Abstract
Background
Health care personnel working in public health facilities comprise a major part of the health care workforce in India and are exposed to a variety of workplace hazards.
Aim
To assess the occupational health hazards and associated risk factors among health care personnel working in public health facilities in Bhubaneswar.
Subject and methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 172 health care personnel working in 22 urban primary health centers and four community health centers in the Bhubaneswar Block of the Khordha district in the state of Odisha, during the period from January to December 2017. Relevant data were collected using a semi-structured interview schedule.
Results
Overall, 143 (83.1%) of the participants reported experiencing occupational health hazards, with 89 (51.7%) encountering biological hazards and 130 (75.6%) experiencing non-biological hazards. Stress (38.9%), assault (38.4%), needlestick injury (34.3%), and direct contact with contaminated specimens/body fluids (32.6%) were the most frequently experienced occupational hazards. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that female gender, health care personnel other than doctors, working overtime, dissatisfaction with workplace atmosphere, and not using the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) were independent predictors for experiencing a biological hazard. Similarly, female gender, presence of family conflict, and not using the required PPE were found to be independent predictors for experiencing non-biological hazards.
Conclusion
Health care personnel in public health facilities experience multiple hazards in their workplaces. Results indicate the need for designing and implementing strategies to promote the occupational health of this important section of society.
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All procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Ethics Committee of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, reference number: KIMS/KIIT/IEC/65/2016 and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Kumar, A., Panigrahi, A. Occupational health hazards among health care personnel working in public health facilities in Bhubaneswar, India. J Public Health (Berl.) 29, 633–639 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-019-01167-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-019-01167-0