PURPOSE: This presentation describes the use and benefits using of work permits to select a population-based sample of teen construction workers in North Carolina.
METHOD: The frame for this study was composed of all North Carolina Youth Employment Certificates filed by teenagers in North Carolina in June and July, 2000 who indicated that they intended to work for a company engaged in construction. A sample of 190 work permits was selected for telephone contact.
FINDINGS: Of the 190 selected youth workers, 153 were determined eligible with 135 (88%) of these completing an interview. At the time of the interview, all of the teen workers had worked for the employer on the work permit for 10 or more days. A substantial majority of teen construction workers in this sample were white (89%). A larger percentage of Latino teen workers (4%) than in the general population (~2%) was identified using the work permit frame. Almost a fifth of teenagers were less than 16 years of age in our sample. Based upon standard estimates of costs of productive (those yielding a completion) and unproductive calls, it is estimated that use of the work permit frame was .05 the cost of using a prepared list samples of banks of working numbers to screen for teenage construction workers.
CONCLUSIONS: Using work permits to identify teen workers is a cost effective means of selecting samples of teenage workers. Future studies must identify potential biases in using work permit files for selection of teen workers.
Learning Objectives: LEARNING OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1.Recognize to importance of work permits for sample selection of youth workers 2.Evaluate the potential benefit of using work permits in his or her state or locale to identify youth workers 3.Articulate differences in estimated cost of selecting samples using different strategies
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Occupational Safety
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.