Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37833069›Full record

ArticleOccupational and environmental medicine2023

National examination of occupational hazards in emergency medical services.

Jonathan R Powell, Rebecca E Cash, Jordan D Kurth, Christopher B Gage, Christopher B Mercer, Ashish R Panchal

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Occupational and environmental medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jonathan R PowellResearch Department, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, Ohio, USA jpowell@nremt.org.ORCID 0000-0003-3443-0247
Rebecca E CashHarvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Jordan D KurthDepartment of General Internal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Christopher B GageResearch Department, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Christopher B MercerCombat Paramedic Program, US Army Medical Center of Excellence, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA.
Ashish R PanchalResearch Department, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveEmergency medical services (EMS) clinicians operate in environments that predispose them to occupational hazards. Our objective was to evaluate the frequency of occupational hazards and associations with mitigation strategies in a national dataset.

methodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of currently working, nationally certified civilian EMS clinicians aged 18-85 in the USA. After recertifying their National EMS Certification, respondents were invited to complete a survey with questions regarding demographics, work experience and occupational hazards. Three multivariable logistic regression models (OR, 95% CI) were used to describe associations between these hazards and demographics, work characteristics and mitigation strategies. Models were adjusted for age, sex, minority status, years of experience, EMS agency type, service type and EMS role.

resultsA total of 13 218 respondents met inclusion criteria (response rate=12%). A high percentage of EMS clinicians reported occupational injuries (27%), exposures (38%) and violence (64%) in the past 12 months. Odds of injury were lower with the presence of a lifting policy (0.73, 0.67-0.80), lift training (0.74, 0.67-0.81) and always using a powered stretcher (0.87, 0.78-0.97). Odds of exposure decreased with chemical, biological and nuclear exposure protection training (0.75, 0.69-0.80). Training in de-escalation techniques was associated with lower odds of experiencing violence (0.87, 0.79-0.96).

conclusionsOccupational hazards are commonly experienced among EMS clinicians. Common mitigation efforts are associated with lower odds of reporting these hazards. Mitigation strategies were not widespread and associated with lower odds of occupational hazards. These findings may present actionable items to reduce occupational hazards for EMS clinicians.

Indexed as

Emergency Medical ServicesEmergency Medical TechniciansOccupational InjuriesCross-Sectional StudiesHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesHealth PersonnelOccupational HealthPublic health

Identifiers

PMID37833069
PMCPMC10646910

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.