Occupational injury severity among healthcare workers: a retrospective study

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed to a multitude of hazards in the hospital environment, increasing their risks of sustaining injuries at a higher rate compared to workers in other sectors and resulting in substantial level of modified work and absenteeism. This study aims to examine the burden and determinants of occupational injury severity of HCWs at a tertiary care hospital in Lebanon.

This retrospective cross-sectional study examined incident reports completed by HCWs over a period of 5 years (January 2018 to December 2022). Injury severity was assessed by HCWs' need for an Emergency Department (ED) visit after sustaining an injury at work. The association with age, sex, occupation, and type of injury was examined. Results were reported as adjusted OR, with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals and p-values, using logistic regression.

1,772 injury reports were recorded, of which 790 were included for analysis since the sample was limited to the outpatient clinic opening hours to ensure a more accurate assessment of injury severity. Of these, 27% required an ED visit. Male sex (OR = 1.601, p-value = 0.005) was associated with more severe injuries. Transportation injuries (OR = 5.927, p-value = 0.001) were more severe compared to other injury mechanism, while needle-pricks (OR = 0.008, p-value = 0.000), exposure to blood products (OR = 0.025, p-value = 0.000), and exposure to harmful substances (OR = 0.209, p-value = 0.003) were less severe. Age and occupation only showed significance at the bivariate level.

This study highlighted significant determinants of injury severity among HCWs, emphasizing the critical need for targeted interventions for individuals at risk. Implementing comprehensive safety and wellness programs can enhance the overall health and safety of HCWs in high-stress environments.