Occupational injury among Rhode Island adolescents: an analysis of workers' compensation claims, 1998 to 2002.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine occupational injuries sustained by adolescent workers during a 5-year period.


METHODS
Workers' compensation claims from Rhode Island were used to assess injuries of 15- to 19-year-old employees (n = 8321) from 1998 to 2002. Baseline employee population estimates were derived using the Current Population Survey.


RESULTS
The annual estimated adolescent claim rate was 6.6 per 100 workers (95% confidence interval = 6.1-7.1), with annual average costs of $614,182. Injury rates increased with employee age, hours worked, and for day and nightshift employees relative to evening shift workers. The highest proportion of claims by industry was in eating establishments, and the average indemnification duration was 13.0 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific emphasis should be placed on increasing safety training and preventative interventions for teenagers in hazardous occupations and for those working longer hours.
Horwitz
Irwin B
IB
Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA. ihorwitz@sph.uth.tmc.edu
McCall
Brian P
BP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012237:Rhode Island / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*