Table 3. Accidents involving healthcare workersand exposure to biological materials in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2017 (n=121).
| Variables | n (n=121) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Type of exposure | ||
| Percutaneous | 93 | 76.8 |
| Mucosal (oral/ocular) | 22 | 18.2 |
| Intact skin | 3 | 2.5 |
| Non-intact skin | 3 | 2.5 |
| Biological materials | ||
| Blood | 109 | 90.0 |
| Bloody fluids | 3 | 2.5 |
| Other | 6 | 5.0 |
| Unknown | 3 | 2.5 |
| Accident circumstances | ||
| Improper sharps disposal | 18 | 14.9 |
| Surgical procedures | 17 | 14.0 |
| Subcutaneous administration of medication | 11 | 9.1 |
| Unspecified venous/arterial puncture | 8 | 6.6 |
| Intravenous administration of medication | 7 | 5.8 |
| Materials washing | 6 | 5.0 |
| Intramuscular administration of medication | 5 | 4.1 |
| Venous/arterial puncture for blood collection | 5 | 4.1 |
| Handling boxes with sharps | 4 | 3.3 |
| Capillary blood glucose | 3 | 2.5 |
| Recapping | 3 | 2.5 |
| Intradermal administration of medication | 2 | 1.7 |
| Laboratory procedures | 2 | 1.7 |
| Improper sharps disposal into trash bags | 1 | 0.8 |
| Not reported | 1 | 0.8 |
| Other | 28 | 23.1 |
| Causative agents | ||
| Hollow needles | 78 | 64.5 |
| Non-hollow needles | 1 | 0.8 |
| Intracath | 4 | 3.3 |
| Blades/lancets | 7 | 5.8 |
| Glass | 1 | 0.8 |
| Other | 30 | 24.8 |
| Use of PPE | ||
| Yes | 92 | 76.03 |
| No | 29 | 23.97 |
| Type of PPE* | ||
| Gloves | 91 | 75.2 |
| Coats | 15 | 12.4 |
| Masks | 9 | 7.4 |
| Glasses | 10 | 8.3 |
| Boots | 6 | 5.0 |
| Face protection | 2 | 1.7 |
| Victims’ hepatitis B vaccination status | ||
| Vaccinated | 113 | 93.4 |
| Non-vaccinated | 1 | 0.8 |
| Unknown | 7 | 5.8 |
PPE: personal protective equipment; *multiple choice.