Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol.9 issue.4 2019
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Cross-sectional survey on occupational needle stick injuries amongst prehospital emergency medical service personnel in Johannesburg
Dublin Core
Title
Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol.9 issue.4 2019
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Cross-sectional survey on occupational needle stick injuries amongst prehospital emergency medical service personnel in Johannesburg
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Cross-sectional survey on occupational needle stick injuries amongst prehospital emergency medical service personnel in Johannesburg
Subject
Emergency Medical Services
percutaneous injury
EMS
needle stick injury
HIV
post exposure prophylaxis
percutaneous injury
EMS
needle stick injury
HIV
post exposure prophylaxis
Description
Introduction: Prehospital personnel are exposed to challenging situations that place them at increased risk of
sustaining a needle stick injury (NSI). Blood borne infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B or C may be trans-
mitted from a NSI. Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV globally. There is no
data pertaining to NSI among Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel in South Africa. This study aimed to
investigate the cumulative incidence, knowledge, attitudes and practices pertaining to NSIs amongst a select
group of prehospital personnel in Johannesburg.
Methods: This was a prospective, questionnaire based, cross-sectional survey of personnel employed at three
EMS service providers in Johannesburg.
Results: Of the 240 subjects that participated in the study, there was a total of 93 NSIs amongst 63 (26.3%)
subjects. Of these, 41 (65.1%) had sustained one previous NSI, 16 (25.4%) had two NSIs, 5 (7.9%) had three NSIs
and one (1.6%) had five NSIs. Almost two-thirds (n = 60; 64.5%) of NSIs were sustained during intravenous line
insertion. Most of the study subjects were male (n = 145, 60.4%), between the age of 25–29 years (n = 67,
27.9%), had a BLS qualification as the highest level of training (n = 89, 37.1%), had > 10 years of EMS ex-
perience (n = 69; 28.8%) and were up to date with their Hepatitis B vaccination at the time of the study. HIV
post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was initiated in 82 (88.2%) out of the 93 NSI incidents. However, the re-
commended 28-day course of therapy was only completed in 68 (82.9%) out of the 82 cases where PEP was
initiated.
Conclusion: Prehospital personnel are at risk of sustaining a NSI. There is a need to promote awareness with
regards to the risks, preventive measures, awareness of PEP protocols and the timely initiation and completion of
HIV PEP amongst EMS personnel in Johannesburg.
sustaining a needle stick injury (NSI). Blood borne infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B or C may be trans-
mitted from a NSI. Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV globally. There is no
data pertaining to NSI among Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel in South Africa. This study aimed to
investigate the cumulative incidence, knowledge, attitudes and practices pertaining to NSIs amongst a select
group of prehospital personnel in Johannesburg.
Methods: This was a prospective, questionnaire based, cross-sectional survey of personnel employed at three
EMS service providers in Johannesburg.
Results: Of the 240 subjects that participated in the study, there was a total of 93 NSIs amongst 63 (26.3%)
subjects. Of these, 41 (65.1%) had sustained one previous NSI, 16 (25.4%) had two NSIs, 5 (7.9%) had three NSIs
and one (1.6%) had five NSIs. Almost two-thirds (n = 60; 64.5%) of NSIs were sustained during intravenous line
insertion. Most of the study subjects were male (n = 145, 60.4%), between the age of 25–29 years (n = 67,
27.9%), had a BLS qualification as the highest level of training (n = 89, 37.1%), had > 10 years of EMS ex-
perience (n = 69; 28.8%) and were up to date with their Hepatitis B vaccination at the time of the study. HIV
post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was initiated in 82 (88.2%) out of the 93 NSI incidents. However, the re-
commended 28-day course of therapy was only completed in 68 (82.9%) out of the 82 cases where PEP was
initiated.
Conclusion: Prehospital personnel are at risk of sustaining a NSI. There is a need to promote awareness with
regards to the risks, preventive measures, awareness of PEP protocols and the timely initiation and completion of
HIV PEP amongst EMS personnel in Johannesburg.
Creator
Jared McDowall, Abdullah E. Laher
Source
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afjem.2019.08.001
Date
14 August 2019
Contributor
PERI IRAWAN
Format
PDF
Language
ENGLISH
Type
TEXT
Files
Citation
Jared McDowall, Abdullah E. Laher, “Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol.9 issue.4 2019
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Cross-sectional survey on occupational needle stick injuries amongst prehospital emergency medical service personnel in Johannesburg,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed February 3, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/1801.
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Cross-sectional survey on occupational needle stick injuries amongst prehospital emergency medical service personnel in Johannesburg,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed February 3, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/1801.