Two recent studies on accidental blood and body fluid exposure among health care workers were reported in Occupational Medicine. The first one shows that junior doctors have a 3 times higher relative risk on accidental BBF exposure, mainly while taking blood samples. The other study shows the risks in primary health care in Brazil
Accidental blood and body fluid exposure among doctors
Seyed Hamid Reza Naghavi and Kaveh A. Sanati
To study the epidemiology and time trends of blood and body fluids (BBF) exposures among hospital doctors, a 3-year study was carried out using data from the Exposure Prevention Information Network of four teaching hospitals in the UK. 175 cases of BBF exposures in doctors were reported over the 3-year study period. Junior doctors had a higher rate of BBF exposures compared to senior doctors: 13 versus 4 incidents per 100 person-years, respectively (relative risk 3, 95% confidence interval 2-4). The most frequent setting among senior doctors was the operating theatre/recovery (59%). Among junior doctors the patient room (48%). The commonest original reason for junior doctors was the taking of blood samples (42%). Among senior doctors, it was suturing (41%).
Exposures to blood and body fluids in Brazilian primary health care Leila Posenato Garcia and Luiz Augusto Facchini
To investigate BBF exposure and its associated factors among primary health care workers (HCWs) a cross-sectional study was carried out among workers from municipal primary health care centres in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil. Workers who belonged to occupational categories that involved BBF exposures during the preceding 12 months were interviewed and included in the data analysis. A total of 1077 workers participated. The mean incidence rate of occupational BBF exposures was 11.9 per 100 full-time equivalent worker-years(95% confidence interval: 8.4-15.3). The cumulative prevalence was 7% during the 12 months preceding the interview. University-level education, employment as a nurse assistant, dental assistant or dentist, higher workload score, inadequate working conditions, having sustained a previous occupational accident and current smoking were associated with BBF exposures (P < 0.05).
