Evaluation of the knowledge levels of healthcare professionals about occupational diseases

Aims: In the world and in our country, technological advancements, increased consumption, and new employment opportunities have led to an increasing number of health issues related to professionals, such as occupational diseases and workplace accidents. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with the participation of healthcare professionals at Erzurum City Hospital. A total of 287 healthcare professionals who agreed to participate in the study without the need for sampling were included. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequency, percentage, mean±standard deviation, and median (min:max). The chisquare test was used for the analysis of categorical data. Results: All 91.3% of participants stated that they were aware of occupational diseases, 50.9% received education/training on occupational diseases, and 47.4% believed that occupational diseases are preventable. It was observed that women and married participants were more likely to hear occupational diseases, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Consequently, the study revealed that the knowledge of hospital employees about occupational diseases and occupational accidents was insufficient. Healthcare professionals should be informed about the risks that may cause occupational diseases in the work environment. Studies should be carried out and necessary trainings should be planned to increase the level of knowledge about the protective measures against these risks.