RESUMO
Os objetivos foram identificar as exposiçoÌes ocupacionais a material bioloÌgico entre agentes comunitaÌrios de sauÌde; caracterizar os modos de exposiçaÌo, as secreçoÌes orgaÌnicas e as circunstaÌncias envolvidas; descrever as condutas adotadas e verificar a participaçaÌo desses trabalhadores em capacitaçoÌes sobre risco bioloÌgico e biossegurança. Estudo transversal descritivo. Participaram 80 agentes dos 89 integrantes de equipes de sauÌde da famiÌlia de um distrito sanitaÌrio do municiÌpio de GoiaÌnia. Resultados: 23 (28,8%) referiram exposiçaÌo ocupacional, 10 (43,5%) citaram mais de uma exposiçaÌo. A maioria envolveu saliva em pele iÌntegra ou em mucosa. Menos da metade deles referiu participaçaÌo em capacitaçoÌes abordando risco bioloÌgico e biossegurança. Agentes comunitaÌrios de sauÌde foram expostos a material bioloÌgico e, predominantemente, naÌo estavam preparados. PoliÌticas puÌblicas direcionadas a estes trabalhadores devem contemplar claramente o risco bioloÌgico e seu controle para direcionar estrateÌgias, conferir proteçaÌo trabalhista e garantir a incorporaçaÌo desta temaÌtica na formaçaÌo desse grupo.
The objectives were to identify occupational exposure of community health workers to biological material; to characterize the means of exposure, organic secretions and circumstances involved; to describe the behaviors adopted, and verify the participation of these workers in training on biological risk and biosafety. Descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants comprised 80 workers of the 89 members of family health teams from a sanitary district of the municipality of GoiaÌnia. Results: 23 (28.8%) reported occupational exposure and 10 (43.5%) reported more than one exposure. Most exposures involved saliva on intact skin or mucous membrane. Less than half reported participating in any form of training that addressed biological risk and biosafety. The community health workers were exposed to biological material and they were predominantly unprepared. Public policies for these workers must clearly observe biological risk and its control as a strategy guideline, provide worker protection, and ensure this subject is included in the education of community health workers.