Citation

Cepeda JA, Beletsky L, Sawyer A, Serio-Chapman C, Smelyanskaya M, Han J, Robinowitz N, Sherman SG. J. Urban Health 2017; 94(1): 100-103.

Affiliation

Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11524-016-0115-0

PMID

28105586

Abstract

At a time of resurgence in injection drug use and injection-attributable infections, needle stick injury (NSI) risk and its correlates among police remain understudied. In the context of occupational safety training, a convenience sample of 771 Baltimore city police officers responded to a self-administered survey. Domains included NSI experience, protective behaviors, and attitudes towards syringe exchange programs. Sixty officers (8%) reported lifetime NSI. Officers identifying as Latino or other race were almost three times more likely (aOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.12-5.96) to have experienced NSI compared to whites, after adjusting for potential confounders.

FINDINGS highlight disparate burdens of NSIs among officers of color, elevating risk of hepatitis, HIV, and trauma. Training, equipment, and other measures to improve occupational safety are critical to attracting and safeguarding police, especially minority officers.

Language: en

Keywords

Needle stick injury; People who inject drugs; Police