Inoculation injuries in hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago

This paper reviews the frequency of inoculation injures, which occurred in hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago from 1991 to 1997, inclusive. A total of 397 cases of inoculation injuries were detected. Significantly more of this injures occurred during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (231, or 58.2 percent: G=41.2, df 9, p < 0.001) than during disposal of needles and other sharps (136, or 34.3 percent), certain situations remote from patient care (21, or 5.2 percent), and "rogue incidents" related to unsafe disposal with later injury to janitors or others (9, or 2.3 percent). No statistically significant monthly or seasonal variations occurred in the incidence of reported inoculation injuries. The two institutions that saw the largest number of patients, the Port-of-Spain General and San Fernando General Hospitals, accounted for the largest number of cases of inoculation injury, with 139 (35.0 percent) and 135 (34.0 percent), respectively. Interestingly enough, there were 42 reported inoculation incidents at the St. Ann's Hospital for the Mentally Impaired and 23 (52.5 percent of these were bites, most of them occurring during attempted procedures. Nurses were the main recipients of inoculation injuries (287 cases, or > 72 percent), followed by doctors (9.3 percent), and ward maids (6.2 percent). The main modes of inoculation were needle sticks (305, pr 76.8 percent). Bites (34, 8.6 percent) injuries with sharps other than needles (29, or 7.3 percent), and splashes (29, or 7.3 percent) were the other types seen. One recipient was found to be infected with HIV following accidental inoculation. The infection control methodologies used in hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago was reviewed and recommendations for preventing injuries are outlined.(AU)

Present trends in drug use and abuse in new secondary schools in the Kingston Metropolitan Area

Within recent years, drug abuse has become a priority health problem affecting individuals and threatening the social, political and legal institutions of the region. Sadly, children, including those at school are the main victims of the consequences of drug abuse. A survey was conducted among 200 students, grades 9-11, in 4 new secondary schools in the metropolitan area of Jamaica. Through a self administered questionnaire, the study sought information on the lifetime and current prevalence of licit and illicit drugs, students' perception of the ease of obtaining these drugs, the risk involved and their attitude towards drug use. The findings revealed that there were increases in the lifetime and current prevalence in the use of cannabis, cocaine, crack, psychedelics, opiates, tobacco and alcohol. Students reported increased accessibility to these drugs and less risk involved in drug use, and many reported that they did not disapprove of trying drugs, including cocaine and crack. The highest prevalence of drug use was with alcohol, followed by tobacco and inhalants, and more males reported drugs use than females. These were compared generally to the findings of the NCDA (1987) school survey. The author concluded that drug abuse has increased in this category of students, and made recommendations including, re-evaluation of the drug abuse prevention programmes in schools; strengthening of peer counselling in schools; banning of tobacco and alcohol advertisments, and of smoking in public places and to create a data base on drug abuse for the region. (AU)