{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Sick leaves among healthy pregnant Croatian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic due to loopholes in the occupational safety system.
{Author}: Samardžić T;Žaja R;Macan J;
{Journal}: Arh Hig Rada Toksikol
{Volume}: 75
{Issue}: 2
{Year}: 2024 Jun 1
{Factor}: 2.078
{DOI}: 10.2478/aiht-2024-75-3851
{Abstract}: The aim of this study was to explore occupational safety in pregnant Croatian healthcare workers (HCWs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To this end we composed an anonymous questionnaire that included pregnancy data, risk assessment and mitigation, and workplace intervention and distributed it to HCWs through social media of their groups and associations. The study includes a total of 173 respondents (71.1 % physicians, 19.7 % nurses, 9.2 % other HCWs) diagnosed with pregnancy in 2020 and 2021. Employers were notified about HCWs' pregnancy at the eighth (IQR 7.0-11.0) week of pregnancy, which delayed workplace risk assessment and mitigation beyond the first trimester. Only 19.6 % of the participants had the risk assessed and mitigated, mostly on their own initiative (76.5 %). After notifying employers about pregnancy, 37.0 % of participants opted for temporary work incapacity (TWI) due to "pregnancy complications" despite healthy pregnancy, 16.8 % were granted a pregnant worker's paid leave at the expense of the employer, while 5.8 % continued to work at the same workplace. Nurses used the TWI benefit more frequently than physicians (58.8 % vs 30.1 %, P=0.004). Our findings suggest that occupational safety of pregnant HCWs in Croatia lacks clear-cut and transparent strategies to protect pregnant HCWs, forcing them to misuse the healthcare system.<BR>Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti zaštitu na radu trudnih hrvatskih zdravstvenih radnica (ZR) tijekom pandemije koronovirusne bolesti 2019 (COVID-19). U tu smo svrhu sastavili anonimni upitnik koji je uključivao podatke o trudnoći, procjeni i smanjenju rizika te o intervencijama na radnom mjestu i distribuirali ga ZR putem društvenih medija njihovih grupa i udruženja. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo ukupno 173 sudionice (71,1 % liječnice, 19,7 % medicinske sestre, 9,2 % ostale ZR) kojima je dijagnosticirana trudnoća 2020. i 2021. Poslodavci su o trudnoći ZR obaviješteni u osmom (IQR 7,0–11,0) tjednu trudnoće, što je odgodilo procjenu i smanjenje rizika na radnom mjestu nakon prvog tromjesečja. Postupak procjene i smanjenja rizika proveden je u samo 19,6 % sudionica, uglavnom na njihovu inicijativu (76,5 %). Nakon što su poslodavca obavijestile o trudnoći, 37,0 % sudionica koristilo je privremenu nesposobnost za rad (PNR) zbog „komplikacija u trudnoći” unatoč zdravoj trudnoći, 16,8 % odobren je plaćeni dopust trudne radnice na teret poslodavca, dok je 5,8 % nastavilo raditi na istom radnom mjestu. Medicinske sestre koristile su PNR češće nego liječnice (58,8 % prema 30,1 %, P=0,004). Naši rezultati upućuju na nedostatak jasnih i transparentnih strategija zaštite trudnih ZR u Hrvatskoj, što ih prisiljava na zlouporabu zdravstvenog sustava.