Study sensitivity: Evaluating the ability to detect effects in systematic reviews of chemical exposures.

A critical step in systematic reviews of potential health hazards is the structured evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the included studies; risk of bias is a term often used to represent this process, specifically with respect to the evaluation of systematic errors that can lead to inaccurate (biased) results (i.e. focusing on internal validity).

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards.

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods.

The national study to prevent blood exposure in paramedics: rates of exposure to blood.

Objective: The purpose of this analysis is to present incidence rates of exposure to blood among paramedics in the United States by selected variables and to compare all percutaneous exposure rates among different types of healthcare workers.

Methods: A survey on blood exposure was mailed in 2002-2003 to a national sample of paramedics. Results for California paramedics were analyzed with the national sample and also separately.

Provision and use of personal protective equipment and safety devices in the National Study to Prevent Blood Exposure in Paramedics.

Background: Paramedics are at risk for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infection from occupational blood exposure. This study examined how often paramedics are provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), sharps containers, and selected safety devices by their employers; the frequency with which paramedics use sharps containers and these safety devices; and paramedics' attitudes regarding this equipment.

Methods: We conducted a mail survey among a nationally representative sample of certified paramedics.

Blood exposure among paramedics: incidence rates from the national study to prevent blood exposure in paramedics.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to estimate incidence rates of occupational blood exposure by route of exposure (needlesticks; cuts from sharp objects; mucous membrane exposures to the eyes, nose, or mouth; bites; and blood contact with nonintact skin) in US and California paramedics.

Methods: A mail survey was conducted in a national probability sample of certified paramedics.

Results: Proportions of paramedics who reported an exposure in the previous year were 21.