Prevalence of needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluids contamination among clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities in Nnewi north, Anambra state of Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Health care workers are frequently exposed to needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluids in the performance of their duties.
Aims and objectives: This study sought to determine the prevalence and pattern of occupational exposure to needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluid contamination among clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities in Nnewi.
Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study of randomly selected clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities and tertiary hospital in Nnewi North using well-structured questionnaire for data collection. A total of 426 subjects were studied between May and July 2012.
Results: Prevalence rates for needle-stick injuries, blood splashes and body fluid splashes were 21.8%, 16.2% and 1.4%, respectively. There was statistically significant relationship between years of experience of health workers and prevalence of needle-stick injuries (X²=18.907; df =5; p<0.05) and body fluid splashes (X²= 20.641; df=5; p<0.05). Injection accounted for the highest prevalence of needle-stick injuries,63 of 93 (67.1%) compared to other clinical and laboratory procedures e.g. surgery and delivery (X²= 3.068; df =5; p<0.05), while delivery accounted for the highest prevalence of blood splashes, 28 of 69 (40.6%) (X²= 2.27; df=5; p<0.05). 
In conclusion, the prevalence of needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluid was very high in the study area and was not dependent on the cadre but on the years of experience of the health workers and the clinical procedure at the time of the exposure, especially injection, surgery and delivery.