The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71118

Gordon S Smith, MD, MPH¹, Helen M Wellman, MS¹, Gary S. Sorock, PhD², Margaret Warner³, Theodore K. Courtney, MS, CSP⁴, and Glenn Pransky, MD, MPH⁵. (1) Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 71 Frankland Rd, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (508) 435-9061, Gordon.Smith@LibertyMutual.com, (2) Epidemiology Unit, Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety & Health, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (3) National Center for Health Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, 6525 Belcrest Road, Room 750, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (4) Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (5) Liberty Mutual Center for Disability Research, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748

Clinical injury data sources have not accurately reported whether injuries occurred at work; thus, their contribution to the total burden of injury cannot be assessed. Furthermore, information on work injuries that occur outside of the formal workplace (self-employed, contractors, agricultural and restaurant workers, informal work) is unavailable from established sources for recording work-related injuries. Methods: After 1997, The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) expanded information collected on injuries, to include all injuries, including those related to any paid work. For each household, an adult member provided information on all medically attended injuries occurring in the previous 3 months to any family member Results: The total injury rate was 11.7/100 population and the rate for injuries at work at work was 4.4 per 100 employed persons. An estimated 19.393 million injuries occur annually to working age adults: 28.6% (N=5.546 million) occurred while working for pay. Machinery injuries, overexertion and burns were more likely to occur at work while motor vehicle injuries were less likely to be occupationally related as were falls; however, other types of injuries were relatively similar in frequency in either context. Detailed comparisons of the differences between work and non-work injuries will be presented, as well as information on injuries arising from formal versus informal employment. Discussion:Injuries both on and off the job represent a significant burden to society and to the workplace Work and non-work injuries have many of the same characteristics and many of the same prevention strategies apply in the workplace and at home.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to;
• Describe the contribution of injuries at work to the total injury burden of working age adults;
• Explain the important differences between the pattern of injuries that occur at work and those that occur at home;
• Discuss the important limitation in our currently available data on injuries at work; and
• Discuss how the new National Health Interview Survey represents an important step forward in occupational injury surveillance.

Keywords: Injury, Occupational Injury and Death

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.