Trends in the use of personal protective equipment by health care workers who experienced occupational accidents in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Personal protective equipment creates a protective barrier for mucous membranes, airways, and skin in situations with possible exposure to biological material. OBJECTIVES: To analyze temporal trends in the use of personal protective equipment at the time of accidental exposure to biological materials in Brazilian health care workers. METHODS: This was an ecological time series study of the use of personal protective equipment in health professionals who experienced accidental exposure to biological materials. Data were analyzed by region and federal unit, as well as in the country as a whole. Temporal trends were investigated using Prais-Winsten regression models with calendar year as the independent variable. RESULTS: The use of personal protective equipment increased by 4.62% at a national level. Increases were also observed in all regions of the country. Temporal trends within federal units, however, showed significant heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Though the use of personal protective equipment increased in the country as a whole, the rate of change varied widely between federal units. These findings highlight the need for changes in public policy and the implementation of permanent education programs for health care professionals, especially in regions with lower or stable rates of personal protective equipment use.