THE PREVALENCE OF DISABILITY AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS: A SAMPLE FROM TURKEY

Objective: It is predicted that worldwide, there are over one billion people who live with one sort of disability or another. This study aims to assess the prevalence of disability among health care workers and associated problems. Material and Method: This is a cross-sectional study. The population of study was comprised of 908 health tare workers in a training and research hospital. A list was obtained from the human resources department of the hospital management and 323 people (a response rate 35.5%) agreed to participate in a survey to determine disability. A brief set of questions prepared by the Washington Disability Statistics Group was implemented. The set results defined 63 people as being disabled (19.5%). Results: The findings indicated that among the disabled health care workers, 44.5% were older (above the age of 40), 65.1% were females, 60.3% had a educational status of university or less, 38.1% were doctors, and 52.4% worked in the clinical sciences. 13% of the health care workers had cognitive impairment. 15.9% suffered from cardiac or circulatory ailments, 85.7% had complained of fatigue. and 73% had muscular-joint pains. In addition, 77.8% of the health care workers indicated that they had difficulties in commutes to and from the hospital in terms of the routes and the means of transport available. Among the disabled health care workers, 65.1% claimed they found the breaks to be insufficient, 58.7% said they were victims of mobbing, 57.1% stated they desired to work part-time, and 55.6% indicated they worked in positions which did not necessitate any skill sets. Conclusion: In conclusion, it appears disabled health care professionals face a number of problems. A common set of definitions and a disability detection form should be established and prepared in order to enable the possibility of comparing results on an international basis. In addition, certain efforts should be implemented which make the conditions more suitable for disabled health professionals, such as the application of more flexible or part-time hours, an increase in the number of breaks, a cessation of mobbing, engaging in tasks of menial labor should he prevented and transport should be improved. Further studies are needed for international and cross-sectoral comparisons.