| Document ID (ISN) | 57374 |
| CIS number |
92-319 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0096-1736 - Journal of Occupational Medicine |
| Year |
1991 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Beck-Sagué C.M., Jarvis W.R., Fruehling J.A., Ott C.E., Higgins M.T., Bates F.L. |
| Title |
Universal precautions and mortuary practitioners: Influence on practices and risk of occupationally acquired infection |
| Bibliographic information |
Aug. 1991, Vol.33, No.8, p.874-878. Illus. 22 ref. |
| Abstract |
Embalming, the most common funeral practice in North America, may expose the embalmer to infectious diseases and blood. 860 morticians in the US and Canada were surveyed in 1988 to estimate the incidence of self-reported occupational contact with blood and infectious disease, assess morticians' knowledge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), determine their adherence to universal precautions, and identify predictors of practices designed to reduce risk of occupational exposure to infections. Of 539 (63%) respondents, 212 (39%) reported needle-stick injuries in the past 12 months, and 15 (3%) reported percutaneous exposures to HIV-contaminated blood. Those rating the risk of occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection as very high or high (194/539 [36%]) were more likely to decline funerals of bodies with antemortem diagnosis of AIDS (59/194 [30%]) and/or to charge more for such funerals (133/194 [69%]) than those who rated the risk as low to moderate (31/345 [9%], 174/345 [51%]). |
| Descriptors (primary) |
blood; embalming; occupation disease relation; funeral services; infectious hepatitis; immunodeficiency syndrome; infectious diseases |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
Canada; skin injuries; skin absorption; USA |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | USA |
| Subject(s) |
Occupational pathology
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Biological hazards
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Funeral services
Liver diseases
Bacterial and parasitic diseases
Viral diseases (other than aids)
HIV/AIDS
|
