Prevalence of occupational exposure and its influence on job satisfaction among Chinese healthcare workers: a large-sample, cross-sectional study

Magnitude and associated factors of occupational hazard exposures among sanitary workers: Propose RASM model for risk mitigation for the public hospitals, eastern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Hospital sanitation workers (SWs) are exposed to numerous occupational hazards due to workplace conditions such as unsafe and unhygienic working environment in the hospitals. Therefore, knowing magnitude, types and source of occupational hazard exposures with their determinants are very significant for further mitigations.

METHODS

Hospital based cross-sectional study design was conducted in public hospitals, eastern Ethiopia from 1st May to August 30th, 2023. 809 SWs participated. Data was entered into Epi Data Version 3.1 and Stata 17MP version used for analysis. Descriptive analysis was applied to describe the data. While, multilevel logistic regression was explored to determine the association between outcome and independents among at individual level (model 1), at hospitals (model 2) and combination of the two (model 3). The crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for models 2 and 3 were reported. Variables with an AOR with a 95% confidence interval (CI) at a p-value < 0.05 were reported.

RESULT

Out of 809 SWs, 729 (90.11%) responded. The overall magnitude of self-reported occupational hazard exposures among SWs was 63.65% (95% CI 0.60-0.67). Of this, biological, chemical, and ergonomic hazards accounted for 82.44%, 74.76%, and 70.92%, respectively. The multilevel logistic regression shows that having social recognition (AOR: 0.37, 95% CI 0.14, 0.91), neutral attitude (AOR: 0.48, 95% CI 0.17, 1.41) as compared to negative attitude. The model also found that SWs those supervised could reduce the likelihood of occupational hazard exposures by 50% times (AOR: 0.50, 95% CI 0.18, 1.38) as compared to non-supervised SWs. The final model predicted the variation of occupational hazard exposures among sanitary workers from the hospitals to hospitals was 26.59%.

CONCLUSIONS

The concluded that hospital sanitary workers are facing biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychological, mechanical, and electrical hazards. This study's findings predicted that dissatisfied with their environment, working more than 8 hr per a day,  a negative attitude towards workplace risks and inadequate supervision may serve as contributing factors for the likelihood of occupational hazard exposures among these groups. Thus, the study suggested that hospitals could reduce these hazard risks if they implement the Risk Assessment and Safety Management (RASM) model, which includes multi-modal strategies, indicators and tripartite philosophy.

Stigmatizing clinical setting erodes physician-patient interaction quality for sexual minority men through perceived HIV stigma and HIV infection concerns in Zambia

This study investigated whether perceived HIV stigma and HIV infection concerns among healthcare providers (HCPs) mediate the association between stigmatizing clinical setting and their interaction quality with sexual minority men (SMM) patients in Zambia. In 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 91 HCPs offering HIV-related services to SMM in Zambia. Path analysis was conducted to examine the potential mediation effect of "perceived HIV stigma" and "HIV infection concern" among HCPs in the association between "stigmatizing clinical setting" and their "interaction quality with SMM". Mediators i.e., "perceived HIV stigma" and "HIV infection concern" among HCPs, were associated positively with the stigmatizing clinical setting (β = 0.329, p < .01, β = 0.917, p < 0.01), and negatively with physician-patient interaction quality (β = -0.167, p = 0.051; β = -0.126, p < 0.05). Stigmatizing clinical setting had a significant and negative indirect effect on HCPs interaction quality with SMM through increased perceived HIV stigma (z = -1.966, p < 0.05) and increased HIV infection concern (z = -1.958, p = 0.050). To improve physician-patient interaction quality, stigma reduction interventions among HCPs, who serve SMM in Zambia, should target development of development of inclusive policies and the cultivation of cultural norms that are supportive and respectful to SMM, and protection of HCPs from enacted stigma due to offering care to SMM.

Explore athletes' sports attitude and its influence on mental health

This study is devoted to exploring how athletes' sports attitude affects their mental health, and explores this complex relationship through descriptive statistics, longitudinal analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The research sample includes athlete data at multiple time points, covering mental health indicators such as positive attitude, negative attitude, anxiety, depression and self-esteem. Descriptive statistical results reveal the overall trend of athletes in positive attitude, anxiety, depression and self-esteem. On average, athletes show a positive attitude towards sports, but there are some variability in mental health indicators. The results of longitudinal analysis show that with the progress of the season, the positive attitude shows an upward trend, while the level of anxiety and depression shows a downward trend in some cases, which provides a detailed observation for the long-term evolution of athletes' psychological state. Correlation analysis reveals the positive correlation between positive attitude and self-esteem, positive correlation between negative attitude and anxiety, and negative correlation between teamwork attitude and depression. Regression analysis further verified the influence of positive attitude and negative attitude on anxiety. The results emphasize that the improvement of positive attitude may help to slow down the increase of anxiety level, while the increase of negative attitude may be related to the increase of anxiety. Generally speaking, the findings of this study highlight the complex relationship between athletes' mental health and their attitude towards sports. This study provides profound insights for formulating targeted psychological support strategies and emphasizes the importance of comprehensively considering multi-dimensional factors in athletes' mental health management.

