Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25059968›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2014

Risk factors for bloodborne viral hepatitis in healthcare workers of Pakistan: a population based case-control study.

Zulfikar A Gorar, Zahid A Butt, Imrana Aziz

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 31 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Viral Hepatitis in Pakistan: Past, Present, and Future.Euroasian journal of hepato-gastroenterology
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Zulfikar A GorarHealth Services Academy, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Zahid A ButtDepartment of Public Health, Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Imrana AzizDepartment of General Surgery, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
Dow University of Health Sciences · PKHealth Services Academy · PK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesA high prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C was found among healthcare workers during a province-wide screening in Sindh Province, Pakistan. A follow-up study was undertaken to identify risk factors for this high prevalence in healthcare workers.

designPopulation based case-control design.

settingPublic sector healthcare facilities in a rural district of Pakistan.

participantsHealthcare workers who were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies. 178 healthcare workers employed at the public sector clinics and hospitals of the district were approached, of which 14 refused to participate. Cases had detectable serum antibodies against HCV and the presence of HBsAg. Healthcare workers non-reactive to HCV antibodies and with no HBsAg were controls. These were matched in a ratio of 1:1. OUTCOME MEASURE: Detectable serum HBsAg and HCV antibody titer were taken as outcome. OR for various exposures was calculated; those with p<0.25 were entered in a multivariate logistic regression model to find out significant predictors.

resultsNeedle stick injury (OR=6; CI95 1.4 to 23), recapping the needle (OR=5.7; CI95 1.1 to 28), wound care at accident and emergency of a hospital (OR=5.5; CI95 1 to 28), female gender (OR=3.4; CI95 1 to 12) and more than 10 years of formal education (OR=0.25; CI95 0.07 to 0.8) were associated with hepatitis C. Hepatitis B was found to be associated with trying to bend or break a needle after use (OR=4.9; CI95 1 to 24).

conclusionsHealthcare workers in Pakistan are at additional risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Bi-dimensional risk factors present at individual and broader health systems levels are responsible. Occupational safety, health trainings and redesigning of the curriculum for allied health professionals are required.

Indexed as

Health PersonnelOccupational ExposureRural PopulationFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHepatitis, Viral, HumanHumansInfectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-ProfessionalMalePakistanPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID25059968
PMCPMC4120316
OpenAlexW2117695187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.