{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"institution":[{"name":"medRxiv"}],"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T23:54:16Z","timestamp":1788566056526,"version":"build-2803163510"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,3]]},"group-title":"Public and Global Health","reference-count":27,"publisher":"openRxiv","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Clinical students, like health workers, are at risk of sharp\/needle stick injuries and potential percutaneous exposure to blood and body fluids. They acquire infections like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) through injuries. This study determined the prevalence and factors associated with sharp injuries among clinical students at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Across sectional study was carried out at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, a teaching hospital located along Pallisa road, Mbale City, Eastern Uganda. Ethical approval was obtained, Printed and soft copy questionnaires eliciting demographics, injury occurrence and associated factors were randomly and conveniently distributed respectively to 322 clinical students. Data was entered in Microsoft excel, cleaned and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>One hundred sixty (55.2%) clinical students had sustained a sharp injury in their clinical practice with a self-reported prevalence of 46.6% in the last year. The majority of the students 93(68.9%), sustained multiple sharp injuries. The common cause and site of injury were solid needles 72(45%) and finger (83.1%). Most students, 197(67.9%) reported ward procedures not being supervised and 124(42%) students worked on 15 and above patients daily. Final year clinical students were more likely to sustain sharp injuries than semi-finalists (P=0.000, OR 3.195% CI 1.7-5.5). Students who worked on \u226515 patients were more likely to sustain a sharp injury than those who attended to &lt; 15 patients daily (P=0.000, OR 6.3 95% CI 3.7-10.8%). Students\u2019 knowledge about sharp\/infection control was limited.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study showed a high prevalence of needle stick injuries among clinical students. The associated factors were; the year of study, having not learned about infection control, the number of patients attended to daily. Students should attend to a manageable number of patients, carry out procedures not rushing while supervised. It is important to create awareness and train students on infection control before and during their deployment in clinical areas as their health and the future of the health sector depend on them.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1101\/2023.02.01.23285330","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,3]],"date-time":"2023-02-03T11:50:18Z","timestamp":1675425018000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Sharp\/Needlestick Injuries Among Clinical Students at A Tertiary Hospital in Eastern Uganda"],"prefix":"10.64898","author":[{"given":"Ndyamuhakyi","family":"Elisa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lydia","family":"Ssenyonga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9239-6641","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacob Stanley","family":"Iramiot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Doreck","family":"Nuwasiima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rebecca","family":"Nekaka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"54368","reference":[{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mill J , Nderitu E , Richter S. Post-exposure prophylaxis among Ugandan nurses: \u201cAccidents do happen.\u201d Int J Africa Nurs Sci. 2014;","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijans.2014.05.003"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Prevalence of needlestick injury among healthcare workers in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis [Internet]","volume":"24","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine"},{"issue":"1","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.3","first-page":"1","article-title":"Epidemiology of needlestick and sharp injuries among health care workers based on records from 252 hospitals for the period 2010-2014, Poland","volume":"19","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health [Internet]"},{"issue":"4","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.4","first-page":"34","article-title":"international journal of scientific research hepatitis c virus among health care workers and the risk factors. Medical Science. Maktari Hassan Al-Shamahy Khalid A","volume":"4","author":"Alhaj na, al-hm","year":"2019","journal-title":"Al-Mouid"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"831","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.17.195735","article-title":"Health-care workers\u2019 occupational exposures to body fluids in 21 countries in Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis [Internet]","volume":"95","year":"2017","journal-title":"Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.6","unstructured":"WHO. Occupational health Occupational health [Internet]. 