title: Work-related injuries sustained by emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evaluated in the present study were locations, descriptions, and results of work-related injuries (WRIs) sustained by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in Turkey's most crowded city, İstanbul.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the present study had been accepted by the urban health authority, a questionnaire was emailed to the healthcare personnel of İstanbul's 195 ambulance stations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Included in the present study were the responses of 901 members of staff (660 EMTs and 241 paramedics), with a mean age of 29.5±6.1 (min: 18; max: 61). The majority of participants (94.9%) had encountered verbal abuse from the public, and 39.8% had encountered physical violence from patients' relatives. Levels of satisfaction with work in emergency medical services (EMS) was also evaluated, and 510 participants (57.6%) were unhappy. Regarding gender, female employees were more likely to be verbally attacked (p=0.01), while males were more likely to be physically attacked (p=0.001). It was reported that motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were the most common cause of WRIs (81.4%), followed by needle-stick injuries (52.2%), ocular exposure to blood and other fluids (30.9%), and sharp injuries (22.5%). Only 10.5% (n=95) of WRIs were reported to authorities; 488 (54.2%) of participants just attended to the practice to prevent possible WRIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For paramedics and EMTs, risk of WRI is obviously high. Strategies to decrease and prevent verbal and physical violence should be developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Bezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul-Turkey. drbediagulen@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bedia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gülen
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Denizli-Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serinken
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Rize Provincial Directorate of Public Health, Rize-Turkey.
authors.forename: Celile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hatipoğlu
authors.affiliation: Health Directorate of İstanbul, Emergency and Disaster Medical Services, İstanbul-Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Özaşır
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Bezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul-Turkey.
authors.forename: Ertan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya-Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Şişli Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul-Turkey.
authors.forename: Güleser
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akpınar
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult