What predicts mucocutaneous exposure among health workers? Insights from an analytical cross-sectional study of 10 major hospitals in the Greater Accra region, Ghana

Mucocutaneous exposure is a significant public health concern, especially in healthcare settings; while often preventable, these exposures occur frequently and carry a high risk of infectious disease transmission. In low- and middle-income countries, particularly, there is a significant knowledge gap about the relationship between irregular work schedules, at-risk healthcare workers, the effectiveness of splash exposure reporting systems, personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, and mucocutaneous exposures. This study, therefore, examined factors associated with mucocutaneous exposure among health workers in Ghana. We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study in 10 hospitals in Greater Accra between January 30 and May 31, 2023. Six hundred and two (602) study participants were recruited through simple random sampling, and the data were analysed using Stata 15. Log-binomial regression analysis predicted factors linked to mucocutaneous exposure, with significance at p < 0.05. Overall, a greater proportion of health workers, 372 (61.8%) [95% CI: 57.8%–65.7%], reported experiencing mucocutaneous exposure in the past year. Mucocutaneous exposure was more prevalent among nurses, midwives, and laboratory staff. A mix of day, evening and night shifts [adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) = 1.23 (1.08, 1.40)], overtime work [APR = 1.23 (1.08, 1.40)], on-call duties [APR = 1.24 (1.10, 1.39)], understaffed [APR = 1.15 (1.01, 1.32)], established splash exposure reporting systems [APR = 0.86 (0.76, 0.97)], and the use of personal protective equipment sometimes [APR = 0.76 (0.65, 0.90)], most of the time [APR = 0.75 (0.64, 0.87)] and always [APR = 0.80 (0.68, 0.93)] were significantly linked to mucocutaneous exposure. These findings underscore the need for stronger institutional policies, consistent training, and thoughtful workforce planning to protect the health and well-being of frontline workers. • Mucocutaneous exposure prevalence among health workers was 61.8%. • Nurses, midwives, and lab staff were most exposed. • Irregular work shifts were linked to higher exposure. • Consistent Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) use significantly reduced exposure among staff. • Facilities with reporting systems showed higher recorded exposures.