title: Occupational exposures to blood and body fluids among health care workers at university hospitals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids is a serious concern of health care workers and presents a major risk of transmission of infections such as human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and circumstances of occupational blood and body fluid exposures among health care workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study was conducted in three university hospitals in Belgrade. Anonymous questionnaire was used containing data about demographic characteristics, self-reported blood and body fluid exposures and circumstances of percutaneous injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaire was filled in and returned by 216 health care workers (78.2% of nurses and 21.8% of doctors). 60.6% of participants-health care workers had sustained at least one needlestick injury during their professional practice; 25.9% of them in the last 12 months. Of occupational groups, nurses had higher risk to experience needlestick injuries than doctors (p = 0.05). The majority of the exposures occurred in the operating theatre (p = 0.001). Among factors contributing to the occurrence of needlestick injuries, recapping needles (p = 0.003) and decontamination/cleaning instruments after surgery (p = 0.001) were more frequent among nurses, while use of a needle before intervention was common among doctors (p = 0.004). Only 41.2% of health care workers had reported their injuries to a supervisor in order to obtain medical attention. 50.2% of health care workers were vaccinated with three doses of hepatitis B vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high rate of needlestick injuries in the daily hospital routine. Implementation of safety devices would lead to improvement in health and safety of medical staff.
authors: Insitute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. markovic.denic@gmail.com
authors: Ljiljana
authors: L
authors: Marković-Denić
authors: Insitute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Milos
authors: M
authors: Branković
authors: Insitute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Natasa
authors: N
authors: Maksimović
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Bojan
authors: B
authors: Jovanović
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology with Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center Zemun, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Petrović
authors: Clinic of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Marko
authors: M
authors: Simić
authors: Clinic of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Aleksandar
authors: A
authors: Lesić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood; D001826:Body Fluids; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009726:Nurses; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians; D012306:Risk; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines