title: Police officer anxiety after occupational blood and body fluid exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the course of their work, police staff are at risk of exposure to blood and body fluids (BBF) and potentially at risk of acquiring a blood-borne viral infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine levels of anxiety among Scottish police staff following an occupational exposure to BBF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Police staff who reported an incident of exposure to their occupational health (OH) provider were invited to complete a postal questionnaire about their levels of self-reported anxiety after the incident and after contact with medical services (namely, OH and accident and emergency (A&E)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy exposed individuals (66% of those invited to take part) completed a questionnaire. Participants' self-reported anxiety after the incident varied widely. Levels of anxiety reduced over time and following contact with medical services. A&E staff were more likely to be the first point of medical contact for the most anxious individuals. Pre-incident training was not associated with post-incident anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that contact with medical services helps to alleviate post-exposure anxieties among police staff.
authors: Institute for Applied Social and Health Research, School of Social Science, University of the West of Scotland, High Street, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK. karen.dunleavy@uws.ac.uk
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Dunleavy
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Taylor
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gow
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Cullen
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Roy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D001826:Body Fluids; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016495:Police; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012308:Risk Management; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult