TY - JOUR
T1 - Temporal association between implementation of universal precautions and a sustained, progressive decrease in percutaneous exposures to blood
AU - Beekmann, Susan E.
AU - Vlahov, David
AU - Koziol, Deloris E.
AU - Mc Shalley, Elizabeth D.
AU - Schmitt, James M.
AU - Henderson, David K.
PY - 1994/4
Y1 - 1994/4
N2 - To evaluate whether implementation of universal precautions was temporally associated with a decrease in reported parenteral exposures to blood, we analyzed data on self-reported parenteral injuries that were prospectively collected at the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD), from 1985 through 1991. We also assessed whether implementation of universal precautions, in concert with initiation of a program of postexposure chemoprophylaxis with zidovudine, was associated with decreased time to reporting of occupational exposures. Our data, possibly confounded by the occurrence of an occupational infection due to human immunodeficiency virus infection in 1988, nonetheless demonstrate a temporal association between a progressive, significant decrease in percutaneous injuries and the implementation of universal precautions that has been sustained through subsequent years. The analysis remains significant, regardless of the surrogate denominator chosen for analysis. No trend toward more rapid reporting of exposures was identified. Implementation of universal precautions appears to have contributed to decreased parenteral injuries in our hospital but did not affect reporting efficiency.
AB - To evaluate whether implementation of universal precautions was temporally associated with a decrease in reported parenteral exposures to blood, we analyzed data on self-reported parenteral injuries that were prospectively collected at the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD), from 1985 through 1991. We also assessed whether implementation of universal precautions, in concert with initiation of a program of postexposure chemoprophylaxis with zidovudine, was associated with decreased time to reporting of occupational exposures. Our data, possibly confounded by the occurrence of an occupational infection due to human immunodeficiency virus infection in 1988, nonetheless demonstrate a temporal association between a progressive, significant decrease in percutaneous injuries and the implementation of universal precautions that has been sustained through subsequent years. The analysis remains significant, regardless of the surrogate denominator chosen for analysis. No trend toward more rapid reporting of exposures was identified. Implementation of universal precautions appears to have contributed to decreased parenteral injuries in our hospital but did not affect reporting efficiency.
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U2 - 10.1093/clinids/18.4.562
DO - 10.1093/clinids/18.4.562
M3 - Article
C2 - 8038311
AN - SCOPUS:0028267363
SN - 1058-4838
VL - 18
SP - 562
EP - 569
JO - Clinical Infectious Diseases
JF - Clinical Infectious Diseases
IS - 4
ER -