動物醫療院所獸醫之健康狀況及工作環境研究
Health Status and Working Environment of Veterinarians in Animal Hospitals and Clinics
中文摘要
國內過去的研究，鮮有針對「獸醫」本身的健康狀況及工作環境做完整的探討。
本研究針對1,317 位全國動物醫療院所之獸醫師(佐)為研究對象，以郵寄結構式
自填問卷的方式進行之(其間進行兩次問卷催收)。問卷施測期間為 1998 年十二 月底至1999 年四月底。共回收 402 份問卷(回收率 30.5%)，有效問卷共 390 份。
結果顯示，受訪者平均年齡為37.3 歲；且絕大多數為男性(男女性別比 10:1)。受 訪者的健康狀況，眼睛方面症狀以發癢(48.9%)、眼睛乾澀(42.1%)、視力減退 (38.8%)為主。耳朵方面症狀為耳鳴(24.1%)、眩暈(22.9%)、聽不清楚別人說話 (18.5%)。呼吸方面症狀為鼻塞、流鼻涕或打噴涕(86.6%)、咳嗽且有痰(73.7%)、乾 咳(52.6%)為多，而經醫師診斷出的呼吸方面疾病以過敏性鼻炎(20.8%)居高。皮 膚方面症狀為容易發癢(skin itching)(59.7%)、皮膚起疹(44.1%)、皮膚發紅 (36.4%)；經醫師診斷出的皮膚疾病，以過敏性皮膚疹(8.4%)、接觸刺激性皮膚炎 (5.8%)為主；好發部位為手部。36.6%罹患消化方面的症狀或疾病，其中以自填 有腹瀉(20.7%)居多。64.8%肌肉骨骼酸痛或不舒服，其好發部位為腰部、頸部及 肩膀。
59.5%的受訪者認為工作時間太長；而實際平均每週工作時數(70.7 小時)亦高於 台灣地區就業者平均每週工作時數的1.5 倍強(46.8 小時)。
受訪者遭受動物攻擊的發生率為2.1 次/人/月，手(97.8%)是最常受攻擊的部位；
針扎發生率為6.3 次/人/年，較人醫醫療機構中針扎發生率最高的護理人員(1.2- 2.8 次/人/年)，仍高出許多。工作年資淺者認為動物攻擊、針扎、輻射是工作環境 中潛在危險因子者顯著高於年資長者；而年紀較輕、年資較淺、學歷較高者使用 X 光機、超音波、抗癌藥物、麻醉氣體、甲醛、顯影劑者顯著較多。有診療過的人畜 共通傳染病，以貓抓熱、輪癬、鉤端螺旋體症為多；因而受感染者以輪癬及弓蟲 症為主。
受訪者遭受動物攻擊的發生率為2.1 次/人/月，手(97.8%)是最常受攻擊的部位；
針扎發生率為6.3 次/人/年，較人醫醫療機構中針扎發生率最高的護理人員(1.2- 2.8 次/人/年)，仍高出許多。工作年資淺者認為動物攻擊、針扎、輻射是工作環境 中潛在危險因子者顯著高於年資長者；而年紀較輕、年資較淺、學歷較高者使用 X 光機、超音波、抗癌藥物、麻醉氣體、甲醛、顯影劑者顯著較多。動物醫院獸醫暴 露的人畜共通傳染病，以貓抓熱、輪癬及鉤端螺旋體症為多；因而受感染者以輪 癬及弓蟲症為主。
英文摘要
Health status and working environment of veterinarians have been disregarded in
Taiwan. Thus, 1,317 veterinarians in animal hospitals and clinics were surveyed by mailed self-administered questionnaires with follow-up of non-respondents between December 1998 and April 1999. The overall response rate was 30.5% (402/1,317) and the effective response rate was 29.6% (390/1,317). The average age of respondents was 37.3 years old, and the major practitioners were male (90%).
The eye symptoms of respondents were eye itching (48.9%) , eye drying (42.1%), and sight weakness (38.8%). Ear symptoms were tinnitus (24.1%), dizziness (2.9%), and loss of clarity in hearing (18.5%). Respiratory symptoms were stuffing nose/nasal mucus/sneezing (86.6%), cough with phlegm (73.7%), and hack (52.6%). Allergic rhinitis (20.8%) was the major respiratory disease, which were diagnosed by medical doctors.
The predominant cutaneous symptoms of respondents were skin itching (59.7%), skin eruptions (44.1%), and skin redness (36.4%). Allergic contact dermatitis (8.4%) and irritant dermatitis (5.8%) caused most cases of skin diseases. Hands were the most commonly affected parts of skin.
36.6% of respondents suffered digestive symptoms/diseases, and diarrhea (20.7%) was the most frequent one. 64.8% of respondent suffered musculoskeletal sores, mostly on lumbar, neck, and shoulder. 59.5% of respondents considered that they had long work time (70.7 hr/wk) compared to 46.8 hr/wk, the average work time of employees in Taiwan.
The incident rate of animal attack was 2.1/person/month, and hand injuries (97.8%) were most common. The needlestick injury rate was 6.3 sticks/person/year, compare to 1.2-2.8 sticks/person/year of nurses.
Animal attack, needlestick, and radiation were considered to be the more frequent risk factors by respondents with less work experience. Respondents with higher education status, less work experience, or younger age exhibited higher frequency of utilizing X-ray, ultrasonic waves, antineoplastic drugs, anesthetic gas, formaldehyde, and developer when compared with workers with lower education status, more work experience, or older age. The most commonly zoonotic diseases which respondents have been diagnosed were cat scratch fever, ringworm, and leptospirosis. However, ringworm and toxoplasmosis were the most frequently reported zoonotic infections among our respondents.
