FREQUENCY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF BLOOD EXPOSURE INCIDENTS IN MILITARY HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITALS IN THE CITY OF KISANGANI

Healthcare workers face certain occupational risks due to injuries and exposure to blood and human bodily fluids during waste handling. The objective of our study was to determine the frequency and associated factors of blood exposure incidents (BEIs) in military healthcare facilities in Kisangani. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in four military healthcare facilities in Kisangani from July 10 to December 30, 2023. A total of 422 healthcare providers involved in service delivery and waste management were selected from each department of the different healthcare facilities. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Excel and analyzed using Stata 13. A bivariate analysis using Pearson's chi-squared test was used to identify factors associated with blood exposure incidents.