title: Awareness of post-exposure prophylaxis guidelines against occupational exposure to HIV in Hospital Sungai Petani.
abstract: Occupational risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a matter of concern for health care workers. We conducted a study to gauge the level of awareness amongst HCW (doctors and nurses) working in Hospital Sungai Petani regarding the post-exposure prophylaxis in case of needle stick injuries from confirmed or suspected cases of HIV. Nineteen Doctors (56%) and 13 nurses (25%) were aware of correct risk of transmission. None identified all the four risk fluids correctly. 94% of doctors and 98% of nurses correctly stated that washing the site with soap and water is the initial procedure, but only few (1/10 of doctors and 1/3 of nurses) knew whom to contact immediately after injury. Twenty three doctors (67%) and 41(78%) nurses were aware of the use of Zidovudine but only 10 participants were aware of the use of second drug. Only 6 doctors (17%) and 8 nurses (15%) knew the correct duration of post-exposure prophylaxis. Twenty-three doctors (67%) and 35 nurses (67%) knew that the drugs were available in Hospital Pharmacy and 11 doctors and 12 nurses knew the approximate cost of therapy. On the average about 50% of doctors and nurses have fair knowledge of post exposure prophylaxis against HIV. Ongoing awareness and training are necessary to improve the same.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology, Sungai Petani, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bairy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ganaraja
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Indira
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thiyagar
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: See
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D016602:Needlestick Injuries; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic