This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by von Guttenberg, Y. Articles by Spickett, J. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by von Guttenberg, Y. Articles by Spickett, J. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Occupational Health Occupational Health for Healthcare Providers Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Survey of Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids in Physiotherapists in Western Australia

School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia

Jeff Spickett, PhD, MSc

School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia, J.Spickett{at}curtin.edu.au

The aim of this pilot project was to investigate the occurrence of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in registered physiotherapists in Western Australia. Surveys were sent to physiotherapists with questions regarding personal background, exposure characteristics, and contributing factors included. Descriptive statistical methods were used to identify the area of practice posing the highest risk of exposure to physiotherapists. The authors found that 56.1% of surveyed physiotherapists recorded one or more exposures within the past 5 years. Work in hospitals was found to carry the highest rate of exposure for the physiotherapy profession. Other areas of practice, including community work, private practice, nursing homes/hostels, and work at sporting events carry comparable but lower risks of exposure. In private practice, 50% of exposures were associated with acupuncture. In nursing homes, 60% of exposures were brought on by exposure to contaminated materials, whereas in the community setting most exposures (64%) were attributed to unpredictable/uncontrollable situations. At sporting events, 90% of all exposures were associated with already existing sources of blood and body fluids (wounds). Within the hospital setting, the 3 dominant immediate causes reported were unpredictable situations (33.3%), existing sources (28.4%), and procedural causes (22.2%). The use of personal protective equipment for prevention of exposure is investigated and discussed. Data collected for this survey were not enough to draw conclusive assumptions regarding hazard management. A repeat of this study on a larger scale may provide physiotherapists with the tools and knowledge to minimize the likelihood of exposure and harm arising from exposure.

Key Words: occupational exposure • blood and body fluids • physiotherapy

Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, Vol. 21, No. 4, 508-519 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1010539509344608


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?