What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers?
Background: Accidental exposure to percutaneous needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and blood and other body fluids is the unintended contact with risky medical instruments or patient secretions during a medical intervention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of occupational injurie...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034121001623 |
| _version_ | 1818908002513584128 |
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| author | Husrev Diktas Ahsen Oncul Ceren Atasoy Tahtasakal Dilek Yıldız Sevgi Ozlem Kaya Nese Cimenci Nuray Uzun Ilyas Dokmetas |
| author_facet | Husrev Diktas Ahsen Oncul Ceren Atasoy Tahtasakal Dilek Yıldız Sevgi Ozlem Kaya Nese Cimenci Nuray Uzun Ilyas Dokmetas |
| author_sort | Husrev Diktas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Accidental exposure to percutaneous needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and blood and other body fluids is the unintended contact with risky medical instruments or patient secretions during a medical intervention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of occupational injuries in healthcare professionals was revealed once again. To assess the occupational injuries, we compared rates, distribution and type of exposure to blood and body fluids and NSSIs of health care workers for 2019 (pre-pandemic era) and 2020 (pandemic era) years, respectively. Material and methods: Our study included data collected by the ‘Hospital Infection Control Committee’ for the years 2019–2020. Data collected using the active surveillance method were analyzed retrospectively. Results: During 2019 (pre-pandemic period) and 2020 (pandemic period), 112 (27.65%0) and 82 (21.4%0) NSSIs reported, respectively. Of the exposed HCWs in 2019 (pre-pandemic period), 16.8%0 (14) were doctor, 53.6%0 (60) were nurse and 47.4%0 (14) were intern doctors. In the 2020 (pandemic period), NSSIs were observed most frequently in nurses and cleaning staff, 50.24%0 and 33.64%0, respectively. Concerning the total percentage of exposure to blood and other body fluids, a slight increase was revealed from 1.48%0 to 2.62%0 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant decrease in exposure rate was reported among the doctors between the pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 3.6%0 and 1.19%0 at 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant increase in exposure rate was reported among the nurses between pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 0.8%0 and 6.89%0, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the exposure to NSSIs during the pandemic period decreased; however, there was no severe difference at pre-pandemic and pandemic periods concerning exposure to blood and body fluids. Well-designed training and awareness programs can be effective in preventing exposure to NSSIs and blood and other body fluids and exposure to respiratory acquired viruses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:04:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3425fd11b08441aa1f83a0ef86ee65d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:04:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3425fd11b08441aa1f83a0ef86ee65d2022-12-21T20:04:04ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412021-10-01141013341339What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers?Husrev Diktas0Ahsen Oncul1Ceren Atasoy Tahtasakal2Dilek Yıldız Sevgi3Ozlem Kaya4Nese Cimenci5Nuray Uzun6Ilyas Dokmetas7Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; Corresponding author.Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyHospital Infection Control Committee, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyHospital Infection Control Committee, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyBackground: Accidental exposure to percutaneous needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) and blood and other body fluids is the unintended contact with risky medical instruments or patient secretions during a medical intervention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of occupational injuries in healthcare professionals was revealed once again. To assess the occupational injuries, we compared rates, distribution and type of exposure to blood and body fluids and NSSIs of health care workers for 2019 (pre-pandemic era) and 2020 (pandemic era) years, respectively. Material and methods: Our study included data collected by the ‘Hospital Infection Control Committee’ for the years 2019–2020. Data collected using the active surveillance method were analyzed retrospectively. Results: During 2019 (pre-pandemic period) and 2020 (pandemic period), 112 (27.65%0) and 82 (21.4%0) NSSIs reported, respectively. Of the exposed HCWs in 2019 (pre-pandemic period), 16.8%0 (14) were doctor, 53.6%0 (60) were nurse and 47.4%0 (14) were intern doctors. In the 2020 (pandemic period), NSSIs were observed most frequently in nurses and cleaning staff, 50.24%0 and 33.64%0, respectively. Concerning the total percentage of exposure to blood and other body fluids, a slight increase was revealed from 1.48%0 to 2.62%0 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant decrease in exposure rate was reported among the doctors between the pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 3.6%0 and 1.19%0 at 2019 and 2020, respectively. A significant increase in exposure rate was reported among the nurses between pre-pandemic and pandemic era; 0.8%0 and 6.89%0, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the exposure to NSSIs during the pandemic period decreased; however, there was no severe difference at pre-pandemic and pandemic periods concerning exposure to blood and body fluids. Well-designed training and awareness programs can be effective in preventing exposure to NSSIs and blood and other body fluids and exposure to respiratory acquired viruses.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034121001623Needlestick and sharp injuriesHealth care workersCOVID-19Blood and other body fluids |
| spellingShingle | Husrev Diktas Ahsen Oncul Ceren Atasoy Tahtasakal Dilek Yıldız Sevgi Ozlem Kaya Nese Cimenci Nuray Uzun Ilyas Dokmetas What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? Journal of Infection and Public Health Needlestick and sharp injuries Health care workers COVID-19 Blood and other body fluids |
| title | What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? |
| title_full | What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? |
| title_fullStr | What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? |
| title_full_unstemmed | What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? |
| title_short | What were the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers? |
| title_sort | what were the changes during the covid 19 pandemic era concerning occupational risks among health care workers |
| topic | Needlestick and sharp injuries Health care workers COVID-19 Blood and other body fluids |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034121001623 |
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