title: Sharps injuries among employees of acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, 2002-2007.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections (SESIPs) have been found to reduce risk of sharps injuries (SIs). We examined trends in SI rates among employees of acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, including the impact of SESIPs on SI trends during 2002-2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective surveillance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six acute care hospitals licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Employees of acute care hospitals who reported SIs to their employers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on SIs in acute care hospitals collected by the Massachusetts Sharps Injury Surveillance System were used to examine trends in SI rates over time by occupation, hospital size, and device. Negative binomial regression was used to assess trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2002-2007, 16,158 SIs among employees of 76 acute care hospitals were reported to the surveillance system. The annual SI rate decreased by 22%, with an annual decline of 4.7% (P < .001). Rates declined significantly among nurses (-7.2% per year; P < .001) but not among physicians (-0.9% per year; P = .553). SI rates associated with winged steel needles and hypodermic needles and syringes also declined significantly as the proportion of injuries involving devices with sharps injury prevention features increased during the same time period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SI rates involving devices for which SESIPs are widely available and appear to be increasingly used have declined. The continued use of devices lacking SI protections for which SESIPs are available needs to be addressed. The extent to which injuries involving SESIPs are due to flaws in design or lack of experience and training must be examined.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Public Health Occupational Health Surveillance Program, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, USA. angela.laramie@state.ma.us
authors.forename: Angela K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Laramie
authors.forename: Vivian C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Pun
authors.forename: Shona C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kriebel
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009339:Needles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013594:Syringes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data