MAGNITUDE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NEEDLE STICK AND SHARP INJURIES AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN REFERRAL HOSPITALS IN JIGJIGA TOWN, EASTERN ETHIOPIA,2023.

Abstract

Background: Needle stick injuries are common among healthcare workers who come into contact with patient blood and body fluids, posing a risk of morbidity and mortality. Limited studies have been conducted on the magnitude and risk factors of needle stick injuries in healthcare workers in the part of Jigjiga, Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with Needle Stick and sharp injuries(NSSIs), among health care workers of referral hospitals in Jigjiga Town from July 20 to August 20, 2023. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers at a Referral Hospitals in Jigjiga, Eastern Ethiopia. The study included a total of 398 participants selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected using a structured, self administered questionnaire in English. The data was cleaned, entered into EpiData version 3.1, and analyzed using Stata version 15. Bi-variable regression analysis was used to assess the association of each variable with the outcome, and variables with a P-value of 0.25 or less were included in the multi-variable logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was determined at a 95% confidence interval with a significance level of p<0.05. Result: The overall magnitude of needle sticks and sharp injuries during the past 12 months was found to be 33.85% (95%CI:29.1,38.5). Healthcare workers with ≤ 5 years of work experience [AOR=1.33,95%CI(0.115,0.991)], the absence of safety guidelines [AOR=1.39,95%CI (0.192,0.813)], the absence of safety boxes [Adjusted odds ratio=1.27,95% CI (0.107,0.684)], and lack of training on infection prevention and control [(AOR 2.09, 95% CI (1.168-3.758)] were factors significantly associated with needle stick and sharp injuries. Conclusion: The overall magnitude of needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSI) among healthcare workers found that the of NSSI was 33.85%, which is consistent with previous studies. The study found that work experience, absence of safety guidelines, absence of safety boxes, and lack of training on infection prevention were identified as significant contributors to the likelihood of experiencing NSSI. Thus, the study highlights the importance of implementing infection prevention guidelines, providing adequate training, and ensuring the availability of safety equipment to reduce the risk of NSSI among healthcare workers.