Abstract:

Health workers are vulnerable to occupational exposure to contagious substances and stand the risk of acquiring life threatening disease. The study assessed risk factors for contracting HIV AIDS by healthcare workers in the three Peri-Urban Hospitals in Kumasi. The study was quantitative employing cross-sectional survey. Data was collected from 210 randomly selected healthcare workers from the three hospitals who were directly involved in given medical care to patients. Questionnaire and interview were the instruments employed in data gathering. The questionnaire was administered; key informant interview was conducted among healthcare practitioners. Study revealed that HIV AIDS transmission in the hospitals emanates from several factors. The major cause of HIV AIDS transmission was found to be percutaneous exposure. The items measuring percutaneous exposure all had high mean scores and relative importance indexes above 50%, indicating that they are risk factors. Injuries from needle and sharp devices contributed 80% of the risk. The study identified modifiable factors found that promotes HIV AIDS transmission in the hospitals to be, non-use of safety devices, complacency, inattentiveness, negligence, and health and safety delivery rules and policies. The study discovered that healthcare workers exposed to the risk factors receive inadequate post exposure prophylaxis. A single dose therapy regimen is administered to healthcare worker who have encountered percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposures. The study provides useful information to hospital authorities and health personnel to work in an environment risk-free. Systematic risk factors, particularly percutaneous exposure should be a prime concern to healthcare practitioners in the hospitals.

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