NOTIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS BY EXPOSURE TO BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL AMONG HEALTH WORKERS

Abstract

Objective: To describe the occurrence of work-related accidents caused by biological material among health care providers in Brazil in 2014. Methods: A case study of female work-related notifications by biological material, found in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases in 2014. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Results: 22,361 cases were recorded, of which 48.8% happened in the Brazilian South East area. The profile found comprised of white women ranging from 31 to 45 years old, with major degree of high school and 2.3% were pregnant at the time of the accident. Most of them were legally employed and stable at their positions, and had been working with that particular employer from 1 to 5 years. The exposure to the biological material was characteristically percutaneous, by blood through medication management, and the main contamination agent was needle with lumen. Indeed, 71.42% were working of mobile emergency units. The glove was the only material wich appeared to have good adhesion by the employers. For the anti-HBS, 29.1% of the exams were positive and 20.8% were negative. 93.1% were vaccinated, 62.1% were discharged because their test results came back negative, and 78% issued the work-related notification. Conclusion: Work-related Notification is not a reality fully employed tool among health workers in Brazil and it needs to be encouraged. The present findings allow for a comparison of the percentage of notifications per area and a description of the occurrence of these accidents. It is hoped that this study will be helpful to alert and to inform professionals and institutions and to stimulate investments in biosecurity actions.