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Published on: January 6, 2011
Awareness, Concerns, and Protection Strategies Against Bloodborne Viruses Among Surgeons
Anadel Hakeem1, Shahad Alsaigh2, Amal Alasmari3
1Internal Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU.
Background:
Surgeons are at high risk of contracting infectious viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) through exposure to patients' blood. The purpose of this study was to assess the surgeons' awareness of contracting bloodborne viruses. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a questionnaire distributed to 241 surgeons at King Abdulaziz Medical City - Riyadh (KAMC-R) during the period June 2017 through January 2018. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data collected using Stata®, v14 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas, USA). Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson chi-square test. P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results:
A total of 241 surgeons answered the questionnaire, 179 (74.3%) surgeons were male and 62 (25.7%) were female. The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of male surgeons was 35.8 ± 11.0 years while for females was 33.3 ± 9.1 years. The majority of our cohort were vaccinated for HBV (96% in males and 97% in females). Two-thirds of the study cohort did not know the conversion rate post-needlestick injury by HIV, HBV, and HCV. Two-thirds of the study cohort think there is a need for HIV screening before surgery. Mixed answers were received from the cohort when asked about their concern regarding contracting HIV infection from their patients; only one-third of the surgeons were extremely concerned. When asked about the risk of needlestick injury during treating patients positive for HBV, the majority of the surgeons said no. However, a significant difference between the female and male surgeons was found in which 12 of the 62 female surgeons answered yes (19.4%) compared to 11 of the 179 male surgeons (6.1%) (p = 0.002).
Conclusion:
The majority of our surgeons are vaccinated for HBV. However, female surgeons appear to be at higher risk of needlestick injury from HBV patients. This requires further investigation into the reasons for such high incidents. More education is needed about bloodborne viruses.
Insights
Surgeons have high HBV vaccination rates, but many lack awareness of bloodborne virus risks. Female surgeons report a higher risk of needlestick injuries from hepatitis B virus patients, indicating a need for more education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Surgical Safety
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Surgeons face significant occupational risks of contracting bloodborne viruses like HIV, HBV, and HCV from patient blood exposure.
- Assessing surgeons' awareness of these risks is crucial for implementing effective safety protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the awareness level of surgeons regarding the risks of contracting bloodborne viruses.
- To identify potential disparities in risk perception and experience among surgical staff.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 241 surgeons at King Abdulaziz Medical City - Riyadh.
- Data collected via questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests.
- Study period: June 2017 - January 2018.
Main Results:
- High HBV vaccination rates (96-97%) were observed among surgeons.
- A significant knowledge gap exists, with two-thirds unaware of conversion rates post-needlestick injury for HIV, HBV, and HCV.
- Female surgeons reported a higher incidence of perceived risk from needlestick injuries with HBV-positive patients compared to male surgeons (19.4% vs. 6.1%).
Conclusions:
- While HBV vaccination is widespread, a concerning lack of awareness regarding bloodborne virus transmission exists among surgeons.
- Female surgeons may face a disproportionately higher risk of needlestick injuries from HBV patients, warranting further investigation.
- Enhanced educational initiatives on bloodborne viruses are essential to improve surgical safety.
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