title: Work-related mild-moderate traumatic brain injury and the construction industry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Consequences of traumatic brain injury underscore the need to study high-risk groups. Few studies have investigated work-related traumatic brain injuries (WrTBIs) in the construction industry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine WrTBIs in Ontario for the construction industry compared to other industries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of individuals who sustained a WrTBI and had a clinical assessment as an outpatient at a hospital-based referral centre. Data were collected for a number of factors including demographic, injury and occupation and were analyzed according to the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model.
  
  
  METHODS
  435 individuals who sustained a WrTBI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 19.1% in the construction industry, 80.9% in other industries. Compared to other industries, individuals in the construction industry were more likely to be male, to not have attained post-secondary education, and experience multiple traumas. WrTBIs in the construction industry were commonly due to elevated work. The construction occupations involved included skilled workers and general labourers, and compared to other industries, WrTBIs occurred most often for those employed for a short duration in the construction industry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Construction industry workers experience serious WrTBIs that are amenable to prevention. Use of the PEO model increased our understanding of WrTBIs in the construction industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty ofMedicine, University of Toronto, 500 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wenli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fergenbaum
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Comper
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colantonio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies