Correctional Department Workers

Though correctional health care workers fall into the general category of health care workers, they are much more at risk of contracting a bloodborne disease through a needlestick injury. In the correctional system, there has been a decline of HIV/AIDS infected inmates over the last several years. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) did a study that ranged from 2001 to 2010. The estimated rate of infection in 2001 was 194 cases for every 10,000 inmates, and it declined at a steady pace through 2010 where the average was 146 cases for every 10,000 inmates. Statistically, this number is much higher than that of the general population. It is important that correctional department workers, both health care related and not, know and understand ways to prevent transmission of bloodborne diseases due to their prevalence.

To learn more about Bloodborne Pathogens visit our Bloodborne Pathogens Safety Online Training web page.