GP.8. National surveillance of occupational blood exposure

National surveillance of occupational blood exposure (Belgium)

On 1 June 2003 the Institute of Public Health (IPH) started the national surveillance of occupational blood exposure among health care workers in Belgian hospitals.

The preliminary results (Dutch, French and English) are now available (June 2003-January 2005). The importance and the objectives of the surveillance, the development of the questionnaire and the possibilities of feedback are described in the article "National surveillance of blood exposure in Belgian hospitals".

Results: 51% of the Belgian hospitals show a large interest in participating in the national surveillance of accidental blood exposure - 72% of these want to give up their local registration system for a network coordinated at national level. This appears from the results of the preliminary survey that was organised prior to the start of the surveillance.

Software: You can download the forms for enrolment, the surveillance protocol and the manual for EPINetTM software in the section "download". The software (available in French and Dutch) can be ordered free of charge.

Ask for software:

• Eva Leens,
  tel: (+32 2 642 57 45)
  email: eva.leens@iph.fgov.be
  at:
  Scientific Institute of Public Health,
  Epidemiology unit - NSIG program
  Juliette Wytsmanstreet 16,
  1050 Brussels - Belgium,
  Tel: +32 (0) 2 642 57 22
  Fax: +32 (0) 2 642 54 10
  e-mail: nsih@iph.fgov.be (contact info)
  e-mail: nsihdata@iph.fgov.be (surveillance data)