Association of occupation and safety practices with work-injury absence among public hospital employees in Latin America:: a study from Costa Rica

Background: Injury-related statistics in developing countries are rare. Objective: To assess the relationship between occupational and safety-related risk factors and absences from work during the preceding 6 months due to work-related injury among public hospital employees in Costa Rica. Methods: Data were used from a cross-sectional survey conducted in December 2000 among a stratified random sample of 1000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, occupational exposures, and organizational risk factors. A dichotomous variable was created to indicate work-injury absence. At-risk employees (n = 466) were classified as having had a work-injury absence if they reported having been absent for at least 1 day in the preceding 6 months because of a work-related injury. OR and 95% CI were calculated using unconditional logistic regression models. Results: There is a greater likelihood of injury-related absence in non-professional occupational positions (ie, auxiliary personnel ( OR = 2.29) and general services employees ( OR = 5.55)) than in professional positions, and in employees who show poor compliance with safety practices ( OR = 2.03) and have high interference from their job task ( OR = 3.79) compared with their counterparts. Conclusions: Work-injury absence appears not only to be a function of work injury, but also a function of occupation and degree of compliance with safety practices.