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Injuries at work in the US adult population: Contributions to the total injury burden

Author

Listed:
  • Smith, G.S.
  • Wellman, H.M.
  • Sorock, G.S.
  • Warner, M.
  • Courtney, T.K.
  • Pransky, G.S.
  • Fingerhut, L.A.

Abstract

Objectives. We estimated the contribution of nonfatal work-related injuries on the injury burden among working-age adults (aged 18-64 years) in the United States. Methods. We used the 1997-1999 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to estimate injury rates and proportions of work-related vs non-work-related injuries. Results. An estimated 19.4 million medically treated injuries occurred annually to working-age adults (11.7 episodes per 100 persons; 95% confidence interval [Cl]= 11.3, 12.1); 29%, or 5.5 million (4.5 per 100 persons; 95% Cl = 4.2, 4.7), occurred at work and varied by gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Among employed persons, 38% of injuries occurred at work, and among employed men aged 55-64 years, 49% of injuries occurred at work. Conclusions. Injuries at work comprise a substantial part of the injury burden, accounting for nearly half of all injuries in some age groups. The NHIS provides an important source of population-based data with which to determine the work relatedness of injuries. Study estimates of days away from work after injury were 1.8 times higher than the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) workplace-based estimates and 1.4 times as high as BLS estimates for private industry. The prominence of occupational injuries among injuries to working-age adults reinforces the nead to examine workplace conditions in efforts to reduce the societal impact of injuries.

Suggested Citation

  • Smith, G.S. & Wellman, H.M. & Sorock, G.S. & Warner, M. & Courtney, T.K. & Pransky, G.S. & Fingerhut, L.A., 2005. "Injuries at work in the US adult population: Contributions to the total injury burden," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(7), pages 1213-1219.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2004.049338_2
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.049338
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    Cited by:

    1. Irwin Horwitz & Brian McCall, "undated". "An Analysis of Occupational Burn Injuries in Rhode Island: Workers' Compensation Claims 1998-2002," Working Papers 1005, Human Resources and Labor Studies, University of Minnesota (Twin Cities Campus).
    2. Ralf Dethlefsen & Luisa Orlik & Martin Müller & Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos & Stefan M. Scholz & Jolanta Klukowska-Rötzler & Mairi Ziaka, 2022. "Work-Related Injuries among Insured Construction Workers Presenting to a Swiss Adult Emergency Department: A Retrospective Study (2016–2020)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Nathan N O’Hara & Marckenley Isaac & Gerard P Slobogean & Niek S Klazinga, 2020. "The socioeconomic impact of orthopaedic trauma: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Lava R Timsina & Joanna L Willetts & Melanye J Brennan & Helen Marucci-Wellman & David A Lombardi & Theodore K Courtney & Santosh K Verma, 2017. "Circumstances of fall-related injuries by age and gender among community-dwelling adults in the United States," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-21, May.
    5. Mark Hayward & Robert Hummer & Chi-Tsun Chiu & César González-González & Rebeca Wong, 2014. "Does the Hispanic Paradox in U.S. Adult Mortality Extend to Disability?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(1), pages 81-96, February.
    6. Mara Sheftel & Frank W. Heiland, 2018. "Disability crossover: Is there a Hispanic immigrant health advantage that reverses from working to old age?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(7), pages 209-250.

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