Abstract:
Background: Needle stick injuries are common among healthcare workers who come into
contact with patient blood and body fluids, posing a risk of morbidity and mortality. Limited
studies have been conducted on the magnitude and risk factors of needle stick injuries in
healthcare workers in the part of Jigjiga, Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with Needle Stick and sharp
injuries(NSSIs), among health care workers of referral hospitals in Jigjiga Town from July 20 to
August 20, 2023.
Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers
at a Referral Hospitals in Jigjiga, Eastern Ethiopia. The study included a total of 398 participants
selected through simple random sampling. Data was collected using a structured, self administered questionnaire in English. The data was cleaned, entered into EpiData version 3.1,
and analyzed using Stata version 15. Bi-variable regression analysis was used to assess the
association of each variable with the outcome, and variables with a P-value of 0.25 or less were
included in the multi-variable logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was determined
at a 95% confidence interval with a significance level of p<0.05.
Result: The overall magnitude of needle sticks and sharp injuries during the past 12 months was
found to be 33.85% (95%CI:29.1,38.5). Healthcare workers with ≤ 5 years of work experience
[AOR=1.33,95%CI(0.115,0.991)], the absence of safety guidelines [AOR=1.39,95%CI
(0.192,0.813)], the absence of safety boxes [Adjusted odds ratio=1.27,95% CI (0.107,0.684)],
and lack of training on infection prevention and control [(AOR 2.09, 95% CI (1.168-3.758)]
were factors significantly associated with needle stick and sharp injuries.
Conclusion: The overall magnitude of needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSI) among healthcare
workers found that the of NSSI was 33.85%, which is consistent with previous studies. The study
found that work experience, absence of safety guidelines, absence of safety boxes, and lack of
training on infection prevention were identified as significant contributors to the likelihood of
experiencing NSSI. Thus, the study highlights the importance of implementing infection
prevention guidelines, providing adequate training, and ensuring the availability of safety
equipment to reduce the risk of NSSI among healthcare workers.
