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Work-Related Injuries among Immigrant Workers.

PB2013105837

Publication Date	2010
Personal Author	Xiang, H.; Smith, G. A.; Kelleher, K.; Wilkins, J.; Lu, B.
Page Count	37
Abstract	Immigrants are an important and fast growing segment of the US population, approximately 12% of the total population. Immigrant workers comprise a sizable proportion of the total US workforce, and their numbers are growing. In recent years, safety and injury prevention at work have been raised as an issue among the US immigrant population, in part, because low skill immigrants are often employed in dangerous sectors such as agriculture and construction industries. This research project investigated nonfatal injuries and work-related injuries among immigrants and US-born adults in the United States. We used three national probability sample survey data: 1997-2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), and 2000-2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The NHIS data were used to compare prevalence and patterns of work-related injuries between immigrant and US-born workers (Specific Aim 1). The NESARC data were used to compare the prevalence of unintentional nonfatal injuries and risk-taking behaviors between immigrant and US-born respondents. The MEPS data were used to study medical expenditures of nonfatal occupational injuries and to describe potential differences between immigrant and US-born workers in medical utilization and expenditures after work-related injuries. Results: Immigrant workers reported a lower rate of work-related injuries than US-born workers, 50/10,000 (95% CI=45-56) versus 89/10,000 (95% CI=86-93). In all industrial categories, foreign-born workers reported a significantly lower rate of work-related injuries than US-born workers. Patterns of work-related injuries with regard to external cause of injury, nature of injury, and injured body region were similar between the two groups. Injury severity measures suggested that foreign-born workers may have suffered more severe injuries than US-born workers. The total annual medical expenditures for work-related injuries were $13.9 billion (95% CI: $12.4-$15.5 billion) for US-born workers (88.5%) and $1.8 billion (95% CI: $1.5-$2.2 billion) for immigrant workers (11.5%).
Keywords	Occupational safety and health Injuries Immigrants Work environments Agricultural industry Construction industry Demography Hazards Humans Labor force Public health Risk factors Sociology Statistical data Surveys
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Corporate Authors	Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Coll. of Medicine.; National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Atlanta, GA.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Atlanta, GA.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	201314

Work-Related Injuries among Immigrant Workers.

Work-Related Injuries among Immigrant Workers.
PB2013105837

Publication Date	2010
Personal Author	Xiang, H.; Smith, G. A.; Kelleher, K.; Wilkins, J.; Lu, B.
Page Count	37
Abstract	Immigrants are an important and fast growing segment of the US population, approximately 12% of the total population. Immigrant workers comprise a sizable proportion of the total US workforce, and their numbers are growing. In recent years, safety and injury prevention at work have been raised as an issue among the US immigrant population, in part, because low skill immigrants are often employed in dangerous sectors such as agriculture and construction industries. This research project investigated nonfatal injuries and work-related injuries among immigrants and US-born adults in the United States. We used three national probability sample survey data: 1997-2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), and 2000-2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The NHIS data were used to compare prevalence and patterns of work-related injuries between immigrant and US-born workers (Specific Aim 1). The NESARC data were used to compare the prevalence of unintentional nonfatal injuries and risk-taking behaviors between immigrant and US-born respondents. The MEPS data were used to study medical expenditures of nonfatal occupational injuries and to describe potential differences between immigrant and US-born workers in medical utilization and expenditures after work-related injuries. Results: Immigrant workers reported a lower rate of work-related injuries than US-born workers, 50/10,000 (95% CI=45-56) versus 89/10,000 (95% CI=86-93). In all industrial categories, foreign-born workers reported a significantly lower rate of work-related injuries than US-born workers. Patterns of work-related injuries with regard to external cause of injury, nature of injury, and injured body region were similar between the two groups. Injury severity measures suggested that foreign-born workers may have suffered more severe injuries than US-born workers. The total annual medical expenditures for work-related injuries were $13.9 billion (95% CI: $12.4-$15.5 billion) for US-born workers (88.5%) and $1.8 billion (95% CI: $1.5-$2.2 billion) for immigrant workers (11.5%).
Keywords	Occupational safety and health Injuries Immigrants Work environments Agricultural industry Construction industry Demography Hazards Humans Labor force Public health Risk factors Sociology Statistical data Surveys
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Corporate Authors	Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Coll. of Medicine.; National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Atlanta, GA.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Atlanta, GA.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	201314