Ergonomic and Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Hospital Workers’ Compensation Injury Claims

Details

• Personal Author:
  Boyer J ; Cifuentes M ; d'Errico A ; Galizzi M ; Gore R ; Punnett, Laura ; Slatin C
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: Hospital workers are a diverse population with high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The risk of MSD leading to workers' compensation (WC) claims is likely to show a gradient by socioeconomic status (SES) that may be partly explained by working conditions. METHODS: A single community hospital provided workforce demographics and WC claim records for 2003-2005. An ergonomic job exposure matrix (JEM) was developed for these healthcare jobs from direct observation of physical workload and extraction of physical and psychosocial job requirements from the O*NET online database. Occupational exposures and SES categories were assigned to workers through their O*NET job titles. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed to estimate the propensity to file an injury claim in relation to individual factors, occupational exposures, and SES. RESULTS: The jobs with the highest injury rates were nurses, semi-professionals, and semi-skilled. Increased physical work and psychological demands along with low job tenure were associated with an increase in risk, while risk decreased with psychosocial rewards and supervisor support. Both occupational and individual factors mediated the relationship between SES and rate of injury claims. CONCLUSIONS: Physical and organizational features of these hospital jobs along with low job tenure predicted WC injury claim risk and explained a substantial proportion of the effects of SES. Further studies that include lifestyle risk factors and control for prior injuries and co-morbidities are warranted to strengthen the current study findings. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Demography Ergonomics Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Mental Health Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Stress, Psychological Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Analytical-processes Author Keywords: Occupational Health Disparities Demographic-characteristics Ergonomic Exposures Health-care Health-care-facilities Health-care-personnel Health-services Healthcare Sector Job-stress Job Exposure Matrix Musculoskeletal-system Musculoskeletal-system-disorders Musculoskeletal Injuries Nurses Occupational-hazards Occupational-health-services Physical-stress Physiological-effects Physiological-factors Physiological-response Posture Psychological-adaptation Psychological-effects Psychological-factors Psychological-reactions Psychological-responses Socioeconomic Status Sociological-factors Sociology Statistical-analysis Stress Work-analysis Work-environment Work-organization Work-performance Work-practices Worker-health Workers' Compensation Claims

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  52
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035991
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2009 Jul; 52(7):551-562
• Contact Point Address:
  Jon Boyer, Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Avenue, Kitson Building, Room 200H, Lowell, MA 01854
• Email:
  Jon_Boyer@uml.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• Performing Organization:
  University of Massachusetts - Lowell
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20000930
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20060929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9e489f5af9b6542875da7facdd09ff5d751e3b8521096d8a064bbe71a6e7136a04a74fb52250146558871fd85a0f166ec2d81e266c0ec84c6f32d07863f468d2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187624/cdc_187624_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 128.61 KB ]