2002. Available from: who.int\/iris\/handle\/10665\/116326"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.15171\/ijoem.2018.1156","article-title":"Risk Factors Associated with Health Care Workers in Menoufia Governorate, Egypt","volume":"9","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Occup Env Med"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.8","first-page":"28","article-title":"Factors affecting working conditions in public hospitals: A literature review","volume":"6","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Africa Nurs Sci [Internet]"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.9","first-page":"1","article-title":"Nawafleh1*, Shalabia El Abozead2, Fatma R Mohamed3, Amal M Ahmed4 KIA and FJM. The Incidence and Circumstances of Needle Sticks Injury (NSI) Among Arab Nurses Students : Comparative Study","volume":"13","year":"2019","journal-title":"Heal Sci J [Internet]"},{"issue":"1","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.10","first-page":"1","article-title":"Primary Health Care : Open Access Prevalence and Associated Factors of Needle Stick Injury among Nursing and","volume":"5","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Prim Health Care [Internet]"},{"issue":"1","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.11","first-page":"17","article-title":"Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of post-exposure prophylaxis against blood-borne viral infection among dental surgeons in a teaching hospital Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of post-exposure prophylaxis against blood-borne","volume":"32","year":"2017","journal-title":"South African J Infect Dis [Internet]"},{"issue":"3","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.12","first-page":"10","article-title":"Preventive Training among Medical Interns in Mexico City and Its Association with Needlestick and Sharp Injuries \u2013 A Cross Sectional Study","volume":"11","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Clin Diagnostic Res [Internet]"},{"issue":"5","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"517","DOI":"10.1179\/000349802125001186","article-title":"Needle-stick injuries in an Ugandan teaching hospital","volume":"96","year":"2002","journal-title":"Ann Trop Med Parasitol"},{"issue":"2","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.14","first-page":"1185","article-title":"Incidence of needlestick injuries among Ugandan student nurses in a rural hospital","volume":"9","year":"2009","journal-title":"Rural Remote Health [Internet]"},{"issue":"2","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.15","first-page":"92","article-title":"Prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among Makerere University medical students","volume":"5","year":"2005","journal-title":"Afr Health Sci [Internet]"},{"issue":"6","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.16","first-page":"9","article-title":"Needlestick and Sharp Injuries Among Nursing Students in Nanjing, China","volume":"66","year":"2018","journal-title":"Workplace Health Saf [Internet]"},{"issue":"7","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2443","DOI":"10.18203\/2394-6040.ijcmph20172838","article-title":"Knowledge of needle sticks injuries and its prevention among interns and post graduate students working at a tertiary health care centre, Bangalore","volume":"4","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Community Med Public Heal"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2648.2005.03526.x"},{"key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1093\/occmed\/kqp103","article-title":"Sharp injuries among medical students","volume":"59","year":"2009","journal-title":"Occup Med (Chic Ill) [Internet]"},{"issue":"3","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.20","first-page":"1","article-title":"A survey of needle sticks and other sharp injuries among dental undergraduate students","volume":"7","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int J Infect Control [Internet]"},{"issue":"8","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"773","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2005.01453.x","article-title":"Needle stick injuries among nurses in sub-Saharan Africa","volume":"10","year":"2005","journal-title":"Trop Med Int Heal"},{"issue":"71","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.22","first-page":"14","article-title":"attitudes and perceptions of occupational hazards and safety practices in Nigerian healthcare workers Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of occupational hazards and safety practices in Nigerian healthcare workers","volume":"9","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMC Res Notes"},{"issue":"4","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.23","first-page":"85","article-title":"Needle stick injuries--risk and preventive factors: a study among health care workers in tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan","volume":"5","year":"2013","journal-title":"Glob J Health Sci"},{"issue":"6","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1177\/2165079917732799","article-title":"Needlestick and Sharp Injuries Among Nursing Students in Nanjing, China","volume":"66","year":"2018","journal-title":"Work Heal Saf"},{"issue":"4","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"546","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jiph.2017.10.013","article-title":"Knowledge and information sources on standard precautions and infection control of health sciences students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh","volume":"11","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Infect Public Health [Internet]"},{"issue":"2","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.26","first-page":"56","article-title":"Needlestick Injuries among Nurses","volume":"7","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Res Heal Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"2023020522400729000_2023.02.01.23285330v1.27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1539\/joh.15-0253-FS","article-title":"Incidence and characteristics of needlestick injuries among medical trainees at a community teaching hospital : A cross-sectional study","volume":"59","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Occup Health [Internet]"}],"container-title":[],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1101\/2023.02.01.23285330","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]],"date-time":"2026-01-15T19:26:22Z","timestamp":1768505182000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/medrxiv.org\/lookup\/doi\/10.1101\/2023.02.01.23285330"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,3]]},"references-count":27,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1101\/2023.02.01.23285330","relation":{},"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,3]]},"subtype":"preprint"}}