Impact of COVID-19 on occupational injuries and illnesses among nursing care facility workers: Analysis of California workers' compensation data, 2019-2021.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic greatly affected healthcare workers, both physically and psychologically, by increasing their workload and stress. This may also have increased their risk of occupational injuries. This study analyzed workers' compensation (WC) claims among California nursing care facility workers during 2019-2021, to assess the impact of the pandemic on occupational injury risk. METHODS: This study used data from the California Workers' Compensation Information System. WC claims in prepandemic and pandemic periods were described and compared between nursing care facilities and other settings. Nursing facility cases were described by demographic, job, and injury characteristics. RESULTS: In 2019-2021, we identified 41,134 claims as nursing facility cases in California. Annual claims increased by 64.6% from 2019 to 2020 and then decreased in 2021, returning to levels similar to pre-COVID. In contrast, non-healthcare settings had decreases in claims during the pandemic. COVID-related claims accounted for 50.5% of claims in nursing facilities in 2020-2021; this proportion was much higher compared with other healthcare (35.7%) or nonhealthcare settings (14.3%). Non-COVID claims decreased during the pandemic but mental disorder or stress claims increased in nursing facilities, particularly in 2020 (+42.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that nursing care facilities were more severely affected by the pandemic than other settings. We did not find evidence of an increased risk of occupational injuries during the pandemic, except for increased claims for stress or mental disorders. Our findings indicate a clear need to address psychological stress and mental health among nursing facility workers during a pandemic.

Estimation of the costs of smoking-related oral disease: a representative South Korean study.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to estimate the socioeconomic and psychological costs associated with smoking-related oral disease (SROD) with the aim of generating objective data that could be used in smoking cessation counselling by dental care providers and could also serve as data with which to set standards and criteria for use in dental health insurance. METHODS: Patients were sourced from the 11 dental hospitals associated with dental schools in South Korea. A total of 1,288 of 10,080 patients with SROD were selected to participate in the study for a period of 2 years from January 2009 to March 2011. Data collected were analysed using spss Version 17.0. RESULTS: Among the SRODs, the most common was periodontal disease (40.7%). Periodontal disease accounted for the highest social and economic costs. Mouth cancer accounted for the highest psychological cost. CONCLUSIONS: In order to reduce associated socioeconomic and psychological costs, dental care providers and government should provide more proactive and more efficient smoking cessation programmes.