Prevalence of occupational injury and its associated factors among emergency department physicians in China: A large sample, cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Medical personnel, particularly emergency department (ED) physicians, face a variety of occupational hazards. However, the current state of occupational injuries among ED physicians remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the occupational injury of Chinese ED physicians and to identify its associated factors.

METHODS

From July to August 2018, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chinese emergency departments. A structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, individual health behaviours, and work-related characteristics was completed by 10,457 ED physicians. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the factors associated with occupational injuries.

RESULTS

In this study, 81.13% of ED physicians reported occupational injuries in the previous 12 months. All participants who had experienced occupational injuries had suffered verbal violence. Among physicians who experienced at least one injury, 76.57% and 71.30% reported injuries sustained while moving patients and from falls, slips, and sprains during office visits, respectively. Occupational injuries were significantly associated with gender, education level, drinking behaviour, sleep quality, the frequency of night shifts per month, self-perceived physician shortage, and work-family conflict. Physicians who experienced effort-reward imbalance were at a higher risk of occupational injury.

CONCLUSION

In China, occupational injuries are common among ED physicians. Individual factors as well as work-related factors are independently linked to occupational injuries. To reduce the rate of occupational injuries among ED physicians, health policymakers and healthcare facility managers should consider multi-injury interventions.

Health workers' adherence to occupational hazards preventive practices in Thi-Qar Governorate, Iraq

Workplace problems that are likely to increase the risk to our health are referred to as occupational hazards. These problems can be classified as either biological or non-biological. A wide range of these risks, including physical, chemical, and psychological ones, provide challenges for healthcare practitioners. Such risks therefore negatively affect employees, their families, friends, and the country. The purpose of the study is to assess the level of adherence to preventive practices towards occupational hazards in the hospitals of Thi-Qar Governorate and its relationship to the demographic and occupational information of the healthcare workers. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in hospitals Thi-Qar Governorate, During the period from September 5th, 2022 ending on February 10th, 2023, 355 of healthcare workers individuals participated in the study, and the data was collected using self-reported questionnaires and information about practices was collected through a systematic questionnaire developed by the researcher. Regarding the preventive practice of the staff, the results observed that all responses regarding the present results reveal the highest percentage 41.7% of HCWs have a poor practices score, while the lowest percentage 20.8% of them have a moderate practices score. The mean ± SD of the overall practices score was (53.81±17.807) which rested within a moderate level (48-46 score). The results of this study indicate that there is a significant association between the overall practices score and socio-demographic variables (P-value #x003C;0.05). This explained that the participants who age ≤25 years, Education level (Ph.D.), and have no chronic diseases, had higher good practices than other categories. Also, the results of this study indicate that there is a significant association between the overall practices score and occupation characteristics (P-value #x003C;0.05), This explained that the years of work (≥15 years), and, hours of work (≤5 h), had higher good practices than other categories. Most of the employees of the hospitals selected for the sample in Thi-Qar Governorate have 'Moderate' commitments to safety measures with regard to occupational hazards in their surrounding workplaces, The study showed that years of experience, time of work and educational level have a significant impact on practices towards occupational hazards in hospitals.

Determinants of Occupational Health and Safety Outcomes Among Sanitation Workers Across Worldwide: A Systematic Review on Cross-Sectional Studies

