Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to determine the incidence rate and patterns of occupational injuries and to determine the factors which related to occupational injuries among veterinarians in veterinary clinics in Bangkok. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 395 veterinarians who had more than one-year experience in each veterinary clinic. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test and Independent t-test.

The results found that Incidence rate of occupational injuries among these veterinarians were 280 events per million man-hours and 56.22 times per 100 full-time veterinarians. The most site of injury was hand. Abrasion and laceration were the most common injuries. Dogs and cats bite were the most causes of injuries. Diagnostic process was the major activity associated with injury. Sixty-nine percent of this sample required physician treatment and fifty-six percent needed work restriction. Thus, the mean of work days lost was 3.45 days. Factors related with occupational injuries were age (p-value<0.001), year of graduation (p-value=0.003), BMI (p-value<0.001), allergic problem (p-value=0.001), sleep less than 7 hours (p-value=0.022), drowsy pills (p-value=0.003), exercise (p-value=0.024), type of practice (p-value<0.001), year in practice (p-value<0.001), working time more than 40 hours per week (p-value=0.035), safety training required (p-value=0.038), careful animal restraint (p-value=0.036), always using safety bin (p-value=0.01), adequate assistants (p-value=0.01), adequate animal restrained equipment (p-value<0.001), and adequate ambient light (p-value=0.018). According to the results from this research, the incidence rate of occupational injury among veterinarians could be reduced by appropriated adjustment of working and resting period, increasing awareness and knowledge transfer experience. Moreover, working area should be properly prepared.