Identifying occupational hazards among healthcare workers in Australia and Bhutan

Abstract

This research project examined the epidemiology of occupational exposures to hazardous chemicals and agents among healthcare workers in Australia and Bhutan. Data from three population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in 2011, 2014 and 2016 in Australia were analysed and a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2019 in three hospitals in Bhutan. The results indicate that a substantial proportion of healthcare workers in both countries were occupationally exposed to hazardous chemicals with exposure to asthmagens being the most common.