title: Worker populations at risk for work-related injuries across the life course.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Workplace injuries can have a substantial economic impact. Rates of workplace injuries differ across age groups, yet occupations/industry sectors at highest risk within age groups have not been identified. We examined workplace injury risk across industry sectors for three age groups using nationally representative U.S. data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 1997 to 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were pooled for employed adults by age groups: (1) 18-25 (n = 22,261); (2) 26-54 (n = 121,559); and (3) 55+ (n = 24,851). Workplace injury risk comparisons were made using logistic regression, with the Services sector as the referent and adjustment for sample design, gender, education, race/ethnicity, age, and income-to-poverty ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 3-month injury prevalence was 0.88%. Highest risk sectors for workers aged 18-25 included: Agriculture/forestry/fisheries (odds ratio = 4.80; 95% confidence interval 2.23-10.32), Healthcare/social assistance (2.71; 1.50-4.91), Construction (2.66; 1.56-4.53), Manufacturing (2.66; 1.54-4.61); for workers 26-54: Construction (2.30; 1.76-3.0), Agriculture/forestry/fisheries (1.91; 1.16-3.15), and Manufacturing (1.58; 1.28-1.96); for workers 55+: Agriculture/forestry/fisheries (3.01; 1.16-7.81), Transportation/communication/other public utilities (2.55; 1.44-4.49), and Construction (2.25; 1.09-4.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agriculture/forestry/fisheries and Construction were among the sectors with highest workplace injury risk for workers across all age groups. Differences in highest risk industries were identified between the youngest and oldest industry groups. Our results indicate a need for age-specific interventions in some industries, and a need for more comprehensive measures in others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136, USA. dkachan@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kachan
authors.forename: Lora E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Kristopher L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Arheart
authors.forename: Alberto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caban-Martinez
authors.forename: Tainya C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Manuel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ocasio
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*