Occupational injuries among older workers with disabilities: a prospective cohort study of the Health and Retirement Survey, 1992 to 1994.

TitleOccupational injuries among older workers with disabilities: a prospective cohort study of the Health and Retirement Survey, 1992 to 1994.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1998
AuthorsZwerling, C, Sprince, NL, Davis, CS, Whitten, PS, Wallace, RB, Heeringa, SG
JournalAm J Public Health
Volume88
Issue11
Pagination1691-5
Date Published1998 Nov
ISSN Number0090-0036
Call Numberpubs_1998_Zwerling_CAJPH.pdf
KeywordsAccidents, Occupational, Age Distribution, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Analysis of Variance, Cross-Sectional Studies, Disabled Persons, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Prospective Studies, Retirement, Risk Factors, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypothesis that among older workers, disabilities in general, and hearing and visual impairments in particular, are risk factors for occupational injuries.

METHODS: Using the first 2 interviews of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of Americans aged 51 to 61 years, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 5600 employed nonfarmers.

RESULTS: Testing a logistic regression model developed in a previous cross-sectional study, we found that the following occupations and risk factors were associated with occupational injury as estimated by odds ratios: service personnel, odds ratio = 1.71 (95% confidence interval = 1.13, 2.57); mechanics and repairers, 3.47 (1.98, 6.10); operators and assemblers, 2.33 (1.51, 3.61); laborers, 3.16 (1.67, 5.98); jobs requiring heavy lifting, 2.05 (1.55, 2.70); self-employment, 0.50 (0.34, 0.73); and self-reported disability, 1.58 (1.14, 2.19). Replacing the general disability variable with specific hearing and visual impairment variables, we found that poor hearing (1.35 [0.95, 1.93]) and poor sight (1.45 [0.94, 2.22]) both had elevated odds ratios.

CONCLUSIONS: Poor sight and poor hearing, as well as work disabilities in general, are associated with occupational injuries among older workers.

URLhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9807538/
DOI10.2105/ajph.88.11.1691
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9807538?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Labor/Occupational Injury/Health Status/Basic Demographics/Health Behaviors/Risk Factors/Disability/Disability

Endnote ID

8152

Alternate JournalAm J Public Health
Citation Key6613
PubMed ID9807538
PubMed Central IDPMC1508572
Grant List1 K01 OHAG00150-03 / OH / NIOSH CDC HHS / United States
R49 CCR703640-08 / / PHS HHS / United States