Prevalence and Risk Factors of Needlestick Injuries among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Infection Prevention
• Healthcare Worker Safety

Background:

• Needlestick injuries (NSIs) pose significant occupational risks to healthcare workers, exposing them to blood-borne pathogens like HBV, HCV, and HIV.
• Interns and residents in teaching hospitals face heightened NSI risks due to inexperience and high workloads.
• Despite universal precautions, NSIs remain frequent and often underreported in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess healthcare workers' and residents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning NSIs.
• To evaluate NSI reporting behaviors and post-exposure management protocols.
• To identify discrepancies between knowledge and safe practices related to NSIs.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 160 healthcare workers and residents at a tertiary care teaching hospital.
• Data collection via a structured questionnaire assessing demographics, NSI knowledge, attitudes, practices, and reporting behavior.
• Statistical analysis using SPSS, with Chi-square tests to determine significance (P < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Nearly half of participants reported experiencing a NSI; early-career staff (≤5 years experience) were prevalent.
• More experienced staff (>5 years) showed significantly better NSI knowledge (P = 0.009).
• A significant knowledge-practice gap was observed, though adequate knowledge correlated with safer practices (P = 0.013). Reporting was higher among those aware of post-exposure prophylaxis (P = 0.005).

Conclusions:

• NSIs are a persistent issue among healthcare workers, particularly junior staff.
• While knowledge and attitudes towards NSI prevention are generally adequate, unsafe practices and underreporting remain significant challenges.
• Enhanced training, consistent reinforcement of universal precautions, and robust reporting systems are crucial for mitigating occupational exposure risks.