Prevalence and factors associated with experiencing occupational biological hazards among clinical university students in South Western Uganda

Abstract

Clinical students face hazards, such as needlestick injuries and blood spills. While healthcare workers’ exposure to such hazards is well-documented, there is limited data on medical students, particularly in Uganda. We explored the prevalence and factors associated with biological occupational hazards among clinical university students. This cross-sectional study examined biological occupational hazards among 384 randomly selected undergraduate clinical medical students at a university in Southwestern Uganda. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Categorical and numerical data were summarised descriptively using frequencies and means. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors independently associated with hazard exposure. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were reported, and a p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 384 participants, with a mean age of 25.1 years and a male predominance of 208 (54.2%), were included; 223 (58.1%) pursued careers in medicine and surgery. 316 (82.3%) reported experiencing a hazard, with 107 (33.9%) reporting experiencing it more than three times. 155 (49.1%) and 102 (32.3%) of the participants had experienced blood spills and needle stick injuries, respectively. Gender (aOR 0.448, CI: 0.24–0.84) and the current ward where the students were placed (aOR 2.94, CI: 1.39–6.22) were significantly associated with exposure to hazards. Clinical students are significantly exposed to occupational hazards, with blood spills and needle stick injuries being the most common. Most students experience multiple exposures in high-risk wards such as Obstetrics. Targeted interventions, such as establishing injury response teams, pinning procedure charts on the ward walls, and providing procedure manuals, are needed to enhance safety and improve clinical training. Future research should also examine safety protocols and gendered risk perceptions to develop effective strategies to mitigate hazards.