Risk Factors of Needlestick and Sharps Injuries among Healthcare Workers

Background and Objectives: Exposure to contaminated needlesticks and sharp devices is an important occupational hazard among healthcare workers. The objective of this study was to gain further insight into prevalence and risk factors of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 384 healthcare workers of two hospitals in Neyshabur, a northeastern city of Iran. A self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed among participants. Data were summarized using descriptive statistical methods. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine the association between respondents’ demographic characteristics and occurrence of needlestick and sharps injuries. Findings: More than 32% of healthcare workers reported experiencing at least one needlestick and sharps injury during the study period, 54.8% reported having sustained one injury, and 45.2% reported more than one injury. The highest prevalence of injuries was observed among nurses (39.7%). Syringe needle was responsible for the majority of incidental injuries (35.71%). Age (OR=0.551, 95% CI: (0.325, 0.934)) and number of shifts per month (OR=2.404, 95% CI: (1.389, 4.160)) were found to be significantly associated with occurrence of needlestick and sharps injuries. Conclusions: In total, our findings indicate a relatively high prevalence of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers. Our results highlight the need for targeted training programs for young nurses to decrease risk of needlestick and sharps injury incidents. In addition, adequate healthcare staffing and appropriate number of shifts per month are prerequisites to preventing a high risk of needlestick and sharps injuries in hospitals.