[Hospital medical students: a population at risk for accidental exposure to blood]

Infections transmitted by blood such as viral hepatitis B and C or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are a true threat to health care workers. As medical students are exposed to accidental contamination during their hospital activities, we conducted a survey among medical students in Nice France to determine the frequency and circumstances of needle prick accidents and how the risk of blood exposure is managed.

A survey was conducted between December 1 and December 15, 1996 among second cycle medical students. An anonymous questionnaire was proposed to all students attending mandatory faculty classes. A blood-exposure accident was defined as a needle prick or a cut caused by another sharp object which occurred in the hospital.

Among the 237 students enrolled in the classes, 200 (84%) responded to the survey. Among these, one-quarter had experienced a blood-exposure accident by needle prick. For students terminating their second cycle, this rate was 37%. In 58% of the cases, the accidents had occurred when the students were on duty (excepting hospital training courses). Blood drawing for gas measurements was the most frequent circumstance (44%). Only 39% of the students had declared the accident and 51% had had a serology control within 2 months. The serological status of the source patient was unknown to the students in nearly half the cases. Only one out of two students applied elementary safety measures systematically (gloves, not recapping the needle). Only 13% of the students stated they had received information about blood-exposure accidents and their prevention and less than 50% had a correct notion of the risk of hepatitis B and C and HIV transmission by needle pricks.

The incidence of blood-exposure accidents in hospital medical students is high and probably underestimated by official statistics due to the low declaration rate. Measures should rapidly implemented to inform and train students on prevention. Our units are currently working with students, the medical faculty and the occupational medicine unit to reach these objectives.