BACKGROUND Influenza viruses are highly contagious. Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of occupational exposure to influenza and may transmit the infection to their patients and coworkers. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to characterize the attitudes of HCWs regarding the use of surgical masks to prevent nosocomial influenza transmission. Furthermore, we assessed the informational nee...

BACKGROUND The aim of our study were to assess the knowledge and practice gaps about Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) and their associated factors among Health Care Workers' (HCWs) at tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary care teaching hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, representing both private and public health sector. During the months ...

Occupationally Acquired HIV Infection Among Health Care Workers — United States, 1985–2013 M. Patricia Joyce, MD1, David Kuhar, MD2, John T. Brooks, MD1 (Author affiliations at end of text) Case investigations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in health care workers (HCWs) possibly acquired by exposure to HIV in the workplace are conducted by state health department HIV surveillan...

SETTING Recent evidence indicates that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) related stigma act as a key barrier to the utilisation of associated occupational health services by South African health care workers (HCWs). It also highlights a dearth of appropriate tools to measure HIV and TB stigma among HCWs. OBJECTIVE To test four scales measuring different aspects of stigm...

Despite being recognized for many years, needle stick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) continue to present a risk of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens for health care works (HCWs). This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of needle stick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) among healthcare workers (HCWs), their follow-up and immunization status for hepatitis B...

Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of occupational exposure to HIV. Their attitude to HIV-positive patients influences patients' willingness and ability to access quality care. HIV counselling and testing (HCT) services are available to inform HCWs and patients about their status. There is little information about HCT uptake and attitude to HIV-positive patients among HCWs in tertiary healt...

BACKGROUND Russia is one of 22 high burden tuberculosis (TB) countries. Identifying individuals, particularly health care workers (HCWs) with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and determining the rate of infection, can assist TB control through chemoprophylaxis and improving institutional cross-infection strategies. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence and determine the...

Immunization of health care workers (HCWs) against influenza has been associated with improvements in patient safety. The aim of this study is to assess the beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge of HCWs and health profession students regarding influenza. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to HCWs in three local Florentine healthcare units, at Careggi University Teaching Hospital, and to stu...

INTRODUCTION Emergency department is one of the high-risk areas, where violence against health care workers (HCWs) is a prevalent and serious problem. Violence has negative effects on HCWs, and therefore on the quality of care provided in emergency department. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, types, sources and risk factors of violence reported by HCWs in emergency department. ME...

OBJECTIVE Although transmission of VZV is recognized as an important cause for morbidity in health care workers (HCWs), there is no general agreement on the recommended immunization policy. This study aimed to evaluate several of such prevention policies in economic terms. SETTINGS Analysis of the cost per avoided future varicella cases among HCWs in Israel. METHODS A cost-effectiveness ana...