title: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of needle stick and sharps injuries among dental professionals of Bangalore, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A needle stick injury (NSI) is an accidental skin-penetrating stab wound from a hollow-bore needle containing another person's blood or body fluid. Healthcare workers (HCWs) including dental professionals are at an occupational risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens following NSIs and sharps injuries (SIs). A thorough understanding of the safe practices while handling needles and sharps is crucial for HCWs to create a risk-free work place environment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitude, practice, and prevalence of NSIs and SIs among dental professionals in a dental college at Bangalore.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in September 2012 using a structured, pretested, guided interview-based questionnaire that was administered to 200 dental professionals in a dental college at Bangalore to assess the knowledge, attitude, practices, and self-report information of NSIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, 81.5% of dental professionals were vaccinated against hepatitis B. A total of 27.5% participants had an NSI during the previous 12 months. About 41.80% of NSIs occurred during device recapping. Most common reason for failure to report the incidents of NSIs, as declared by 29.09% of the participants, included the fear of being blamed or getting into trouble for having an NSI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of dental professionals on NSIs and their preventive measures are inadequate; however, training on Universal Precaution Guidelines, protocols regarding post-exposure prophylaxis, and safety devices has to be provided to prevent such injuries in future among the dental professionals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Varsha K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Pavithran
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murali
authors.affiliation: Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital, Visnagar, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Madhusudan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamala
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Maanasi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yalamalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Krishnadevaraya College of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: A Vinod
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kumar
keywords: Dental college; dental professionals; needle stick injury; sharps injury