Date of Award

Winter 1993

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Urban Services--Health Services

Committee Director

Gregory H. Frazer

Committee Member

George C. Maihafer

Committee Member

Berhanu Mengistu

Committee Member

Clare Houseman

Committee Member

Lindsay Rettie

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between locus of control, altruism, occupational risk, and personal factors to the frequency of universal precautions practices of prehospital emergency medical care providers. The effects of OSHA's Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens; Final Rule on reducing prehospital emergency medical care providers occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens were also examined. Prehospital emergency medical care providers from municipal and private EMS agencies in the Tidewater Emergency Medical Services region participated in this study. Prehospital emergency medical care providers self-reported perceptions of locus of control, altruism, occupational risk, and universal precautions practices were obtained. The randomly selected sample consisted of 359 prehospital emergency medical care providers. Several statistical analyses were applied to the data which revealed that there was no relationship between locus of control and the frequency of universal precautions practices by prehospital emergency medical care providers. There was a small, inverse relationship between altruism and the frequency of universal precautions practices by a provider, and there was a small, inverse relationship between locus of control and altruism. There was no relationship between occupational risk and the frequency of universal precautions practices by a prehospital emergency medical care provider. Several personal factors contributed to predicting the frequency of universal precautions practices. It was demonstrated that prehospital emergency medical care providers are engaging in activities that place them at significant risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Universal precautions are practiced intermittently despite the reported ready availability of personal protective equipment at the worksite. Significant differences were found in the prehospital emergency medical care providers compliance with universal precautions practices in all of the twelve OSHA criteria as measured by comparing infection control practices prior to the Final Rule and after the Final Rule was implemented, May 1992. Recommendations were made for further research and policy development in the area of exposure incidents and application of universal precautions practices.

DOI

10.25777/x0dy-f203

Download

Share

COinS