Sharps Injuries and Blood Exposure in Homes Health Care

描述：拟议研究的目的是通过以下方式评估大量家庭保健工作者暴露于血液和锐器伤害的风险：估计暴露于血液和经皮损伤的发生率；识别和评估与这些暴露相关的风险因素；以及评估医疗安全设备的可用性和使用。这项拟议的研究将由一个多学科团队进行，该团队与3家大型家庭保健机构和2个保健工会合作。合作机构和工会提供了马萨诸塞州东部的大部分家庭保健服务。 这项为期4年的研究分为5个具体目标。在目标1中，将在3个伙伴家庭护理机构建立血液接触和锐器伤害(接触/伤害)监测系统。将收集两年的监控数据。在目标2中，将对家庭保健工作者进行调查，以收集有关暴露/伤害、报告不足以及医疗安全设备的可获得性和使用情况的数据。第一次较长时间的调查将在第一年进行，第二次较短的调查将在监测系统运行至少一年后的第三年和第四年进行。目标3将使用定性研究方法来确定暴露/伤害报告以及医疗安全设备的可获得性和使用方面的体制障碍和激励因素。目标4包括研究在监测和风险因素调查中收集的数据的定量分析方法。目标5介绍了向伙伴机构/工会通报研究结果和开展培训的方法，以及向更广泛的家庭保健行业和科学界传播研究结果的方法。这项工作将通过提供有助于减少血液暴露和锐伤的信息，帮助家庭保健机构、工会、专业组织和政府机构。

DESCRIPTION: The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the risks of exposure to blood and sharps injury a large in population of home health care workers by: estimating the incidence of exposures to blood and percutaneous injuries; identifying and evaluating risk factors associated with these exposures; and assessing the availability and use of medical safety devices. The proposed study will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team working with 3 large home health care agencies and 2 health care labor unions. The partner agencies and unions deliver most of the home health care in eastern Massachusetts. This 4-year study is divided into 5 specific aims. In aim 1, a surveillance system for blood exposure and sharps injuries (exposure/injury) will be established in the 3 partner home care agencies. Two years of surveillance data will be gathered. In Aim 2, surveys will be conducted of home health care workers (HHCW) to gather data on exposure/injury, under-reporting, and availability and use of medical safety devices. A first, longer survey will be conducted in year 1, while a second, shorter survey will be conducted in years 3 and 4, after the surveillance system has been functioning for at least 1 year. Aim 3 will use qualitative research methods to identify institutional barriers and incentives to exposure/injury reporting and the availability and use of medical safety devices. Aim 4 consists of the quantitative analytic methods for studying the data gathered in the surveillance and risk factor surveys. Aim 5 describes methods for communication of the findings and the development of training to the partner agencies/unions as well as dissemination of the study results to the broader home health care industry and the scientific community. This work will assist home health care agencies, unions, professional organizations, and government agencies by providing information that can aid in reducing blood exposure and sharps injury.