Health Care Workers Face Increased Risk of Mortality From HIV, Other Bloodborne Diseases, Study Finds

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http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=55654

Public Health & Education | Health Care Workers Face Increased Risk of Mortality

From HIV, Other Bloodborne Diseases, Study Finds

[Nov 20, 2008]

A new CDC study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine

has found that health care workers face an increased risk of dying from

bloodborne diseases, such as HIV, and related illnesses compared with workers in

other fields, Reuters reports. The study also found that male health care

workers face a more than twofold risk of dying from HIV/AIDS-related causes.

According to researchers Sara Luckhaupt and Geoffrey Calvert of CDC's National

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, accidental needle sticks and other

workplace accidents can put health care workers at an increased risk of exposure

to bloodborne diseases. Luckhaupt notes that evidence over the past 20 to 25

years shows that health care workers have been more likely to die from

bloodborne diseases than workers in other fields, Reuters reports.

The study examined data from the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance

system from 1984 to 2004, which included 248,550 deaths from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis

B and C, liver cancer and cirrhosis. According to Reuters, the researchers in a

previous study found that male health care workers were at an increased risk of

HIV and hepatitis but conducted the new study to determine if deaths from these

infections also were higher in the health care field.

Results pointed to a more than doubled risk of dying from HIV/AIDS-related

causes for male health care workers -- as well as a nearly doubled likelihood of

dying from hepatitis B -- compared with workers in other fields. Hepatitis C and

cirrhosis deaths were also more likely among male health care workers. For

female health care workers, hepatitis C was more frequent than in other

occupations. An analysis of mortality risk based on occupation showed that male

nurses faced the highest risk of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B mortality, while

female nurses were 31% less likely to die from HIV/AIDS-related causes than

women outside of the health care industry, Reuters reports.

Luckhaupt said that the researchers are unable to say how much the increased

risk is because of occupational or non-occupational exposure but added that it

is " important to look at both. " The researchers wrote, " The greatest limitation

to our study was that information was not available on possible confounding

factors, such as sexual risk behaviors, history of blood transfusions,

intravenous drug use and alcohol use. " They added that previous studies indicate

that most infections among health care workers are not contracted on the job and

that occupational factors could be a stand-in for other risk factors. They

suggest that " interventions to decrease the risk of bloodborne pathogens among

health-care workers may need to be gender-specific " in order to better

understand why male health care workers show an increased risk for bloodborne

disease mortality (Harding, Reuters, 11/19).

[Guest guest]

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=55654

Public Health & Education | Health Care Workers Face Increased Risk of Mortality

From HIV, Other Bloodborne Diseases, Study Finds

[Nov 20, 2008]

A new CDC study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine

has found that health care workers face an increased risk of dying from

bloodborne diseases, such as HIV, and related illnesses compared with workers in

other fields, Reuters reports. The study also found that male health care

workers face a more than twofold risk of dying from HIV/AIDS-related causes.

According to researchers Sara Luckhaupt and Geoffrey Calvert of CDC's National

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, accidental needle sticks and other

workplace accidents can put health care workers at an increased risk of exposure

to bloodborne diseases. Luckhaupt notes that evidence over the past 20 to 25

years shows that health care workers have been more likely to die from

bloodborne diseases than workers in other fields, Reuters reports.

The study examined data from the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance

system from 1984 to 2004, which included 248,550 deaths from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis

B and C, liver cancer and cirrhosis. According to Reuters, the researchers in a

previous study found that male health care workers were at an increased risk of

HIV and hepatitis but conducted the new study to determine if deaths from these

infections also were higher in the health care field.

Results pointed to a more than doubled risk of dying from HIV/AIDS-related

causes for male health care workers -- as well as a nearly doubled likelihood of

dying from hepatitis B -- compared with workers in other fields. Hepatitis C and

cirrhosis deaths were also more likely among male health care workers. For

female health care workers, hepatitis C was more frequent than in other

occupations. An analysis of mortality risk based on occupation showed that male

nurses faced the highest risk of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B mortality, while

female nurses were 31% less likely to die from HIV/AIDS-related causes than

women outside of the health care industry, Reuters reports.

Luckhaupt said that the researchers are unable to say how much the increased

risk is because of occupational or non-occupational exposure but added that it

is " important to look at both. " The researchers wrote, " The greatest limitation

to our study was that information was not available on possible confounding

factors, such as sexual risk behaviors, history of blood transfusions,

intravenous drug use and alcohol use. " They added that previous studies indicate

that most infections among health care workers are not contracted on the job and

that occupational factors could be a stand-in for other risk factors. They

suggest that " interventions to decrease the risk of bloodborne pathogens among

health-care workers may need to be gender-specific " in order to better

understand why male health care workers show an increased risk for bloodborne

disease mortality (Harding, Reuters, 11/19).