Risk Factors of Needlestick and Sharp Injuries Among Health Care Workers at Sanglah Tertiary Hospital

Background: Needlestick and sharp injuries (NSIs) remain one of the main occupational hazards among health care workers (HCWs) that lead to blood-borne pathogen exposures. Purpose: This study examined the risk factors of NSIs among HCWs at a tertiary referral hospital in Bali. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Sanglah General Hospital, Bali, involving 171 HCWs, which was divided into 81 cases and 90 controls. Samples were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results: Of the 81 cases, the majority (88.89%) of the cases experienced NSIs once, 64.20% occurred during the morning shift, and mostly (97.52%) affected hands. The activity leading to NSIs in the majority (34.57%) cases were giving an injection, and most of the situations causing NSIs were accidental self-action (55.55%) and recapping needle (29.62%). Factors associated with the incidence of NSIs were work career or experience of <5 years (p<0.01; AOR=5.04; 95% CI=2.04-12.42), non-compliance with working procedures (p=0.01; AOR=2.47; 95% CI=1.26-4.82), female HCWs (p=0.03; AOR=2.21; 95% CI=1.01-4.55) and unsafe workplace conditions (p=0.04; AOR=2.23; 95% CI=1.01-4.92). Conclusion: Personal and environmental factors such as gender, work experience, compliance with working procedures, and workplace conditions were among risk factors for NSIs. Occupational safety and health policies and programs focusing on those factors, accompanied by adequate supervision, are needed to reduce the risk level of getting NSIs.