Citation

Reid A, Peters S, Felipe N, Lenguerrand E, Harding S. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 2015; 40(1): 49-54.

Affiliation

Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1753-6405.12407

PMID

26122013

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The shift from an industrial to a service-based economy has seen a decline in work-related injuries (WRIs) and mortality. How this relates to migrant workers, who traditionally held high-risk jobs is unknown. This study examined deaths and hospital admissions from WRI, among foreign and Australian-born workers.

METHODS: Tabulated population data from the 1991 to 2011 censuses, national deaths 1991-2002 and hospital admission for 2001-10. Direct age standardised mortality and hospital admission rates (DSRs) and rate ratios (RRs) were derived to examine differences in work-related mortality/hospital admissions by gender, country of birth, employment skill level and years of residence in Australia.

RESULTS: DSRs and RRs were generally lower or no different between Australian and foreign-born workers. Among men, mortality DSRs were lower for nine of 16 country of birth groups, and hospital admissions DSRs for 14 groups. An exception was New Zealand-born men, with 9% (95%CI 9-13) excess mortality and 24% (95%CI 22-26) excess hospital admissions.

CONCLUSIONS: Four decades ago, foreign-born workers were generally at higher risk of WRI than Australian-born. This pattern has reversed. The local-born comprise 75% of the population and a pro-active approach to health and safety regulation could achieve large benefits.

Language: en