Prevalence of perceived occupational injuries and associated factors among factory workers in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational injuries are a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries where the burden is 10 to 20 times higher than in industrialized nations. In Somalia, factory work is considered the most hazardous sector, with limited data on injury prevalence. Reliable data would enable the government and relevant agencies to develop evidence-based occupational safety and health policies and implement targeted interventions to address the most common injury causes, such as burns or falls, ultimately reducing injury rates and improving worker safety. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of occupational injuries and identify individual and workplace-related factors contributing to these injuries among factory workers in Mogadishu district, Somalia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 623 randomly selected factory workers in Mogadishu. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire uploaded in Kobo Collect software and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to identify significant factors associated with occupational injuries. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Majority 72.8% (454/623) of the study participants were manual labourers and less than half 41.3% (257/623) had reached tertiary level. Participants’ mean age was 31 years (SD±9.7). About 29.7% (185/623) reported to have experienced an occupational injury in the last 6 months; of which majority 55.7%S(103/185) were burns. Several factors were found to be significantly associated with the outcome. Older workers [AOR=0.37, p=0.003, CI=0.05-0.81] were at a lower risk of suffering from occupational injuries. Individuals who had friends who suffered from injury before [AOR=2.87, p=0.02, CI=1.16-7.11], those with disabilities [AOR=3.45, p= 0.004, CI=1.49-7.99] were at a higher risk of experiencing injuries. Additionally, workers experiencing sleep disturbances [AOR=5.01, p<0.001, CI=2.31-10.84 were more likely to be injured. Those with higher education levels [AOR=0.64, P=0.04, CI=0.18-0.90], in factories with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) guidelines [AOR=0.78, p=0.01, CI=0.25-0.81], providing PPE to workers [AOR=0.57, p=0.03, CI=0.51-0.91] and undergoing medical examination at workplace [AOR=0.71, p=0.04, CI=0.19-0.98] were less likely to have occupational injuries. Those who reported noise at workplace [AOR=3.82, p=0.001, CI=1.32-4.91) were more likely to have occupational injuries. Conclusion: There was high prevalence (29.7%) of occupational injuries among factory workers in Mogadishu. Age, education level, disability, having friends who had suffered injuries, those experiencing sleep disturbances, and those who sometimes slept at the workplace, the presence of occupational safety and health (OSH) guidelines like Somalia guidelines for machine operation in milling factories, safety rules and regulations for machine operators and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, safety glasses, earplugs and muffs were associated with a reduced likelihood of injuries, emphasizing the importance of implementing and adhering to safety protocols. Additionally, excessive workplace noise significantly increased injury risk, while undergoing medical examinations prior to employment was associated with a lower risk of injuries. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive occupational safety interventions addressing both individual and workplace factors.