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Analysis of needlestick injuries to health care workers providing home care
1Division of Professional Practices, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD 20857.
Background:
This research analyzed needlestick injuries sustained by employees working in the home health environment to determine to what extent existing infection control policies and procedures in home health care are effective in reducing the risk of transmission of blood-borne infections.
Methods:
In June and July 1992, a random sample of 600 directors of home health care agencies in the United States were sent questionnaires concerning written blood-borne infection control policies and procedures of home health care agencies. Agency characteristics were also identified.
Results:
A 46% response rate (n = 278) was obtained. Of the 226 agencies that reported needlestick injury rates, 102 agencies reported no needlestick injuries to home health care agency employees in the "last year" and 124 agencies reported from one to 134 needlestick injuries, for a cumulative total of 475. Statistical analyses revealed that agencies with "safer" sharps containers, "safer" hypodermics, or "safer" access to intravenous administration lines did not have statistically significantly rates of lower needlestick injury than agencies without these "safer" products.
Conclusions:
This study should be considered exploratory; causal relationships cannot be established. Although written blood-borne infection control policies and procedures do not appear to provide protection to home health care workers from the risk of needlestick injury, limitations in the data exist. Consequently, results should be viewed with caution and additional research is needed.