[Underreporting and follow up of exposure to blood among Danish physicians].
In a nation-wide questionnaire survey concerning percutaneous (PCE) and mucocutaneous (MCE) blood exposure among Danish doctors, the frequency of and reasons for underreporting and compliance with initial follow-up were studied. Of 9384 doctors, 6256 (67%) responded and 6005 questionnaires were included. Only 3.5% of 3755 PCE and 0.4% of 4847 MCE had been reported. Major reasons for underreporting were "considered unnecessary" (37.1%) or "too time-consuming" (19.3%). Of 1712 PCE and MCE that were described in detail, the doctors were tested for anti-Hbs in 4.8%, anti-HIV in 5.0%, and received hepatitis B vaccination in 3.7%. Major reasons to refrain from anti-HIV test was "felt that there was no risk of HIV-transmission" (49.1%), "the risk so low that testing was unnecessary" (48.8%) or "too time-consuming" (18.9%). In conclusion, only a few percent of the exposures are reported, and the reports do not give a valid impression of the problem. The importance of initial serological follow-up and vaccination should be emphasized.
Nelsing
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S
Infektionsmedicinsk afdeling, H:S Hvidovre Hospital.
Nielsen
T L
TL
Nielsen
J O
JO
D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D018563:Disease Notification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008511:Medicine; D010820:Physicians; D012307:Risk Factors; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires