PREVALENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS IN HEALTH CARE PROFESSION

Presented By: Dr. Shirin Saini

INTRODUCTION:
Occupational hazard can be defined as a risk to a person usually arising out of employment. It can also refer to a work, material, substance, process, or situation that predisposes, or itself causes accidents or disease, at a work place. Health Care professionals have routinely placed the interest of the patients before their own welfare while carrying out their work. The health care facilities in which they work are wide-ranging from small clinics to large multi-specialty hospitals, and thus they are exposed to numerous occupational hazards.

CONTINUED

The occupational hazards found among clinical workers are similar worldwide and include a wide range of risks. Physical Hazards: ex. Needle stick injuries and Cuts from sharp objects and instruments. Chemical Hazards: ex. mercury, powdered natural rubber latex (NRL), disinfectants, and nitrous oxide (N2O). Biological (Cross-Infection) Hazards: ex. risk of exposure to HBV, HIV infection, and other types of communicable infections.

DEFINITION

According to Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950; the definition reads as Occupational health should aim at the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job.

LITERATURE FINDINGS

GESTAL (1987) Occupational hazards in hospitals: accidents, radiation, exposure to noxious chemicals, drug addiction and psychic problems, and assault. MARIANNE PARKER BROWN (MPH),(1979), Hazards in the Hospital: Educating the Workforce through its Union.

LITERATURE FINDINGS (CONT.)

Bert Sadleir in his study Environmental and Occupational Health Issues in Hospitals mentioned that- Hospitals are large, complex system which employs large numbers of workers from different professional streams. They are also potentially hazardous workplaces and expose their workers to a wide range of physical, chemical, biological, ergonomical and psychological hazards. Thus Occupational Health and Safety issues relating to the personal safety and protection of its workers is a very important concern for hospitals. Link- (bsadleir@orion-online.com.au)

Gopal Krishna in his study Healthcare Workers-Victims of Occupational Hazards depicted that due to lack of proper administration, health hazards were not controlled. This study was conducted at Srishti and Health Care Without Harm, (HCWH) a US based coalition of 300 organizations in 40 countries. Srishti is a Delhi based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Link- (india.indymedia.org/3396.shtml)

IMPORTANCE
The healthcare sector is continuously employing more professionals with the growing health care requirements and ageing populations. It is thus mandatory to ensure that action is taken to safeguard health professionals from occupational hazards of the work place. At first glance, healthcare facilities may not appear to be as hazardous a place to work in. This could be attributed to the perception of people that such facilities are concerned with treating the sick and ill and thus should provide a healthy and safe environment to work. Hospitals and health facilities promote health check up to the public but very few carry it out for their own staff.

OBJECTIVES

To find out the prevalence of health hazards in the healthcare profession. To measure the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) on health hazards amongst the staff of the hospitals under study; and To make pragmatic recommendations for the project to improve upon the interventions of the health hazards in the program area.

METHODOLOGY:

The researcher employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data gathering. The data collection sources for the study included primary data sources. The primary data was collected through the use of self-administrated questionnaires that included questions on personal data, awareness to occupational hazards, safety measures practiced, and experience of various occupational hazards in practice.

METHODOLOGY (CONTINUED)

SAMPLE UNITS Doctors, Nurses, Technicians, Hospital Aide, Security Guards

SAMPLE SIZE 50 Respondents

TOOL FOR DATA COLLECTION Self prepared Questionnaire consisting of 7 questions.

SAMPLE AREA Red Cross Hospital, Seemapuri

RESULTS

PREVALENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

The data obtained from Red Cross Hospital revealed that the major health and safety concern at the premise were-Effect of stress averaging close to 2 on a 3 point scale. -Needle stick injuries averaging 1.75 on a 3 point scale. -Safety from Infectious diseases 1.64 on 3 point scale

RESULTS (CONTINUED)

LEVEL OF AWARENESS AMONGST HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS Based upon the data the common level of awareness regarding prevention of the occupational hazards in Red Cross Hospital comes out be nearly 48%,the highest percentage of awareness was seen in prevention of needle stick injuries and prevention of infectious diseases but the same two were seen prevalent in highest numbers showing that despite having an average level of awareness still the prevention techniques are not in practice as they should be. The lowest level of awareness was regarding the strain injuries.

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN THIS HOSPITAL?

RED CROSS HOSPITAL

Q. RATE THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS OF YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENTHYGIENE, SHIFT HOURS & SOCIAL SUPPORT?
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED)
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED)
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. HOW FREQUENTLY DO YOU GET ILL DUE TO WORK RELATED INJURY OR ILLNESS?
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN FOR STRESS
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR OVERWORK
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR NEEDLESTICK INJURY
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE

RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR HAZARDOUS DRUGS EXPOSURE
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR LATEX ALLERGY

RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. PLEASE MARK YOUR HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERN FOR RADIATION EXPOSURE
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. HAVE YOU BEEN PROVIDED TRAINING FOR PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS?
RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION PROVIDE AWARENESS TO PREVENT OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS?

RED CROSS HOSPITAL

RESULTS (CONTINUED) Q. DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION PROVIDE SAFETY MEASURES TO PREVENT OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS?

RED CROSS HOSPITAL

CONCLUSION
It is clearly visible from the data that in the public hospital where despite having awareness the guidelines are not followed stringently thus increasing the chances of occurrence of occupational hazards.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Provide a written Routine Practices document that is easily accessible. Establish a Sharps program. Establish an Immunization program for all workers. Provide ergonomically correct tools and equipment. Promote rest breaks. Minimize exposure time to radiation. The organization should provide health insurance to all the healthcare professionals.

REFERENCES

J J GESTAL (1987) Occupational hazards in hospitals: accidents, radiation, exposure to noxious chemicals, drug addiction and psychic problems, and assault

British Journal of Industrial Medicine 1987;44:510-520 MARIANNE PARKER BROWN (MPH),(1979), Hazards in the Hospital: Educating the Workforce through its Union

American Journal of Public Health October 1979, Vol. 69, No. 10 1043 Occupational hazards in hospitals: A report on WHO meeting conducted on 20-22nd September 1981,WHO HEADQUARTERS,THE HAGUE Harri Vainio (1982) Inhalation anesthetics, anticancer drugs and sterilants as chemical hazards in hospitals.

Fact sheet on Occupational Hazards for Hospital Workers published by MFL Occupational Health Centre, Winnipeg, USA