High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq
Introduction: The current status of percutaneous injury and mucous exposures (PMEs) of hospital workers and factors associated with the injuries have not been studied in Iraq. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of PMEs with blood or body fluids that leads serious risks for healthcare work...
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| Language: | English |
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The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2014-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4280 |
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| author | Salih Hosoglu Zana Ahmad Mohammed Sami Tahseen Zehra Diyar Sami Selbes Ali Colak |
| author_facet | Salih Hosoglu Zana Ahmad Mohammed Sami Tahseen Zehra Diyar Sami Selbes Ali Colak |
| author_sort | Salih Hosoglu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: The current status of percutaneous injury and mucous exposures (PMEs) of hospital workers and factors associated with the injuries have not been studied in Iraq. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of PMEs with blood or body fluids that leads serious risks for healthcare workers (HCWs).
Methodology: An analytic, cross-sectional survey study was conducted among HCWs in Erbil city center, Iraq. The study was performed at sevenhospitals, and 177 participants were included. The dependent variable was the occurrence of PMEs in the last year, and the independent variables were age, sex, occupation of HCWs, working site, and work duration.
Results: A total of 177 HCW participants included 57 nurses/midwives (32.2%), 59 doctors (33.3%), 27 laboratory workers (15.3%), and 34 paramedics/multipurpose workers (19.2%) from seven hospitals. The study concluded that 67.8% of the participants reported at least one occupational PME in the last year. In all, 13.3/person/year PME incidents were reported for nurses, 9.74/person/year for paramedics/multipurpose workers, 6.71/person/year for doctors, and 3.37/person/year laboratory workers. The mean number of PME incidents was 8.91/person/year. HCWs showed 85.0% compliance with wearing mask in risky situations. The most dangerous action for occupational exposure was blood taking (39.0%). In the univariate analysis, none of the investigated variables were found to be significantly related to PME.
Conclusions: Occupational injuries and exposures in Iraqi HCWs are extremely common; awareness about protection is not sufficient. Nurses were found to be the highest risk group among HCWs. Preventive actions should be taken to avoid infection.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-40cc2c2bd6ed4ddabdcb79685fcd384c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1972-2680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-10-01 |
| publisher | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| spelling | doaj-art-40cc2c2bd6ed4ddabdcb79685fcd384c2025-08-20T02:57:21ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802014-10-0181010.3855/jidc.4280High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, IraqSalih Hosoglu0Zana Ahmad1Mohammed Sami Tahseen2Zehra Diyar3Sami Selbes4Ali Colak5Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbakır, TurkeyPrivate Sema Hospital, Erbil, IraqPrivate Sema Hospital, Erbil, IraqPrivate Sema Hospital, Erbil, IraqPrivate Sema Hospital, Erbil, IraqPrivate Sema Hospital, Erbil, IraqIntroduction: The current status of percutaneous injury and mucous exposures (PMEs) of hospital workers and factors associated with the injuries have not been studied in Iraq. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of PMEs with blood or body fluids that leads serious risks for healthcare workers (HCWs). Methodology: An analytic, cross-sectional survey study was conducted among HCWs in Erbil city center, Iraq. The study was performed at sevenhospitals, and 177 participants were included. The dependent variable was the occurrence of PMEs in the last year, and the independent variables were age, sex, occupation of HCWs, working site, and work duration. Results: A total of 177 HCW participants included 57 nurses/midwives (32.2%), 59 doctors (33.3%), 27 laboratory workers (15.3%), and 34 paramedics/multipurpose workers (19.2%) from seven hospitals. The study concluded that 67.8% of the participants reported at least one occupational PME in the last year. In all, 13.3/person/year PME incidents were reported for nurses, 9.74/person/year for paramedics/multipurpose workers, 6.71/person/year for doctors, and 3.37/person/year laboratory workers. The mean number of PME incidents was 8.91/person/year. HCWs showed 85.0% compliance with wearing mask in risky situations. The most dangerous action for occupational exposure was blood taking (39.0%). In the univariate analysis, none of the investigated variables were found to be significantly related to PME. Conclusions: Occupational injuries and exposures in Iraqi HCWs are extremely common; awareness about protection is not sufficient. Nurses were found to be the highest risk group among HCWs. Preventive actions should be taken to avoid infection. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4280healthcare workersnursesoccupational exposuresblood-borne infections |
| spellingShingle | Salih Hosoglu Zana Ahmad Mohammed Sami Tahseen Zehra Diyar Sami Selbes Ali Colak High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq Journal of Infection in Developing Countries healthcare workers nurses occupational exposures blood-borne infections |
| title | High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq |
| title_full | High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq |
| title_fullStr | High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq |
| title_full_unstemmed | High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq |
| title_short | High incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in Erbil, Iraq |
| title_sort | high incidence of occupational exposures among healthcare workers in erbil iraq |
| topic | healthcare workers nurses occupational exposures blood-borne infections |
| url | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4280 |
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