Occupational injuries: a study of health care workers at a northwestern health science center and teaching hospital.
1. This retrospective study examined the magnitude of the problem of work related health hazards affecting professional and non-professional employees of a state university health science center and hospital. 2. From the 1,513 injury episodes that occurred among the 9,668 employees during the 32 month study period, it was determined that the highest risk categories for both department and job were nursing, housekeeping, food service, and laboratory technicians. 3. Injury rate for females (11.2 per 100 person years) was more than twice that of males (5.1). Injury rates declined from 11.6 per 100 person years at ages 25 to 39 to 3.8 at ages over 60. Puncture wounds (32.7%), mostly by needlesticks, were the most frequently reported injury type, followed by strains and sprains (17.2%), lacerations (12.5%), and contusions (12.1%).
Wilkinson
W E
WE
Salazar
M K
MK
Uhl
J E
JE
Koepsell
T D
TD
DeRoos
R L
RL
Long
R J
RJ
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015205:Northwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D009790:Occupations; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013333:Student Health Services; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*