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The National study to prevent blood exposure in paramedics: Exposure reporting
Author(s) -
Boal Winifred L.,
Leiss Jack K.,
Sousa Sara,
Lyden Jennifer T.,
Li Jia,
Jagger Janine
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20558
Subject(s) - medicine , under reporting , environmental health , affect (linguistics) , occupational exposure , incidence (geometry) , occupational medicine , medical emergency , emergency medicine , family medicine , linguistics , statistics , philosophy , physics , mathematics , optics
Background This survey was conducted to provide national incidence rates and risk factors for exposure to blood among paramedics. The present analysis assesses reporting of exposures to employers. Methods A questionnaire was mailed in 2002–2003 to a national sample of paramedics selected using a two‐stage design. Information on exposure reporting was obtained on the two most recent exposures for each of five routes of exposure. Results Forty‐nine percent of all exposures to blood and 72% of needlesticks were reported to employers. The main reason for under‐reporting was not considering the exposure a “significant risk.” Females reported significantly more total exposures than males. Reporting of needlesticks was significantly less common among respondents who believed most needlesticks were due to circumstances under the worker's control. Reporting was non‐significantly more common among workers who believed reporting exposures helps management prevent future exposures. Reporting may have been positively associated with workplace safety culture. Conclusions This survey indicates there is need to improve the reporting of blood exposures by paramedics to their employers, and more work is needed to understand the reasons for under‐reporting. Gender, safety culture, perception of risk, and other personal attitudes may all affect reporting behavior. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:213–222, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.