Ethnic disparities in traumatic occupational injury.
OBJECTIVE
Workers of different ethnicities differ in patterns of employment and occupational risks. We use the Illinois Trauma Registry to evaluate ethnic disparities among the occupational traumatic injuries occurring in the State of Illinois between 1997 and 2003.


METHODS
We analyze incidence, severity, cause and place of injury, disability and in-hospital mortality.


RESULTS
The incidence rates of traumatic injuries among Hispanics were more than two times higher than whites, however, the risk of severe injury (Injury Severity Score >or=16) was more than 50% lower. Among African-American workers, the incidence and severity of traumatic injuries were lower than whites. Machinery was the primary external cause of injury among Hispanics. blacks were disproportionately injured in road accidents and homicides/assaults.


CONCLUSIONS
There are substantial racial/ethnic differences in incidence, severity and outcome of work-related traumatic injuries treated in level I and II trauma centers in Illinois.
Friedman
Lee S
LS
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. lfriedman@tspri.org
Forst
Linda
L
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology