Infection Risks in Hospital Staff from Blood: Hazardous Injury Rates and Acceptance of Hepatitis B Immunization

A questionnaire survey of 1800 clinical health care staff wasundertaken to determine hazardous injury rates and uptake ofhepatitis B vaccination. The overall sharps injury rate was116 injuries per 100 staff per year. Full-time doctors had thehighest rates. Surgical procedures were the commonest causeof accidental injury (58 per cent) and 30 per cent of all sharpsinjuries were attributable to careless handling. Injuries causedby bites and scratches from patients occurred mainly in nursesand auxilliaries in psychiatric and geriatric wards (115/100staff per year). Twenty-four per cent of respondents had received a full courseof hepatitis B vaccine and 51 per cent of the remainder wereplanning to have, or were in the process of receiving, a course.The most frequent reason given for not being vaccinated waslack of information about vaccination. This survey reveals injury rates higher than those observedin previous reports, particularly in doctors, and shows a needfor more information and advice about hepatitis B infectionand vaccination to be targeted to health care workers at risk. Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Dr C. Astbury, Occupational Health Department, Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK