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Observational Study
. 2018 Aug 28;109(4):308-315.
doi: 10.23749/mdl.v109i4.7245.

Trend analysis and factors associated with biological injuries among health care workers in Southern Italy

Vincenza Cofini  1 , Alberto Capodacqua, Santina Calisse, Italia Galassi, Lora Cipollone, Stefano Necozione
Affiliations
Observational Study

Trend analysis and factors associated with biological injuries among health care workers in Southern Italy

Vincenza Cofini et al. Med Lav. .

Abstract
in English, Italian

Background: Biological injuries are the most common and serious among health care workers.

Objectives: This study aims to estimate the injuries' incidence, job distribution and temporal trend in a hospital in Southern Italy.

Methods: Data on accidents, collected from January 2010 to December 2016, were analyzed. Poisson distribution was used to calculate incidence rates and respective 95% confidence intervals. Trends were analyzed using the Joinpoint regression model. A multiple logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with injuries.

Results: Three hundred and thirty-five injuries were reported from 2010 to 2016, occurring mainly in the morning (54%) and frequently caused by needlestick (70%). We observed a significant decline in the incidence rates of the total amount of injuries (ACP=-11.3; 95% CI: -16.3 - -5.9), for nurses (ACP=-15.7; 95% CI: -24.3 - -6.2) and for health and social care assistants (ACP=-13.2; 95% CI: -23.1 - -2.0). Among male physicians the risk of biological accident was higher than female physicians (OR=3.67; 95% CI:1.9-7.1), while among male nurses the risk was lower than among female nurses (OR=0.31; 95% CI: 0.17-0.59). For the nursing category, "afternoon" and "night" represented risk factors with OR=2.19 (95% CI: 1.2-3.7) and OR=8.8 (95% CI: 3.4-22.8) respectively. For physicians, surgical intervention was a risk factor (OR=7.71; 95% CI: 3.2-18.4).

Conclusions: Our findings confirm the need for continuous monitoring and improved control of work-related exposures, both for health and the associated costs.

«Analisi temporale e fattori associati a infortuni biologici tra gli operatori sanitari del Sud Italia».

Introduzione:: Gli incidenti a rischio biologico sono i più comuni ed i più gravi tra gli operatori sanitari, con un’incidenza in Italia di 100.000 infortuni l’anno.

Obiettivi:: Investigare gli infortuni con rischio biologico in un ospedale del Sud Italia.

Metodi:: I tassi di incidenza e gli intervalli di confidenza al 95%, sono stati da calcolati con distribuzione di Poisson, da gennaio 2010 a dicembre 2016. La regressione Joinpoint è stata utilizzata per l’analisi dei trend, la regressione logistica multipla per identificare i fattori associati agli infortuni.

Risultati:: Nel periodo considerato sono stati segnalati 335 infortuni, verificatisi principalmente durante la degenza, al mattino (54%) e causati da aghi (70%). Abbiamo osservato un calo significativo dei tassi di incidenza totali (ACP=-11,3; IC 95%: -16,3 - -5,9), tra gli infermieri (ACP=-15,7; IC 95%: -24.3 - -6.2) e tra gli assistenti socio-sanitari (ACP=-13,2; IC 95%: -23,1 - -2,0). Tra i medici il rischio di incidente è più alto tra gli uomini (OR=3,67; IC 95%: 1,9-7,1), tra gli infermieri il rischio è più basso di quello delle infermiere (OR=0,31; IC 95%: 0,17-0,59). Per gli infermieri, “pomeriggio” e “notte” rappresentano i fattori di rischio (rispettivamente OR=2,19; IC 95%: 1,2-3,7; e OR=8,8; IC 95%: 3,4-22,8). Per i medici, l’intervento chirurgico rappresenta un fattore di rischio (OR=7,71; IC 95%: 3,2-18,4).

Conclusioni:: Il monitoraggio continuo ed un migliore controllo delle esposizioni appare necessario, sia per la prevenzione della salute sia per i costi degli infortuni.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Injuries trend during the study period 2010-2016 (crude rate*100 person-years): ACP 11.27 (p<0.01)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Incidence rate (x100 person-years) for personnel employed in SS Filippo e Nicola Hospital (2010-2016)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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