Sharps Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in Liberia and Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThere is little data on sharps injuries among healthcare workers in West Africa, despite the region’s high rate of Hepatitis B and HIV. The purpose of this study is to investigate healthcare workers’ history of sharps injury in Liberia and Ghana.DesignAn electronic cross-sectional survey disseminated by local nursing, midwifery, physician assistant, and physician associations.SettingHealthcare workers in Liberia and Ghana from February to June 2022.ParticipantsParticipant were registered nurses, physician assistants, physicians, or midwives, and had been working in a patient care role for at least nine of the previous twelve months.MethodsA link to the survey was texted to participants through their professional association membership lists, including nursing, midwifery, and physician assistant organizations in both Liberia and Ghana and a physician organization in Ghana only.Results509 participants reported an average of 1.8 injuries per year in Liberia and 1.1 in Ghana (p=<0.01). 15.1% of healthcare workers reported three or more injuries in the past year. Liberia had a higher proportion of frequently injured workers (p=<0.01). Frequently injured workers were evenly distributed across worker types.ConclusionsWorkers in this region are vulnerable to sharps injuries. A frequently injured subset of workers likely has distinctive risk factors and would benefit from further investigation and intervention.