Epidemiology Characteristics and Trends among Fatal and non-fatal Occupational Injury Inpatients

• Main Authors: Huang, Juyun, 黃茹筠
• Other Authors: Chien, Wuchien
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/04002053958887840318

碩士 === 國防醫學院 === 公共衛生學研究所 === 100 === Background: According to the estimation of International Labour Organization, there were 2.34 million deaths due to work-related accident and illness around the world in 2008, and the mortality rates of occupational injuries were about 10.7 per 100,000; moreover, the mortality rates of occupational injuries were 3 per 100,000 in Taiwan. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to comparing demographic variables, time of treatment, characteristics of injury, and medical-related characteristics between the fatal and non-fatal occupational injury inpatients, to analyze the factors and the long-term trends of inpatient fatality due to occupational injuries. Methods: The study samples were obtained from National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2009, and then we selected fatal and non-fatal occupational injury inpatients aged 15 and over into analysis. Results: There were 560 fatal inpatients and 204,722 non-fatal hospitalization events due to occupational injuries from 1997 to 2009. The proportions of male in fatal occupational injury inpatients were higher than those in non-fatal ones, and there were the same phenomenon among catastrophic illness, high urbanized town, hospitalization in medical center, and received surgical treatment; however, the proportions of repeated hospitalization in fatal occupational injury inpatients were lower than those in non-fatal ones, and so did hospitalization in district hospital. The multiple injuries in fatal occupational injury inpatients were more than those in non-fatal ones (4.02 vs. 2.39, respectively); besides, the average of medical cost in fatal occupational injury inpatients were more than those in non-fatal ones (NT$ 229,091.8 vs. NT$ 51,960.4, respectively). In addition, the factors of inpatient fatality due to occupational injuries were male, catastrophic illness, intracranial injury, skull fractures, thorax/abdomen or pelvis injuries, burn, motor vehicle injuries, fall injuries, injuries caused by explosive material, non-repeated hospitalization, more number of multiple injuries, hospitalization in medical center, hospitalization in regional hospital, higher medical costs, and less length of stays. In terms of long-term trends, the overall inpatient fatality rates of occupational injury rose between 1997 and 2009 (from 2.58‰ to 3.87‰). The inpatient fatality rates of occupational injury in male increased from 2.77‰ to 3.84‰, and those in female ascended from 1.21‰‰ to 3.95‰. Suggestions: In the future, the government should make occupational injury prevention programs for both employers and employees in order to avoid fatal occupational injury of high-risk groups, including male, aged 65 and over, and catastrophic illness and etc.