NEEDLE STICK INJURIES AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN ISHIK UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF DENTISTRY AND HAWLER MEDICAL COLLEGE

Background and objectives: Needle stick injuries pose a high risk to health care workers including dental students. They represent a major risk factor for transmitting blood borne pathogens including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. Needles of syringes are the most commonly identified sharp object causing the injuries. Therefore, this study conducted to determine the prevalence of needle stick injuries among dental students in Ishik university facualty of dentistry and Hawler medical college. Aim and objectives of the study: The study aimed were to: 1. Find out the prevalence of NSI among dental student in Erbil cityIraq. 2. The percentage of dental students that had taken Hep B vaccine. 3. Study the knowledge of dental students regarding NSI. Subjects and method: The study was a cross sectional in nature, 114 students from Ishik University and Hawler Medical University Collage of Dentistry and data collections were done from the 1st of Dec till 2 of Feb 2018. Later on, data analysis and writing the thesis completed in May up to June, 2018. A questionnaire was completed through direct interview of the study students to measure their knowledge and practice about needle sticks injuries. All the obtained information including prevalence of needle sticks injuries, within previous 12 months, time of injury, and training on needle stick injury, knowledge, practice and attitude about needle sticks was then analyzed using statistical package for the social science software version 21. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22. The results of the study demonstrated that the prevalence of needle stick injury during past 12 months among dental students was 47,4%. Needle stick injury happened after using the needle in 35.2%, while in re-capping the needle occur in 27,8% and around 41.2% of the samples have precautions regarding NSI. Conclusion: The dental student had taken hepatitis B vaccine in a high percentage, while the prevalence of NSI was high and male showed higher prevalence than female. Training course regarding the precaution and management of NSI may need to be added to the curriculum of dental students.