Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia
Abstract Background Refuse collectors are at a high risk for fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents. This is more intensified in developing countries, like Ethiopia, due to physically demanding nature of the job. However, information on occupational injuries and related factors are almost non-ex...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2016-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3483-1 |
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| author | Debassu Eskezia Zewdie Aderaw Kedir Y. Ahmed Fentaw Tadese |
| author_facet | Debassu Eskezia Zewdie Aderaw Kedir Y. Ahmed Fentaw Tadese |
| author_sort | Debassu Eskezia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Refuse collectors are at a high risk for fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents. This is more intensified in developing countries, like Ethiopia, due to physically demanding nature of the job. However, information on occupational injuries and related factors are almost non-existent in Ethiopia. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of occupational injuries and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region from February to May 2015. Computer generated simple random sampling technique was used to select the samples. Interviewer administrated questionnaires were used for the data collection process. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between outcome variables and explanatory variables. Results In this study, the annual prevalence of at least one occupational injury among solid waste workers was 34.3 % (95 % CI: 29.52, 39.10). Of these, 50.7 % of them were visited health facility to receive health care. The independent predictors of at least one occupational injury were shorter service years, low monthly salary, history of job related stress, and sleeping disturbance related to the job. Being illiterate, having lower monthly income, and those who reported sleeping disturbance were significantly and positively associated with severe occupational injuries of solid waste collectors. Conclusion The magnitude of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors is lower than other similar studies conducted in Ethiopia. Based on the finding of this and other studies, job rotation among work components, improvement of employees’ income, job specific guideline regarding maximum production limits, and replacement of bags and bins with wheeled containers are an interventions expected to cope with the problem. There is also a need of specific periodic health surveillance (PHS) for refuse collectors to detect early signs of work related complaints and to monitor work ability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:15:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a15625b406d84e62b439b3897637cae5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:15:07Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-a15625b406d84e62b439b3897637cae52022-12-21T20:03:48ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582016-08-011611710.1186/s12889-016-3483-1Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest EthiopiaDebassu Eskezia0Zewdie Aderaw1Kedir Y. Ahmed2Fentaw Tadese3Health Extension Program, Debre Markos Town Health BureauDepartment of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Debre Markos UniversityDepartment of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Debre Markos UniversityDepartment of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Debre Markos UniversityAbstract Background Refuse collectors are at a high risk for fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents. This is more intensified in developing countries, like Ethiopia, due to physically demanding nature of the job. However, information on occupational injuries and related factors are almost non-existent in Ethiopia. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of occupational injuries and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region from February to May 2015. Computer generated simple random sampling technique was used to select the samples. Interviewer administrated questionnaires were used for the data collection process. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between outcome variables and explanatory variables. Results In this study, the annual prevalence of at least one occupational injury among solid waste workers was 34.3 % (95 % CI: 29.52, 39.10). Of these, 50.7 % of them were visited health facility to receive health care. The independent predictors of at least one occupational injury were shorter service years, low monthly salary, history of job related stress, and sleeping disturbance related to the job. Being illiterate, having lower monthly income, and those who reported sleeping disturbance were significantly and positively associated with severe occupational injuries of solid waste collectors. Conclusion The magnitude of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors is lower than other similar studies conducted in Ethiopia. Based on the finding of this and other studies, job rotation among work components, improvement of employees’ income, job specific guideline regarding maximum production limits, and replacement of bags and bins with wheeled containers are an interventions expected to cope with the problem. There is also a need of specific periodic health surveillance (PHS) for refuse collectors to detect early signs of work related complaints and to monitor work ability.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3483-1Occupational injuriesMunicipal solid waste workers |
| spellingShingle | Debassu Eskezia Zewdie Aderaw Kedir Y. Ahmed Fentaw Tadese Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia BMC Public Health Occupational injuries Municipal solid waste workers |
| title | Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_full | Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_short | Prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia |
| title_sort | prevalence and associated factors of occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors in four zones of amhara region northwest ethiopia |
| topic | Occupational injuries Municipal solid waste workers |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3483-1 |
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