Abstract
Background:
Needle stick injuries (NSIs) pose a significant occupational hazard for healthcare professionals, including chiropractors, due to the risk of transmitting blood-borne infections. Despite increased awareness, NSIs remain prevalent, particularly among students. While previous research has explored NSI knowledge and protocol adherence among medical and dental students, little is known about chiropractic students' understanding of NSI protocols. This study addresses this gap by examining the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of chiropractic students toward NSI protocols at a South African university.
Aim:
To assess chiropractic students' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward NSI protocols and to investigate the correlation of these factors with age, sex, and year of study.
Research Methodology:
A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire among chiropractic students in both Bachelor of Health Sciences in Chiropractic (BHSc) and Master of Health Sciences in Chiropractic (MHSc) programs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and various comparative tests. Ethical considerations, including consent and confidentiality, were strictly maintained.
Results and Discussion:
With a 42% response rate (107 out of 255 students), the study revealed that chiropractic students possess strong knowledge of NSI protocols, achieving an 88.58% (n=107) correct response rate. Postgraduates outperformed undergraduates, with average scores of 92.86% (n=45) and 85.48% (n=62), respectively. Additionally, students showed a positive attitude toward protocol awareness and reporting compliance, scoring 4.6776
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out of 5.00 on the Likert-scale questions. Their average score of 3.9346 out of 5.00 indicated a good level of risk perception and response to NSIs. While students showed positive attitudes toward NSI protocol awareness and compliance, discrepancies existed in post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) timing and reporting behaviors, particularly between undergraduates and postgraduates.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
Chiropractic students demonstrate high knowledge and adherence to NSI protocols, though areas for improvement remain in attitudes and reporting behaviors. Targeted education on the urgency of NSI reporting is recommended to enhance protocol effectiveness and ensure safer healthcare practices. Future research should expand the sample size, explore mixed-methods data collection, and evaluate the long-term adherence to NSI protocols.
Keywords:
Needle stick injury, needle stick protocol, chiropractic, reporting compliance, protocol awareness