• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2016

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to needle stick injuries (NSIs) and to assess related safety measures among a sample of Iranian nurses. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 168 registered active nurses was selected from different wards of one of the hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). Data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire and a checklist based observational method among the 168 registered active nurses. Results: The prevalence of NSIs in the total of work experience and the last year was 76% and 54%, respectively. Hollow-bore needles were the most common devices involved in the injuries (85.5%). The majority of NSIs occurred in the morning shift (57.8%) and the most common activity leading to NSIs was recapping needles (41.4%). The rate of underreporting NSIs was 60.2% and the major reasons for not reporting the NSIs were heavy clinical schedule (46.7%) and perception of low risk of infection (37.7%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the occurrence of NSIs and sex, hours worked/week, and frequency of shifts/month. Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of NSIs among nurses. Supportive measures such as improving injection practices, modification of working schedule, planning training programs targeted at using personal protective equipment, and providing an adequate number of safety facilities such as puncture resistant disposal containers and engineered safe devices are essential for the effective prevention of NSI incidents among the studied nurses.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.135-144
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• 2019

Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI; H9N2) and Newcastle disease (ND) are economically important poultry diseases in Korea. In this study, we investigated pathological features and virus distribution in the lymphoid tissues of chicks experimentally infected with H9N2 and/or ND virus. Six-weeks-old SPF chickens were divided into 4 groups, Control (C), H9N2 (E1), NDV (E2), and H9N2+NDV (E3). E1 group was challenged with 0.1 ml A/Kr/Ck/01310/01 (H9N2) $10^{5.6}$ $EID_{50}$ intranasally, E2 group was challenged with 0.5 ml KJW (NDV) $10^{5.0}{\sim}10^{6.0}$ $ELD_{50}$ intramuscularly, and E3 group was challenged with H9N2, followed 7 days later by NDV. In histopathological examination, E1 group showed depletion and necrosis in bursa of Fabricius, thymus, cecal tonsil, and spleen, whereas E2 and E3 groups were noted severe lymphocyte depletion and necrosis with destruction of lymphoid organs structures. In TUNEL assay, apoptotic bodies were detected in lymphoid organs of all experimental groups, which was most severe in E3 group. H9N2 and ND viruses were predominantly detected in cecal tonsil of E1, E2, and E3 groups by PCR and immunohistochemistry (ICH). In conclusion, co-infection of H9N2 with NDV caused severe pathologic lesions and apoptosis in lymphoid tissues compared to single infections.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.466-476
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the under-reporting rate and related factors after blood and body fluid (BBF) exposure among hospital employees. Methods: Fifteen hundred l employees were conveniently sampled from ten university and acute care hospitals. The survey questionnaire consisted of 37 items. Data were collected from September 10 to November 30, 2008. Results: The survey response rate was 88.7%. The 47.9% (638/1,331) of hospital employees were exposed to BBF and the mean number of exposure was $4.7{\pm}5.942$ within the previous year. Under-reporting rate after BBF exposure was 69.4% (443/638). By multi-variate logistic regression analysis, the exposure number, exposure type, infectious disease and hospital were independently related to the under-reporting of BBF among hospital employees. Conclusion: The under-reporting rate after being exposed to blood and body fluids was relatively high. To address this problem, educational programs are needed to decrease the under-reporting rate for healthcare workers. Further, it might be helpful if other factors related to under-reporting be investigated in future studies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2020

