Knowledge, Risk Perception and Compliance with Universal Precautions among Health Functionaries in a Rural Block of Haryana

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are potentially exposed to blood and body fluids (BBF) in the course of their work and therefore are at risk of infection with blood-borne pathogens, such as HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses. Worldwide, three million HCWs experience percutaneous exposure to blood-borne viruses each year (two million hepatitis B, 900,000 hepatitis C and 300,000 human immunodeficiency virus). Exposure to BBF can occur through: percutaneous injury (needle-stick injury, NSI) or mucocutaneous incident (BBF splash), to assess the knowledge, risk perception and compliance with universal precautions among health care functionaries. Cross sectional type. Rural block Ben of Jhajjar district. 118 government health functionaries. Government health functionaries. The study was a cross sectional type and earned out in a rural block Bert of Jhajjar district. The present study shows about one third (37.4%) health functionaries in health the centres were multipurpose health worker (female), while 14.7% were medical officers. The present study recorded maximum compliance with universal precautions was no needle recap among 90.5% doctors while same compliance among no needle recaps among 79.4% paramedical staffs. Although compliance with universal precautions for correct disposal among doctors was 80.9% while compliance with universal precautions for correct disposal was 35.4% among paramedical staffs. The study concluded that there should be education and training of health care personnel to develop awareness of the health, safety and environmental issues relating to health care waste and how these can affect employees in their daily work must become a routine and regular activity