{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T13:47:26Z","timestamp":1787579246107,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,27]],"date-time":"2017-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1501113600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005888","name":"Medical University of \u0141\u00f3d\u017a","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["No. 502-03 \/ 6-024-01 \/ 502-64-049."],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No. 502-03 \/ 6-024-01 \/ 502-64-049."]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005888","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>(1) Background: To determine paramedics\u2019 frequency of contact with blood and other body fluids, as well as the analysis of knowledge of paramedics about blood-borne infections, their attitudes to patients infected with blood-borne viruses, and the post-exposure procedures implemented by paramedics; (2) Methods: An anonymous questionnaire among 190 paramedics working in various health care facilities in Poland (adjusted response rate, 76.3%); (3) Results: 78% of paramedics had contact with potentially infectious material at least several times a week. Paramedics\u2019 knowledge on transferring infection was insufficient. Paramedics with longer employment time and better professional experience suffered fewer injuries with used needles\/medical tools (p = 0.079). Most frequently reported factors that prevented the use of personal protective equipment were emergency situations (19.5%), skin irritations and contact allergies (19%) and, in the case of protective gloves, reduced manual dexterity (16%). In total, 82% of paramedics were concerned about the risk of being infected with HIV, HBV or HCV as a result of performing their job. In total, 97% of paramedics behaved more carefully while caring for infected patients. In total, 90% of the paramedics never refrained from performing the specific procedures necessary to help the patient whom they knew to be infected; (4) Conclusions: Despite the paramedics\u2019 insufficient theoretical knowledge about the risk of blood-borne infections, the emphasis in the training of future paramedics should be on classes perfecting practical skills, because growing experience significantly reduces the risk of injury.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14080843","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,27]],"date-time":"2017-07-27T11:28:56Z","timestamp":1501154936000},"page":"843","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Awareness of the Risk of Exposure to Infectious Material and the Behaviors of Polish Paramedics with Respect to the Hazards from Blood-Borne Pathogens\u2014A Nationwide Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1677-8146","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Garus-Pakowska","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Medical University of Lodz, 90-647 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mariusz","family":"G\u00f3rajski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Econometrics, University of Lodz, 90-214 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franciszek","family":"Szatko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Medical University of Lodz, 90-647 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Uncertainty, error and risk in human clinical judgment: Introductory theoretical frameworks in paramedic practice","volume":"2","author":"Shaban","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. 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