Bloodborne pathogen exposures: Difference in reporting rates and individual predictors among health care personnel.

BACKGROUND: Employees in health care settings are at varying risk for bloodborne pathogen (BBP) exposures. We compared differences in reporting rates of BBP exposures among health care personnel during 2 different time periods, assessing job category, years of experience, and sex as potential predictors for exposure.

METHODS: A retrospective review of the employee health department BBP database at 2 time periods (September 1, 2012-April 30, 2013, and September 1, 2013-April 30, 2014) in which 2 different reporting protocols (call center vs pager) was used. A survey was administered to assess reported and unreported exposures within a 12-month period.

RESULTS: BBP exposures were highest among residents and lowest among students. Physicians' reporting rate doubled when the call center was no longer used (relative risk, 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-5.52). Percutaneous injuries were the most common (78.3%), and most occurred in the operating room or postanesthesia unit (30.8%) and patient rooms (28.9%). Of 1,105 survey respondents, 103 (9.3%) recalled some type of exposure, but only 80 (77.7%) reported these exposures. When accounting for years of experience and sex, job category was significantly associated with injury or exposure within the previous 12 months (P < .001). Risk of exposure among residents was 3 times higher (odds ratio, 3.10; 95 CI, 1.60-6.00) than nurses.

CONCLUSIONS: Risk and reporting behaviors of BBP exposures vary widely across different providers. Training and education to prevent BBP exposures may need to be tailored toward different provider types.