Dalia Kheira Derkaoui Abdessamad Dali-Ali Zouleykha Abdelaziz Nori Midoun Mohamed Zina

Keywords: Accidents exposing blood; hospital staff; Algeria.

Abstract

Background: Accidents exposing to blood AEB represent real public health problem in healthcare establishments. The objective of our study was to estimate the frequency of AEB As at our establishment as well as the risk factors that determine their occurrence.

Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted at a hospital university establishment over period from October 16 to December 3, 2018. The survey concerned accident exposing blood to the staff of our establishment. Data entry and analysis was carried out using Epi-Info software.

Results: A clear predominance of women was noted (79.2%) among the study population with a Sex ratio equal to 0.26. The average age was 27.7 ± 6.2 years.
The frequency of exposure to AEB among hospital staff was 48.5%. Needlestick injuries were the most common accident (88.3%), followed by splashing blood or body fluids (51.7%), and cutting with a sharp object (10.0%). Among the risk factors significantly associated with the occurrence of AEB, we can cite the medical profession (OR = 3.94; p<0.001), the surgical specialty (OR = 3.3; p <0.01), the male sex (OR = 3.7; p <0.01). Likewise, risk of AEB increased significantly with age (p <0.01) and professional seniority (p <0.02).

Keywords: Accidents exposing blood; hospital staff; Algeria.

A.    AFRICAN HEALTH SCIENCES OPEN ACCESS POLICY

While African Health Sciences has been freely accessible online there have been questions on whether it is Open Access or not. We wish to clearly state that indeed African Health Sciences is Open Access. There are key issues regarding Open Access needing clarification for avoidance of doubt:

1.      Henceforth, papers in African Health Sciences will be published under the CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution License) 4.0 International. See details on https://creativecomons.org/)2.      The copyright owners or the authors grant the 3rd party (perpetually and in advance) the right to disseminate, reproduce, or use the research papers in part or in full, format/medium as long as:No substantive errors are introduced in the processAttribution of authorship and correct citation details are givenThe referencing details are not changed.

Should the papers be reproduced in part, this must be clearly stated.

3.      The papers will be freely and universally accessible online in an easily readable format such as XML in at least one widely recognized open access repository such as PUBMED CENTRAL.

B. ABRIDGED LICENCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUTHORS AND African Health Sciences

I submitted my manuscript to African Health Sciences and would like to affirm that:

1.0  I am authorized by my co-authors to enter into these arrangements.

2.0 I guarantee, on behalf of self and co-authors:

That the paper is original, and has not been published in any other peer-reviewed journal; nor is it under consideration by other journal (s). It does not infringe existing copyright or any other person’s rights

 

That we are/I am the sole author(s) of the paper and with authority to enter into this agreement. My granting rights to African Health Sciences is not in breach of any other obligation

 

That the paper contains nothing unlawful, or libelous. Nor anything that would constitute a breach of contract, confidence or commitment given to secrecy, if published

 

That I/we have taken care to ensure the integrity of the article.

3.0  I and all co-authors, agree that the paper, if accepted for publication, shall be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0. (see https://creativecommons.org/)