Title | Occupational injuries among older workers with disabilities: a prospective cohort study of the Health and Retirement Survey, 1992 to 1994. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1998 |
Authors | Zwerling, C, Sprince, NL, Davis, CS, Whitten, PS, Wallace, RB, Heeringa, SG |
Journal | Am J Public Health |
Volume | 88 |
Issue | 11 |
Pagination | 1691-5 |
Date Published | 1998 Nov |
ISSN Number | 0090-0036 |
Call Number | pubs_1998_Zwerling_CAJPH.pdf |
Keywords | Accidents, 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. |
URL | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9807538/ |
DOI | 10.2105/ajph.88.11.1691 |
User Guide Notes | |
Endnote Keywords | Labor/Occupational Injury/Health Status/Basic Demographics/Health Behaviors/Risk Factors/Disability/Disability |
Endnote ID | 8152 |
Alternate Journal | Am J Public Health |
Citation Key | 6613 |
PubMed ID | 9807538 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC1508572 |
Grant List | 1 K01 OHAG00150-03 / OH / NIOSH CDC HHS / United States R49 CCR703640-08 / / PHS HHS / United States |