As a result of working conditions, a variety of determinants or risk factors lead to the development of occupational health and safety impairments or outcomes such as injuries and musculoskeletal disorders among sanitary personnel, which must be identified in order to anticipate concerns. PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Lilacs databases were used from 2010 to April 2022. Searched strategies used logical words "AND/OR": Occupational *OR Work AND Injuries OR Musculoskeletal Disorder AND Associated Factors [Socio-demographic *OR Behavioral factors *OR Institution Factors *OR Work pattern] AND Sanitary workers [Waste collectors and emptier *OR Street Sweepers *OR Sewage workers *OR Health facilities Cleaners] AND Cross-Sectional Studies. The databases and other collected data and reports yielded a total of 86 studies and finally 16 studies were included. From total of sanitary workers (5833), 4990 (85.5%) were solid waste collectors, and 618 (10.6%) and 225 (3.9%) were and healthcare cleaners and street sweepers, respectively. Regarding associated factors, Age (OR: 22.57, 7.29-69.88); education (OR: 2.22, 1.22-4.00); and experience (OR: 1.92, 1.11-3.31) were predictors for occurrence of injuries. Smoking cigarettes (OR:2.6, 1.55-4.34); sleeping disturbance (OR: 2.57, 1.48-4.47); eating/smoking/drinking at work (OR: 3.85, 1.34-11.06); and lack of personal protective equipment (OR: 2.62; 1.48-4.63) are the other predictors. On other side, Education (OR: 6.73, 1.92-23.51), age (OR: 7.56, 2.18-26.18), and job experience (OR: 10.79, 3.49-33.38) are socio-demographic variables that impact the development of MSDs. Cigarette smoking (OR: 0.14, 0.03-0.64) and job satisfaction (OR: 11.43, 2.04-64.08) are behavioral factors. While, working longer than 8 h (OR: 3.5, 1.543-8.204) and time pressure (OR: 3.25, 1.08-9.77), working for more than 2 h (OR: 8, 2.25; 28.85) and having a bad back (OR: 15.7, 6.47-38.18) were risk factors for MSDs where all P-value < .05. According to current reviewed evidence, socio-demographic indicators, occupational safety with work pattern features, and behavioral factors all significantly contributed to musculoskeletal disorders; occupational injuries among sanitation workers, which require emphasis from government policy and other initiatives.

The Cross-Sectional Study of attitudes towards risk factors of viral infections transmitted by blood-borne pathogens

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this paper was threefold: To assess risk factors of blood-borne pathogen exposure and viral infection for employees at their workplace, to spot the differences between groups of respondents without exposure and those exposed to blood-borne infections, and to identify main risk predictors.

METHOD

The Cross-Sectional Study was conducted, surveying 203 employees, at the Institute for Emergency Medical Services in Serbia, which were eligible to enter the study and surveyed by Previously Developed Questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 97.60% of respondents have perceived risk at their workplace, but there were low numbers of HIV, HbcAg, and Anti-HCV testing and poor percent of vaccination for hepatitis B. There were no statistically significant differences between spotted groups of respondents in their attitudes. Three variables were predictors: accidental usedneedle stick injuries (OR = 90.34; 95% CI, 8.79-928.03), contact with the blood of patientsthrough the skin (OR = 176.94; 95% CI, 24.95-1254.61), and the years of service (OR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-1.00).

CONCLUSION

The significance of this study is that it points to a double risk, because not only health workers are endangered, but also citizens who receive first aid.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale in Medical Staff: Cross-sectional Study

Background

Worldwide, mental well-being is a critical issue for public health, especially among medical staff; it affects professionalism, efficiency, quality of care delivery, and overall quality of life. Nevertheless, assessing mental well-being is a complex problem.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese-language version of the 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) in medical staff recruited mainly from 6 hospitals in China and provide a reliable measurement of positive mental well-being.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted of medical staff from 15 provinces in China from May 15 to July 15, 2020. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the structure of the Chinese WEMWBS. The Spearman correlations of the Chinese WEMWBS with the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were used to evaluate convergent validity. The Cronbach α and split-half reliability (λ) represented internal consistency. A graded response model was adopted for an item response theory (IRT) analysis. We report discrimination, difficulty, item characteristic curves (ICCs), and item information curves (IICs). ICCs and IICs were used to estimate reliability and validity based on the IRT analysis.

Results

A total of 572 participants from 15 provinces in China finished the Chinese WEMWBS. The CFA showed that the 1D model was satisfactory and internal consistency reliability was excellent, with α=.965 and λ=0.947, while the item-scale correlation coefficients ranged from r=0.727 to r=0.900. The correlation coefficient between the Chinese WEMWBS and the WHO-5 was significant, at r=0.746. The average variance extraction value was 0.656, and the composite reliability value was 0.964, with good aggregation validity. The discrimination of the Chinese WEMWBS items ranged from 2.026 to 5.098. The ICCs illustrated that the orders of the category thresholds for the 14 items were satisfactory.

Conclusions

The Chinese WEMWBS showed good psychometric properties and can measure well-being in medical staff.

