Morbidity, Health, and Well-Being of Young U.S. Workers

Background: Young workers (≤24 years) are a large and relatively unstudied population in the US. Research suggests that among the young having a job can provide a variety of short- and long-term risks and/or benefits. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provides a large and nationally-representative sample of all US civilian workers in which to explore the morbidity, health, and well-being of young workers. Methods: Pooling 2004-2010 NHIS data for 11,279 US workers 18-24 years of age (representing >16 million US workers/year), we evaluated 25+ indicators related to morbidity, health, and well-being by 9 occupational subgroups adjusting for complex survey sample design. Results: Several potential health risks and disparities were found among young workers. More than 14% [Weighted Prevalence: 14.6; (95% Confidence Interval: 13.8-15.5)] of all young workers reported having asthma. Among occupational groups, risky drinking was significant with Officials/Managers reporting the highest prevalence [45.0; (39.6-50.3)] and Administrative Support workers [30.7; (28.2-33.4)] the lowest. Black workers in Sales occupations [30.3; (24.1-37.2)] and female workers in all occupations [25.2; (23.8-26.6)] reported needing medical care in the last 12 months, but not getting it due to cost. Conclusions: Young workers in the US represent an at-risk population for morbidity and health impacts with the potential for lifelong consequences. Surveillance and identification of priority worker population subgroups for workplace interventions designed to enhance health and well-being over the life course is recommended.