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The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on November 5, 2009
The European Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp178
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitudes and risk of HIV, HBV and HCV infections in hairdressers of Palermo city (South Italy)

Emanuele Amodio, Maria Antonella Di Benedetto, Liborio Gennaro, Carmelo Massimo Maida and Nino Romano

Department of Sciences for Health Promotion ‘G. D’Alessandro’, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

Correspondence: Emanuele Amodio, Via Del Vespro no. 133, tel: +39-338-972-0919, fax: +39-091-655-3647, e-mail: amoema79{at}libero.it

Received June 26, 2009 , accepted October 5, 2009

Background: The hairdressing trade may potentially expose its practitioners and their customers to blood-borne infections. Methods: Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards occupational risk of HIV, HBV and HCV infections were evaluated in a cross-sectional survey, conducted during spring 2008, in 105 out of 112 randomly selected hairdressers of Palermo. Participants were queried by answering to an anonymous questionnaire. Results: Most of hairdressers (93.3%) knew that HIV and hepatitis are transmitted through parenteral route and could also be transmitted by razors. The availability of gloves was inadequate, up to 30% of the participants never used them and up to 50% usually reused them. In total, 90 respondents stated to perform a sterilization process of the cutting instruments by ultraviolet light, but only 70 sterilized the articles between two customers and only 34.3% executed a daily disinfection of the hair brushes. Statistical analysis showed that younger age and post-primary school instruction were significantly associated with knowledge and procedures that could prevent transmission of blood-borne virus (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). Moreover, only 32 hairdressers agreed to participate to a free specific course on occupational risk offered by the University of Palermo. Conclusion: Although the level of awareness among hairdressers about HIV, hepatitis and risk of transmission was good, there were some unsafe practices that may lead to infections due to blood-borne viruses. The present article highlights the need to improve specific health messages in media campaigns carried out to general population, diffusing more appropriate educational materials for salons and organizing obligatory refresher courses for the hairdressing sector.

Keywords: descriptive survey, hairdressers, KAP questionnaire.


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