Sharps Injuries Among Healthcare Workers in Liberia and Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Objective: There is little data on sharps injuries among healthcare workers in West Africa, despite the high rates of Hepatitis B and HIV in the region. The purpose of this study is to investigate the history of sharps injuries among healthcare workers in Liberia and Ghana. Design: An electronic cross-sectional survey disseminated by local nursing, midwifery, physician assistant, and physician associations. Setting: Healthcare workers in Liberia and Ghana from February to June 2022. Participants: The participants were registered nurses, physician assistants, physicians, or midwives, and had been working in a patient care role for at least nine of the previous twelve months. Methods: A link to the survey was texted to participants through their professional association membership lists, including nursing, midwifery, and physician assistant organizations in both Liberia and Ghana and a physician organization in Ghana only. Results: 509 participants reported an average of 1.8 injuries per year in Liberia and 1.1 in Ghana (p=<0.01). 15.1% of healthcare workers reported three or more injuries in the past year. Liberia had a higher proportion of frequently injured workers (p<0.01). Frequently injured workers were evenly distributed across worker types. Conclusions: Workers in this region are vulnerable to sharps injuries. A frequently injured subset of workers likely has distinctive risk factors and would benefit from further investigation and intervention.