Premium
Disparities in occupational injury hospitalization rates in five states (2003–2009)
Author(s) -
Sears Jeanne M.,
Bowman Stephen M.,
HoggJohnson Sheilah
Publication year - 2015
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.22427
Subject(s) - medicine , healthcare cost and utilization project , occupational safety and health , injury prevention , health equity , ethnic group , poison control , suicide prevention , demography , health care , population , gerontology , environmental health , public health , nursing , pathology , sociology , anthropology , economics , economic growth
Background Achievement of health equity and elimination of disparities are overarching goals of Healthy People 2020, yet there is a paucity of population‐based data regarding race/ethnicity‐based disparities in occupational injuries. Methods Hospital discharge data for five states (Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, and New York) were obtained from the Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project (HCUP) for 2003–2009. Age‐adjusted rates and trends for work‐related injury hospitalizations were calculated using negative binomial regression (reference category: non‐Latino white). Results Latinos were significantly more likely to have a work‐related traumatic injury hospitalization. The disparity for Latinos was greatest for machinery‐related hospitalizations. Latinos were also more likely to have a fall‐related hospitalization. African‐Americans were more likely to have an occupational assault‐related hospitalization, but less likely to have a fall‐related hospitalization. Conclusions We found evidence of substantial multistate disparities in occupational injury‐related hospitalizations. Enhanced surveillance and further research are needed to identify and address underlying causes. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:528–540, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.