Abstract

Objective: Healthcare workers are exposed to many biological agents at their workplace environment. The objective of this study is to determine the level of exposure to occupational infectious diseases, and vaccination and immunization status of healthcare workers in Şanlıurfa.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional research carried out in all institutions affiliated to the Directorate of Public Health and all hospitals in Şanlıurfa between March and April 2013. A total 6849 healthcare workers working in Şanlıurfa at the time of the study composed the population of the research. A sample was not chosen and all of the population was included in the research. The number of healthcare workers reached in scope of the research was 2804 and the total participation level was 41%. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data.

Results: Healthcare workers stated that 31.1% had acquired measles, 12.1% had acquired rubella, 34.2% had acquired mumps and 33.9% had acquired chickenpox. The vaccination rates of healthcare workers were 27.0% against measles, 15.0% against rubella, 14.4% against mumps and 12.8% against chickenpox. While 11.1% of healthcare workers had acquired hepatitis A, 16.8% of them were vaccinated against hepatitis A. 5.7% of healthcare workers had acquired hepatitis B and 63.8% of them have had at least 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccination. The percentage of healthcare workers who had completed their primary tetanus-diphtheria (Td) immunization was 49.7% and the percentage of the Td vaccination after primary immunization was 38%.

Conclusions: An important part of healthcare workers don’t know their occupational disease exposure and vaccination status, and also they do not have their immune status tested. Occupational health units should be established in all healthcare centers and the medical examination, education and recording practices should be carried out without delay.