healthcare workers of a selected hospital in central Poland. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(8):1722–1722. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Vieira KMR, Vieira Jr FU, Bittencourt ZZLC. Occupational accidents with biological material in a school hospital. Rev Bras Enferm. 2019;72(3):737–743. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources