Needlestick injury prevention training among health care workers in the Caribbean

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública Vol. 42; p. e93
• Main Authors: Akpinar-Elci, Muge, Bidaisee, Satesh, Durgampudi, Praveen, Radix, Roger, Rodriquez-Guzman, Julietta, Nguyen, MyNgoc Thuy, Elci, Omur Cinar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Pan American Health Organization (Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud) 01-01-2018; Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Pan American Health Organization
• Subjects: accident prevention; Bloodborne viruses; Capacity building approach; health care surveys; health personnel; Health Policy & Services; Health services; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Injuries; Injury prevention; Latin American cultural groups; Lectures; Medical personnel; Needles; Needlestick injuries; Occupational safety; Prevention programs; Preventive medicine; Special Report; West Indies; Workers; Workplaces; Workshops; accident prevention; Needlestick injuries; West Indies; health care surveys; health personnel; Ferimentos penetrantes produzidos por agulha; pesquisas sobre serviços de saúde; Índias Ocidentais; pessoal de saúde; prevenção de acidentes; prevención de accidentes; Indias Occidentales; Lesiones por pinchazo de aguja; personal de salud; encuestas de atención de la salud
• ISSN: 1020-4989; 1680-5348; 1680-5348
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2018.93

The rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among health care workers that is caused by sharps injuries is higher in the Caribbean and Latin America than in other regions of the world. To respond to and reduce occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens while also strengthening capacities in the Caribbean, needlestick injury prevention training programs for health care workers were implemented, beginning in 2011. The programs included lectures, workshops, policy reviews, evaluations of safety devices, and workplace assessment. During the training, baseline data from health care workers on their personal history of needlestick injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposure was collected. That baseline data showed that 40% of the participants had sustained sharps injuries during their professional career. In this capacity-building effort, 210 health care workers from five countries have been trained, six health care centers in the Caribbean have been evaluated. and occupational safety and health committees have been established in various countries to monitor and improve safety policies and practices.