P-278 OCCUPATIONAL BIOLOGICAL RISK PERCEPTION AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG ITALIAN HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the health sector worldwide, with health and safety effects in workers. This survey aims to investigate risk perception and knowledge of occupational safety and health protection regulations in Italian healthcare personnel. A survey was conducted through self-administered, online questionnaires in health care workers in 2023. Data on the following themes were collected: socio-demographic and occupational information, procedures/information and risk training, perception of risk and injury, preventive behaviour, psychosocial and psychological variables, sleep disorders and job satisfaction. This study involved 652 workers, including nurses (44.0%), physicians (23%), social health workers (9%), health technicians (11%) and others (13%). Most respondents were female (74.0%) and the predominant age group was 40–60 years. The most frequent length of service was >15 years (38.0%), with 39%, 13% and 48% reporting from the medical, surgical and services areas respectively. More than half of the respondents were aware of the biological risk at workplace and conscious of hazards; most of them had been vaccinated against hepatitis B, Covid-19, influenza, measles. The study showed that health care workers might be exposed to biological agents at various levels, depending on the specific tasks. Information and training are essential to address the correct behaviours of workers and help them to recognise and assess the risks. Nonetheless, the prevention of needlestick and sharps injuries through the implementation of specific Directives in many European countries and the experience gained from the pandemic have brought important improvements in safety against biological risk.