الفهرس 
Chemotherapy and health hazardsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Many anti-neoplastic drugs are known to be carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic to humans. There is thus a potential occupational exposure risk to cytotoxic drugs (CDs). Nurses are the main groups of professionals that are exposed to these drugs in patient care settings (NIOSH, 2014).
Aim of the Study The aim of this study was to assess occupational health hazards related to chemotherapy among health care providers through the following:
1. Assessing health care providers’ knowledge about health hazards related to chemotherapy.
2. Assessing health care providers’ practices towards safety measures of protection from health hazards during chemotherapy preparation and administration.
3. Identifying health status of health care providers.
4. Detecting health care providers’ compliance towards safety measures according to chemotherapy hazards.
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Methodology: A) Design
A descriptive design was used in this study. B) Setting The study was conducted at ambulatory settings in oncology centre at Nasser Institute Hospital for research and treatment. C) Subjects
A purposive sample was used in this study. The total number of sample was 70 health care providers (divided into (24) nurses, (11) physicians, (17) pharmacists, (7) workers, (11) nurse aids).
Inclusion criteria:
Health care providers who dealing with chemotherapy.
Health care providers who will agree to participate in the study.
Health care providers free from chronic diseases.
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D) Tools of data collection First tool Interviewing questionnaire was designed by the investigator to assess the following parts:
Part 1:
Socio-demographic data includes (Age, Sex, marital status, …..)
Part 2:
Heath care providers’ Knowledge about health hazards related to chemotherapy.
Part 3:
Health care providers’ practices toward safety measures of protection from health hazards related to chemotherapy.
Second tool 1) Auditing medical records of health care providers (Elshamy et al., 2006). 2) Assessing health status of health care providers, modified from (Elshamy et al., 2006). NB: this tool were excluded because the data for was not available.
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Third tool Checklist to detect health care provider’s compliance towards safety measures according to chemotherapy hazards.
Results of the present study:
71.4 % of the studied subjects were females. Regarding marital status, 58.6% were married. Concerning age, 47.1% of subjects were 25 - < 35 years. Regarding level of education, 50% of the subjects had bachelor degree and more than one fifth were nurses and pharmacist (26.0% & 24.3% respectively).
53% of the studied subjects had more than 10 years experience in medical field. Moreover, 48.6% of the subjects had less than 5 years work duration in chemotherapy. Also, 94.3% of subjects were working all week days and 80% of them were working more than & equal 8 hours /day.
58% of female health providers were married, 44% of them had kids, 38% had problems in their pregnancy, 27.3% of them had pre-eclampsia, 17.2% had problems in labour and 40% were had hypertension and Nuchal cord.
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Skin, eye, respiratory, lymph nodes, CNS and infectious diseases were common in nurses (66.6%, 51.8%, 41.6%, 45.8%, 50% &51.8% respectively). Regarding blood and psychological status were common in pharmacist (58.8% & 53% respectively). Concerning digestive system problems were common in physicians (36.3%). Moreover, pharmacist were common had (29.4%) male reproductive system problems. Also, nurses were common had (29.1%) female reproductive system problems.
37.1% of heath care providers were knowledgeable of presence a sources of information. Also, 14.2% of subjects know the actual number of patients for every nurse and 10% had training courses programs.
All health care providers (100%) were not compliance to safe work procedures, training, posters and signs and periodical medical examination. Regarding compliance to personal protective equipment, 85.7% of subjects not wear suitable mask and eye protection.
71.4% of health care providers had a weak knowledge, 20% had average knowledge and only 8.5% had high knowledge.
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90.0% of health care providers had a not done practice, 8.5% had incorrectly done practice and only 1.4% had correctly done practice.
There is significant difference between socio-demographic data and knowledge (P <0.05).
There is significant difference between socio-demographic data and practice (P <0.05).
There is statistically significant positive correlation between knowledge and practices (r=0.5, p=<0.0).
There is statistically significant positive correlation between compliance and practice of all groups(r=0.4, p=<0.01).
Conclusion:
On light of the current study results, it can be concluded that, more than two thirds of health care providers were had weak knowledge regarding chemotherapy & health hazards. Also, the majority of health care providers were had not done practice regarding safety measures of protection from health hazards related to chemotherapy. Moreover, there is statistically significant difference between socio-demographic data (sex, job, years of work with chemotherapy and qualifications) and knowledge. There is statistically significant difference
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between socio-demographic data (Job, years of experience, years of work dealing with chemotherapy and qualification) and practice. There is statistically significant positive correlation between total practice and total knowledge of all groups and between compliance and practice.
Recommendations:
1) Head of occupational health in chemotherapy settings should establish plans to:
o Provide workers with safety measures equipment and periodical training courses for using it. o Periodical medical checkup for chemotherapy workers.
o Effective follow up supervision and punishments for compliance / non-compliance to safety measures.
o Courses about chemotherapy for nurses in study curriculum.
2) A safety committee in the hospital should ensure the appropriate implementation of safety policies, and keep the staff informed about the procedures for safety handling of CDs.
3) Further research studies are needed for ongoing assessment of effects of CDs on health care providers and methods of hazards prevention including large sample for generalization of results.
4) Conducting educational courses and workshops for oncologists at the occupational hazards they face during work and how to overcome them.