OBJECTIVES: WHO estimates that 40-65% of HBV and HCV infections in health care workers were associated with percutaneous occupational exposure during the process of disposing of used needles and sharps instruments in the disposal bins. The objective of the study is to identify economic feasibility of safety costs at health care workers’ workplace by investigating the prevalence and risk factors of needlestick injuries among Kazakhstani primary care nurses.

METHODS: The methodologies comprise both quantitative and qualitative approaches using a comparative socio-economic analysis of the costs of preventive measures aimed at the safety of health care workers of the Kazakhstan polyclinic and the costs of treating diseases of medical workers with HBV and HCV infections combined with anonymous questionnaire of 198 primary care nurses. The selection criterion for the target group was the risk of injury during procedures (injections and blood sampling) or when disposing of sharp objects.

RESULTS: Socioeconomic analysis presented in the article shows that the increase in the costs of medical institutions for the purchase of safe sharps disposal means (i.e., self-destructive syringe, mobile sharps disposal containers, etc.) significantly reduces the cost of treatment and other types of costs to restore the medical workers’ health. Data from the interviews with Kazakhstani primary care nurses indicate that 38.9% of respondents experienced a case of injury at least once, 21.7% of respondents shared their observations that they witnessed needle stick injuries to other health workers in the workplace. The majority of the respondents (91.9%) answered that they would feel safer if they had portable sharps bin system.

CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, a high incidence of needle stick injuries among the nurses suggests immediate interventions. Therefore, the policy on prevention of needle stick injuries of primary care nurses would reduce government’s expenditure due to the prevention of HBV and HCV infections.