Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers
OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study investigates work-related risk factors for occupational back injury among healthcare workers. METHODS: The study comprised 5017 female healthcare workers in eldercare from 36 municipalities in Denmark who responded to a baseline and follow-up questionnaire i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
2014-01-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3382
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| _version_ | 1818339236636524544 |
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| author | Lars L Andersen Alex Burdorf Nils Fallentin Roger Persson Markus D Jakobsen Ole Steen Mortensen Thomas Clausen Andreas Holtermann |
| author_facet | Lars L Andersen Alex Burdorf Nils Fallentin Roger Persson Markus D Jakobsen Ole Steen Mortensen Thomas Clausen Andreas Holtermann |
| author_sort | Lars L Andersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study investigates work-related risk factors for occupational back injury among healthcare workers. METHODS: The study comprised 5017 female healthcare workers in eldercare from 36 municipalities in Denmark who responded to a baseline and follow-up questionnaire in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Using logistic regression, the odds for occupational back injury (ie, sudden onset episodes) in 2006 from patient transfers in 2005 was modeled. RESULTS: In the total study population, 3.9% experienced back injury during follow-up, of which 0.5% were recurrent events. When adjusting for lifestyle (body mass index, leisure-time physical activity, smoking), work-related characteristics (seniority and perceived influence at work), and history of back pain and injury, daily patient transfers increased the risk for back injury (trend, P=0.03): odds ratio (OR) 1.75 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05–2.93] for 1–2 transfers per day, OR 1.81 (95% CI 1.14–2.85) for 3–10 transfers per day, and OR 1.56 (95% CI 0.96–2.54) for >10 transfers per day, referencing those with <1 patient transfer on average per day. The population attributable fraction of daily patient transfer for back injury was estimated to be 36%. Among those with daily patient transfer (N=3820), using an assistive device decreased the risk for back injury for “often” and “very often” use [OR 0.59 (95% CI 0.36–0.98) and OR 0.62 (95% CI 0.38–1.00), respectively] referencing those who “seldom” use assistive devices. CONCLUSION: Daily patient transfer was associated with increased risk for back injury among healthcare workers. Persistent use of an assistive device was associated with reduced risk for back injury among healthcare workers with daily patient transfers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:23:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7f605ec14b24cdf9659c71c9edb572e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0355-3140 1795-990X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T15:23:48Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7f605ec14b24cdf9659c71c9edb572e2022-12-21T23:40:28ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2014-01-01401748110.5271/sjweh.33823382Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workersLars L Andersen0Alex BurdorfNils FallentinRoger PerssonMarkus D JakobsenOle Steen MortensenThomas ClausenAndreas HoltermannNational Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkalle 105, DK 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study investigates work-related risk factors for occupational back injury among healthcare workers. METHODS: The study comprised 5017 female healthcare workers in eldercare from 36 municipalities in Denmark who responded to a baseline and follow-up questionnaire in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Using logistic regression, the odds for occupational back injury (ie, sudden onset episodes) in 2006 from patient transfers in 2005 was modeled. RESULTS: In the total study population, 3.9% experienced back injury during follow-up, of which 0.5% were recurrent events. When adjusting for lifestyle (body mass index, leisure-time physical activity, smoking), work-related characteristics (seniority and perceived influence at work), and history of back pain and injury, daily patient transfers increased the risk for back injury (trend, P=0.03): odds ratio (OR) 1.75 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05–2.93] for 1–2 transfers per day, OR 1.81 (95% CI 1.14–2.85) for 3–10 transfers per day, and OR 1.56 (95% CI 0.96–2.54) for >10 transfers per day, referencing those with <1 patient transfer on average per day. The population attributable fraction of daily patient transfer for back injury was estimated to be 36%. Among those with daily patient transfer (N=3820), using an assistive device decreased the risk for back injury for “often” and “very often” use [OR 0.59 (95% CI 0.36–0.98) and OR 0.62 (95% CI 0.38–1.00), respectively] referencing those who “seldom” use assistive devices. CONCLUSION: Daily patient transfer was associated with increased risk for back injury among healthcare workers. Persistent use of an assistive device was associated with reduced risk for back injury among healthcare workers with daily patient transfers. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3382 backergonomicscohort studynursepatient transferoccupational risk factorback injuryprospective cohort studylongitudinaleldercare workerhealthcare workerassistive devicelow-back painmusculoskeletal disorder |
| spellingShingle | Lars L Andersen Alex Burdorf Nils Fallentin Roger Persson Markus D Jakobsen Ole Steen Mortensen Thomas Clausen Andreas Holtermann Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health back ergonomics cohort study nurse patient transfer occupational risk factor back injury prospective cohort study longitudinal eldercare worker healthcare worker assistive device low-back pain musculoskeletal disorder |
| title | Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| title_full | Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| title_fullStr | Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| title_short | Patient transfers and assistive devices: prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| title_sort | patient transfers and assistive devices prospective cohort study on the risk for occupational back injury among healthcare workers |
| topic | back ergonomics cohort study nurse patient transfer occupational risk factor back injury prospective cohort study longitudinal eldercare worker healthcare worker assistive device low-back pain musculoskeletal disorder |
| url |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3382
|
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