Auta A, Adewuyi EO, Tor-Anyiin A, Aziz D, Ogbole E, Ogbonna BO, Adeloye D. Health-care workers' occupational exposures to body fluids in 21 countries in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Bull World Health Organ 2017;
95:831-841F. [PMID:
29200524 PMCID:
PMC5710084 DOI:
10.2471/blt.17.195735]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of occupational exposure to body fluids among health-care workers in Africa.
METHODS
Embase®, PubMed® and CINAHL databases were systematically searched for studies published between January 2000 and August 2017 that reported the prevalence of occupational exposure to blood or other body fluids among health-care workers in Africa. The continent-wide prevalence of exposure was estimated using random-effects meta-analysis.
FINDINGS
Of the 904 articles identified, 65 studies from 21 African countries were included. The estimated pooled lifetime and 12-month prevalence of occupational exposure to body fluids were 65.7% (95% confidence interval, CI: 59.7-71.6) and 48.0% (95% CI: 40.7-55.3), respectively. Exposure was largely due to percutaneous injury, which had an estimated 12-month prevalence of 36.0% (95% CI: 31.2-40.8). The pooled 12-month prevalence of occupational exposure among medical doctors (excluding surgeons), nurses (including midwives and nursing assistants) and laboratory staff (including laboratory technicians) was 46.6% (95% CI: 33.5-59.7), 44.6% (95% CI: 34.1-55.0) and 34.3% (95% CI: 21.8-46.7), respectively. The risk of exposure was higher among health-care workers with no training on infection prevention and those who worked more than 40 hours per week.
CONCLUSION
The evidence available suggests that almost one half of health-care workers in Africa were occupationally exposed to body fluids annually. However, a lack of data from some countries was a major limitation. National governments and health-care institutions across Africa should prioritize efforts to minimize occupational exposure among health-care workers.
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