Compliance with CDC Guidelines to Prevent Occupational Transmission of HumanImmunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus: Evaluation Findings from a National Survey of Health Care Workers

摘要

In response to the AIDS epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) developeda set of guidelines designed to reduce the risk of occupational transmission of HIV and hepatitis B among health care workers. These guidelines recommend workplace practices such as hepatitis B vaccinations, care in the use of needles and sharps, and the use of gloves and protective clothing. The report uses surveys of 3,094 health care workers to examine the extent to which employees comply with the guidelines and to identify factors influencing compliance. Findings include that (1) although most of the sampled hospitals had policies incorporating the guidelines, self-reported compliance rates were lower than those that would be expected if workers followed hospital policy; (2) housekeeping staff reported relatively high compliance in terms of glove use and handwashing; (3) 52 percent of patient care staff reported percutaneous exposure to a patient's blood, and 24 percent reported such an exposure within the past year; and (4) training in precautions was linked to enhanced compliance.