ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine factors affecting the burden on employment of occupational health care providers as well as to develop strategies to reduce burden on employment of them in the middle size manufacturing enterprises. METHODS: The target population of this study was 123 managers working in the middle size manufacturing enterprises. The study questionnaires were selected, as theories and literature suggested, for explaining employment burden, general characteristics of participants and occupational health providers, general characteristics of companies, evaluation of occupational health provider's role and burden score. RESULTS: The mean of employment burden score of manager was 2.2. There was a significant difference in the employment burden scores, manager's age and education, and occupational health provider's age, type of work, certification, and employment status. Also there was a negative relationship between employment burden scores and occupational health provider's role scores (need, role, satisfaction, and benefit). In the results of the standard multiple regression analysis, manager's need scores on occupational health providers were significant predictors of the employment burden scores. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to change the manager's perception to promote employment of occupational health providers.