title: Knowledge, attitudes and practices surrounding occupational blood-borne pathogen exposure amongst students in two Chinese dental schools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices surrounding occupational blood-borne pathogen exposure amongst dental students at two Chinese dental schools, as well as important factors that are associated with their career choice and attitudes towards infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted using a student self-administered questionnaire from March to June 2013 at two Chinese dental schools. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to compare the categorical variables and identify the variables related to attitudes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-one students answered the questionnaire (response rate 83%). Most participants had incomplete knowledge about occupational exposure and participants' compliance with the infection control programme during routine clinical work was low. Fifty-six participants (34%) experienced at least one occupational exposure, but only one reported the incident. Percutaneous injuries and mucous membrane exposures were the main causes for exposure. Protection of the eyes and post-exposure management were inadequate. According to most participants, they had received insufficient education. Their concerns about the risk of infectious professional exposure would influence their career choice and approach to patients. Only 14% and 26% of the participants were willing to treat human immunodeficiency virus- and hepatitis B virus-infected patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More effective education on prevention and management is required for dental students to reduce the harm caused by occupational exposure. It is important to ensure dental students' knowledge and understanding before allowing them to enter clinical training.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Stomatology, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Y-F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. jollyzldoc@163.com.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D002321:Career Choice; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D003740:Dental Clinics; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D004497:Education, Dental; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D019552:Infection Control, Dental; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: attitudes; dental students; knowledge; occupational blood-borne pathogen exposure; practices