D Gimeno1, S Felknor, K D Burau, G L Delclos. 1. Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Texas School of Public Health, PO Box 20186, Houston, Texas 77225-0186, USA.
Abstract
AIMS: To explore the relation between occupational and organisational factors and work related injuries (WRI) among public hospital employees in Costa Rica. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of 1000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. A previously validated, self-administered questionnaire which included occupational and organisational factors and sociodemographic variables was used. From the final eligible sample (n = 859), a total of 842 (response rate 98%) questionnaires were returned; 475 workers were analysed after excluding not-at-risk workers and incomplete questionnaires. WRI were computed for the past six months. RESULTS: Workers exposed to chemicals (RR = 1.36) and physical hazards (RR = 1.26) had higher WRI rate ratios than non-exposed workers. Employees reporting job tasks that interfered with safety practices (RR = 1.46), and a lack of safety training (RR = 1.41) had higher WRI rate ratios than their counterparts. Low levels of safety climate (RR = 1.51) and safety practices (RR = 1.27) were individually associated with an increased risk of WRI. Also, when evaluated jointly, low levels of both safety climate and safety practices showed the highest association with WRI (RR = 1.92). CONCLUSIONS: When evaluated independently, most of the occupational exposures and organisational factors investigated were significantly correlated with an increased injury risk. As expected, some of these associations disappeared when evaluated jointly. Exposure to chemical and physical hazards, lack of safety training, and low levels of safety climate and safety practices remained significant risk factors for WRI. These results will be important to consider in developing future prevention interventions in this setting.
AIMS: To explore the relation between occupational and organisational factors and work related injuries (WRI) among public hospital employees in Costa Rica. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of 1000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. A previously validated, self-administered questionnaire which included occupational and organisational factors and sociodemographic variables was used. From the final eligible sample (n = 859), a total of 842 (response rate 98%) questionnaires were returned; 475 workers were analysed after excluding not-at-risk workers and incomplete questionnaires. WRI were computed for the past six months. RESULTS: Workers exposed to chemicals (RR = 1.36) and physical hazards (RR = 1.26) had higher WRI rate ratios than non-exposed workers. Employees reporting job tasks that interfered with safety practices (RR = 1.46), and a lack of safety training (RR = 1.41) had higher WRI rate ratios than their counterparts. Low levels of safety climate (RR = 1.51) and safety practices (RR = 1.27) were individually associated with an increased risk of WRI. Also, when evaluated jointly, low levels of both safety climate and safety practices showed the highest association with WRI (RR = 1.92). CONCLUSIONS: When evaluated independently, most of the occupational exposures and organisational factors investigated were significantly correlated with an increased injury risk. As expected, some of these associations disappeared when evaluated jointly. Exposure to chemical and physical hazards, lack of safety training, and low levels of safety climate and safety practices remained significant risk factors for WRI. These results will be important to consider in developing future prevention interventions in this setting.
Authors: R R Gershon; C D Karkashian; J W Grosch; L R Murphy; A Escamilla-Cejudo; P A Flanagan; E Bernacki; C Kasting; L Martin Journal: Am J Infect Control Date: 2000-06 Impact factor: 2.918
Authors: R R Gershon; C D Karkashian; D Vlahov; L Kummer; C Kasting; J Green-McKenzie; J A Escamilla-Cejudo; N Kendig; A Swetz; L Martin Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 1999-03 Impact factor: 2.162
Authors: A Michalsen; G L Delclos; S A Felknor; A L Davidson; P C Johnson; D Vesley; L R Murphy; G D Kelen; R R Gershon Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 1997-02 Impact factor: 2.162
Authors: R R Gershon; D Vlahov; S A Felknor; D Vesley; P C Johnson; G L Delclos; L R Murphy Journal: Am J Infect Control Date: 1995-08 Impact factor: 2.918
Authors: Sara R Cooper; Sharon P Cooper; Sarah S Felknor; Vilma S Santana; Frida M Fischer; Eva M Shipp; Martha S Vela Acosta Journal: Public Health Rep Date: 2005 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 2.792
Authors: David Gimeno; Sarah A Felknor; Keith D Burau; George L Delclos; Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutiérrez Journal: Inj Prev Date: 2007-08 Impact factor: 2.399
Authors: Xianglong Xu; Dengyuan Liu; Zhangyi Zhang; Manoj Sharma; Yong Zhao Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-07-20 Impact factor: 3.390