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Work-Related Operating Theatre Accidents Among Surgical Residents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Bekele, Abebe; Kotisso, Berhanu & Shiferaw, Solomon
Abstract
Background:With the Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and infections with hepatitis B, C and D, occupational exposures to these infections is a cause of concern to all health care workers, especially those working in the operating theatre in low income countries.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate theprevalence and context of all work-related accidents that occurred as a result of contamination with blood and blood products, among surgical residents at the Black lion teaching specialized referral hospital, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data was collected from all 36 surgical residents who were at different stages of their specialty training in 2006/07.
Results: Thirty two (88.9%) of the residents were males; 17 (47.2%) in their 3rd and 4th year, and the rest 19 (52.8%) were in their first and second year of training. Of the 36 respondents, 28(77.8%) had sustained a needle-stick injury inside the operating theatre at least twice during their residency (Range=2-10 times). For 13(36.1%), the accidents involved a high risk patient at least once. Cut with a sharp object, contact of blood to an unprotected skin and splash of blood to the eyes and face were reported by 11(30.6%), 27(75%) and 27(75%) of the respondents respectively. Information concerning the most recent occupational injury inside the operating theatre revealed that 31(86.1%) of the residents sustained work-related accident in the 6 months preceding the survey, 8(25.8%) of which involved a high risk patient. All of the 8 (100%) of the recent high risk injuries and 22(95.6%) of the non-high risk injuries were not reportedtothe hospital’s employee health service. The most frequently cited reasons for not reporting include; “The occupational health service doesn’t exist or I don’t know if it exists in the hospital” for 15 (50%), among others.
Conclusions and Recommendations:Overall, the present study revealed that work-related accidents amongsurgical trainees constitute a substantial risk of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne infections which calls for well targeted educational and other preventive measures in the teaching hospital.
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