Prevalence and influence factors of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in registered Chinese nurses: a national cross-sectional study

Background

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids poses a threat to medical providers and to nurses especially. This harm is not only physical, but psychology as well and can ultimately impact patient safety. This study aims to understand the prevalence of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among Chinese registered nurses and explores the factors that influence this exposure.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted for 31 province-level divisions in China, using a self-created questionnaire entitled Status Survey on Occupational Exposure in Nurses. Descriptive statistics were used to describe both the demographic characteristics of the respondents and the characteristics of occupational exposure. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentage, and the relationship between possible influential factors and the occurrence of occupational exposure was determined using binary logistic regression.

Results

Out of a total of 20,791 nurses analyzed, over half (52.1%) of them had experienced occupational exposure to blood or body fluids, but over 1/3 (34.6%) of them did not ever report their exposures to a supervisor/official. The top three causes of under-reporting were: the source patient failed to test positive for infectious pathogens (43.6%), perception of a burdensome reporting process (24.6%), and indifferent attitude towards being infected (16.9%). Nurses who worked over 8 hours per day had higher risks of exposure (OR 1.199, 95% CI 1.130 to 1.272, P < 0.001, respectively). The occupational exposure risk from providing 1–2 types of PPE is 1.947 times that of providing 9–10 types of PPE (OR 1.947, 95% CI 1.740 to 2.178, P < 0.001). Likewise, the occupational exposure risk of providing 1–2 types of safety-engineered injection devices is 1.275 times of that of providing 5–6 types (OR 1.275, 95% CI 1.179 to 1.379, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in registered nurses is common, but the rate of under-reporting such exposure is high. Implementing engineered “sharp” injury prevention devices, following exposure prevention procedures, giving sufficient education and training to healthcare personnel on exposure prevention and control, and developing exposure reporting policies are all steps that can both reduce exposure and increase its reporting.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-022-01090-y.

Analysis of occupational stress, burnout, and job satisfaction among dental practitioners

BACKGROUND: Dental practitioners can be prone to stress because of the long working hours, high patient expectations, and work environment. OBJECTIVE: To investigate dimensions of occupational stress among dental practitioners leading to burnout and to model its causality with job satisfaction. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted for five months. A sample of 302 practicing dental practitioners was selected using the consecutive sample technique. This sample included dental practitioners working in clinical and non-clinical departments of public and private sector universities as well as those doing private general practice. A self-administered structured questionnaire based on the Work Stress Questionnaire was sent using Survey Monkey. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Spearman correlation was applied between stress scores and job satisfaction. A Chi-square test was applied to look into the association between stress levels and different categories. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. RESULT: The prevalence of overall occupational stress was high among dental practitioners (83.4%). Occupational stress was greatest in females (55.8%), dental practitioners in the private sector (55.7%), and general dental practitioners (GDPs) (47%). The overall prevalence of job satisfaction among dental professionals was 30%. Occupational stress was significantly associated with burnout and job dissatisfaction in dentistry. Stress levels and working hours were statistically and positively associated, whereas the association between stress levels and job satisfaction was inversely and significantly associated. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of occupational stress among dental practitioners was high and the level of job satisfaction was moderate. The model between these variables was well-fitted.

Impact of occupational exposure on job satisfaction and overall happiness among Chinese physicians and nurses: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

To investigate the impact of occupational exposure on job satisfaction and overall happiness, and to identify related factors of job satisfaction and overall happiness among physicians and nurses.

BACKGROUND

Occupational exposure against physicians and nurses has become one of the most serious public health issues worldwide.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and nurses from 14 public tertiary hospitals using purposive sampling. Propensity score matching was used to compare job satisfaction and overall happiness among physicians and nurses with and without occupational exposure. Furthermore, binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify and analyze the influencing factors of job satisfaction and overall happiness.

RESULTS

A total of 2139 physicians and nurses (55.59%) from 3791 participants had experienced occupational exposure hazards. Before matching, the job satisfaction and overall happiness among the physicians and nurses was 38.54% and 42.14%, respectively. Participants who experienced occupational exposure were more likely to develop job dissatisfaction (OR = 1.08, 95%CI: 0.90-1.28) and overall unhappiness (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.05- 1.46) than those who did not. Participants' work experience, self-evaluated health status, satisfaction with the work environment, evaluation of doctor-patient relationship, and stress were common factors affecting job satisfaction and overall happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that physicians and nurses who experience occupational exposure are more likely to develop job dissatisfaction and overall unhappiness, especially if they have shorter work experience and a tense or neutral relationship with patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

It is necessary to pay attention to the occupational exposure. When physicians and nurses experience occupational exposure, managers could provide support to prevent job dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

Nursing workplace and its relation to occupational health outcomes and physical activity

BACKGROUND

Working in hospitals entails several risks to nurses. A better nursing workplace can help in improving physical activity and reducing adverse occupational health outcomes among nurses.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the relationships of the nursing workplace with occupational health outcomes and physical activity.

