title: Police exposure to infectious agents: an audit of protective policies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As first responders, police officers may be exposed to infectious agents such as hepatitis viruses and human immunodeficiency virus. Their risk of infection by these viruses can be reduced with training, monitoring and, with some viruses, vaccination.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine infection prevention policies and practices among police departments and determine provision of vaccination and infection prevention education programmes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire sent to all police departments in five counties of south-eastern Pennsylvania to capture information about department size, immunization policies and practices, record keeping, infection prevention education and monitoring of exposures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six of 168 departments responded (57%). Among these, policies requiring pre-employment physical examinations were almost universal (95%). Vaccination policies were less common with <15% requiring and 50% recommending hepatitis, tetanus or influenza vaccination for officers. Few departments took action to provide (2%) or cover the cost (21%) of vaccination. Fewer than 12% maintained vaccination records. Education about the risk of infectious agents was offered by 60% of the responding departments, but often just once at the start of employment. Fewer than half of the departments had systems to collect exposure information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Police departments have opportunities to improve policies and practices for infection prevention and control. Accurate documentation of vaccination status is essential to ensure provision of appropriate post-exposure assessment and treatment. Better reporting of exposure will improve understanding of the infection transmission risk, enhancing the ability to offer targeted education and services to officers.
authors.affiliation: HepTREC, 600 S. 43rd Street, Box 22, Philadelphia, PA 19003, USA, Department of Health Policy and Public Health, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, a.jessop@usciences.edu.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Jessop
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Writing Program, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19003, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Public Health, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Public Health, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mullen-Fortino
authors.affiliation: Department of Political Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010414:Pennsylvania; D016495:Police; D057766:Policy; D013742:Tetanus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination
keywords: Audit; blood-borne virus; occupational health; police; policy; vaccination.