Body mass index and occupational accidents among health care workers in a large university hospital

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is associated with a number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The association of obesity with occupational accidents has been suggested although the evidence is less convincing. The objective of the study is to analyse the relationship between BMI values and ergonomic accidents in a large University Hospital.

METHODS

The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of ergonomic occupational accidents over a period of 8 years was investigated in a cohort of employees of a large University Hospital, covering almost 27,000 person-years of observation. This relationship was stratified according to the variables age, gender, functional status within the organization and work schedule (part-time or full time). Height and weight were objectively measured, demographic data were obtained from the human resource department and the registration of ergonomic accidents was carried out by the safety and prevention department of the hospital.

RESULTS

The number of ergonomic accidents, expressed as number/1000 person-years was higher for female employees compared to male employees, increased with age and markedly increased from functional class A (leading or expert function and higher educational level) to D (executive function in patient care and technical department). However, the incidence of ergonomic accidents accompanied by loss of working time was not significantly associated with BMI, independently of age and gender. In addition, the type of accident and the severity of the accidents expressed as the number of days absent from work were unrelated to BMI.

CONCLUSION

No independent relationship between BMI and the incidence of ergonomic accidents could be identified in our cohort. Tailoring working conditions to individual BMI levels is not recommended.

Precarious employment and occupational injuries in Sweden between 2006 and 2014: a register-based study

BACKGROUND

Precarious employment (PE) has been suggested as a risk factor for occupational injuries (OIs). However, several issues such as under-reporting and time at risk pose obstacles to obtaining unbiased estimates of risk OBJECTIVE: To investigate if PE is a risk factor for OIs in Sweden.

METHODS

This register-based study included employed workers aged 18-65, resident in Sweden between 2006 and 2014. PE was operationalised as a multidimensional construct (score) and by its five items (contract insecurity, contractual temporariness, multiple jobs/multiple sectors, income level, collective bargaining agreement). Our outcome was OI in the following year. Pooled ORs for OIs in relation to PE and PE items were calculated by means of multivariate logistic regression models for women and men separately.

RESULTS

Precarious workers were at lower risk of OIs as compared with non-precarious workers among both males and females (OR <1) also when applying weights for under-reporting and adjusting for time at risk (part-time work). Male agencies workers had a higher risk of OIs (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.23), as did male and female workers in multiple jobs/sectors (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.28 and OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.13 respectively), and female workers in the low-income groups (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.12). Low coverage of collective bargaining agreements was associated with a lower risk of OIs for both men and women (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.31 and OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.27, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

While several mechanisms may explain why precarious workers in Sweden present lower risks of OIs, several dimensions of PE such as temp agency work and multiple job-holding could be important risk factors for OIs and merit further research.

The Role of Training and Work-Related Injury on Home Health Workers’ Job Satisfaction: Analysis of the National Home and Hospice Care Survey

The purpose of this study was to describe personal, job, agency, environmental, and ergonomic factors that affect job satisfaction among home health workers (HHWs). A cross-sectional design was conducted, and data from the National Home and Hospice Care Survey ( N = 3,274) were analyzed using a multilevel structural equation model (generalized structural equation model). HHWs with excellent training knowledge were about 1.5 times more likely to report a higher degree of job satisfaction compared with those with poor training knowledge, and those who reported a work-related injury were 66% more likely to report lower job satisfaction score. Job satisfaction is associated with work environment, leadership support, and work-related training. Future research and a follow-up survey are needed to understand HHWs’ workforce and be better positioned to meet their need so that they may meet the need of the aging population.

Risk Profiles for Four Types of Work-Related Injury among Hospital Employees

In this retrospective case-control study, researchers examined risk factors for four types of work-related injury (WRI) in hospital employees. Data were collected from employee health charts and computer databases ( N = 2050) and analyzed using logistic regression. Study results showed that strain injuries were related to increased age, increased body mass index (BMI), and maintenance, custodial, and direct-caregiver employment types. Repetitive motion injuries were related to increased BMI and clerical and custodial employment types. Exposure/reaction injuries were related to increased age, increased BMI, and maintenance, custodial, and direct-caregiver employment types. Contact/assault injuries were related to increased age, increased BMI, and maintenance, custodial, and direct-caregiver employment types. All injury types were most often related to female gender and full-time employment status. Reformulating policies to improve screening, prevention, and education for those at risk for certain injury types may limit WRI occurrences and costs.