SELECTED RISK FACTORS FOR OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES TO BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS IN COSMETICS SALONS

Background: Services offered in the esthetic/beauty industry poses the risk of blood-borne infections (BBIs) due to carrying out invasive procedures. The study objective: was to assess the number of sharps injuries, occupational risk factors, and preventive methods used among cosmetologists. Material and Methods: The anonymous survey was conducted (February-April 2017) in randomly selected beauty/esthetic medicine clinics in Szczecin, Poland; 96 cosmetologists were invited. Results: Eighty cosmetologists (83.3%), responded. The mean age of the group was 25 years (range: 20-60 years). The majority of the respondents (95%) used sharps while at work, 41.3% had suffered at least one sharps injury during their occupational career. Clippers were the most common injury-causing instrument (39.4%), and manicure/pedicure was the most common injury-causing procedure (51.5%); 84.8% of injuries were not reported. The number of injuries was associated with age (34.9% in the group of 20-29 years old respondents vs. 64.7% in respondents >= 30 years old, p = 0.05), work experience (32.6% in the respondents working for 1-3 years vs. 68.8%, in those working >= 7 years, p = 0.03), and working hours/week (28.9% in those working <= 40 h vs. 57.1% of those working > 40 h, p = 0.02). Needle recapping was reported by 47.5% of respondents, 13.8% did not dispose used needles into a container, 17.5% did not routinely use gloves. Conclusions: Cosmetologists are at risk of sharps injuries. Inconsistent use of preventive methods and failure to report incidents may result in contracting BBIs. There is a need to implement education and intervention measures to prevent occupational injuries, particularly with regard to cosmetologists aged over 30 years, with a longer professional experience, working over 40 h/week.