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Medical, personal, and occupational outcomes for work-related amputations in Minnesota
1Minnesota Department of Health, Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology, 717 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, USA.
Background:
The Minnesota Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) surveillance system has collected data on the medical, personal, and occupational outcomes associated with work-related amputations since 1992.
Methods:
SENSOR defined amputations as any finger amputation or the loss of any other body part; 832 workers were identified as having amputation injuries between 1994 and 1995 and 72% of these workers completed a telephone interview.
Results:
Twenty percent of those injured required overnight hospitalization. Ninety-one percent of the cases reported having missed work, with 56% reporting missing ten or more days. Individuals working on their usual jobs at the time of injury were more likely to report less serious medical and occupational outcomes.
Conclusions:
Severe injuries were significantly associated with worse medical, personal, and occupational outcomes. Two groups of machines, material handling, and powered handtools were associated with a higher proportion of severe injuries.