Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Iranian surgeons about blood-borne diseases.
BACKGROUND
Perhaps more than any other healthcare worker, it is the surgeons who are at an increased risk of exposure to hepatitis B (HB) virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. The aim of this study was to evaluate surgeons' concerns regarding risk awareness and behavioral methods of protection against blood-borne pathogen transmission during surgery.


METHODS
A 31-item questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.73 was used. Of 575 surgeons invited to participate from three universities and one national annual surgical society between May and July 2007, 430 (75%) returned completed forms.


RESULTS
Concern about being infected with blood-borne diseases was more than 70 (from a total score of 100). Only 12.9% of surgeons always used double gloves. Complete vaccination against HB was done in about 76% of surgeons and only 56.8% had checked their HB surface antibody (anti-HBs) level. Older surgeons never used double gloves (P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Iranian surgeons are not aware of the correct percentage of infected patients with and seroconversion rate of blood-borne diseases, do not use double gloves adequately, do not report their needlestick injuries, vaccinate against HB, and check anti-HBs after vaccination. Educational meetings, pamphlets, and facilities must be provided to health care workers, informing them of hazards, prevention, and postexposure prophylaxis to needlestick injuries, vaccination efficacy, and wearing double gloves.
Moghimi
Mehrdad
M
Surgery Department, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Taleghani Hospital, Teheran, Iran.
Marashi
Seyed Ali
SA
Kabir
Ali
A
Taghipour
Hamid Reza
HR
Faghihi-Kashani
Amir Hossein
AH
Ghoddoosi
Iraj
I
Alavian
Seyed Moayed
SM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D000078329:Workforce
D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines