ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH LITERACY AND WORK-RELATED INJURIES AMONG INTENSIVE CARE UNIT NURSES AT A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN ALEXANDRIA

Abstract

Occupational Health Literacy (OHL) is the degree to which workers have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic occupational safety and health (OSH) information and services needed to make appropriate decisions with regard to health and safety at work.Workforce studies found that the magnitude of limited OHL shows a considerable variation across countries with a range of 25% to 72%. In addition, OHL was found to be positively associated with work-related injury prevalence, absenteeism, and productivity.Given that the healthcare sector has one of the highest rates of work-related injuries and illnesses, particularly among nurses employed in intensive care units (ICUs), OHL may be a protective factor against these types of injuries.AIM OF THE WORK:The current study was conducted among ICU nurses to measure the level of occupational health literacy, calculate the prevalence and frequency of work-related injuries, and to explore the association between occupational health literacy and work-related injuries.