Needle Stick Injuries among Primary Health Care Workers in a Northern State of Nigeria
Omotosho I. Musa
Dept of Epidemiology & Community Health, University of Ilorin of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Corresponding author: Dr. Omotosho I. Musa
Dept of Epid & Community Health
University of Ilorin of Teaching Hospital
P.M.B. 1459, Ilorin, Nigeria
Telephone: 0803 721 4534
Fax number: 031 223076
E-mail: mtosh2002@yahoo.com
CEJOEM 2007, Vol.13. No.2.: 171–178
Key words:
Injuries, Needle stick, Health workers, Primary Health Care, Needle-stick injury
Abstract:
Introduction and objectives: Sharp instruments represent one of the most problematic and hazardous types
of waste generated within the health facilities. Syringes and needles are of particular concern because of large
quantities that are used daily by health workers throughout the world for both curative and preventive activities.
This exposes health care workers (HCWs) to professional hazard of needle stick injuries (NSI). This study was conducted
to determine the occurrence, reporting and management of NSI among HCWs at primary health care (PHC) level.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 680 PHC workers using self-administered questionnaires
distributed to the consenting staff at their workplaces in 80 randomly selected health districts in the state. Data
analysis was done using EPI 6.4 software programme and chi-square test was used to determine statistical differences in
cross-tabulated variables.
Results: Three hundred and eighty-eight (57.1%) HCWs reported to have ever had NSI; out of these numbers more than
half had 1–2 pricks while 43 (11.1%) had 5 or more pricks. The mean number of pricks sustained by the victims was
3.12 ± 0.41. Recapping of used needles (29%) and stray needle accidents from colleagues (22%) were the commonest
circumstances leading to injuries. Only 74 (19%) of the victims ever reported the incidents, while the care of the injuries
was mainly by cleaning with spirit swab (55%) or antiseptics (17%). Analysis of the data to determine the effect of age,
sex, cadre and years of experience of the HCWs on occurrence of NSI showed no statistical difference (p-value>0.05).
Less than a quarter (21%) of the total respondents has been vaccinated against
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and only a few of them had ever been screened for HBV (3%) or HIV infections (5%). Few of
the respondents expressed readiness to undergo screening for HIV (13%) and HBV (17.8%) at no cost to them.
Conclusion: Recapping, poor reporting and management of NSI characterized the occurrence of NSI among PHC workers.
There is need for staff retraining on safe injection practice and formulation of policy on reporting, management and
prevention of NSI among this group of HCWs.
Received: 14 May 2007
Accepted: 29 August 2007
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