Risk factors and prevalence of work-related injuries and accidents among veterinarians in India

Mishra, SukhDev; Palkhade, Rajendra

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2020.2555-2564

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Occupational needlestick injuries may cause transmission of infectious agents, which represents another major public health concern. The prevalence of needlestick injury (sharp management) among veterinarians in the same study area was previously found to be very high (80.9%) [ 5 ], and various studies have shown that it is the most common source of injury among these professionals. Transmission of infectious agents and other harmful agents through needlesticks during work hours is a serious public health concern [ 29 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zoonoses are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans [ 3 ]. Due to the virtue of their occupation, veterinarians are exposed to different occupational health hazards, viz., physical, chemical, biological [ 4 , 5 ], and psychological hazards. Veterinarians are exposed to possible carcinogens, including radiation, pesticides, anesthetic, and zoonotic infections, including viruses [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occupation-Related Biological Health Hazards and Infection Control Practices among Indian Veterinarians

Palkhade

Mishra

Barbuddhe

2022

Veterinary Medicine International

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Veterinarians experience different types of health hazards from their occupation. Studies on the prevalence and occurrence of biological health hazards in veterinary medicine in India are scant and probably underreported. Thus, we sought to assess the biological health hazards and infection control practices (ICPs) among veterinarians from the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among veterinarians (n = 562) from Gujarat and Maharashtra states in India to identify biological health hazards and ICPs for the prevention of occupational health hazards during 2016–2017 by personally contacting them. Responses regarding a biological hazard and ICPs were recorded. Descriptive analysis was attempted, and continuous variables are presented as the mean ± SD. Categorical variables are reported as counts and percentages (%). Most of the veterinarians (49.3%) worked in the field and were continuously exposed to different types of biological health hazards, especially zoonoses, ranging from mild and self-limiting to fatal diseases (e.g., brucellosis (subclinical and clinical form) and rabies (fatal)) without common prophylactic vaccinations, such as rabies and tetanus. While inquiring medical health status of the veterinarians, only 35.9% of the total respondents underwent a routine medical health checkup within the past year, and 56.9% did not receive a routine dose of an anthelmintic for deworming. Forty-nine percent of the respondents took all necessary precautions, including wearing an apron, facemask, and gloves. In contrast, 10.2% of the respondents wore only an apron, and 8.4% of respondents did not take any precautions while performing their day-to-day work. In total, 40.2% of the respondents followed the proper method of handwashing, that is, washing hands between patient examinations. In contrast, 27.9% of the respondents washed their hands once after completing the work. The majority of the respondents (87.7%) reported an urgent need for occupational hazards and safety (OHS) training in continued veterinary education (CVE) programs. The present study demonstrates that veterinarians in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra in India pay less attention to their own health that may increase the risk of occupation-related biological health hazards. These results suggest that safety and ICPs are not prioritized, which are serious concerns. These findings may be useful for developing policies to prevent occupationally related biological health hazards among veterinarians in India.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupation-Related Biological Health Hazards and Infection Control Practices among Indian Veterinarians

Palkhade

Mishra

Barbuddhe

2022

Veterinary Medicine International

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“…In addition, psychosocial risk factors for the development of MDP in veterinarians have been documented in various studies, namely high job stress and low job satisfaction [10] or personal and workplace issues [11]. Furthermore, animal-induced accidents are a major risk for veterinarians [48,[61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69]. The anxiety of being seriously injured could enhance the development of MDP, as anxiety is associated with the prevalence of MDP [70].…”

Section: Psychosocial Stress and Mdpmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It must be noted that with acceptance of horse-related injuries and deaths in the equestrian culture [66,69,83,84], bravery and risk-taking in veterinarians, as well as the culture of working through pain, might also hinder safe occupational working styles [53]. While improvement in proper patient safety seems self-evident [86], the lack of adequate safety measures also leads to veterinarians having a high incidence of workrelated accidents [48,[61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69]87].…”

