Table 1 Characteristics of 557 HCW reporting occupational exposures at an urban teaching hospital in Pune, India, 2003–2005
Characteristic | Total N = 557 (%) | High-risk# N = 339 (%) | Low-risk N = 211 (%) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median Age, years (range) | 23 (18–58) | 23 (18–58) | 23 (18–57) | 0.2 |
Male | 295 (53.2) | 178 (52.8) | 112 (53.1) | 0.33 |
Occupation | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   Intern | 296 (53.1) | 159 (46.9) | 134 (63.5) | 0.0001 |
   Resident | 127 (22.8) | 84 (24.8) | 42 (19.9) | 0.19 |
   Nurse | 42 (7.5) | 28 (8.3) | 13 (6.2) | 0.36 |
   Student Nurse | 33 (5.9) | 24 (7.1) | 9 (4.3) | 0.18 |
   Other | 59 (10.6) | 38 (11.2) | 11 (5.2) | 0.02 |
Department | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   Medicine | 150 (26.9) | 101 (29.8) | 49 (23.2) | 0.09 |
   Obstetrics/Gynecology | 132 (23.7) | 67 (19.8) | 63 (29.9) | 0.008 |
   Casualty (emergency room) | 96 (17.2) | 49 (14.5) | 46 (21.8) | 0.03 |
   Surgery | 84 (15.1) | 57 (16.8) | 26 (12.3) | 0.15 |
   Pediatrics | 30 (5.4) | 16 (4.7) | 14 (6.6) | 0.34 |
   Other | 58(10.4) | 44 (13.0) | 11 (5.2) | 0.003 |
Median time between exposure and reporting (n = 329) hours:minutes(range) | 0:30 (0–122:30) | 0:30 (0–122:30) | 0:30 (0–23:56) | 0.88 |
   Reporting within 24 hours | 313 (95.1) | 149 (97.3) | 164 (100) | 0.56 |
Wound cleaned stat | 523 (93.9) | 314 (92.6) | 203 (96.2) | 0.13 |
Personal protective equipment used | 307 (55.1) | 182 (53.7) | 124 (58.8) | 0.25 |
   Gloves | 279 (50.1) | 165 (48.7) | 113 (53.6) | 0.26 |
   Mask | 52 (9.3) | 31 (9.1) | 20 (9.5) | 0.89 |
   Gown | 51 (9.2) | 30 (8.8) | 20 (9.5) | 0.80 |
   Eyewear | 18 (3.2) | 8 (2.4) | 10 (4.7) | 0.13 |
   Other | 5 (0.9) | 5 (1.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0.54 |
Hepatitis B Vaccination/job category (% vaccinated) | 424 (76.1) | 249 (73.5) | 172 (81.5) | 0.03 |
   Intern | 238 (80.4) | 125 (78.6) | 111 (82.8) | 0.0003 |
   Resident | 111 (89.5) | 72 (85.7) | 39 (92.8) | 0.43 |
   Student Nurse | 22 (66.7) | 14 (58.3) | 8 (88.9) | 0.84 |
   Nurse | 26 (61.9) | 18 (64.3) | 8 (57.1) | 0.41 |
   Other | 25 (42.4) | 19 (50.0) | 6 (54.5) | 0.13 |
Exposure characteristic | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Percutaneous | 452 (81.1) | 280 (82.6) | 160 (75.8) | 0.05 |
   More severe | 159 (28.5) | 107 (31.6) | 49 (23.2) | 0.03 |
   Needle stick | 420 (75.4) | 256 (75.5) | 152 (74.1) | 0.36 |
Hollow needle | 280 (66.7) | 175 (68.4) | 105 (69.1) | 0.67 |
Solid needle | 111 (26.4) | 66 (25.8) | 45 (29.6) | 0.60 |
Unknown/not reported | 29 (6.9) | 15 (5.9) | 2 (1.3) | 0.02 |
   Laceration | 34 (6.1) | 24 (7.3) | 8 (3.9) | 0.11 |
Mucocutaneous | 105 (18.8) | 51 (15.4) | 45 (22.0) | 0.06 |
   Large volume | 13 (12.4) | 6 (11.8) | 4 (9.8) | 0.91 |
   Small volume | 91 (86.7) | 45 (88.2) | 41 (91.1) | 0.05 |
Exposed to blood | 489 (87.8) | 286 (84.4) | 200 (94.8) | 0.0002 |
Exposed worker activity | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   Handling sharp during procedure | 331 (59.4) | 217 (64.0) | 114 (54.0) | 0.02 |
   Handling sharp after procedure | 98 (17.6) | 58 (17.1) | 40 (19.0) | 0.58 |
   Recapping | 46 (8.3) | 30 (8.8) | 16 (7.6) | 0.60 |
   Disposing equipment | 30 (5.4) | 12 (3.5) | 18 (8.5) | 0.01 |
   Sharp left around/not safely disposed | 31 (5.6) | 5 (1.5) | 8 (3.8) | 0.08 |
   Other | 21 (3.8) | 8 (2.4) | 13 (6.2) | 0.02 |