Characteristics, causes and results of occupational injuries and demographics of the patients admitted to the emergency department due to occupational accidents

Background-aim: Occupational injuries are an important cause of mortality and morbidity as well as labor force lose and economical loses. The aim of our study was to investigate the information about demographic charecteristics, time of admission, properties of injuries, results and the correlation between these titles. Material-method: The study included 2594 patients with the age of 18 or older with occupational injuries who registered to our hospital between 01.01.2015 and 31.12.2016. data were obtained by retrospectively invastigating the Hospital Management Information System and patient files. Results: The mean age of the study group was 32±5,6 (18-71). % 87,4 of the cases were male. Injuries occured mostly in 28-37 age group. Admissions increased in august on a mothly basis, on Fridays on a daily basis and between 07:00-15:00 hours. %43,1 of the patients were working in industry. It was determined that %24 of the injuries occured due to crushing, squeeze and getting struck by falling objects. The most commonly effected main anatomic area was head-neck, particularly eye and palpebrae. The patients were most commonly diagnosed with superficial injury and lacerations. The rate of discharge was %91 in the study group. There were statistically significant difference between falls, exposure to chemicals, getting injured by foreign objects, effected anatomical areas and diagnoses considering the time of admission and gender. Getting injured by foreign objects, exposure to chemicals and food intoxication mechanisms were significantly higher in male patients. Eye-palpebrae, arm, thigh and leg injuries were statistically significantly higher in male patients. Male patients were also more commonly diagnosed with superficial injury and lacerations, soft tissue injuries, foreign objects, fractures and respiratoy tract irritations than females. There were statistically significant difference between mechanisms of injury and effected anatomical areas. Conclusion: Admissions with occupational injuries to the Emergency Departments occured mostly in daytime. Considering the time of admissions and gender, there were significant difference between mechanisms of injury, effected anatomical areas and diagnoses. It is essential to examine and record the factors which can predispose to occupational injuries as well as the properties of injuries to reduce occupational accidents and the loses caused by them.