Objectives: Previous study has shown that the positive rate of latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI) among former workers in dusty environments was higher than that among high-risk groups of tuberculosis(TB). The objective of the present study was to identify the development of active TB among former workers in dusty environments diagnosed with LTBI. Methods: Between January 2015 and May 2017, 796 former workers in dusty environments who had been subjects of epidemiology research for work-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) had received the QuantiFERON-TB® Gold In-Tube(QFT-GIT) from the Institute of Occupation and Environment(IOE) under the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service(KCOMWEL). Among them, 437 participants who received a health examination for work-related pneumoconiosis between January 2015 and December 2018 were selected as study subjects. Active TB was defined as a positive result for active PTB and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria infection in the result of the Pneumoconiosis Examination Council's assessment by KCOMWEL. Results: A total of 437 subjects were followed up for 2.1 years. Four of them(4/437, 0.9%) developed active TB during the follow-up period. The attack rate of active TB among subjects who were diagnosed LTBI positive and those who were diagnosed LTBI negative were 0.9%(3/320) and 0.9%(1/115), respectively. Conclusions: Most previous studies reported that the attack rate of the development of active TB in subjects who had been diagnosed LTBI positive was higher than that among subjects who had been diagnosed LTBI negative. To the contrary, the present study found that the rate of developing active TB among former workers in dusty environments diagnosed as LTBI positive was not higher than that in those who were diagnosed LTBI negative.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.198-207
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe hospital nurses' knowledge and beliefs about hand hygiene and to identify the relationships between knowledge and beliefs. Methods: Data were collected from 232 nurses working in four university hospitals and were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. Results: The mean score of knowledge of hand hygiene was 8.1. The mean scores of behavioral, normative, and control belief about hand hygiene were 2.3, 2.5, and -0.7, respectively. Knowledge was correlated with educational level (p=.013) and experience of hand hygiene campaign (p=.018). The behavioral belief was correlated with age (p<.001) and career (p=.002). The normative belief was correlated with work department (p=.007). The control belief was correlated with educational level (p=.043) and experience of being monitored on hand hygiene (p=.010). The subjects who believed that head nurses, charge nurses, and colleagues practiced better hand hygiene had higher behavioral and normative belief scores than those who did not. There were no significant relationships between knowledge and beliefs. Conclusion: There is a need to improve knowledge of hand hygiene in hospital nurses. This study provides information for developing strategies to strengthen beliefs about hand hygiene.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.350-356
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• 2022

Background: Although sick leave is a complex phenomenon, it is believed that there is potential for prevention at the workplace. However, little is known about this potential and what specific measures should be implemented. The purpose of the study was to identify perceived reasons to take work-related sick leave and to suggest preventive measures. The study was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, and the risk factors identified may have been amplified during the pandemic. Methods: An in-depth cross-sectional survey was conducted across a randomly selected sample of hospital nurses in Norway. The national sample comprised 1,297 nurses who participated in a survey about their sick leave during the previous 6 months. An open-ended question about perceived reasons for work-related sick leave was included to gather qualitative information. Results: Among hospital nurses, 27% of the last occurring sick leave incidents were perceived to be work-related. The most common reasons were high physical workload, high work pace, sleep problems, catching a viral or bacterial infection from patients or colleagues, and low staffing. Conclusions: Over a quarter of the last occurring sick leave incidents among Norwegian hospital nurses are potentially preventable. To retain and optimize scarce hospital nursing resources, strategies to reduce work-related sick leave may provide human and financial benefits. Preventive measures may include careful monitoring of nurses' workload and pace, optimizing work schedules to reduce the risk of sleep problems, and increasing staffing to prevent stress and work overload.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.154-158
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• 2013

The unnatural dead body refers to a corpse which is suspicious of unusual death and the dead case has been occurred more than 20 thousands times every year during the recent five years and most of them are found decayed. Police Scientific Investigators investigate unnatural dead bodies and its surroundings in all-around way and determine whether the death is involved with a crime, and most of the Scientific Investigators are exposed to a danger to get infected with pathogenic bacteria which are generated during the decaying process of dead body and are mostly to cause serious injuries on human beings. In line with the fact, the present study conducted a bacterial analysis by collecting excretions from 60 dead bodies and culturing the bacteria to evaluate infection risk of the police agents. The study cultured bacteria from 60 bodies and classified pathogenic bacteria of 108 strains, and its main bacteria are found to be them (; Acinetobacter baumannii 20 strains (19%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 19 strains (18%), E. coli 18 strains (17%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 11 strains (10%), Proteus mirabillis 10 strains (9%), Enterococcus faecium 10 strains (9%), Staphylococcus aureus 9 strains (8%), Bacillus spp. 5 strains (5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae 3 strains (3%), Candida albicans 2 strains (2%), Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1 strains (1%)). The study results are expected to be used as educational data for preventing the Police Scientific Investigator from infections with bacteria or as a minimum data for improving work environment of the agents.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.355-364
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• 2023

