AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, August 22, 2005
Staff Medical Writers

According to a study from Canada, "Medical students are at a particularly high risk for needlestick injury and its consequences because of their relative inexperience and lack of disability insurance."

"To determine the risk of needlestick injury and the use of postexposure prophylaxis among medical students, the 2003 graduating medical school class at the University of Toronto completed an Internet-based survey that included the number "of needlestick injuries, circumstances surrounding those incidents, and postexposure actions. The response rate was 88% (157/178)," investigators said.

"Over one third (55/157) of respondents suffered at least 1 needlestick injury. In more than half the high-risk injuries, the students continued working and did not seek medical advice," reported P. Cervini and colleagues at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto.

"Six students who suffered a needlestick injury began prophylactic human immunodeficiency virus medications. Of those students who suffered an injury," continued the authors, "15% had purchased disability insurance prior to the incident."

"Poor use of postexposure procedures and a lack of disability insurance leave medical students at high risk for career and life-altering consequences from a needlestick injury," Cervini concluded.

Cervini and colleagues published the results of their research in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (BRIEF REPORT: Needlestick injury and inadequate postexposure practice in medical students. J Gen Intern Med. 2005 May;20(5):419-21.

For additional information, contact C. Bell, St. Michaels Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada.

The publisher of the Journal of General Internal Medicine can be contacted at: Blackwell Publishing Inc., 350 Main St., Malden, MA 02148, USA.

Keywords: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, HIV/AIDS, Medical Students, Needlestick Injury, Postexposure Prophylaxis, Universal Precautions.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

Reference

Cervini P, Bell C. Brief report: needlestick injury and inadequate post-exposure practice in medical students., J Gen Intern Med. 2005 May;20(5):419-21.

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