Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116792

Cynthia T.F. Klein, PhD, Jennifer T. Lyden, BA, Sara Sousa, MPH, Jack K. Leiss, PhD, MPH, Rahel Mathews, MPH, and Kristin Sullivan, MPH. Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, Constella Health Sciences, 3 Corporate Square Blvd, Suite 220, Atlanta, GA 30329, 404.325.2660, cklein@constellagroup.com

There are approximately 200,000 nurses providing home health care in the United States. They are at risk of infection from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) through exposure to patients' blood. Very little is known about the extent to which home health care nurses (HHN) are exposed to blood, factors contributing to their exposure, or current prevention practices in this population. As part of a larger study to reduce blood exposure among home health care nurses, we conducted formative research to: 1) identify the factors in the HHN work environment that might be relevant to understanding blood exposure and prevention practices for this population and 2) determine the optimal method of recruitment and data collection including techniques to maximize response rates. The formative research methods involved interviewing key informants, shadowing home health nurses in the field and conducting focus groups with practicing home health nurses. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. The research findings yielded valuable information on possible risk factors for exposure and current prevention practices specific to this population. Information about data collection methods that appeal to this population and ways to improve response rates were incorporated into the study design. Information about potential risk factors and prevention practices were used as a basis for constructing a population-based survey that will quantify the risk of blood exposure and ultimately be used to develop a prevention program to reduce blood exposure in home health care nurses.

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