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Costs associated with sharps injuries in the Swedish health care setting and potential cost savings from needle-stick prevention devices with needle and syringe.

Glenngård, Anna and Persson, Ulf LU (2009) In Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases p.1-7
Abstract
The number and costs associated with reported sharps injuries in Swedish hospitals and the potential cost offset by introducing safety devices with needle and syringe was estimated from a health care perspective. Data about reported sharps injuries were collected from infection control nurses at 18 Swedish hospitals and information about the procedures following such injuries from doctors at Swedish hospitals and published articles. Unit costs were derived from the Southern Regional Health Care Board, SEK 2007. On average, 3.14 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent positions are reported annually in Swedish health care. Approximately 60% involves hollow-bore needles. The cost of occupational sharps injuries in Sweden was estimated at... (More)
The number and costs associated with reported sharps injuries in Swedish hospitals and the potential cost offset by introducing safety devices with needle and syringe was estimated from a health care perspective. Data about reported sharps injuries were collected from infection control nurses at 18 Swedish hospitals and information about the procedures following such injuries from doctors at Swedish hospitals and published articles. Unit costs were derived from the Southern Regional Health Care Board, SEK 2007. On average, 3.14 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent positions are reported annually in Swedish health care. Approximately 60% involves hollow-bore needles. The cost of occupational sharps injuries in Sweden was estimated at euro1.8 million (SEK 16.3 million) or euro272 (SEK 2513) per reported injury, of which euro1 million was for hollow-bore sharps injuries. The expected number of injuries that could be avoided by introducing safety devices was estimated at 3125 injuries and the corresponding expected cost offset at euro850,000. Most costs are associated with investigation as opposed to treatment. The cost per reported injury in Sweden seems to be lower than in other EU countries and the US, due to more thorough investigation and treatment procedures in countries with confirmed transmission of pathogens to healthcare workers. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
issue
Feb 19
pages
1 - 7
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • pmid:19229763
  • pmid:19229763
  • scopus:66849093100
ISSN
1651-1980
DOI
10.1080/00365540902780232
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Health Economics and Forensic Medicine (Closed 2012) (013040050)
id
d3b30761-f4a1-4260-9b6e-7c0e5cdaeff3 (old id 1302371)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19229763?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:20:41
date last changed
2022-02-06 02:29:59
@article{d3b30761-f4a1-4260-9b6e-7c0e5cdaeff3,
  abstract     = {{The number and costs associated with reported sharps injuries in Swedish hospitals and the potential cost offset by introducing safety devices with needle and syringe was estimated from a health care perspective. Data about reported sharps injuries were collected from infection control nurses at 18 Swedish hospitals and information about the procedures following such injuries from doctors at Swedish hospitals and published articles. Unit costs were derived from the Southern Regional Health Care Board, SEK 2007. On average, 3.14 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent positions are reported annually in Swedish health care. Approximately 60% involves hollow-bore needles. The cost of occupational sharps injuries in Sweden was estimated at euro1.8 million (SEK 16.3 million) or euro272 (SEK 2513) per reported injury, of which euro1 million was for hollow-bore sharps injuries. The expected number of injuries that could be avoided by introducing safety devices was estimated at 3125 injuries and the corresponding expected cost offset at euro850,000. Most costs are associated with investigation as opposed to treatment. The cost per reported injury in Sweden seems to be lower than in other EU countries and the US, due to more thorough investigation and treatment procedures in countries with confirmed transmission of pathogens to healthcare workers.}},
  author       = {{Glenngård, Anna and Persson, Ulf}},
  issn         = {{1651-1980}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{Feb 19}},
  pages        = {{1--7}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Costs associated with sharps injuries in the Swedish health care setting and potential cost savings from needle-stick prevention devices with needle and syringe.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00365540902780232}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00365540902780232}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}