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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Susan Garman, BSN, MS-EPH, COHNS, Terry Moen, and Henry Anderson, MD. Bureau of Occupational Health, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, 1 West Wilson Street, Room B157, P.O. Box 2659, Madison, WI 53701-2659, (608) 267-3256, garmasj@dhfs.state.wi.us
NIOSH reports that nearly 200,000 youth in the U.S. suffer work-related injuries each year and that approximately 70 youth die each year as a result of those injuries. Collection of youth occupational information is limited both statewide and nationally; hence very little is known about factors that predict injury among young workers. An anonymous cross-sectional survey was administered to five Wisconsin school districts and one large urban high school in May 2001. A case-control study was designed to evaluate factors associated with injury among working youth aged 14-19. Cases were youth who experienced a work-related injury (n=979); whereas controls were working youth who did not experience a work-related injury (n=6171). Injuries included cuts and burns, sprained muscles, injuries to the eyes, head and neck, animal bites, puncture wounds, dislocation of joints, broken bones and loss of limbs. Major factors associated with youth injury included: being previously almost injured at work (OR=7.96, 95%CI 6.77,9.35), having a coworker injured (OR=5.76, 95%CI 4.96,6.69), being asked to do something the youth considered dangerous (OR=5.39, 95% CI 4.44, 6.54), not asking their boss prior to doing something dangerous (OR=2.13, 95%CI 1.74,2.61). Factors such as prior job training and being informed of their legal rights were not preventive of work-related injury. This survey helps to characterize work-related injuries in youth and factors associated with injury. On-going collection of youth occupational data may help to identify modifiable injury risk factors.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.