title: Workplace-related traumatic injuries: insights from a rapidly developing Middle Eastern country.
abstract: Traumatic workplace-related injuries (WRIs) carry a substantial negative impact on the public health worldwide. We aimed to study the incidence and outcomes of WRIs in Qatar. We conducted occupational injury surveillance for all WRI patients between 2010 and 2012. A total of 5152 patients were admitted to the level 1 trauma unit in Qatar, of which 1496 (29%) sustained WRI with a mean age of 34.3 ± 10.3. Fall from height (FFH) (51%) followed by being struck by heavy objects (FHO) (18%) and motor vehicle crashes (MVC) (17%) was the commonest mechanism of injury (MOI). WRI patients were mainly laborers involved in industrial work (43%), transportation (18%), installation/repair (12%), carpentry (9%), and housekeeping (3%). Use of protective device was not observed in 64% of cases. The mean ISS was 11.7 ± 8.9, median ICU stay was 3 days (1-64), and total hospital stay was 6 days (1-192). The overall case fatality was 3.7%. Although the incidence of WRI in Qatar is quite substantial, its mortality rate is relatively low in comparison to other countries of similar socioeconomic status. Prolonged hospital stay and treatment exert a significant socioeconomic burden on the nation's and families' resources. Focused and efficient injury prevention strategies are mandatory to prevent future WRI.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Thani
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar ; Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Menyar
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Husham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelrahman
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar ; Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarour
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Consunji
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asim
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Hany
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El-Hennawy
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8766-8721
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parchani
authors.affiliation: Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad General Hospital, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar ; Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 245005, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latifi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
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