Compliance with occupational post-exposure protocol for injuries among dental surgeons

To analyze the compliance with occupational post-exposure protocol for accidents and factors associated with compliance among dental surgeons.

A cross-sectional study was performed in the municipality of Montes Claros, Southeastern Brazil, from 2007 to 2008, with accident reports from needles and sharp instruments among practicing dental surgeons. Variables describing the dentists' characteristics, work conditions, clients, injuries from needles and sharp instruments and post-accident actions were evaluated by means of a previously tested, structured questionnaire. The data underwent descriptive analysis and chi-square testing (p<0.05).

A total of 241 dentists (89.2%) answered the questionnaire. Compliance with occupational post-exposure protocol was reported by 51.5%. The majority of the professionals reported seeing blood at the time of the accident. Burs were the instrument most often involved in accidents, and the finger was the most injured body part. Compliance with a post-exposure protocol was more prevalent among those with greater monthly income (OR=2.42; 95% CI=1.03;5.71), continuing education in the last two years (OR=2.16; 95% CI=1.09;4.27) and who took regular breaks every four hours (OR=1.23; 95% CI=1.23;4.92). Dental surgeons who attended to children (OR=0.50; 95%CI=0.27;0.93) and to individuals from the middle, middle-high and high socioeconomic classes (OR=0.54, 95% CI=0.31;0.95) showed less compliance with the occupational post-exposure protocol. The frequency of compliance to a post-exposure protocol was significantly greater among individuals who followed the actions described in post-exposure protocols.

There is low compliance with occupational post-exposure protocols among dentists, which is influenced by the knowledge and monthly income of professionals, by taking regular breaks, by age group and the socioeconomic class of the clientele.