Long term analysis of patients admitted to the emergency room as a result of occupational accidents

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to describe the demographic and clinical features and healthcare costs associated with occupation related injuries between 2010 and 2015. Method: The patients of occupational accidents were evaluated according to age, gender, accident type, trauma localization, duration of hospitalization in the emergency department, prognosis, imperfection types causing to accidents and outcomes and cost spent. Results: 449 patients diagnosed with occupational accidents from January 2010 to December 2014 were included in the analysis. Of injury referring distribution the most common cause of occupational accidents (type of accidents) was extremities injury 141 (31.4%). About 50.1% of all estimated construction occupational accidents treated in the emergency department affected upper extremities. Remaining injuries primarily affected the head, lower extremities and thorax (45%). The mean cost of an inpatient admission following occupational accidents was $232, and the overall costs of patient care for the study sample during this time frame exceeded $26.142 annually. Conclusions: Occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities remain a major public health and economic concern around the world. The findings from this study may be beneficial in the development, implementation, and evaluation of injury prevention policies and prevention programs.