title: Injury rates, predictors of workplace injuries, and results of an intervention program among community health workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few incidence studies of workplace injuries among community health workers exist, and evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions in this population is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of workplace injury among community health workers in British Columbia; to identify predictors of injury; and to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention program in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from an intervention study of 648 community health workers from six agencies to calculate injury rates. Interventions included an education and training module, a risk assessment tool and resource guide, and a lift equipment registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of injuries were attributed to overexertion and falls. Annual incidence rates were 20.7% for reported injuries, and 8.1% for time-loss injuries. A history of previous injuries and working full time were predictors of time to first injury report. Participants who received an intervention were significantly more likely to report workplace injuries than participants in the comparison group, but were less likely to incur a time-loss injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interventions used in this study led to increased awareness and an increase in reported injuries but resulted in fewer time-loss injuries. The mechanisms that led to these findings need to be explored further.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare in BC, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Kevin J P
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Craib
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cvitkovich
authors.forename: Annalee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yassi
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control