Assessment on Magnitude of Needle Stick and Sharp Injuries and Associated Factors among Health Care Workers in East Gojjam Zone Health Institutions, Amahara Regional State Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Needle sticks and sharp injuries (NSSIs) have been recognized as one of the occupational hazards among health care workers. Occupational exposures to percutaneous injuries are substantial source of infections with blood borne pathogens among health care workers. Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with needle stick and sharps injuries among health care workers. Methods: An institutional based cross sectional study design was conducted among health care workers who are working at least one year in east gojjam zone health institutions. A total of 449 study subjects were selected using simple random sampling technique through lottery method and included in the study. Data was collected using pretested Amharic version questionnaire through self administered interview of study subjects. To maintain the quality of data, pretesting, use of local language and supervision of data collection process was done. The collected data was cleaned, entered and analyzed using SPSS version 17 statistical software. Descriptive part of the result was presented using frequency tables, graphs and for the analytic part, association between dependent and independent variables was checked using binary logistic regression and p value less than 0.05 as significant level at 95% CI. Multivariate logistic regression was done to see the interaction effect of confounding variables. Result: This study revealed that from 449 selected study participants, 432 (96.2%) were responded the questionnaire. From the total study participants, 295 (68.3%) were from health centres and 137 (31.7%) were from hospitals. The one year prevalence of sharp and needle stick injury was 22.2%. The multivariate logistic regression indicated that sex of the worker(AOR:2.46,95% CI (1.37,4.42)), monthly salary (AOR:2.96,95% CI (1.57,5.24)), information access on health and safety (AOR:2.31,95% CI (1.37,3.95)), sleeping disturbance problem(AOR:2.81,95% CI (1.57,5.04)), Job sati sfaction (AOR:0.38, 95% CI (0.23,0.65)) and Job stress (AOR:2.22,95% CI (1.32,3.74)) were the predictors of sharp and needle stick injuries. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of sharp and needle stick injury had showed a decrease in magnitude from the previous similar study 41 results. Job stress, job satisfaction, having sleeping disturbance problem, having health and safety information access and low monthly salary had showed a significant association with the occurrence of sharp and needle stick injury.