Page 193 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Occupational exposure to blood and other body

fluids among healthcare workers in Cameroon:
A systematic review and meta-analysis

1,2
Fabrice Zobel Lekeumo Cheuyem * , Christian Mouangue 3 ,
Brian Ngongheh Ajong 4 , Michel Franck Edzamba 1 , Dilane Christian
Maidey Hamadama 3 , Chabeja Achangwa 5 , Adama Mohamadou 1 ,
Pamela Sonfack 6 , and Adidja Amani 1

1 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of
Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon
2 Division of Health Policy and Research, Nkafu Policy Institute, Denis and Lenora Foretia, Yaoundé,
Republic of Cameroon
3 Data Management Unit, Public Health Emergency Operations Coordination Centre, Yaoundé,
Republic of Cameroon
4 Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization (WHO), Kinshasa, Democratic
Republic of Congo
5 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, Cave Hill,
Barbados
6 Department of Healthcare Organization and Technology, Direction of Healthcare Organization and
Technology, Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon

*Corresponding author:
Fabrice Zobel Lekeumo Cheuyem
(fcheuyem@foretiafoundation.org)
Abstract
Citation: Cheuyem, F.Z.L.,
Mouangue, C., Ajong, B.N., Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs) has become a serious public
Edzamba, M.F., Hamadama, health problem for healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in developing countries.
D.C.M., Achangwa. C.,
Mohamadou, A., et al. (2025). This exposure increases the risk of contracting blood-borne infections, such as human
Occupational exposure to blood and immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. The present systematic review
other body fluids among healthcare and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of BBF exposure
workers in Cameroon: A systematic
review and meta-analysis. Global among HCWs in Cameroon. Relevant research reports were systematically searched and
Health Econ Sustain, 3(3):185-196. collected using online databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library,
https://doi.org/10.36922/ and Science Direct, as well as unpublished studies from the national library. Out of 539
GHES025090016
records, only 15 studies were included in the final analysis. The I tests were employed to
2
Received: February 26, 2025 assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. Random-effects meta-analysis model
Revised: March 23, 2025 was employed to estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of BBF exposure
among HCWs in Cameroon. The model indicated that the estimated overall pooled
Accepted: March 27, 2025
prevalence of 12-month and lifetime BBF exposure among HCWs in Cameroon was
Published online: April 18, 2025 55.44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41.20 – 69.68, I = 97.5%, p<0.001) and 57.27%
2
2
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). (95% CI: 42.43 – 72.10, I = 97.7%, p<0.001), respectively. The highest 12-month pooled
This is an Open-Access article prevalence was observed in intermediate-level health facilities (84.73%, 95% CI: 85.55
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution – 88.50), whereas the highest lifetime prevalence was observed in the North-West and
License, permitting distribution, South-West regions (77.96%, 95% CI: 57.39 – 93.19). HCWs in Cameroon face a significant
and reproduction in any medium, risk of BBF exposure, with a high prevalence of exposure over their lifetime and within
provided the original work is
properly cited. a 12-month period. This study highlights the urgent need to enhance and implement
effective occupational safety and health policies to protect HCWs in Cameroon.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Keywords: Blood and other body fluids; Healthcare workers; Accidental and occupational
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional exposure; Needlestick and splash exposure; Cameroon
affiliations.
Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 185 https://doi.org/10.36922/GHES025090016