| REVIEW ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 54
| Issue : 6 | Page : 365-370 |
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Knowledge, awareness and practice regarding needle stick injuries in dental profession in India: A systematic review
Vinod Kapoor1, Ramandeep Singh Gambhir2, Simarpreet Singh2, Sanjeet Gill3, Agiapal Singh2
1 Department of Oral Surgery, Gian Sagar Dental College and Hospital, Rajpura, Punjab, India
2 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Gian Sagar Dental College and Hospital, Rajpura, Punjab, India
3 Department of Periodontics, Gian Sagar Dental College and Hospital, Rajpura, Punjab, India
Correspondence Address:
Ramandeep Singh Gambhir
Gian Sagar Dental College, Rajpura - 140 601, Punjab
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0300-1652.126283
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Background: Hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers remain susceptible to deadly viruses throughout the year, including blood-borne pathogens. Needle stick injuries (NSI) constitute one of the most common occupational health hazards in healthcare profession. Dental professionals are at more risk of acquiring NSI due to their limited and restricted working area. The present systematic review was carried out to determine knowledge, awareness and practice regarding NSI in dental professionals and students in India. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of cross-sectional studies available in the literature on the knowledge, attitude and practice among dental professionals and students in India was carried out. We identified relevant articles through electronic and manual search such as Pubmed and MEDLINE. Two investigators independently identified studies that were included in the review. Results: Four articles were finally selected for inclusion in the review. All the studies were done involving dental students; 89.23% of the students had correct knowledge about NSI and 91.55% of the students had adequate level of awareness regarding its management in one of the studies. Also, 89% of students in one of the studies were aware of taking post-exposure prophylaxis after accidental NSI. In another study, 44% of the students destroyed the needles using a needle destroyer and 15% destroyed them in puncture-resistant containers. Conclusion: The knowledge and awareness of the dental students is adequate, although there is considerable variation in practice and management of NSI among different studies. There is a need for more studies involving dental professionals. |
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