METHODS

A cross-sectional correlation study was conducted with 623 nurses. Data were collected through report self-administered questionnaires that included employment and occupational conditions, hospital workplace environment, and adverse occupational health outcomes as well as physical activity pattern.

RESULTS

The current study showed that the nursing workplace environment and conditions had a negative effect on occupational health outcomes and physical activity among nurses in the study units. Nurses in this study reported a high prevalence of low back pain (82.7%), burnout (78.3%), and occupational injuries (70.5%). They also reported insufficient physical activities (90.6%). High prevalence of burnout and low back pain were associated with low levels of physical activities among nurses.

CONCLUSION

A fair working environment and conditions have been implicated as a causative factor of negative occupational health outcomes and limitations of physical activity among nurses. Adverse occupational health outcomes also affect the nurses engaging in physical activity.

A New Perspective for Improving the Human Resource Development of Primary Medical and Health Care Institutions: A Structural Equation Model Study

In some countries, including China, primary health care is rarely utilized because of medical personnel shortages at primary medical and health care institutions (PMHCIs). Several studies suggest that the most effective solution is to guide qualified doctors and medical graduates to work in PMHCIs, but the studies and measures have been formulated only from the perspective of the government and PMHCIs; few have considered the subjective willingness of medical personnel. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the measures to develop human resources of PMHCIs from the guiding object. This research was divided into two parts based on implicit theory and a lexical approach. The first part collected the factors affecting their choosing PMHCIs for employment, and the second part used exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the dimensions and paths of the influencing factors. At last, seven factors were obtained from the EFA, and the SEM hypothesis fit the data well. Internal Organization Development, Patient Factor, Remuneration and Development, and Family Support had a significantly positive effect on the Sense of Gain of medical personnel seeking employment at PMHCIs, whereas both Job Responsibilities and Condition of the City Where the PMHCI Is Located had no significant effect. In addition, the indirect effects of Internal Organization Development and Condition of the City Where the PMHCI Is Located on the Sense of Gain were significant. The Patient Factor, Family Support, and Remuneration and Development significantly mediated the relationship between the internal and external environment of the institution and the Sense of Gain, whereas the mediating effect of Job Responsibilities was not significant. The improvement of family support, remuneration and development, and patient factors increase the willingness of medical personnel to seek employment at PMHCIs. In addition, the internal and external environments of a PMHCI play a vital role in guiding medical personnel to PMHCIs for employment. This research provides theoretical support for improving the development of human resources, guiding medical personnel to work in PMHCIs, and promoting the use of primary care services.

Assessing the awareness on occupational safety and health hazards among nursing staff of a teaching hospital

Introduction:

Occupational safety and health hazards in healthcare facilities play a significant role in the lives of care providers and also contribute toward quality patient care. Healthcare workforce gets exposed to physical, chemical, biological, and psychological hazards while discharging their duties, thus demanding for proper knowledge and awareness to address the same.

Objectives:

As nursing staff implement the care process directed by the physicians, the current study conducted at a teaching hospital aimed at assessing their awareness on occupational safety and health hazards.

Methodology:

A prospective study was conducted on a pilot basis for a period of 3 months in various nursing areas of the hospital. The questionnaire aimed at assessing the awareness of nursing staff on occupational safety and health hazards (5-point scale) was administered on nursing staff (150/170]. Total scores and percentage of responses were computed and the degree of correlation was observed as 0.4 between the participants age, educational qualifications, and total scores.

Results:

Participant response rate was 88% (150/170). Awareness on occupational safety and health hazards were shown as 43.4%- accidental falls at workplace, 42.7%- complete awareness on latex allergies, 52.7% on dermatitis and respiratory problems, 42% complete aware on accidental fires, 39.4%- burns, 36.7%- electric shocks, 59.4%- complete awareness on biological infections, 54%- respiratory disorders, 48.7%- skin allergies, awareness on usage of PPE to prevent: 67.4%-respiratory problems, 44%- accidental falls; 77.4%- importance of handwashing, 78% - significance of Hepatitis B vaccination, 71.4% - usage of first aid kits in minor accidents, 60%- reporting incidents, and 58%- documentation system for incident reporting. Sum total of scores revealed that 73.3% of the participants were found to be completely aware about all the components of occupational health and safety mentioned in the questionnaire. 22.6%- aware, 3.3%- moderately aware, and < 1% were slightly aware of the same.

Conclusions:

The study had highlighted the areas that require knowledge enhancement on occupational safety and health hazards which helps in adopting the best practices at workplace.