title: Hospital housekeepers: Victims of ineffective hospital waste management.
abstract: Improper waste management exposes hospital housekeepers to biological risk. The objectives of this study were to identify the frequency and profile of exposure incidents, classify the role of sharps waste, and compare the first and last occurrences for hospital housekeepers with multiple exposure incidents. A retrospective epidemiological study using Brazilian records from 1989 to 2012 was conducted. Data analyzed included hospital treatment records and the state notification database. Probabilistic linkage was performed using LinkPlus and data analysis using SPSS. There were 996 (11.6%) injuries, with 57 (6.1%) workers reporting multiple occurrences, for a total of 938 workers. These were primarily needlestick injuries (98.5%), involving blood (85.6%), caused by hypodermic needles (75.1%), and improper sharps disposal (70.8%). The number of workers completing vaccination after their first injury and before their last injury was statistically significant. Additional efforts to prevent and manage exposure incidents are needed.
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscilla Santos Ferreira
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ream
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Anaclara Ferreira Veiga
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Tipple
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís Arvelos
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nursing , Nutrition and Physiotherapy, Pontifical Catholic University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Adenícia Custódia Silva
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra Maria Brunini
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Hélio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galdino-Júnior
authors.affiliation: a Postgraduate Program in Nursing, College of Nursing, Federal University of Goias , Goiania , Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergiane Bisinoto
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D008875:Middle Aged; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal
keywords: Hazardous waste; hospital housekeeping; needlestick injuries; occupational health; occupational injuries