Abstract

Background and Aim: Healthcare workers, in particular nurses, are at risk from many occupational hazards. These hazards not only affect the physical, psychological and social health care workers, but also impose heavy financial burdens on an organization. The aim of the current study is to determine the level of occupational hazards and related factors in health care workers in military hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2016-2017 on 375 medical staff working in three military hospitals located in the southern cities of Iran. A valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire (demographic and occupational hazards) was used to gather data by non-randomized quota sampling method. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 18. Results: The mean (SD) of occupational hazards was 2.53 (0.66) and assessed as moderate. Among occupational hazards, ergonomic hazards 3.36 (1.09) were the most prevalent occupational hazard, and chemical hazards 1.73 (0.84) was the least important source of occupational hazards. According to the independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance, there was a statistically significant association of occupational hazards and variables such as gender, marriage status and organizational position (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the level and type of occupational hazards of medical staff in military environments, managers can take into account ergonomic considerations, designing appropriate preventive programs, and continuing training courses to reduce occupational hazards and burnout. This will help improve quality of life associated with health and the working life of staff. © 2018 Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.