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Work-related pain and injury and barriers to workers' compensation among Las Vegas hotel room cleaners

Author

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  • Scherzer, T.
  • Rugulies, R.
  • Krause, N.

Abstract

Objectives. We examined the prevalence of work-related pain and injury and explored barriers to and experiences of reporting among workers. Methods. We surveyed 941 unionized hotel room cleaners about work-related pain, injury, disability, and reporting. Results. During the past 12 months, 75% of workers in our study experienced work-related pain, and 31% reported it to management; 20% filed claims for workers' compensation as a result of work-related injury, and 35% of their claims were denied. Barriers to reporting injury included "It would be too much trouble" (43%), "I was afraid" (26%), and "I didn't know how" (18%). An estimated 69% of medical costs were shifted from employers to workers. Conclusions. The reasons for underreporting and the extent of claim denial warrant further investigation. Implications for worker health and the precise quantification of shifting costs to workers also should be addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Scherzer, T. & Rugulies, R. & Krause, N., 2005. "Work-related pain and injury and barriers to workers' compensation among Las Vegas hotel room cleaners," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(3), pages 483-488.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2003.033266_9
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2003.033266
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    Cited by:

    1. José Miquel Cabeças, 2008. "Characterization of cleaners accidents in the Portuguese service sector," Enterprise and Work Innovation Studies, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, IET/CICS.NOVA-Interdisciplinary Centre on Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, vol. 4(4), pages 139-155, November.
    2. Kapteyn, Arie & Smith, James P. & van Soest, Arthur, 2008. "Dynamics of work disability and pain," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 496-509, March.
    3. W. Gary Allread & Pamela Vossenas, 2022. "Comparisons of Trunk Motions and Low Back Injury Risk between Alternative Hotel Room Cleaning Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Xiuming Dong & Johanna Catherine Maclean & David Powell, 2024. "Social Insurance Spillovers: Evidence From Paid Sick Leave Mandates and Workers' Compensation," NBER Working Papers 32751, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Pia Orrenius & Madeline Zavodny, 2009. "Do immigrants work in riskier jobs?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 46(3), pages 535-551, August.
    6. Naomi Anderson & Jennifer Marcum & David Bonauto & Miriam Siegel & Claire LaSee, 2023. "The Relative Burden of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in Firefighters: An Analysis of Washington Workers’ Compensation Claims, 2006–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Cristian Sánchez-Rodríguez & Oana Bulilete & Xenia Chela-Alvarez & Olga Velasco-Roldán & Joan Llobera-Canaves, 2022. "Chronic Pain and Work Conditions of Hotel Housekeepers: A Descriptive Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-14, March.
    8. Dr. Omar A Jawabreh, 2017. "Analyzing Factors Affect on Five Stars Occupational Safety in Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)," Journal of Social Sciences (COES&RJ-JSS), , vol. 6(4), pages 802-815, October.
    9. Gleeson, Shannon, 2012. "Leveraging health capital at the workplace: An examination of health reporting behavior among Latino immigrant restaurant workers in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2291-2298.
    10. Helena Lundberg & Jan Ch. Karlsson, 2011. "Under the clean surface," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 25(1), pages 141-148, March.
    11. Marquita Walker, 2016. "Hospitality in Jeopardy," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(3), pages 21582440166, August.
    12. Xenia Chela-Alvarez & Oana Bulilete & M. Esther García-Buades & Victoria A. Ferrer-Perez & Joan Llobera-Canaves, 2020. "Perceived Factors of Stress and Its Outcomes among Hotel Housekeepers in the Balearic Islands: A Qualitative Approach from a Gender Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-21, December.

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