DAY-NIGHT PATTERN IN ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURES TO BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the occurrence of accidental blood-borne pathogen exposure incidents in medical students and residents in training varies during the 24h. A retrospective review of reported exposures was conducted in a large urban teaching institution-the University...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chronobiology international 2000, Vol.17 (1), p.61-70
Main Authors: Parks, Deborah K., Yetman, Robert J., McNeese, Margaret C., Burau, Keith, Smolensky, Michael H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Blood - microbiology
Blood - parasitology
Blood - virology
Blood-borne pathogen exposure
Circadian Rhythm
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Female
General aspects
Humans
Infectious diseases
Internship and Residency
Male
Medical residents
Medical sciences
Medical students
Needlestick Injuries - epidemiology
Occupational Diseases - epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Shift work schedules
Skin - injuries
Students, Medical
Texas - epidemiology
Time of day
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to determine whether the occurrence of accidental blood-borne pathogen exposure incidents in medical students and residents in training varies during the 24h. A retrospective review of reported exposures was conducted in a large urban teaching institution-the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston-between November 1993 and July 1998. Professional level (year of student or level of resident), time of exposure, means route of exposure (needle stick, laceration, or splash), and type of medical service were recorded. Analysis of the clock time of the 745 reported blood-borne pathogen exposures showed they occurred more frequently during the day than night. Over the nearly 5-year span, 531 incidents took place between 06:00 and 17:59 in comparison to only 214 between 18:00 and 05:59. To account for the day-night difference in medical student and resident hospital staffing, the data were reexpressed as exposure rates, that is, in terms of the number of events per hour per 1000 medical students and residents. Based on the total number of reported exposures over the almost 5-year span of data collection, the average rate was 40 accidents per hour per 1000 doctors in training during the 12h daytime span (6:00-17:59). It was 50% greater at night (18:00-05:59), with 60 incidents per hour per 1000 doctors in training. The day-night difference in rate of exposures was statistically significant (p
ISSN:0742-0528
1525-6073
DOI:10.1081/CBI-100101032