Antiretroviral prophylaxis of health care workers at two urban medical centers.
We examined the influence of job category, source patient HIV status, and exposure type as predictors of whether health care workers initiated antiretroviral prophylaxis after potential blood-borne pathogen exposures. Of 639 exposures over an 18-month period, 82 individuals (13%) elected to receive prophylaxis, of whom 66% took medications for fewer than 96 hours and 12% completed a 4-week course. Reasons for early drug discontinuation included confirmation of source patient HIV-negative serological status (65%), gastrointestinal side effects (13%), headache (4%), and personal decision after counseling/other input (18%). Individuals exposed to HIV-positive source patients were more likely to initiate prophylaxis (odds ratio [OR], 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6 to 9.9). Licensed nurses were less likely than others to accept prophylaxis (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.8), whereas physicians and medical students were more likely to accept prophylaxis (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.3).
Russi
M
M
Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06504, USA.
Buitrago
M
M
Goulet
J
J
Calello
D
D
Perlotto
J
J
van Rhijn
D
D
Nash
E
E
Friedland
G
G
Hierholzer
W
W
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents