Trend of occupational injuries and diseases among insured workers in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

For the rapidly growing economy of Saudi Arabia, trends analysis of occupational injuries and diseases [OID] is a major need for planning of their management, prevention and control. The aim is to study the trends of OID among insured workers in Saudi Arabia. The related morbidity and mortality data of OID of five years starting from 2003 to 2007 were collected by a structured data collection sheet from offices of injury and diseases compensation in 20 regions of Saudi Arabia. To develop national indicators, basic data were collected from Ministry of labor, Ministry of Industry and The Central Department of Statistics and Information. Morbidity and mortality indicators were calculated. The percentage of increase or decrease between 2003 and 2007 as well as trend values were also calculated. The total identified number of OID was 450841 with a mean annual incidence rate of 29.43/1000 flull time workers [FTW]. An overall significant decreasing trend by 17.93% of OID was detected. OID in construction and transforming industries showed the highest mean annual incidence rates but their trend were significantly decreasing. The highest and significant increasing trend were detected for financing and real-estates [59.50%] followed by mining and quarrying [18.60%] and agriculture and fishing economic activities [14.24%]. Trends of OID depend on nature, causes and body part or system affected. The mean annual disability and fatality rate were 10.05 and 1.25/10000 FTW respectively with an increasing trend. The mean annual incidence rate of OID was less than that mentioned in the available literature. Some economic activities showed an increasing trend in OID while the overall trend was decreasing. Fatality and disability trends were increasing. Evaluation of health and safety programs as well as further studies are recommended to explore the causes of increasing trends of the general disability and fatality rates and the increasing trend of OID in some economic activities