TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - Prevalence and determinants of occupational injuries among emergency medical technicians in Northern Ghana
JO  - PLoS one
A1  - Awini, Ali Baba
A1  - Opoku, Douglas Aninng
A1  - Ayisi-Boateng, Nana Kwame
A1  - Osarfo, Joseph
A1  - Sulemana, Alhassan
A1  - Yankson, Isaac Kofi
A1  - Osei-Ampofo, Maxwell
A1  - Zackaria, Ahmed Nuhu
A1  - Newton, Sam
SP  - e0284943
EP  - e0284943
VL  - 18
IS  - 4
N2  - BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the primary providers of prehospital emergency medical services. The operations of EMTs increase their risks of being exposed to occupational injuries. However, there is a paucity of data on the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs in sub-Saharan Africa. This study, therefore, sought to estimate the prevalence and determinants of occupational injuries among EMTs in the northern part of Ghana. <br><br>METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 154 randomly recruited EMTs in the northern part of Ghana. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' demographic characteristics, facility-related factors, personal protective equipment use, and occupational injuries. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses with a backward stepwise approach were used to examine the determinants of occupational injuries among EMTs. <br><br>RESULTS: In the 12 months preceding data collection, the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs was 38.6%. Bruises (51.8%), and sprains/strains (14.3%) were the major types of injuries reported among the EMTs. The key determinants of occupational injury among EMTs were male sex (AOR: 3.39, 95%CI: 1.41-8.17), an absence of a health and safety committee at the workplace (AOR: 3.92, 95%CI: 1.63-9.43), absence of health and safety policy at the workplace (AOR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.26-6.04) and dissatisfaction with health and safety measures at the workplace (AOR: 2.51, 95%CI: 1.10-5.71). <br><br>CONCLUSION: In the twelve months before to the data collection for this study, the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs of the Ghana National Ambulance Service was high. The creation of health and safety committees, the creation of health and safety rules, and the strengthening of current health and safety procedures for EMTs are all possible ways to lessen this.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1932-6203
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284943
ID  - ref1
ER  -