Brief report: needlestick injury and inadequate post-exposure practice in medical students.
BACKGROUND
Medical students are at a particularly high risk for needlestick injury and its consequences because of their relative inexperience and lack of disability insurance.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk of needlestick injury and the use of post-exposure prophylaxis among medical students.


METHODS
Internet-based survey.


METHODS
The 2003 graduating medical school class at the University of Toronto.


METHODS
Number of needlestick injuries, circumstances surrounding those incidents, and post-exposure actions.


RESULTS
The response rate was 88% (157/178). Over one third (55/157) of respondents suffered at least 1 needlestick injury. In more than half the high-risk injuries, the students continued working and did not seek medical advice. Six students who suffered a needlestick injury began prophylactic human immunodeficiency virus medications. Of those students who suffered an injury, 15% had purchased disability insurance prior to the incident.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor use of post-exposure procedures and a lack of disability insurance leave medical students at high risk for career and life-altering consequences from a needlestick injury.
Cervini
Patrick
P
Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Bell
Chaim
C
D006801:Humans; D018868:Insurance, Disability / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data