Global Prevalence and Device Related Causes of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Salehoddin Bouya; Abbas Balouchi; Hosien Rafiemanesh; Mehrbanoo Amirshahi; Majid Dastres; Mahdieh Poodineh Moghadam; Niaz Behnamfar; Mahmood Shyeback; Mahin Badakhsh; Jasem Allahyari; Adhra Al Mawali; Abbas Ebadi; Asiyeh Dezhkam; Karen A Daley

doi:10.5334/aogh.2698

Global Prevalence and Device Related Causes of Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ann Glob Health. 2020 Apr 6;86(1):35. doi: 10.5334/aogh.2698.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Clinical Immunology Research Center, Ali-Ebne Abitaleb Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR.
² Student Research Committee, Nursing and Midwifery School, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR.
³ Student Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR.
⁴ Department of Midwifery, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, IR.
⁵ Nursing and Midwifery school, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR.
⁶ Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, IR.
⁷ Department of Nursing, Faculty of nursing and midwifery, Tehran medical sciences, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, IR.
⁸ Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, IR.
⁹ Zahedan University of medical sciences, Zahedan, IR.
¹⁰ Centre of Studies and Research, Oman Ministry of Health, Muscat, OM.
¹¹ Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Life style institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR.
¹² Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR.
¹³ Department of Pediaterics, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, IR.
¹⁴ American Nurses Association, Massachusetts, US.

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) suffer more than 2 million occupational needle-stick injuries (NSIs) annually.

Goal: To determine the global prevalence and causes of NSIs among HCWs.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, three databases (PubMed, Web of science, and Scopus) were searched for reports from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2018. The random effects model was used to determine the prevalence of NSIs among HCWs. Hoy et al.'s instrument was employed to evaluate the quality of the included studies.

Findings: A total of 87 studies performed on 50,916 HCWs in 31 countries worldwide were included in the study. The one-year global pooled prevalence of NSIs among HCWs was 44.5% (95% CI: 35.7, 53.2). Highest prevalence of NSIs occurred in the South East Asia region at 58.2% (95%, CI: 36.7, 79.8). By job category, prevalence of NSIs was highest among dentists at 59.1% (95% CI: 38.8, 79.4), Hypodermic needles were the most common cause of NSIs at 55.1% (95% CI: 41.4, 68.9).

Conclusion: The current high prevalence of NSIs among HCWs suggests need to improve occupational health services and needle-stick education programs globally.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Cannula
Dentists / statistics & numerical data
Health Personnel / statistics & numerical data*
Humans
Needles
Needlestick Injuries / epidemiology*
Nurses / statistics & numerical data
Occupational Injuries / epidemiology*
Physicians / statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Students, Nursing / statistics & numerical data