Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39851475›Full record

ArticleDiseases (Basel, Switzerland)2025

A Survey of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of a Sample of Albanian Medical Students in Relation to Occupational Exposure to Biological Agents.

Lorenzo Ippoliti, Luca Coppeta, Ersilia Buonomo, Giuseppina Somma, Giuseppe Bizzarro, Cristiana Ferrari, Andrea Mazza, Agostino Paolino, Claudia Salvi, Vittorio Caputi and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

12 authors.

Lorenzo IppolitiDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0009-0006-3970-7566
Luca CoppetaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2470-6107
Ersilia BuonomoDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Giuseppina SommaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Giuseppe BizzarroDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Cristiana FerrariDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-2292-3338
Andrea MazzaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Agostino PaolinoDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Claudia SalviDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Vittorio CaputiDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Antonio PietroiustiFaculty of Medicine, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy.
Andrea MagriniDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

(1) Background: Exposure to blood carries the risk of transmission of many infectious diseases. Healthcare workers (HCWs), including hospital-based medical students, face high and often under-reported rates of exposure to needlestick and sharps injuries. Previous studies have shown that students' knowledge of infection control varies, highlighting the importance of pre-placement training. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding these risks in a population of medical students from Albania. (2) Methods: A validated questionnaire was administered to 134 medical students in an Italian hospital in May 2023. It assessed HBV vaccination status, adherence to infection control practices, knowledge of pathogen transmission, exposure incidents and attitudes towards infected patients. Three additional questions addressed air-borne transmission of tuberculosis and vaccination recommendations for healthcare workers. (3) Results: Most students (64%) reported being aware of occupational exposure risks. While 93% and 87%, respectively, recognised HIV and HBV as blood-borne pathogens, fewer recognised Treponema pallidum (44%). Awareness of post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV was high (85%), but although 75% reported having received training, only 45% felt it was adequate. Statistical analysis revealed an association between knowledge of infection control, awareness of pathogen transmission and understanding of the importance of vaccination. (4) Conclusions: Our study highlights gaps in medical students' knowledge of occupational infections and highlights the need for improved pre-clerkship education. Improved education could reduce anxiety, ethical issues and misconceptions and promote safer healthcare practices.

Indexed as

attitudesmedical student knowledgeoccupational blood-borne pathogen exposurerisk perception

Identifiers

PMID39851475
PMCPMC11764395

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.