Arch Public Health. 2025 Nov 6;83(1):266. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01716-y.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Health care providers (HCPs) are at a higher risk of being accidentally exposed to infectious agents while providing care to their clients and patients. Despite the presence of individual studies, there is limited evidence on the overall burden and predictors of accidental exposure to infectious agents among HCPs in Ethiopia. The present comprehensive meta-analysis aimed to highlight the pooled prevalence of accidental exposure to infectious agents among HCPs in Ethiopia.
METHODS: This review includes articles published between January 4, 2014, and April 29, 2023, using electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar). Studies that explore blood and/or sharp device exposure among HCPs in Ethiopia were included, and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist was utilized to assess the quality of included studies. The data was extracted and analyzed using Excel and STATA version 14, respectively. The association between each variable is explained using Odds ratio (OR). The Cochrane Q test and I2 test statistics assessed study heterogeneity, and a random effects model was used.
RESULTS: The final analysis included 34 observational studies with a total of 10,859 study participants, which revealed that the pooled prevalence of accidental exposure to infectious agents among HCPs in Ethiopia was 11.48% (95% CI: 2.6, 20.35). Not taking training (OR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.43), being male (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.06), inconsistent use of personal protective equipment (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.68), and recapping needles after use (OR = 4.64; 95% CI: 2.46, 8.76) were positively associated with accidental exposure to infectious agents among HCPs.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that accidental blood and sharp device exposure among HCPs remain a significant public health concern in Ethiopia, and interventions should be implemented to address the identified risk factors, such as proper training on infection prevention and control measures and discouraging the recapping of needles, and, moreover, strategies to improve the consistent use of personal protective equipment should be implemented to reduce exposure.
PMID:41199388 | DOI:10.1186/s13690-025-01716-y
