Prevalence and Factors Associated with Needlestick Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Needle stick injuries (NSIs) are important occupational hazards for health care workers (HCWs), which increase the risk of blood-borne infections. The incidence of NSI is high in India, yet the surveillance remains suboptimal. The studt aims to determine the proportion of HCWs who sustained NSI in Govt. Medical College, Ernakulam, has been in operation for over one year to identify factors associated with NSI among the study population and to assess preventive and post-exposure practices among HCWs.  This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2018 at Govt., including doctors, house surgeons, nurses, nursing students, lab technicians, and last-grade workers working at Govt. medical college, Ernakulam. 349 participants were included in the study with the convenient sampling method and data were collected by structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS software. Most participants were aged between 21 and 40 (65.5%), and 75.5% of the study population were females. Out of 495 respondents, the majority (28.7%) were nursing students, followed by house surgeons (23.8%), technicians/paramedical students (16.65%), doctors (15.5%), attenders (8.9%) and nurses (6.6%). NSI lifetime prevalence was 51.9%, and NSI over the past year was 38.1%. Of these, 43.6% reported multiple NSIs in the past 1 year. Out of 9697 HCWs, 58 (0.52%; 95% CI, 0.40%-0.66%) tested positive and the incidence rate was 598.5 per 1,000 HCWs. Most NSIs occurred in emergency settings (44.98%) and within wards, particularly in Medicine and Surgery (43.1%). Factors Associated with NSI: Healthcare workers aged 21–40 had the highest NSI incidence (p=0.00). Males were more affected. House surgeons, nursing students, and technicians were at higher risk. NSIs occurred during blood withdrawal, sharps disposal, and fluid tapping. Needle stick injuries is a significant occupational hazard in HCWs. Increased risk of NSI was significantly associated with younger age, male gender, and certain job roles. Before implementing this practice, it is important to acknowledge that there is a gap in availability of PPE (personal protective equipment) and standardized protocols, reporting systems, and proper training.