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Acute joint pain in the emerging green collar workforce: Evidence from the linked National Health Interview Survey and Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
Author(s) -
Huntley Samuel R.,
Lee David J.,
LeBlanc William G.,
Arheart Kristopher L.,
McClure Laura A.,
Fleming Lora E.,
CabanMartinez Alberto J.
Publication year - 2017
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.22710
Subject(s) - medicine , collar , workforce , physical therapy , psychological intervention , joint pain , blue collar , environmental health , nursing , demographic economics , mechanical engineering , engineering , economics , economic growth
Background Green jobs are a rapidly emerging category of very heterogeneous occupations that typically involve engagement with new technologies and changing job demands predisposing them to physical stressors that may contribute to the development of joint pain. Methods We estimated and compared the prevalence of self‐reported acute (past 30 days) joint pain between green and non‐green collar workers using pooled 2004‐2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data linked to the Occupational Information Network Database (O*NET). Results Green collar workers have a higher prevalence of acute joint pain as compared to non‐green collar workers. Green collar workers with pain in the upper extremity joints were significantly greater than in the non‐green collar workforce, for example, right shoulder [23.2% vs 21.1%], right elbow [13.7% vs 12.0%], left shoulder [20.1% vs 18.2%], and left elbow [12.0% vs 10.7%]. Conclusions Acute joint pain reported by the emerging green collar workforce can assist in identifying at risk worker subgroups for musculoskeletal pain interventions.