The incidence of musculoskeletal system occupational diseases among tuberculosis laboratory workers

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 174 - 179, 04.07.2018

Tuğba Gül Serdar Savaş Gül

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.305961

Abstract

Objectives. Health care workers are exposed to various kinds of
professional risks like needle stick injuries, lower back and back problems,
allergies, violence and stress. Health care workers in tuberculosis laboratory are
exposed to both infection and musculoskeletal system occupational disease risks
because of using Class II, Type B biological safety cabinets and laboratory
vortex equipment. This study was carried out to determine incidence rates and
causes of the musculoskeletal system occupational diseases among health care
workers in tuberculosis laboratories of two State hospitals in Ankara. Methods.
Study population was composed of 16 laboratory workers in tuberculosis
laboratories of two State hospitals in Ankara. Data was collected using a
questionnaire. Results. Thirteen (81.2%) laboratory workers were male and
three (18.8%) were female. The mean age of the subjects was 40.1 ± 7.0 years
and average duration of occupation of subjects was 208.3 ± 11.6 month. According
to the data, of the 16 personnel, 10 (62.5%) had occupational disease.
Incidence rates of occupational diseases were as follows; 62.5% shoulder pain,
25.0% wrist pain and 18.8% elbow pain. Duration of their occupation was
significantly associated with elbow pain (p
= 0.037). There was a significant relationship between hand and wrist pain and
smoking (p = 0.042). Seventy-five per
cent of laboratory workers did not think they had enough information on
occupational diseases, and 68.8% of them wanted to have information about
occupational diseases. Discussion. The most prevalent
occupational diseases among the tuberculosis laboratory workers in our sample
were shoulder, elbow and wrist pains. Duration of occupation and smoking were
associated with the incidence of occupational diseases. 

Keywords

Tuberculosis laboratory, musculoskeletal system, occupational diseases

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