Citation

Shi J, Gardner S, Wheeler KK, Thompson MC, Lu B, Stallones L, Xiang H. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2015; 58(2): 168-177.

Affiliation

Center for Pediatric Trauma Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.22395

PMID

25603939

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Workers with disabilities have a higher risk of nonfatal occupational injuries than workers without disabilities. The characteristics of these injuries are not well described.

METHODS: Using 1997-2011 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, we compared the nonfatal occupational injuries sustained by U.S. workers with and without disabilities.

RESULTS: Overexertion or strenuous movements and falls accounted for 56.7% of all occupational injuries in workers with disabilities, compared with 45.6% in workers without a disability. Workers with disabilities were more frequently injured in the lower extremity (32.3% vs. 26.6%) or torso (22.9% vs. 16.9%). Workers with disabilities sustained more unspecified injuries (13.5% vs. 7.9%) and fewer open wound injuries (15.7% vs. 24.2%) than their counterparts without a disability.

CONCLUSIONS: U.S. workers with disabilities had a higher rate of occupational injuries and these injuries tended to be more severe and were more likely to be caused by overexertion/ strenuous movement or falls. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:168-177, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en