title: Adherence to universal precautions among laboratory personnel in Lebanon.
abstract: To evaluate the present situation and plan future directions with regard to implementation of universal precautions in laboratories testing blood samples, we carried out a national cross sectional study in 2003 on a representative sample of laboratories in Lebanon. We compared the results with those of a 1993 study. We found that the education profile of staff had improved, being now more specialized in laboratory science. The discrepancies between what technicians knew, believed in and practised and what was observed in the field improved to some extent in most variables. Disposal of needles and syringes had improved greatly but disposal of blood-contaminated material had not. Given the risks of improper practice, a policy of universal precautions is essential and regular training should be carried out so that staff know and practise the universal precautions and correct laboratory procedures.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kahhaleh
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jurjus
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007757:Laboratory Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000592:standards; D016272:Occupational Health; D016134:Organizational Policy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016635:Universal Precautions; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal