Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114267

Santosh K. Verma, MPH¹, Gary S. Sorock, PhD², Glenn S. Pransky, MD, MPH³, Theodore K. Courtney, MS, CSP¹, and Gordon S. Smith, MD, MPH¹. (1) Quantitative Analysis Unit, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, 508-497-0213, Santosh.Verma@LibertyMutual.com, (2) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Injury Research and Policy, 624 N. Broadway, Room 545, Baltimore, MD 21205, (3) Liberty Mutual Center for Disability Research, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748

Same level falls are an important source of workplace injury accounting for 12% of injuries with days away from work in 2002. Literature indicates that older women are at increased risk of fracture after falling and that leisure time physical activity may decrease this risk in older women. Our cross-sectional study examined the effect of physical activity at work on the proportion of fracture after falling in older female workers.

Three thousand female claimants in each of three age groups (18-49, 50-59 and 60-79) who suffered a same level fall were randomly selected from a major workers' compensation provider. Fracture occurrence was ascertained based on the coded ‘nature of injury'. Physical activity level and standing and sitting frequency were assigned using O*NET database occupational profiles. The proportion of fracture was calculated in each quartile of physical activity, standing and sitting.

The odds of fracture in female workers 60-79 years of age was 2.7 (95%CI 2.1-3.4) times higher than female workers age 18-49 years. Moderate physical activity levels and standing was significantly associated with decreased proportion of fracture in women 50 years and older but not in younger women. Low and heavy physical activity levels and sitting was associated with increased proportion of fracture in female workers 50 years and older. Heavier physical activity may be associated with high-energy falls, which accounted for this increase in proportion of fracture. The results suggest that standing and moderate physical activity at work may lower the risk of fracture in older female workers.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe common injuries that result from same level falls.
• 2. Recognize applications of the O*NET database in occupational safety research and practice.
• 3. Discuss the impact of age and physical activity at work on risk of fracture after a same level fall.

Keywords: Aging, Occupational Safety

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF Liberty Mutual Research Institute is a part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company..

Recorded presentation