Prevalence and Post-exposure Prophylaxis use for Needlestick Injuries among Health Care Providers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kochi, India

Aim: The post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) protocol in needlestick injuries (NSIs) associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) needs to be evaluated in a developing country like India. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of NSI and PEP use for HIV exposure in NSIs among health care providers (HPs) in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, institution-based study was conducted among HPs in Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, India. Secondary data for 8 years were recorded. The study population included HPs who had NSIs and who reported to the Emergency Department of the hospital. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used. Results: A total of 949 self-reported cases of NSIs from January 2006 to December 2014 were reported, of which 42.9% were from staff nurses. HPs employed in general/specialty wards (32.5%) had the highest NSI incidence rate. In total, 67.7% of the NSIs were moderately deep, while 22.6% of them were superficial. The commonest device involved was the hypodermic needle (36.7%). Most NSIs occurred during "post-procedure work-up" (64%). Further, 32 HPs had received NSIs from known HIV seropositive patients. Totally, 62.5% of the HPs involved were staff nurses, with a mean age of 26 years. Of the 32 HPs, 28 were given prophylactic triple-drug anti-retroviral treatment. All 28 HPs were followed up for 6 months, and no seropositivity was reported. Conclusion: The present study shows the high prevalence of NSIs among HPs, particularly among staff nurses. HPs have always known to be at risk of contracting acquired infectious diseases. In light of new emerging communicable diseases with new or unknown pathogens as causative agents, the prevention of NSIs among HPs has acquired significant value. Periodic health education campaigns should be promoted, and strict adherence to standard precautionary protocols should be made mandatory to prevent and minimize the incidence of NSIs among HPs. Periodic updates about PEP should also be made to raise awareness among HPs.