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to identify mycobacterial infection in retired dusty workers who were ineligible for medical care benefits for work-related pneumoconiosis. Methods: Sputum samples were collected from 170 retired dusty workers living in Gangwon-do. The mycobacterial culture was grown in 2% Ogawa medium and Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube(MGIT). Mycobacterial species were identified using MolecuTech REBA Myco-ID^Ⓡ. Results: Thirty-one(18.2%) out of 170 sputum samples were identified as positive for culture. Among the positive culture samples, eleven(6.5%) were identified as mycobacterial species. The proportion of mycobacteria was M. avium 2.3%(4/170), M. fortuitum complex 1.2%(2/170), M. intracellulare 1.2%(2/170), M. abscessus 0.6%(1/170), M. tuberculosis(MTB) complex 0.6%(1/170), and MYC(NTM except 19 species) 0.6%(1/170). Conclusions: In comparison with previous studies, the incidence rate of tuberculosis(TB) in retired dusty workers who were ineligible for medical care benefits for work-related pneumoconiosis was higher than in close contact with TB patients, workers exposed to silica, and patients with silicosis. And the proportion of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria(NTM) was higher than that of MTB.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2022

Health care workers (HCWs) are more than ten times more likely to be infected with coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) than the general population, thus demonstrating the burden of COVID-19 among HCWs. Factors that expose HCWs to a differentially high-risk of COVID-19 acquisition are important to elucidate, enable appropriate public health interventions to mitigate against high risk and reduce adverse outcomes from the infection. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize and critically analyze the existing evidence on SARS-CoV-2 risk factors among HCWs. With no geographical limitation, we included studies, in any country, that reported (i) the PCR laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 as an independent variable (ii) one or more COVID-19 risk factors among HCWs with risk estimates (relative risk, odds ratio, or hazard ratio) (iii) original, quantitative study design, and published in English or Mandarian. Our initial search resulted in 470 articles overall, however, only 10 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Out of the 10 studies included in the review, inadequate/lack of protective personal equipment, performing tracheal intubation, and gender were the most common risk factors of COVID-19. Based on the random effects adjusted pooled relative risk, HCWs who reported the use of protective personal equipment were 29% (95% CI: 16% to 41%) less likely to test positive for COVID-19. The study also revealed that HCWs who performed tracheal intubations were 34% (95% CI: 14% to 57%) more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Interestingly, this study showed that female HCWs are at 11% higher risk (RR 1.11 95% CI 1.01-1.21) of COVID-19 than their male counterparts. This article presents initial findings from a living systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, did not yield many studies; however, it revealed a significant insight into better understanding COVID-19 risk factors among HCWs; insights important for devising preventive strategies that protect them from this infection.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.100-104
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• 2013

Background: The aim of this study was to assess public and private medical diagnostic laboratories in Nigeria for the presence of biosafety equipment, devices, and measures. Methods: A total of 80 diagnostic laboratories in biosafety level 3 were assessed for the presence of biosafety equipment, devices, and compliance rate with biosafety practices. A detailed questionnaire and checklist was used to obtain the relevant information from enlisted laboratories. Results: The results showed the presence of an isolated unit for microbiological work, leak-proof working benches, self-closing doors, emergency exits, fire extinguisher(s), autoclaves, and hand washing sinks in 21.3%, 71.3%, 15.0%, 1.3%, 11.3%, 82.5%, and 67.5%, respectively, of all laboratories surveyed. It was observed that public diagnostic laboratories were significantly more likely to have an isolated unit for microbiological work (p = 0.001), hand washing sink (p = 0.003), and an autoclave ($p{\leq}0.001$) than private ones. Routine use of hand gloves, biosafety cabinet, and a first aid box was observed in 35.0%, 20.0%, and 2.5%, respectively, of all laboratories examined. Written standard operating procedures, biosafety manuals, and biohazard signs on door entrances were observed in 6.3%, 1.3%, and 3.8%, respectively, of all audited laboratories. No biosafety officer(s) or records of previous spills, or injuries and accidents, were observed in all diagnostic laboratories studied. Conclusion: In all laboratories (public and private) surveyed, marked deficiencies were observed in the area of administrative control responsible for implementing biosafety. Increased emphasis on provision of biosafety devices and compliance with standard codes of practices issued by relevant authorities is strongly advocated.