Exposures to Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Personal Protective Measures among Health Care Providers working in Illubabor Zone Health Institutions, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia

Exposures to Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Personal Protective Measures among Health Care Providers working in Illubabor Zone Health Institutions, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Exposures to Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Personal Protective Measures among Health Care Providers working in Illubabor Zone Health Institutions, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia Debela Abdissa Mengesha, Dereje Oljira Donacho, Benti Negero This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Workers around the world despite their vast differences in their physical, social, economic, and political environments they face almost the same kinds of workplace hazards. Healthcare facilities like other high-risk workplaces characterized by a high level of exposure to hazardous agents. However, efforts towards investigation of determinants of occupational hazard are minimal in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the level of exposures to occupational hazards and utilization of self-protective measures among health care workers in selected health institution, in Illubabor Zone, Oromia Regional state of Ethiopia. Methods Across sectional study, design conducted among 432 health care workers by using multi stages sampling technique to get the study participants. Data is collected using pretested and structured questionnaire and observational checklist used to ascertain occupational injury status. Data was processed using Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 23 windows. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and then bivariate, multivariate association carried out. Binary logistic regression computed at 0.05 with an entry point of 0.25 to identify potential predictor variables. Results This study reveals from 386 responded giving a response rate of 89.3%. More than one third of respondents had experienced an occupational health hazard, mostly body and blood fluid (BBF) related exposure 40% (95% CI, 34.2%, 43.8%), and work related stress 69.4% (95% CI, 65.0, 73.8%), followed by needle stick injury 35.8% (95% CI, 31.1%, 40.4%), and work place violence 54% (95% CI, 41.2%, 51.0%). The likely predictors for both biological and non-biological hazards were they did not wear glove the last time they took a blood sample, they did not wash hands before examination, and reuse of syringe and needles. Conclusion There is a high proportion of exposure to blood and body fluids and work related stress among health care workers (HCWs) in the study area. In appropriate practices and measures that put HCWs at significant risk of acquiring occupational infections and long hours of work, increased workload, and work place violence that put HCWs at significant risk of work related stress were detected. Health sciences/Health care/Occupational health Health sciences/Health care/Public health Health care workers Health facilities Occupational hazards Needle Stick Injuries Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6658369","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":466954464,"identity":"54082d61-1cc4-47d6-a6a2-3184408472ea","order_by":0,"name":"Debela Abdissa Mengesha","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCQaDA0CKsUGCgfEAQwWQyczcQLQWhgMMZ0BaGAlrYYBrYWyDsPHq4J/dvPHgjz92sv3SzQcO/JxXG83fDtTyo2IbbkvuHCs4zNuWbDxzzrGEg73bjufOOMzYwNhz5jZua27kGADVMCduADIO8G47ltsA4jK24dYiD1QJdFh94v4b+R8O/p1zLHc+IS0GIMN52A4nbpDIYTjM21CTu4GQFkOIX44bz7hzzOCwzLEDuRuBWg7i84vc7ebNH3/8qZbtn9388OGbmrrceecPH3zwowKP99HAYTB5gGj1QFBHiuJRMApGwSgYIQAA40FrcCp+QUgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Mettu University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Debela","middleName":"Abdissa","lastName":"Mengesha","suffix":""},{"id":466954465,"identity":"c192410c-048b-4476-885e-2abcda21f425","order_by":1,"name":"Dereje Oljira Donacho","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mettu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dereje","middleName":"Oljira","lastName":"Donacho","suffix":""},{"id":466954467,"identity":"0fb5e22b-6523-4e1e-8050-f0ecbd8c9524","order_by":2,"name":"Benti Negero","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mettu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Benti","middleName":"","lastName":"Negero","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-13 19:38:08","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106744420,"identity":"4e27faa2-395a-44ae-b020-69329e05ddfe","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-13 04:55:56","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":506028,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EXPOSURESTOOCCUPATIONALHAZARDSBYDEBELAABDISSA1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6658369/v1_covered_31e62711-a5ec-4245-9fc7-ec177fc7ed09.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Exposures to Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Personal Protective Measures among Health Care Providers working in Illubabor Zone Health Institutions, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Health care workers, Health facilities, Occupational hazards, Needle Stick Injuries","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWorkers around the world despite their vast differences in their physical, social, economic, and political environments they face almost the same kinds of workplace hazards. Healthcare facilities like other high-risk workplaces characterized by a high level of exposure to hazardous agents. However, efforts towards investigation of determinants of occupational hazard are minimal in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the level of exposures to occupational hazards and utilization of self-protective measures among health care workers in selected health institution, in Illubabor Zone, Oromia Regional state of Ethiopia.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e Across sectional study, design conducted among 432 health care workers by using multi stages sampling technique to get the study participants. Data is collected using pretested and structured questionnaire and observational checklist used to ascertain occupational injury status. Data was processed using Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 23 windows. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and then bivariate, multivariate association carried out. Binary logistic regression computed at 0.05 with an entry point of 0.25 to identify potential predictor variables.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study reveals from 386 responded giving a response rate of 89.3%. More than one third of respondents had experienced an occupational health hazard, mostly body and blood fluid (BBF) related exposure 40% (95% CI, 34.2%, 43.8%), and work related stress 69.4% (95% CI, 65.0, 73.8%), followed by needle stick injury 35.8% (95% CI, 31.1%, 40.4%), and work place violence 54% (95% CI, 41.2%, 51.0%). The likely predictors for both biological and non-biological hazards were they did not wear glove the last time they took a blood sample, they did not wash hands before examination, and reuse of syringe and needles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere is a high proportion of exposure to blood and body fluids and work related stress among health care workers (HCWs) in the study area. In appropriate practices and measures that put HCWs at significant risk of acquiring occupational infections and long hours of work, increased workload, and work place violence that put HCWs at significant risk of work related stress were detected.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Exposures to Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Personal Protective Measures among Health Care Providers working in Illubabor Zone Health Institutions, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-07 12:44:14","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6658369/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"2b57e674-fc63-4b07-b03c-a75d08a092f7","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 7th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":49577252,"name":"Health sciences/Health care/Occupational health"},{"id":49577253,"name":"Health sciences/Health care/Public health"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-13T04:55:00+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-07 12:44:14","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6658369","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6658369","identity":"rs-6658369","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}