Profiling bodily trauma and sick-leave

tendencies in occupational Injuries: a

primary care study in the county of

Gävleborg, Sweden 2007-2012.

Leah Okenwa Emegwa (PhD)

Background

• About 317 million cases of

work injuries resulting in

absence from work of 4 days

or more

• Global estimates equivalent

to roughly 850,000 injuries

per day

• Men overrepresented

• Bodily Harm, disability,

sickleave

Sickleave

• Time off from work to address health and safety needs

• May be paid or unpaid

• Important for full recovery

• Negatively effects on society and individual if not properly

managed

Examples of Sickleave

Consequences

• Risk of permanent disability, potential job loss

• Attempted/completed suicide

• Loss of productivity for the time period

• Economic cost of worker’s compensation

• Up to 2.5% of the total gross national product (GNP)

and between 3-6% working hours are lost due to sick

leave

Work related injury and illness pattern, Sweden

Work related injury women

Work related illnesses women men

Work related injury men

Work related illnesses men

Source: Statistics Sweden

Questions Needing Answers!

• What are the patterns of bodily trauma resulting from work-

related injuries seen in primary care 2002-2012?

• Do these patterns differ by demographic and occupational

characteristics?

• What is the relative contribution of demographic and

occupational factors in explaining bodily trauma patterns

and sick-leave tendencies?

Method- study setting

Gävleborg, Sweden

Centrally located by the

east coast

280 000 inhabitants living

on almost 20 000 km2

Three-quarter woodlands

Lakes, hills and mountains

Occupational injury

incidence 6 per 1000

University of Gävle

Methods- design,

participants, data analysis

Outpatient records of 3155 injured workers

(2007-2012)

SPSS (descriptive analysis & logistics

regressions)

p<0.05; 95% CI

Ethical approval granted by institutional review

board for the region.

Results

• Top 4 Injuries

• foreign objects, burns & others

By Gender • Males more prone to injuries of

head/neck

• 2.5 times male risk for burns

• Males 3times more likely to experience penetrating objects to body orificies

• Female workers were more prone to injuries to the trunk and lower extremities. Trunk

(5.6%)

Head/neck Injuries (19%)

Lower Extremities (21%)

Upper Extremities (47%)

Age

• Head injuries decreased with

increasing age, remained

significant in the multivariate

analysis.

• Injuries to the upper extremities

and lower extremities increased

with age.

• Exception: age 51-60 had

comparably least likelihood for

injuries to lower extremities but

highest odds for injuries of the

upper extremities

Employment Status

• Head injuries were almost twice more

common among workers with non-

permanent employment forms.

Country of Birth

• Head injuries common among foreign

born workers. Swedish born workers

more prone to hand injuries. None of

these reached significance after

controlling.

Industial Sector

• Trunk injuries in health/social

works and education sectors.

• Remained significant in multivariate

analysis only for health sector.

• 2.11 odds for upper extremities in

manufacturing; 2.01 odds in

education sector and 1.70 odds for

construction.

• Odds of Injuries to lower

extremities higher for health sector.

Significantly low odds for lower

extremities injuries in manufacturing

and construction

Sick leave longer than 14days • Men more prone to longer sickleave

• Odds increase with increasing age, almost 4

times the risk for workers above 60years

• Transport workers twice more likely

• Swedish-born workers 1.54 times more likely

Discussions

Gender differences for injuries also reflected in

sectors dominated by each gender e.g. lower

extremities in healthcare (e.g. falls)

Gender based PPE design?

Manufacturing- upper extremities

Transport- longer sickleave (injury severity??)

Longer sick leave for men- (due to

overrepresentation of men or injury severity?)

Reccomendations

More industry specific safety policies and

monitoring

Gender/Age consideration in prevention

Prevention/Interventions that incorporate

demographic and occupational risk factors

Strengths and Weaknesses

Weakness

• Only out-patient records examined

• Only injuries with sick leave were examined

Strength

• Database with comprhensive record keeping system