Research Article

Needle Stick Injuries among Healthcare Waste

Handlers in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Delhi
Amrita Singh1, Surabhi Sethi2, Anita Verma3, Kriti Gangwar4,
Deepti Dabar5, Kundan Singh Rathore6

Abstract
Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) reports in the World Health Report 2002 that of
the 35 million HCWs, 2 million suffer percutaneous exposure to infectious diseases each year.
Healthcare waste handlers who are responsible for handling and collection of healthcare wastes
are vulnerable to the hazards of occupational exposure to biomedical waste (BMW) as a conse-
quence of improper disposal practices of the waste generators.

Objective: The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Needle stick injury (NSI)
among the study subjects, and to study the knowledge and practice regarding Needle stick injury
(NSI) among the study subjects.

Methodology: A Hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare waste

handlers in a tertiary care hospital of Delhi. Of 390 healthcare waste handlers, 199 Bio-medical
waste handlers were chosen on the basis of convenience according to their work shift.

Results: Sixty two (31.1%) workers had knowledge that NSI during BMW handling can cause he-
patitis and 127 (63.8%) had knowledge that it can lead to HIV infection among them. The preva-
lence of NSI came to be 14.6% within the past six months.

Conclusion: A gap between knowledge and practice regarding action after NSI was found; there-
fore, measures to increase awareness are definitely required.

Keywords: Healthcare workers, Occupational injury, Occupational infection, waste handlers

Introduction
Needle stick injury (NSI) or percutaneous exposure incident is the penetration of skin by a needle or other sharp
object, which was in contact with blood, tissue, or other body fluid before the exposure.1 Globally, NSIs are the
most common source of occupational exposure and the primary cause of blood-borne infections of healthcare
workers (HCWs).2 World Health Organization (WHO) reports in the World Health Report 2002 that of the 35 mil-
lion HCWs, 2 million suffer percutaneous exposure to infectious diseases each year.
1,6
MD, 2Senior Resident, 3Professor, 4Graduate Student, Community Medicine, Vardhmann Mahavir Medical College and
Safdarjung Hospital.
5
MD Community Medicine, Assistant Professor, Department of Community & Family Medicine AIIMS, Bhopal, India.
Correspondence: Dr. Amrita Singh, Community Medicine, Vardhmann Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital.
E-mail Id: amritasinghdr@gmail.com
Orcid Id: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5747-4712
How to cite this article: Singh A, Sethi S, Verma A et al. Needle Stick Injuries among Healthcare Waste Handlers in a Tertiary
Care Hospital of Delhi. Epidem Int 2017; 2(2): 14-17.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.24321/2455.7048.201706
ISSN: 2455-7048

© ADR Journals 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Epidem. Int. 2017; 2(2) Singh A et al.

Almost 37.6% of Hepatitis B, 39% of Hepatitis C and hospital of Delhi. Bio-medical waste handlers were
4.4% of HIV/AIDS in HCWs globally are due to NSI, and defined as those hospital workers responsible for col-
the risk of transmission of infection from an infected lection and/or transport of BMW generated in the
patient to the HCW following a NSI are: Hepatitis B 3– hospital.4 A total of 390 workers formed our sample
10%, Hepatitis C 3%, and HIV 0.3%. The two most frame. Of 390 healthcare waste handlers, study sub-
common causes of NSIs are recapping of needles, and jects were chosen on the basis of convenience accord-
the unsafe collection and disposal of sharps waste.3 ing to their work shift. Out of 390 waste handlers, 199
Many studies have been conducted among healthcare formed our study sample.
workers responsible for generating waste like doctors,
nurses, laboratory technicians, but there are only a A semi-structured, interviewer-administered ques-
few studies which focus on Healthcare waste handlers tionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire
responsible for handling and collection of healthcare included questions regarding socio-demographic cha-
wastes. This group of waste handlers is vulnerable to racteristics, knowledge and awareness of diseases
the hazards of occupational exposure to biomedical transmitted due to NSI, vaccination and knowledge
waste (BMW) as a consequence of improper disposal and practice regarding management of NSI. A six-
practices of the waste generators. month period prevalence of NSI was taken. Data col-
lection was done from August to September 2015.
Hence the present study was conducted among Data thus collected was entered in MS Excel and ana-
healthcare waste handlers who were involved in col- lyzed for quantitative data. Mean, median, range, and
lection, storage and disposal of BMW. The objectives qualitative data was expressed as frequency and pro-
of the study were: to determine the prevalence of NSI portions.
among the Bio-medical waste handlers and to study
the knowledge and practice regarding NSI among the Results
study subjects.
Out of 199 participants, 162 (81%) were male and 37
Methodology (18.5%) were female. Among them, 163 (81.9%) were
married and 36 (18.1%) were unmarried. The age of
A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted the participants ranged from 19 to 55 years, with the
among healthcare waste handlers in a tertiary care mean age of 30.6±8.05 years.
Table1.Distribution of Study Participants according to Sociodemographic Profile
Sociodemographic Profile Number (N=199) %
Age
<20 7 3.5
20–30 92 46.5
30–40 70 35.0
>40 30 15.0
Religion
Hindu 191 96.0
Muslim 6 3.0
Christian 2 1.0
Educational status
Illiterate 33 16.6
Primary 28 14.1
Middle 70 35.2
High 52 26.1
Sr. Secondary 12 6.0
Graduation 4 2.0
Total 199 100

