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Occupational exposures to bloodborne viruses among German dental professionals and students in a clinical setting

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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Exposures to bloodborne pathogens pose a serious risk to dental healthcare workers (DHCW). Despite improved methods of preventing exposures like needlestick injuries (NSI), occupational exposures still continue to occur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of occupational exposures to patient body fluids among German DHCW, to assess the rate of reporting of such incidents, and to evaluate the association of various factors with these exposures.

Methods

Data was obtained through an anonymous questionnaire.

Results

Our study confirms that occupational skills are an important factor concerning NSI. It turned out that dental students (0.74 NSI p. a.) had nearly twice the number of NSI compared with dentists with more or less than 10 years working experience (0.42, 0.49 NSI p. a., respectively, P < 0.0001). Overall, 54.3% (n = 144/265) of respondents had sustained at least one NSI in their professional life. Only 28.5% of injured dental students and DHCW reported all of their NSI, the main reason (19.1%) for not reporting NSI was little or no perception of risk on behalf of the respondent. One-fourth of respondents were not wearing a mask and 55.6% were not wearing protective goggles during their last occupational exposures.

Conclusions

Occupational exposure to blood or body fluids is a common problem among DHCW and dental students. Measures must be adopted by official institutions, public health service, occupational health association and universities in order to reverse this situation.

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Abbreviations

DHCW:

Dental healthcare workers

HCWs:

Healthcare workers

NSI:

Needlestick injury

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Lewis Enim for his editorial support. The authors extend special thanks to Prof. Dr H.C. Lauer (University of Frankfurt dental hospital) and Jens Schweisgut for their dental evaluation and thank Dr Gerrit Eichner (Mathematical Institute, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen) for his assistance in the statistical analysis.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Occupational Health Service, Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Sabine Wicker

  2. Institute of Medical Virology, Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Sabine Wicker & Holger F. Rabenau

Authors
  1. Sabine Wicker
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  2. Holger F. Rabenau
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Correspondence to Sabine Wicker.

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Wicker, S., Rabenau, H.F. Occupational exposures to bloodborne viruses among German dental professionals and students in a clinical setting. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 83, 77–83 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-009-0452-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-009-0452-3

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