Section: Locus Of Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Promotion for Students of Veterinary Medicine: A Preliminary Study on Active Microbreaks and Ergonomics Education

Grünwald

Licka

2023

Animals

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Occupational hazards, such as psychosocial stressors, physical injuries from human–animal interactions, and physically demanding work tasks, are common in the veterinary profession, and musculoskeletal discomfort and pain (MDP) may already be present in veterinary undergraduates. This preliminary study investigates the effects of very short, active interventions, called microbreaks, in 36 veterinary students. At the start, participants had a high prevalence of MDP, especially in the neck and lower back. Within a 12-week observational period, 6 weeks of active intervention comprised teaching microbreaks (nine strengthening, stretching, and relaxation exercises; 30–90 s each) and a weekly veterinary-specific ergonomics education and discussion. After the intervention, participants reported fewer painful body regions and an increase in their self-efficacy in potentially painful, risky, or dangerous human–animal interactions. After the 12-week observational period, participants had increased self-efficacy in the maintenance of physical health and self-protection but decreased self-efficacy in healing injuries after veterinary human–animal interactions. Participants felt to have increased and decreased control over dangerous situations with dogs and horses, respectively, although self-efficacy in handling horses increased. Participants integrated microbreaks well into their undergraduate activities and rated the topic relevant to their (later) profession. This should encourage the inclusion of similar programs in undergraduate curricula.

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“…However, it needs to be better followed in our country. The current veterinarian-to-cattle ratio is 1:4616 in India [20]. An insufficient number of veterinarians pushes farmers to depend on para-veterinarians.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Knowledge and Attitude of Farmers towards Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan India

Dhayal,

Krishnan,

Rehman

et al. 2023

Antibiotics

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The misuse of antibiotics in veterinary practices by farmers is harming livestock production and food safety and leading to the rise of antibiotic resistance (AMR). This can also transfer resistant bacteria from animals to humans, posing a serious public health threat. However, we have not paid enough attention to understanding how farmers behave in this regard. Our study aims to explore farmers’ behaviors and identify the factors that influence their choices. To conduct this study, we used a questionnaire with 40 questions and surveyed 208 farmers in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan. We analyzed the data using SPSS. Here are the key findings: About 58.3% of the farmers have some awareness of antibiotics, and 49.5% are aware of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Notably, as the level of education increases, so does awareness of antibiotics. Unfortunately, 63.9% of the farmers are not aware of the withdrawal time, and 64% have no idea about the presence of antibiotic residues during this period. Around 75% of farmers vaccinate their animals, but approximately 56.9% of individuals have never undergone an antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST) for milk. Around 48.6% of farmers are unaware of government testing centers. Several factors hinder farmers from implementing proper animal management practices, such as the high fees of veterinarians. When their animals become sick, their first choice is home remedies, followed by using old prescriptions. Additionally, 63.9% stop treatment once the animal looks better. A significant portion (83.8%) of farmers rely on local pharmacists for medicine. It has been determined that there is no significant correlation between education, experience, age, and the level of awareness concerning withdrawal periods, the existence of government antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST) centers, and entities responsible for sending samples for ABST. In our qualitative analysis, focus groups identified significant barriers to following best farm practices and spreading awareness about AMR. These findings suggest that addressing AMR in livestock requires a comprehensive approach. This should include targeted education and awareness programs for farmers, as well as improved access to veterinary services.

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Risk factors and prevalence of work-related injuries and accidents among veterinarians in India

Cited by 8 publications

References 26 publications

Occupation-Related Biological Health Hazards and Infection Control Practices among Indian Veterinarians

Occupation-Related Biological Health Hazards and Infection Control Practices among Indian Veterinarians

Health Promotion for Students of Veterinary Medicine: A Preliminary Study on Active Microbreaks and Ergonomics Education

Understanding Knowledge and Attitude of Farmers towards Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan India

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