About the trends in the change in indicators of occupational morbidity of healthcare practitioners in the Samara region

Background. Healthcare practitioners represent one of the most significant professional groups, the number of which in Russia is more than 3 million people. The work of healthcare practitioners is associated with the impact of a variety of unfavorable factors of the working environment. The first place in the structure of occupational pathology of healthcare practitioners is consistently occupied by infectious diseases, accounting for 80.2% on average in Russia. Until now, among the infectious diseases of healthcare practitioners, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis prevailed. Healthcare practitioners are a group at increased risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the provision of medical care in modern conditions. A novel coronavirus infection in healthcare practitioners can be considered an occupational disease if the introduction of infection occurred during the course of their professional duties. In 2020, in the group of occupational diseases caused by the influence of biological factors, the first place is occupied by diseases caused by a novel coronavirus infection. The presence of severe complications and disability determine the relevance of the analysis of the features of occupational diseases in healthcare practitioners in order to improve their diagnosis, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Objective. Evaluation of the state of occupational morbidity of healthcare practitioners in the Samara region over the past 3 years (2018-2020) to determine the main trends in its dynamics, to analyze the structure, taking into account nosological forms, professions, and their features in the context of a pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 in 2020-2021. Methods. The analysis of the state of occupational morbidity of healthcare practitioners in the Samara region was carried out according to the data of the Samara Regional Center for Occupational Pathology for the period 2018-2020 based on expert, reporting and statistical methods. Results. Occupational morbidity in the Samara region remains at a high level and exceeds the national average ones. In 2018-2019, overexertion-caused diseases (45.6%) occupied a leading position among the nosological forms of occupational diseases of healthcare practitioners in the Samara region. Allergic pathology was in second place during this period (32.25%); diseases associated with exposure to biological factors accounted for 16.12% (tuberculosis - 60% and viral hepatitis - 40%). In 2020, the ratio of acute and chronic occupational morbidity changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the structure of nosological forms of occupational diseases, the first place was taken by diseases associated with the influence of biological factors - 51.21%, with leading position of diseases caused by a novel coronavirus infection (92.3%). In the period from 2020 to October 2021, medical workers in the Samara region were diagnosed with 152 cases of acute occupational disease, a novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 (74 cases with temporary disability, 78 fatal) and 5 cases of chronic occupational diseases, associated with the coronavirus infection, which determined the permanent disability. Conclusion. Currently, the working environment of healthcare practitioners does not exclude a further increase in occupational morbidity. In the context of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection around the world, it is necessary to direct more efforts to increase knowledge and study of COVID-19 from the perspective of occupational medicine in order to preserve the health of healthcare practitioners as a socially significant category of citizens that ensures the maintenance and improvement of public health.

occupational diseases, novel coronavirus infection COVID-19, healthcare practitioners, Samara