Background: Workplace violence is a serious occupational health problem. Emergency health-care workers have a high risk of exposure to violence with negative personal consequences. Aims: To estimate the prevalence and possible associated factors of workplace violence among health-care workers in emergency departments of public hospitals in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during August to October 2018 at 4 emergency departments of public hospitals belonging to the Saudi Ministry of Health. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Of 380 questionnaires distributed, 324 were returned (85% response rate). Almost two thirds of the participants were women (66.4%) and more than half (54%) were nurses. A total of 155 health-care workers (47.8%) had experienced at least 1 type of violent incident in the preceding 12 months. Of the total violence incidents, 52% were verbal abuse, 19% were physical violence, and sexual harassment (3%) was the least common. Lack of encouragement to report incidents and Saudi nationality were the only significant variables associated with workplace violence. Conclusions: Workplace violence was prevalent, and verbal abuse was the commonest type among health-care workers in emergency departments of Saudi hospitals. Encouragement to report violent incidents and raising awareness among health-care workers about violence reporting systems are important strategies to improve workplace safety.

Background Musculoskeletal disorders are common worldwide. Several factors are suggested in their aetiology, one of which is ergonomics alongside other individual factors. This study aims at investigating the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among administrative office workers at a large university in Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited office workers at a Saudi university. A questionnaire was used that involved three sections, the first section consisted of sociodemographic questions, the second included the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) checklist to assess ergonomic factors possibly involved, and the third included the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to measure the outcome. Bi-variate analyses were performed by Chi-Squared tests and T-tests where appropriate, and a multivariable logistic regression was done to yield odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in any region during the past 12 months preceding the study was 84.5%, and only 30% have sought medical advice. The most common area of complaint was the lower back (54.5%). After adjustment, age and years of experience were positively associated with musculoskeletal symptoms (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.09 and OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05–1.15). Normal weight was associated with a significant reduction in risk (OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.05–0.18). ROSA score was an independent risk factor (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.05–2.96). Conclusions Musculoskeletal symptoms were highly prevalent in the current sample. Identified predictors may support the need for interventions to reduce risk.

This study was conducted to provide some epidemiological aspects of needle stick injuries among health care workers in the eastern province in Saudi Arabia. Data about 282 injuries reported from the hospitals of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were collected through specially designed questionnaire retrospectively from 1995 to 1997. Results showed that 50% of injuries occurred in the first 3 years of employment. Workers in medical and surgical specialties suffered an equal degree of reported exposure. The highest percentage (46.8%) of injuries occurred during syringe related actions. Patients' wards were the major location of incidents (48.5%) followed by ICUs and dialysis units (17.7%), theatres (15.6%) and accidents and emergency departments (13.8%). There was no significant association between injuries and type of shifts. The middle hours of the shifts showed a significant association with injuries. The pattern of injuries was significantly associated with over loaded periods of medical practices. Deficiencies in implementing the standard recommendations for prevention and control of needle stick injuries were noted in the studied hospitals.

Each year in Saudi Arabia, the Hajj season represents one of the world’s most significant annual mass gatherings, attracting high proportion of immigrants from different parts of the world in small crowded areas, posing a risk for Tuberculosis (TB) transmission. There is a high potential for TB contact and infection in the workplace as it is transmitted through the air. Most of the studies in Saudi Arabia assessed the TB infection among health care workers. However, the TB incidence rate among other variant occupational groups was not yet determined. This study was conducted to assess the incidence rate of tuberculosis, and determine the risk factors of TB infection among different occupational groups in the Makkah region, Saudi Arabia 2016. A cross-sectional study was carried out based on the secondary data of the patients registered in the Saudi national tuberculosis control and prevention program in 2016. Data were then organized and analyzed for age, gender, nationality, educational level, average monthly wage, average weekly working hours, and occupation of the patients. Occupations were reclassified according to the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupation (SSCO). A total of 1270 cases were included in this study, 300 (23.6%) of them were workers. The incidence rate of TB among workers in the Makkah region was 9 per 100,000 workers compared to 31 per 100,000 persons among the general population in 2016. The TB incidence rate was the highest among occupation of supporting basic engineering with 13 per 100,000 workers in 2016. The highest incidence rate of TB among occupations of supporting basic engineering could be attributed to close contact with the general population in closed spaces for long periods of time, and low socioeconomic status.