The average work experience of the study participants checkup before job recruitment. All the study subjects
was 4.50 years, ranging from 2.0 to 6.0 years. There (n=199, 100%) knew that personal protective equip-
were 142 (71.3%) waste handlers who had pre- ment should be used while working, of which two par-
placement training and 29 (14.6%) who had health ticipants (1.0%) were not using any precautions while

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Singh A et al. Epidem. Int. 2017; 2(2)

handling healthcare waste. One hundred ninety-seven infection among them. Of 199 study subjects, 46
(99.0%) wore gloves, 195 (98.0%) wore masks, 66 (23%) were aware that Hepatitis B vaccination is rec-
(33.2%) wore aprons, and 40 (20.1%) wore shoe cov- ommended, while only 17 (8.5%) had ever received
ers while handling yellow and blue/metallic contain- hepatitis B vaccine.
ers carrying sharps. Sixty-two (31.1%) workers knew
that NSI during BMW handling can cause hepatitis and There were 29 (14.6%) study subjects who had a his-
127 (63.8%) had knowledge that it can lead to HIV tory of NSI within the past six months.
Table 2.Distribution of Study Participants according to Knowledge and Practice about
What to Do following a Needle Stick Injury
Number %
Knowledge regarding Management of NSI (N=199)*
Consult the Medical Officer 185 93.0
Let the wound bleed 98 49.2
Wash wound with water and soap 59 29.6
Wash wound with water only 72 36.2
Press the wound with mouth 37 18.6
Do nothing, continue to work 4 0.2
Action Taken after NSI (n=29)*
Consulted the Medical Officer 24 82.8
Did not follow up 5 17.2
*Multiple responses present

Discussion valence of NSI as compared to other studies and had

good knowledge of management of NSI; however,
In the present study, the prevalence of NSI in the past their practice in terms of NSI prevention was not ap-
6 months among healthcare waste handlers was propriate to their theoretical knowledge of the same.
found to be 14.6%. Sharma et al., in their study con-
ducted in Agra, found 19% prevalence among the Sample size was small; however, it was larger as com-
waste handlers.5 Ismail et al., in their study carried out pared to other studies. Recall bias might be present.
in Karnataka (2012), found that 67% (20) of class IV
waste handlers out of 30 had NSI during past 1 year.6 Conclusion and Recommendation
It must be noted that their recall period was one year
A gap between knowledge and practice regarding ac-
as compared to 6 months in our study. However, the
tion after NSI was found; therefore, measures to in-
proportion of waste handlers in their studies is much
crease awareness are definitely required. These could
smaller, therefore a correct comparison cannot be
be displaying IEC materials, name and number of the
drawn.. Shivalli et al. conducted a study in Mangalore
persons to be contacted in case of NSI, infographics
on healthcare waste handlers among 43 workers, of
about problems due to NSI, etc. Apart from IEC/BCC
which 41.8% had experienced NSI.7 Jahnavi et al. in
activities, vaccination against Tetanus and Hepatitis B
their study conducted in Karnataka (2014) found 48
should be made compulsory. Personal protective gear
(64.9%) of 74 housekeeping personnel had an occur-
like masks, gloves and shoes should be made readily
rence of NSI. Also significantly higher mean frequency
available and asked to wear before work.
of NSI among housekeeping staff as compared to oth-
er healthcare workers was observed.8 Similar findings
Acknowledgments
have been observed in the study carried out on 60
nursing homes of Delhi, where workers were engaged The contribution of Dr. Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Dr.
in harmful practices such as pressing injured finger in Wezode Wezah, Dr. Nitin Bhushan, Dr. Shalini Rawat,
mouth, doing nothing after injury.9 The wide variation Dr. Ajeet Kumar, Dr. Paonam Babyrose Devi, Dr. Sa-
in prevalence and practices of NSI may be due to dif- dun, and Dr. Jitender is highly appreciated for data
ferent length of time periods considered in different collection. We are thankful to healthcare waste han-
studies. In the present study, difference was observed dlers for giving us their precious time and to Hospital
between knowledge and practice of vaccination for administration for giving permission to conduct the
prevention of hepatitis B. It can be concluded that study.
waste handlers in the present study had a lower pre
Conflict of Interest: Nil

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Epidem. Int. 2017; 2(2) Singh A et al.

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Date of Submission: 22nd Jun. 2017
Management Safdarjung Hospital 2010.
Date of Acceptance: 23rd Jun. 2017

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