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Occupational vs. Industry Sector Classification of the US Workforce: Which approach is more strongly associated with worker health outcomes?
Author(s) -
Arheart Kristopher L.,
Fleming Lora E.,
Lee David J.,
LeBlanc William G.,
CabanMartinez Alberto J.,
Ocasio Manuel A.,
McCollister Kathryn E.,
Christ Sharon L.,
Clarke Tainya,
Kachan Diana,
Davila Evelyn P.,
Fernandez Cristina A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20973
Subject(s) - workforce , medicine , national health interview survey , environmental health , occupational safety and health , demography , health sector , mortality rate , gerontology , demographic economics , economic growth , population , health services , surgery , economics , pathology , sociology
Objectives Through use of a nationally representative database, we examined the variability in both self‐rated health and overall mortality risk within occupations across the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Industry Sectors, as well as between the occupations within the NORA Industry sectors. Methods Using multiple waves of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) representing an estimated 119,343,749 US workers per year from 1986 to 2004, age‐adjusted self‐rated health and overall mortality rates were examined by occupation and by NORA Industry Sector. Results There was considerable variability in the prevalence rate of age‐adjusted self‐rated poor/fair health and overall mortality rates for all US workers. The variability was greatest when examining these data by the Industry Sectors. In addition, we identified an overall pattern of increased poor/fair self‐reported health and increased mortality rates concentrated among particular occupations and particular Industry Sectors. Conclusions This study suggests that using occupational categories within and across Industry Sectors would improve the characterization of the health status and health disparities of many subpopulations of workers within these Industry Sectors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:748–757, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.