title: Student occupational exposure incidence: perception versus reality.
abstract: Reports of clinical injuries made to a dental school Office of Occupational Health and Safety at the time of their occurrence were compared to self-reports on a survey for dental students in five classes at various times over their educational careers. The majority of injuries were from needlesticks and mishaps with hand instruments. Underreporting at the time of injury was approximately one-third in the first clinical year and one-half in the final clinical year of the three-year program. Students reported a greater perceived likelihood of injury later in their education than at the beginning but a decreased fear of such injuries. Female students reported more needlesticks and a greater fear of injury than did male students. It is hypothesized that a personal interpretation of the meaning of clinical injuries influences reporting behavior.
authors.affiliation: Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, 2155 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. jwood@pacific.edu
authors.forename: A Jeffrey
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Nader A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nadershahi
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Fredekind
authors.forename: Eve J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cuny
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003762:Dental Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data