OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS AMONG VETERINARIANS OF KARNATAKA – AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
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Date
2018-07
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KARNATAKA VETERINARY, ANIMAL AND FISHERIES SCIENCES UNIVERSITY, BIDAR – 585401
Abstract
A veterinarian is a practitioner of modern era, uses skills and knowledge for the
prevention and treatment of diseases, for well-being of animals. The present study aimed
to identify the occupational health hazards among veterinarians of Karnataka, to explore
the preventive measures taken by the veterinarians and to identify the constraints faced
by them. An exploratory research design was adopted for the study. Thirty veterinarians
were selected each from industry sector, large animal practitioners, research and
development and diagnostic sector, private pet practitioners, wildlife veterinarians and
farm sector veterinarians. Thus total of 180 veterinarians from Karnataka were selected
and interviewed. The result from the study revealed that majority of the large animal
practitioners (53.33%) and veterinarians working in the farm sector (40.00%) were
encountered by physical hazards, whereas majority veterinarians working in the research
and development and diagnostic sector were exposed to chemical hazards (36.66%).
About 43.34 per cent of private practitioners were exposed to radiation hazards. In case
of constraints as expressed, majority of them were found in wildlife sector (46.66%).
Veterinarians working in the industry sector faced medium level of occupational hazards.
In spite of having optimal awareness on various occupational hazards, preventive
measures are minimally practiced. It may be concluded that veterinarians are exposed to
variety of hazardous situations during their practice, hence there is need to educate
veterinarians during their early years of career